INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 862
FORMS OF ADDRESS TO WOMEN IN HONORE DE BALZAC'S "THE PRAYER
OF THE ATHEIST"
Ziyadullayeva Mohira Tagayevna
Samarkand State Institute of Economics and Service,
“Foreign Languages” Department, Trainee Teacher
Yakhshimurodov Umarjon
Teacher at Samarkand Technicum of Tourism And Cultural Heritage
Annotation:
Honoré de Balzac, a prominent figure in French literature, was born in Tours,
into a not very wealthy family of a civil servant, descended from a peasant family. He could
not fully realize his ambitious plan, but the 95 novels written for the "Comedy of Humanity"
reveal the true face of French society at that time, which Balzac himself called "the great
comedy of our century" or "the devil's comedy". In addition to the 95 novels united under the
title "Comedy of Humanity", Balzac created dozens of works, five plays, critical articles and
a collection of short stories "Ominous Stories". Among these works is the work "The Prayer
of an Atheist". This article contains information about the forms of appeal to women in the
work "The Prayer of an Atheist".
Key words:
Honoré de Balzac, “The Prayer of the Atheist”, novella, “The Human Comedy”,
"
madam
", "
mademoiselle
",
Polina, Grafinya,
"
lady
",
Fedora.
Honoré de Balzac (20 May 1799 – 18 August 1850) was a French novelist and playwright.
Balzac is considered one of the world's greatest writers.
Honoré de Balzac wrote a number of novels, stories, plays, and essays. Balzac's creative
legacy is vast and diverse in terms of genre: novels, short stories, and plays. One of his works
is “The Prayer of the Atheist”.
“The Prayer of an Atheist” was written by Honoré de Balzac in 1836. He wrote in a letter to
Madame Ganskaya on January 18, 1836, that it was “a story conceived, written, and printed
in one night.” The novella was included in the writer’s collection “The Human Comedy”.
“The Prayer of the Atheist” is a very beautiful and touching story. The protagonist of the
work is a respected surgeon, Desplaine. He is distinguished by his religiously adamant
atheistic nature and his belief only in science. Desplaine’s student, Horatio Bianchon, also
works in the hospital, where he works as the head of the surgical department. One day, he
1
The story "Gobsek" is in the Ziyouz library.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 863
accidentally notices how Desplaine entered the church. Bianchon, moved by his master’s
behavior, asks him to explain it frankly. And he reveals his interesting past.
Desplein suffered a lot in life and survived by fighting against difficulties. While suffering
from hunger, a poor man lends a helping hand to the future famous surgeon. It was a simple
locksmith, Mr. Bourget. The old man believes that this young student Desplein has a bright
future.
Bourgeois took care of Desplein as if he were his own father, and despite being a poor man
himself, he was very generous. But although Desplein grew up to be one of the best surgeons
in the world, he could not save his teacher and friend, Mr. Bourgeois, from death. No matter
how skilled a doctor in the world, death is an absolute reality. Interestingly, Desplein felt this
deeply, he deeply regretted that he could not help the person who had made him human. Mr.
Bourgeois, who was his patron, was a very pious man, and all Desplein could do was go to
church every year and pray for his teacher.
Despite his poverty, Mr. Bourgeois was rich in his generosity and sincerity, and he gave
without thinking of getting anything in return: he did great humanitarian work! Desplein did
not believe in God, although this was one of his principles, but when he could not save a
person who had done him good in the past, he was forced to pray. Because he had found and
lost a person who had radically changed his life.
Despite its brevity, the story is one of Balzac's most powerful works. A story of selflessness
and faith in people, and a story of gratitude. Perhaps the world would not have known about
the talented surgeon Desplein if the simple water carrier Mr. Bourgeois had not helped him in
his youth.
Although Bourgeois himself barely made ends meet, he gave up both his money and his
dream to help a talented and poor young man. Desplein became a famous doctor, but he
never forgot who “made him a man.” The upbringing given by Bourgeois, a simple water
carrier, forced even a staunch atheist like Desplein to pray for his benefactor. The feeling of
self-sacrifice and self-renunciation will always remain one of the most beautiful qualities of a
person.
Now let us consider the forms of addressing women in this work.
Honoré de Balzac's “The Prayer of the Atheist” ("La Messe de l'athée") is a short story with
deep philosophical and emotional layers, in which the forms of addressing women also play
an important role. Although the female characters in the work are few, they participate in an
important dramatic and moral context. Also, the forms of addressing women serve to reveal
the author's realist style, the image of women in society, and to more deeply describe the
relationships between the characters.
In Honore de Balzac's “The Prayer of the Atheist” (“La Peau de chagrin”)the forms of
addressing women serve to reveal the author's realist style, the image of women in society,
and to further describe the relationships between the characters.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 864
Appeals related to social status.
When addressing women, Balzac takes into account their social status, origin, and place in
society. For example, noble women are addressed with formal titles such as "
madam
" and
"
mademoiselle
" This reflects the social structure of the time.
As an example of this, the following example from the work can be cited.
"I have overheard some of your conversation with
Mademoiselle
de Granlay, and I would
like to join you in your conversation!" exclaimed the family friend whose name was
mentioned in the book. "I have won, Count," he said to his companion. "I hasten to leave you
in your own hands and to assist your nephew".
The Justice de Granlay glanced at
Madame
, and understood that the story would be of
interest to her.
Discussion and emotional diversity.
In the dialogues with women in the work, the forms of address change depending on the
emotional state. For example, in the conversations between Rafael and
Fedora
, there is a
sense of coldness and indifference - this is also reflected in the addresses. However, the
relationship with
Polina
is warmer, more sincere - this is reflected in the forms of address
that are spoken softly, with affection.
The balance of power between men and women
The way women are addressed in Balzac's work also shows the balance of power between
men and women. For example, while Fedora is an independent, cold character, Raphael
addresses her formally, sometimes sarcastically. Through this, Balzac shows the influence of
women, or, conversely, their spiritual superiority over men.
This work also contains forms of address such as
Grafinya
.
Grafinya
is very cunning, she puts herself in a thousand positions for a thousand francs! She
smiles with open beauty, her tongue speaks softly with a smoothness.
The work also uses the form of address, such as "
lady
".
It was a great light to have left the money with the housekeeper, but I was eager to see the
woman who owed me money. For some reason she seemed to me frivolous and frivolous. So
I spent the morning looking at the engravings in the shop windows. But at noon I was in the
hotel room next to the grafinya's bedroom.
2
Honore de Balzac: "The Prayer of an Atheist". Tashkent. 2016. 5 page.
3
Honore de Balzac: "The Prayer of an Atheist". Tashkent. 2016. 6 page.
4
Honore de Balzac: "The Prayer of an Atheist". Tashkent. 2016. 23 page.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 865
"My
lady
just called," the servant man told me. "I don't think they can see you right now."
Addressed with respect and sincerity
The work shows women, especially the daughter-in-law of a sick old man or the wife of his
child - a pregnant woman, in need of kindness and protection. Dr. Desplein, without being
indifferent to this woman, tries to protect and care for her.
Faith and Love in the Image of Women
In this story, Balzac uses female characters to explore concepts related to human love, family
ties, and even faith. The woman's prayerful posture makes Desplein deeply think - through
this, Balzac shows women as a source of spiritual strength.
Pity and empathy for women
The work portrays women as weak but strong spiritual beings. The male characters
(especially Desplein) approach them with affection, pity, and empathy. Balzac's approach to
female characters
Balzac creates female characters in a variety of ways: innocent (
Polina
), selfish (
Fedora
),
kind, idealistic, etc. He approaches each of them with a unique, appropriate appeal. Through
this, the author reveals their character and place in society more deeply.
It is enough to read just one of Balzac's stories to understand how well he understands and
describes human thought, inner experiences, psychology, and humanity. This is a short story,
but it has deep philosophical and emotional layers, and the forms of addressing women also
play an important role in it.
References:
1. Adamson, Donald (1986). "Le Père Goriot devant la critique anglaise". L'Année
balzacienne (in French).
7
. ISSN 1969-6752. In L'Année balzacienne.
II
. 20. Garnier
Frères. 1999. ISBN 978-2-13-050961-5.
2. Brooks, Peter (2005). Realist Vision. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-
3. Saintsbury,
(1911).
In
Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
pp. 298–301.
4. Stowe, William W. (1983). "Systematic Realism". In: Honoré de Balzac. Edited by
Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN 0-7910-7042-5.
5. The story "Gobsek" is in the Ziyouz library.
6. Zweig, Stefan (1946). Balzac. New York: Viking Press.
5
Honore de Balzac: "The Prayer of an Atheist". Tashkent. 2016. 24 page.
