Emile Zola is considered one of the most popular French writers of the 19th century. He is a representative of realism, theorist of the "naturalistic" movement in literature. For the last three decades of the 19th century, Zola stood at the center of French literary life. The creator of novels striking in their realism, was linked by threads of friendship with many authors of his era and influenced the development of European literature.
From the biography of Emil Zola
The future writer and publicist was born in the capital of France on April 2, 1840. Emil was born into a family of Italian and French and received French citizenship. The boy's father was an engineer. After signing a solid contract for the construction of the canal, François Zola moved the family to Aix-en-Provence. Together with partners, Zola Sr. created a company that was to carry out a grandiose project. From 1847, work began to advance. However, François fell ill with pneumonia and died suddenly.
Emil was assigned to a boarding house at an educational institution. Here he met the future French artist Paul Cézanne. Their friendship lasted for a quarter of a century.
After the death of François Zola, his wife remained a widow. She lived on a small pension, which was sorely lacking. In 1852, Emile's mother returned to Paris. She had to watch the lawsuit that the creditors unleashed against the company of her late husband. During the court proceedings, the company was still declared bankrupt.
Emil moved to his mother in Paris, filled with disappointment: from now on, his life is filled with only restrictions, which imposed on their existence the wretched financial situation of the family. Zola tried to start a career as a lawyer. But he failed in the exams.
Emil Zola's literary activity
Defeated in the field of jurisprudence, Zola found a job in a bookstore. Then he worked at the Ashet publishing house. Four years later, the thought matured for him: to write himself and make literary activity a source of existence.
Emil takes his first steps in the literary field in journalism. In 1964 he published his first collection of short stories, to which he gave the title "Tales of Ninon". But the first novel, The Confessions of Claude, brought fame to the novice writer. In fact, it was Zola's autobiography, which made the author a popular writer.
Zola considered the creation of the novel "Rougon-Maccara", which originally envisaged ten volumes, as the work of his entire creative life. Ultimately, however, the edition included twenty volumes. The most successful of the books in the cycle were "Germinal" and "Trap". They talked about the life of the working class.
The novel "Ladies' Happiness" was also a success with readers. It reflected the ideology of a bourgeois society in which commercial relations are rapidly developing. The law of this society is the client's desire. The seller's rights are almost irrelevant. The main characters of the work are ordinary poor people from a distant province who are looking for a way to a successful life.
Zola's novels show very subtly the psychology of the petty bourgeoisie. These people are looking for the truth of life. But all their attempts end in failure.
Zola's style is inherently controversial. However, this feature of his work is an accurate reflection of the social position of the petty bourgeoisie, whose representatives become the central characters in Zola's works. The writer's vision is full and complete. Descriptions of heroes, characteristics of the subject environment in Zola's novels - everything is given in sentimental soft colors.
The Rougon-Makkara cycle was conceived as a family saga in which generations change and completely new characters appear. The idea that the author wanted to convey to the reader was that it is impossible to get rid of the customs, habits and heredity that are rooted in the family.
Here are Zola's most widely read novels that have brought him worldwide fame:
- "Confessions of Claude";
- "Testament of the Dead";
- Secrets of Marseilles;
- "The Womb of Paris";
- Germinal;
- "Nana";
- "Human Beast".
It is interesting that Zola's work gained popularity in distant Russia earlier than in the writer's homeland. Already his first literary experiments were noted in the "Notes of the Fatherland". Translations of a number of Zola's works were published in corrected form - this was demanded by the Russian censorship. In the 70s of the XIX century, Zola in Russia was actively read by both radical raznochin and representatives of the liberal bourgeoisie.
A new stage in Zola's work was marked by the release of the unfinished Gospels series (1899-1902), which included the following literary fragments:
- "Fertility";
- "Work";
- "Justice".
Here Zola, among other things, is trying to create a utopia about the possible planned reproduction of all mankind.
Without interrupting his literary experiences, Emile Zola was engaged in social and political activities. His most daring publication was the article “I blame”, which became the public response to the so-called “Dreyfus case”. In those years, many prominent cultural figures defended Officer Dreyfus, a Jew by nationality, who was without any reason accused of spying for Germany.
Personal life of the writer
After arriving in Paris to his mother, young Emil met Alexandrina Meley. For many years, the woman was the writer's mistress. Serious, ambitious and at the same time fragile Alexandrina also liked Zola's mother. In 1970, Emil and Alexandrina were married. But they had no children.
A few years later, Alexandrina hired a young maid named Jeanne into the house. She became Zola's mistress. The writer sought to hide this vicious relationship, while simultaneously supporting the young mistress with money. However, after the appearance of the first child of Jeanne Rosero, it became impossible to hide the relationship. The first family broke up, Zola married Jeanne. Soon they had a second child. The new family became a source of inspiration for the writer.
On September 29, 1902, Emile Zola passed away. Officially, the cause of his death is believed to be carbon monoxide poisoning. Apparently, the chimney turned out to be faulty in the house. Zola's last words were an appeal to his wife - he complained of poor health. But he refused medical help.
Zola's contemporaries questioned this version of the writer's death. Half a century after Emile's death, French publicist Borel published his own investigation. He suggested that the writer was killed deliberately.
