Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola
- Born:
- April 2, 1840, Paris, France
- Died:
- September 29, 1902, Paris, France
- Nationality:
- French
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Playwright, Journalist, Literary Critic
Early Life and Education
- Émile Zola was born in Paris to Francesco Zola, an Italian engineer, and Émilie Aubert.
- His father died when Zola was seven years old, leaving the family in financial hardship.
- He attended the Collège Bourbon in Aix-en-Provence.
- He failed to pass his baccalauréat examinations twice.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his career as a clerk at the Hachette publishing firm.
- Started writing articles for various newspapers and journals.
- Became a prominent figure in the naturalist movement in literature.
- Known for his meticulous research and social commentary in his novels.
- His open letter "J'Accuse...!" (1898) in defense of Alfred Dreyfus brought him international attention and led to his temporary exile in England.
Notable Works
- Les Rougon-Macquart series (20 novels):
- L'Assommoir (1877)
- Nana (1880)
- Germinal (1885)
- La Terre (1887)
- Thérèse Raquin (1867)
- "J'Accuse...!" (1898) - Open Letter
Legacy and Impact
Émile Zola's legacy lies in his pioneering role in the naturalist movement and his courageous advocacy for justice. His novels provided a detailed and often critical portrayal of French society during the Second Empire. An understanding of emile zola biography resumida la taberna, focusing on his masterpiece L'Assommoir, is key to grasping his social realism. His influence on subsequent generations of writers is undeniable.