ENGLISH 125D Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: La Bête Humaine, Dreyfus Affair, Bourgeoisie
Document Summary
Zola departs from the typical 19th century realist novel setting of a country house, the novel of manners/the bourgeoisie. Series les rougon-macquart - fictional genealogy, geographically dispersed family. Depicts the migrant social class of dislocated peasants, drifting -> paris in post frrev society. Realism that looks dispassionately to different social locations and carries a social charge. Zola mainly known as a political figure. Dreyfus affair - jewish fr officer, accused of treason + sent to penal colony. Ideals of secular state vs monarchist, anti-semitism of armed forces. Political involvement wasn"t a sentimental question, just about the secularization of the state and recognition of fundamental truths. Naturalism isn"t a depiction of nature, but a kind of methodology. Experiment - literally the scientific method brought to the novel form (the conceit of. Conceit starts to fall apart in la bete humaine, a later work. Wanted to severe connection betw novel and sentiment. 19th century novel reinforced sentimental attachments of bourgeoisie.
