Yes, Zola knows. Thérèse Raquin, by Émile Zola, was described by Louis Ulbach as "putrid literature" and it is putrid. It's foul, it's at times disgusting, and grotesque (utterly so).
But Zola knows. Zola knows exactly what happens when you make someone do something they don't want to do. He knows what happens when people are manipulated and coerced, when they have to abide by something unnatural (unnatural to them or unnatural to us all). Thérèse Raquin could have said, "Look what you made me do!" to Madame Raquin, to Camille, to Laurent, to society, or even to the Bible. Look at what they all made her do.
And I loved it. It was real in the same way as Miss Havisham was real - it was absolutely hysterical, gothic, horrific, it was like Edgar Allan Poe's Tell Tale Heart and Thomas Hardy combined with a sort of 19th Century Russian feel, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and all the madness that the 19th Century provoked that the Russians caputered so well (in my mind, at least). A murderous Emma Bovary, too. It's all there, but it's better. This is what happens. Look at what you made her do. Don't underestimate that. It's clear - Zola writes with clarity and understanding, the prose is simple. There is no messing with Zola's prose. And yes, like Miss Havisham - would this really happen? Yes it would. In people's hearts, heads, darkest fantasies, yes this would really happen. Bleakness, hopelessness, fear, degredation, and absolute hatred of all of the above and more besides. And there is no happy ending. All hell breaks loose, and then all hell breaks loose again, and it was all for nothing anyway. No good came from any of it.
I loved that, too. Why have a happy ending, to try and make some good come from an impossible situation so we can feel better about suffering? Sometimes we suffer and that is that, and Zola knows that, too. There is no excuse for suffering.
Of course, Thérèse and Laurent are morally reprehensible - this novel is based on their lust, their extreme desire for each other and how they didn't care who they took down to get at each other. But, then, Thérèse was forced into an impossible situation and she rebelled (and how!). At every turn, it was like she was being buried alive. The novel is intensely claustrophobic. But it works, and in it's own way it's cathartic. All of us are at one point in an impossible situation, in some part of our lives we just have to submit because what else can you do? Well, Thérèse didn't. But it didn't work out terribly well for her. So what do you do? And, for that matter, was she morally reprehensible? That's the question.
So, what next? I'm still on my Zola kick. I'm thinking of The Masterpiece (L'Œuvre), but I'm also thinking perhaps Nana or La Bête Humaine (all of which I own). I don't know. I think most likely The Masterpiece. I just want to read them all. I want to find each and every book and I want to hide away and read them until I feel better. Today started with a horrible migraine, and it's ending in what seems to be the usual way now - muscles aching, skin crawling, and head thumping. I'm glad it's nearly 10 o' clock because this is a reasonable hour to go to bed. Perhaps I should read something 'nice', but I don't want to. I'm too annoyed with everything, I want to read Zola and not hide away from what I see at the present as reality. I really really love Zola.
Edited: Just read (and enjoyed) this review by mel u.
But Zola knows. Zola knows exactly what happens when you make someone do something they don't want to do. He knows what happens when people are manipulated and coerced, when they have to abide by something unnatural (unnatural to them or unnatural to us all). Thérèse Raquin could have said, "Look what you made me do!" to Madame Raquin, to Camille, to Laurent, to society, or even to the Bible. Look at what they all made her do.
And I loved it. It was real in the same way as Miss Havisham was real - it was absolutely hysterical, gothic, horrific, it was like Edgar Allan Poe's Tell Tale Heart and Thomas Hardy combined with a sort of 19th Century Russian feel, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and all the madness that the 19th Century provoked that the Russians caputered so well (in my mind, at least). A murderous Emma Bovary, too. It's all there, but it's better. This is what happens. Look at what you made her do. Don't underestimate that. It's clear - Zola writes with clarity and understanding, the prose is simple. There is no messing with Zola's prose. And yes, like Miss Havisham - would this really happen? Yes it would. In people's hearts, heads, darkest fantasies, yes this would really happen. Bleakness, hopelessness, fear, degredation, and absolute hatred of all of the above and more besides. And there is no happy ending. All hell breaks loose, and then all hell breaks loose again, and it was all for nothing anyway. No good came from any of it.
I loved that, too. Why have a happy ending, to try and make some good come from an impossible situation so we can feel better about suffering? Sometimes we suffer and that is that, and Zola knows that, too. There is no excuse for suffering.
Of course, Thérèse and Laurent are morally reprehensible - this novel is based on their lust, their extreme desire for each other and how they didn't care who they took down to get at each other. But, then, Thérèse was forced into an impossible situation and she rebelled (and how!). At every turn, it was like she was being buried alive. The novel is intensely claustrophobic. But it works, and in it's own way it's cathartic. All of us are at one point in an impossible situation, in some part of our lives we just have to submit because what else can you do? Well, Thérèse didn't. But it didn't work out terribly well for her. So what do you do? And, for that matter, was she morally reprehensible? That's the question.
So, what next? I'm still on my Zola kick. I'm thinking of The Masterpiece (L'Œuvre), but I'm also thinking perhaps Nana or La Bête Humaine (all of which I own). I don't know. I think most likely The Masterpiece. I just want to read them all. I want to find each and every book and I want to hide away and read them until I feel better. Today started with a horrible migraine, and it's ending in what seems to be the usual way now - muscles aching, skin crawling, and head thumping. I'm glad it's nearly 10 o' clock because this is a reasonable hour to go to bed. Perhaps I should read something 'nice', but I don't want to. I'm too annoyed with everything, I want to read Zola and not hide away from what I see at the present as reality. I really really love Zola.
Edited: Just read (and enjoyed) this review by mel u.
I really want to get back into a Zola novel soon. It has been pushing two years since I read The Belly of Paris and Nana. The best long term strategy is probably to read through them in publication order. I have recently been reading short stories by George Moore who was very influenced by Zola.
ReplyDeleteI haven't come across George Moore, but I'll check him out.
ReplyDeleteThere's the order zola suggests as well - it's on Wikipedia. For me, I think it will be a case of reading them as I buy them, and I may not be able to buy them in the correct order. I'll give it my best shot, though!