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

See Eugène de Rastignac in Father Goriot Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

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 collides with the shabby decency of Father Goriot and the cynical temptations of Vautrin, who offers him a shortcut past the barricades of birth. His choices form the moral spine of the novel, turning a provincial's education into a portrait of an entire generation's bargain with the world.

Continue beside the text

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.

Relationship types

Romantic
Friendship
Psychological
Social
Other

Character groups

Main narrative characters
Protagonist
Secondary and background figures

+31 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Relationships

Delphine de Nucingen
romantic · positive
Delphine and Eugène are passionate lovers, with Delphine using Eugène for social… How this plays out →
Father Goriot
friendship · positive
Vautrin
psychological · negative
Anastasie de Restaud
social · negative
Victorine Taillefer
social · positive
Vicomtesse de Beauséant
friendship · positive
Horace Bianchon
friendship · positive
Madame Vauquer
professional · ambivalent
Delphine de Nucingen
romantic · positive
Delphine and Eugène are passionate lovers, with Delphine using Eugène for social… How this plays out →
Delphine de Nucingen
romantic · positive
Delphine and Eugène are passionate lovers, with Delphine using Eugène for social… How this plays out →
Father Goriot
friendship · positive
Madame Vauquer
professional · ambivalent

Delphine de Nucingen
Delphine and Eugène are passionate lovers, with Delphine using Eugène for social advancement while genuinely caring for him.
Father Goriot
Eugène develops a deep, almost filial friendship with Father Goriot, who sees him as a surrogate son and confidant.
Vautrin
Vautrin manipulates and tempts Eugène with cynical schemes for wealth, acting as a dark mentor and psychological puppeteer.
Anastasie de Restaud
Anastasie initially snubs Eugène due to his lower status, but later interacts with him as a social acquaintance through family connections.
Victorine Taillefer
Eugène is a polite acquaintance of Victorine at the boarding house, though Vautrin tries to push them together for inheritance schemes.
Vicomtesse de Beauséant
The Vicomtesse acts as Eugène's aristocratic mentor and friend, teaching him the ruthless ways of Parisian high society.
Horace Bianchon
Bianchon is Eugène's loyal and kind-hearted medical student friend, offering genuine support and moral grounding.
Madame Vauquer
Madame Vauquer is Eugène's landlady, and their relationship is that of tenant and boarding house owner, tinged with her maternal interest.
Delphine de Nucingen
Delphine and Eugène are passionate lovers, with Delphine using Eugène for social advancement while genuinely caring for him.
Delphine de Nucingen
Delphine and Eugène are passionate lovers, with Delphine using Eugène for social advancement while genuinely caring for him.
Father Goriot
Eugène develops a deep, almost filial friendship with Father Goriot, who sees him as a surrogate son and confidant.
Madame Vauquer
Madame Vauquer is Eugène's landlady, and their relationship is that of tenant and boarding house owner, tinged with her maternal interest.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Eugène de Rastignac in Father Goriot

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.

Father Goriot

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Eugène de Rastignac unlock in the free preview.

See Eugène de Rastignac in Father Goriot