Émile Zola

Honore de Balzac was a renowned French novelist who lived during the 19th century. He was a key figure in French literature and is best known for his series of novels and short stories collectively titled 'La Comédie Humaine'.

Emile Zola, a prominent and controversial figure in French literature, was born on April 2, 1840. He made significant contributions to various literary genres and was known for championing the rights of the oppressed.

At the age of 18, Émile Zola returned to Paris where he studied at the Lycée Saint-Louis, marking a significant point in his educational journey.

In 1862, Émile Zola became a French citizen through naturalization.

In 1864, Émile Zola published Contes à Ninon, one of his early works.

In 1865, Émile Zola met Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, also known as Gabrielle, who later became his mistress.

In 1867, Émile Zola published his first major novel, Therese Raquin. This work marked a significant point in Zola's literary career.

Zola aimed to showcase how hereditary factors played a crucial role in shaping his characters' behavior through a series of novels. He emphasized the importance of heredity and innateness over social principles like royalty and Catholicism.

On May 31, 1870, Émile Zola married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who played a significant role in his life and work.

Etienne embraces socialist principles and becomes influenced by extremist left-wing literature, leading to his involvement with Russian anarchist Souvarine.

In this political novel, the minister's actions and their repercussions extend beyond Paris, illustrating the interconnectedness of political power and personal relationships.

L'Assommoir is another masterpiece by Émile Zola where the central character, Etienne Lantier, is introduced. It is a story of a young migrant worker in a coal mining town in France.

Published in 1883, The Ladies' Paradise is a novel by Émile Zola that explores the rise of department stores and consumer culture in 19th-century Paris.

In February 1884, Émile Zola visited various locations like the colliery of Anzin, La Beauce, Sedan, Ardennes, and the railway line between Paris and Le Havre for research purposes. He believed in the importance of dispassionate observation and meticulous documentation for his experimental novels.

Germinal is the thirteenth novel in Émile Zola's 20-volume series Les Rougon-Macquart. It is considered one of the greatest novels ever written in the French language, depicting a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.

Émile Zola's friendship with painter Paul Cézanne ended due to Zola's portrayal of Cézanne and the Bohemian life of painters in his novel, L'Oeuvre (The Masterpiece, 1886).

On August 18, 1887, 'The Manifesto of the Five' was published in Le Figaro, criticizing Émile Zola's work 'La Terre' for its lack of moral and aesthetic balance. The signatories accused Zola of lowering the standard of Naturalism and catering to large sales with deliberate obscenities.

In 1888, Émile Zola fell in love with Jeanne Rozerot, a seamstress who later bore him two children.

La Bête humaine was originally planned to feature Etienne Lantier as the central character in a murder mystery set on trains. However, due to the success of Germinal, Zola changed his plans.

In 1891, Émile Zola fathered two children, Denise and Jacques, with Jeanne Rozerot.

La Debacle, the penultimate book of the series, depicted the tragedy of international strife and corruption during wartime, particularly focusing on the negative portrayal of the French army. It stirred controversy and led to Zola being labeled as 'unpatriotic.' The novel included graphic scenes from military hospitals behind French battle lines.

Zola finished the series with Le Docteur Pascal, where the title character examines the genealogy of his family, the Rougon-Macquarts. The novel reflects the best and worst aspects of life, including love, scandal, and family dynamics.

A novel by Émile Zola published in 1894.

A novel by Émile Zola published in 1896.

Émile Zola published J'Accuse...! on the front page of the Paris daily L'Aurore, accusing the French Army of obstruction of justice and antisemitism in wrongfully convicting Alfred Dreyfus.

On February 7, 1898, Émile Zola was brought to trial for libel due to his article 'J'accuse'. He was convicted on February 23, 1898.

On February 23, 1898, Émile Zola was convicted for libel related to his article 'J'accuse'. He declared the conviction of Alfred Dreyfus as a miscarriage of justice.

Émile Zola, known for risking his career and life to expose French anti-Semitism in the Dreyfus Affair, passed away on September 29, 1902. His open letter 'J'accuse' and defense of Dreyfus had a lasting impact on French society.

Émile Zola's remains were moved from Cimetière de Montmartre to the Panthéon in Paris, where he shares a crypt with Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas. During the ceremony, there was an assassination attempt on Alfred Dreyfus.

J. G. Patterson's dictionary published in 1912, focusing on the characters found in Émile Zola's 'Rougon-Macquart' novels.

A 1953 investigation raised the possibility that Émile Zola's death might have been a murder rather than an accident. It was based on the revelation that Zola's chimney was intentionally blocked, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning.

A book by J. C. Lapp published in 1964, focusing on Émile Zola's life and works before the 'Rougon-Macquart' series.

John Porter Houston's book praised the effective use of language in both the dialogue and narration of L'Assommoir.

Joanna Richardson's book 'Zola' published in 1978, providing insights into the life and works of Émile Zola.

Brian Nelson's work from 1982, providing a selective analytical bibliography on the works of Émile Zola.

A book edited by Robert Lethbridge and Terry Keefe, published in 1990, exploring the craft of fiction in the works of Émile Zola.

Carol A. Mossman's book published in 1993, delving into the political and narrative aspects of birth and colonization from Rousseau to Zola.

In January 1998, President Jacques Chirac organized a memorial to commemorate the centenary of 'J'Accuse.' This event highlighted the enduring significance of Émile Zola's famous open letter, which exposed the injustices of the Dreyfus Affair.

Free audio books for Émile Zola were archived on December 31, 2010. The content was in French.

A novel by Émile Zola, 'The Flood', published in 2013.

Émile Zola's presence at Livres & Ebooks was archived on May 4, 2016. The event was conducted in French.