Zola Emile

rif. 19152 — New York. 1958. Citadel Press. 1st of This Particular Edition. Very Good in Slightly Worn Dustjacket. Translated from the French by Arthur Symons. Introduction by Alec Brown. 408 pages. hardcover. Cover art by Pagram. keywords: Europe France Literature Translated World Literature. DESCRIPTION - In Zola's great series of novels showing the life of successive generations of a French family DRUNKARD L'Assommoir is one of the most outstanding works. It tells the story of the marriage of Coupeau and Gervaise and the birth of their daughter Nana to whom another outstanding novel in the series is devoted. This simple plot enables Zola to give full rein to his talent for the portrayal of character and environment. As no other writer he has re-created the pullulating atmosphere of the Parisian slums in all their grandeur and horror such as not even Dickens could ever have achieved. More than that in Coupeau and Gervaise he has created a working-class hero and heroine who for all their human weaknesses can stand comparison with any of the masterpieces of character portrayal in the world's literature. Yet they come to grief. Why It is not the least subtle of Zola's gift that he can see the inter-action between their degrading environment and the flaws in their character made manifest in their patronage of Colombe's Bar. Here the sinister still in the backyard brewing its poison day in day out is the symbol of their degeneration. Yet it would be entirely wrong to look on Drunkard as a Victorian moral tale of downfall through alcohol. It is one of the great dramatic sagas of metropolitan life. inventory #19152 hardcover