"Le Père Goriot" is a novel by French author Honoré de Balzac, first published in 1835. The story is set in Paris in the early 19th century and follows the lives of several characters who live in a boarding house owned by the title character, Father Goriot. The two main characters are Eugène de Rastignac, a young law student from the provinces who is trying to make his way in Parisian society, and Vautrin, a mysterious and manipulative criminal who takes an interest in Rastignac. The novel explores themes of social class, ambition, love, and sacrifice as Rastignac tries to climb the social ladder while Goriot's own sacrifices for his daughters go unappreciated. The novel is considered a masterpiece of French literature and is often seen as a key work in Balzac's monumental series of novels, "La Comédie Humaine".