A shopgirl's dignity versus the first department store's seduction machine.
Who drives the story
A twenty-year-old from Valognes holding her family together on a saleswoman's wage. Bullied, gossiped about, and offered wealth as a mistress, she refuses to be bought—and ends up marrying the owner on her own terms.
The widowed owner of Au Bonheur des Dames, a genius of seduction who despises women and builds an empire to overwhelm them. Denise is the one woman who stands up to him, and she conquers him.
Denise's uncle, an old-fashioned draper at the Vieil Elbeuf who watches the store across the street kill his trade. He loses his shop, and his daughter Geneviève dies of tuberculosis weakened by the family's poverty.
The elderly umbrella-maker who refuses to sell his tiny shop to Mouret, declaring he would rather die. His holdout ends with his shop demolished and swallowed into the store's masonry.
Mouret's mistress, a wealthy widow he uses for her social connections to win his new street. Jealous of Denise, she publicly humiliates her—and pushes Denise out of the store.
The proud, severe head of the ladies' wear department, who inspects Denise with disdain and joins the gossip against her.
Also in the story
A spiteful saleswoman who mocks Denise's provincial clothes and poverty, part of the bullying that nearly costs Denise her job.
A financier modeled on Haussmann whose approval Mouret wins through Madame Desforges for the new street giving the store its grand façade.
How they are connected
Denise is the one woman who stands up to him, and she conquers him.
Denise's uncle, an old-fashioned draper at the Vieil Elbeuf who watches the store across the street kill his trade.
The elderly umbrella-maker who refuses to sell his tiny shop to Mouret, declaring he would rather die.
Mouret's mistress, a wealthy widow he uses for her social connections to win his new street.
Jealous of Denise, she publicly humiliates her—and pushes Denise out of the store.
The proud, severe head of the ladies' wear department, who inspects Denise with disdain and joins the gossip against her.
A spiteful saleswoman who mocks Denise's provincial clothes and poverty, part of the bullying that nearly costs Denise her job.
A financier modeled on Haussmann whose approval Mouret wins through Madame Desforges for the new street giving the store its grand façade.
Baron HartmannMadame Desforges
A financier modeled on Haussmann whose approval Mouret wins through Madame Desforges for the new street giving the store its grand façade.
Go deeper
Capitalism as seduction · The death of small trade · Women and independence · Dignity as the only leverage
Themes explainedThe full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.
Open the summary