Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin (1867) is a dark, naturalist novel exploring adultery, murder, and the corrosive weight of guilt. It’s praised for its psychological depth, vivid realism, and its role as a manifesto of French Naturalism.
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| Thérèse Raquin |
Overview of the Novel
Author: Émile Zola (1840–1902)
Published: 1867
Genre: Naturalist fiction, psychological drama
Setting: A dingy haberdasher’s shop in Paris, claustrophobic and oppressive
The story follows Thérèse, trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin Camille. When she begins an affair with Laurent, the two conspire to murder Camille. But instead of liberation, they are consumed by guilt, paranoia, and haunting visions of their crime.
Key Themes
- Naturalism & Human Instincts: Zola portrays characters as “human beasts,” driven by lust and survival rather than morality.
- Psychological Torment: The novel dissects guilt and obsession, showing how crime corrodes intimacy and sanity.
- Claustrophobia & Fate: The confined setting mirrors the characters’ trapped lives, intensifying the sense of inevitability.
Moral Decay: Passion leads to destruction, and Zola refuses to romanticize adultery or murder.
(1867) is a dark, naturalist novel exploring adultery, murder, and the corrosive weight of guilt. It’s praised for its psychological depth, vivid realism, and its role as a manifesto of French Naturalism. The novel dissects guilt and obsession, showing how crime corrodes intimacy and sanity.
- Claustrophobia & Fate: The confined setting mirrors the characters’ trapped lives, intensifying the sense of inevitability.
- Moral Decay: Passion leads to destruction, and Zola refuses to romanticize adultery or murder.
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