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Father Goriot · Character

Eugène de Rastignac

A penniless law student from the provinces, hungry for Parisian glory, who learns that ambition has a price no lecture hall ever taught.

major

Also known as Rastignac, Eugène, M. de Rastignac, Chevalier de Rastignac

First appearance: Father Goriot

As a major figure in Father Goriot, Eugène de Rastignac is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Receives money from his family, feels remorse for his ambitions, and learns of Goriot's sacrifice from Vautrin.
In the storyFather GoriotOpen this moment free

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Rastignac arrives in Paris with noble name, thin purse, and a cousin well placed in fashionable society, lodging among paupers at the Maison Vauquer while courting drawing rooms he cannot afford. His hunger for success…

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The fuller portrait of Eugène de Rastignac sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Eugène de Rastignac in Father Goriot

Character Web

36 connections

A slice of how Eugène de Rastignac sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

DDDelphine de Nu…FIFifineFGFather GoriotVAVautrinADAnastasie de R…EDEugène de Rastignac

Relationship types

  • Romantic
  • Friendship
  • Psychological
  • Social
  • Other

Character groups

  • Main narrative characters
  • Protagonist
  • Secondary and background figures

+31 more in the full Character Web

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Relationships

Relationship notes

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In the story

Eugène de Rastignac appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See Eugène de Rastignac in Father Goriot