The Life of Émile Zola

Émile Zola was said to be proud of "Germinal" (1885). It was a realistic picture of the lives of coal miners in northern France during the nineteenth century. They were living in harsh conditions and there was no hope at all. But the author saw otherwise.

The charmed life

William Dieterle's "The Life of Émile Zola" was released in 1937. The biofilm, with Paul Muni in the title role, was seen as Hollywood's response to Nazi Germany. The movie was two hours long, which wasn't enough to know the French writer.

Zola was an upcoming author when he met Paul Cézanne, a post-Impressionistic painter. Both were impoverished artists in Paris. Both have promising future. Zola, whose father was an engineer, would be one of the few writers whose works became bestsellers. This turned him into a leading figure in literature. Cézanne's fortune, on the other hand, remained unchanged. Their friendship ended after the publication of "L'Œuvre" (“The Masterpiece”, 1886). It was a portrayal of the art world where the two lived, and one talented artist who was unable to live up to his potential. Many believed it was Cézanne whom Zola wrote about. There was no communication between them after the book came out.

In the movie, Cézanne castigated Zola for abandoning his ideals and living complacently. The painter was still struggling, which was far from the truth. (Cézanne's father was a co-founder of a banking firm that prospered throughout his life. This afforded him financial security, enabling him to live by painting.)

The "Les Rougon-Macquart" series, a collection of twenty novels, was about the state of life in France during the Second Republic. A total of 300 characters appeared in the series. Critics pointed out there was no memorable figure. There was truth to it, but his believers stressed that the author's depiction was genuine. The picture may be far from rosy, but readers would sense Zola's optimism. He was an idealist with socialist leanings. This put him into trouble.

Zola died from carbon monoxide poisoning on September 29, 1902. Some suspected foul play, as the conviction of army officer Alfred Dreyfuss might be the reason. Zola's dislike for Napoleon III, which he showed in his essays and letters, was another cause.

Life is beautiful

In "Germinal", Étienne Lantier, one of the main characters in "L'Assommoir" (1877), the seventh book in the series, came to the mining town of Montsou. He got a job pushing carts down the pit.

"Les Rougon-Macquart" mostly took place in Paris, where the most important events in France happened. But it was the countryside where the ill effects were felt. For the miners, days of hardship and hunger led to grumbling. Lantier, a dreamer, would be thurst into a role of a leader. A strike was the right thing to do, but this exposed his naïvete. Zola would direct readers to the Industrial Revolution. The scenes were heartbreaking, but the miners and their families find the courage to live.

The (French) spirit lived on.