Eugène de Rastignac

Eugène de Rastignac is a young man of noble birth, but he is poor. He is ambitious and wants to make his way in the world. He is intelligent and charming, and he uses his wits and his relationships with women to achieve his goals. He is often compared to Lucien de Rubempré, another young man who is also trying to make his way in the world. However, while Lucien accepts the help of a criminal mastermind, Rastignac refuses to do anything that is dishonorable. He eventually achieves social success, but his story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of ambition.