Emile Zola Sought Escape From Poverty
Known in Israel for his intervention in the Dreyfus Affair, Zola is considered one of France’s most prominent novelists
Yet Zola, who challenged the false treason charge in the face of rabid anti-Semitism and a hostile government, is also recognized as one of France’s most prominent novelists.
Zola’s famous 1898 public denunciation of Dreyfus’ conviction enjoyed wide resonance, having previously established himself as a serious and admired author committed to fighting government injustice and oppression. Indeed, by publicly condemning senior French military officials in his memorable polemic, “J’accuse” (“I Accuse”), he further cemented his image as a fierce, unwavering truth seeker.
Zola certainly merits a place of honor in Zionist historiography and is also said to have influenced Theodor Herzl, the ideological founder of Zionism. Faced with the virulent anti-Semitic tide unleashed by the Dreyfus Affair, Herzl concluded that European Jews must pursue their fortunes elsewhere and establish an independent national home.
Modest beginnings
Zola was born in Paris in 1840 but spent his youth in Aix-en-Provence. His father, a civil engineer of Italian descent, died when Emile was seven. The young orphan and his widowed mother were barely able to make ends meet and soon settled into a life mired in poverty.
Zola and his mother eventually returned to Paris, where he attended a prestigious school on a scholarship but failed his matriculation exams twice. According to legend, for two years he subsisted by selling most of his belongings and relieved his hunger by eating the sparrows that would land on his windowsill.
Eventually, the “Hachette” publishing firm, which remains in existence today, recognized his talents and hired him as an advertising department clerk. The proximity to the literary world proved beneficial for Zola and convinced him that by writing a novel he could salvage himself from a life of destitution.
His first novel, “Claude’s Confessions,” was published when he was 25 and prompted his immediate departure from the publishing company. The lurid, semi-autobiographical debut drew the public’s attention and henceforth he was able to make a living from writing.
Success at last
Zola’s breakthrough came in 1868, when he conceived the idea of writing a series of novels relating the story of one family. He got the inspiration for the project from Balzac’s “Human Comedy,” but his style was fundamentally different. Namely, while Balzac’s heroes freely roamed from one novel to the next with little regard to logic and structure, Zola’s fictional family would follow fairly strict literary rules.
Accordingly, Zola aimed to maintain chronological order in his descriptions of the various characters and chose to embed them in current French realities. He did so in order to demonstrate that behind the contemporary veneer hide historical, hereditary and deterministic forces that reinforce one’s status and social standing.
The first novel in his illustrious series, “The Rougon Family Fortune,” was published in 1871. He finally completed the ambitious project 20 novels later, in 1893.
Zola believed an author is obligated to conduct thorough inquiries to verify even the most trivial of details before including them in a novel. His emphasis on determinism and detailed inquiries brought rise to Naturalism, a literary genre dedicated to the precise description of the actual circumstances of human life.
His best works are those that feature scathing criticism coupled with immense empathy for the pre-destined fate of ordinary folk. “Germinal,” Zola’s masterful portrait of a hellish mining community, falls into that category. Another memorable work is “Nana,” which at the time of its publication was seen as a groundbreaking indictment lamenting French society’s arrogant attitude towards women.
A penchant for controversy
Despite his growing popularity among serious readers, Zola failed to initiate a proper public relations campaign. More problematic, however, was his inability to remain silent. Accordingly, his novels featured contemporary political criticism that often angered government officials.
