This is the final volume in the Rougon-Macquart series. This series brought Zola literary fame and is considered his life work. It took 25 years to finish the 20 volumes. The idea for writing the social history of a family encompassing several volumes probably came from his reading the works of Balzac. Zola shows how people in a family who appear to be quite individualistic actually are quite similar. Heredity and proximity determine who we are and how we act. The novel begins in 1872, after the fall of the Second Empire and the end of the reign of Emperor Napoleon III. Pascal Rougon is the…mehr
This is the final volume in the Rougon-Macquart series. This series brought Zola literary fame and is considered his life work. It took 25 years to finish the 20 volumes. The idea for writing the social history of a family encompassing several volumes probably came from his reading the works of Balzac. Zola shows how people in a family who appear to be quite individualistic actually are quite similar. Heredity and proximity determine who we are and how we act. The novel begins in 1872, after the fall of the Second Empire and the end of the reign of Emperor Napoleon III. Pascal Rougon is the son of Pierre and Félicité Rougon, who rose to power in the fictional town of Plassans which was detailed in the first novel of the series La fortune des Rougon.
Emile Zola, the towering figure of nineteenth-century French literature, was born in Paris in 1840. Zola was known for his naturalistic approach and sharp social commentary, and his writings frequently probed the complexity of human nature as well as the impact of society pressures on individual lives. His opus, "The Fat and the Thin" (also known as "Le Ventre de Paris"), demonstrates his literary prowess and long-lasting legacy. Published in 1873, "The Fat and the Thin" is a caustic satire of bourgeois society set against the backdrop of Parisian markets and neighborhoods. Zola's vivid characterization and thorough attention to detail create a vision of a society plagued by greed, duplicity, and moral degradation. Florent meets a range of characters representing various social groups as he navigates Paris's crowded streets, each battling with their own goals and ambitions. Through Florent's eyes, Zola reveals the harsh truths of poverty, inequality, and injustice, while also portraying moments of compassion and resilience. "The Fat and the Thin" is a forceful condemnation of the social inequities of the day, providing readers with a piercing analysis of the moral decay at the heart of bourgeois society. Emile Zola's seminal work continues to captivate readers today, asking them to examine the complexity of their own cultural structures and moral compass.
Inhaltsangabe
Introduction Translator's Note Select Bibliography A Chronology of Émile Zola Family Tree of the Rougon-Macquart Doctor Pascal Explanatory Notes
