The Pole-axe
the Pole-axe is a Romance of Emile Zola published in 1877, the seventh volume of the series Rougon-Macquart . It is a dedicated work with the working classes, according to Zola the first novel which has “the odor of the people”. The writer restores there the language and manners of the people, while showing the devastations due to misery and alcoholism. The success of the Pole-axe was enormous, ensuring the fortune of its author, the whole on bottom of polemic, the right-hand side reproaching him its pornography and the left showing it to dirty the people. Zola defended, in its foreword, its work against one and the other: “I wanted to paint the fatal forfeiture of a working-class family, in the empesté medium of our suburbs. At the end of drunkenness and laziness, there are the relaxation of the bonds of the family, the refuse of promiscuity, the progressive lapse of memory of the honest feelings, then like outcome shame and death. It is morals in action, simply. the Pole-axe is undoubtedly purest of my books. ”
History
Heroin is Gervaise Macquart, Of Provence originating in Plassans, which followed his/her lover the hatter Auguste Lantier to Paris with his two children Claude and Etienne. Very quickly, Lantier, lazy and inaccurate, leaves Gervaise, not supporting food in misery. The young woman becomes washing machine and agrees to marry Coupeau, a workman-zinc worker whom she really does not love but to which she ends up yielding as much by lassitude that by weakness. They will have a girl, Nana, heroin of another novel of the Rougon-Macquart .Gervaise, thanks to its neighbor Goujet, a blacksmith in love with it but which does not dare to acknowledge its love, buys a laundry which very quickly enables him to acquire a certain ease in spite of the fact that Coupeau, fallen from a roof, is from now on for it a burden more than one source of revenue.
The situation worsens more and more with the return of Lantier, that Coupeau agrees to lodge under its roof and who becomes again the lover of Gervaise. Coupeau, sober before its accident, drinks more and more, and Gervaise finishes in its turn by sinking in alcoholism. Of forfeiture in forfeiture, Gervaise loses its trade and dark in misery. After having seen dying Coupeau (of which the crises of delirium tremens are one of the strong moments of the novel) with Holy-Anne, it finishes with the street where it tries even prostituer before dying out itself, victim of the hunger and misery, in a niche located under the principal staircase of the building of the street of the Drop-D' Gold, other monster lengthily described by Zola in the novel. Thus, after having tasted with the hope of a happy life and thrives, Gervaise fall into the vice, in mud, sealing in a raw and cold way this novel, perfect specimen of literature Naturaliste.
Explanation of the title
The principal subject tackled in this book is the misfortune caused by alcoholism. The principal den of iniquity is the Pole-axe , bar held by the Colombe father whose name is ironic because a dove brings peace whereas this last returns violent one people and spreads misfortune in the working class. In the middle of the coffee of the father Dove, throne the famous Still, an explosive device that Zola transforms, with the wire of the novel, in monster , a tornado in which each one ends up sinking. It is also this machine which will remove each time a little more happiness with Gervaise. Initially Lantier, then Coupeau, and finally it which, ruined, will have to sell its laundry (its greater realization) then will sink in misery to die of too ugly hunger because for prostituer.
Quotations
- Gervaise had attendut Lantier up to two hours of the morning. Then, all shivering to wear remained a nightshirt with the sharp air of the window, it had calmed down, thrown across the bed, feverish, the soaked cheeks of tears. (Incipit)
- “That does not promise much happiness. ” known as Gervaise when Coupeau and she announce their marriage with the sister of Coupeau. ”
- One morning, as that felt bad in the corridor, one remembered that one had not seen it (Gervaise) for two days; and it was discovered already green, in his niche. ( Conclusion)
Adaptations
- Two years after its publication, the Pole-axe was adapted to the theater by William Busnach and Gustave Gastineau, with the assistance of Zola. The first took place on January 18th, 1879, and was a sharp success. One appreciated in particular the table of the Lavoir , with the Fessée with blows of beater, rioting adverse Gervaise in Virginia (sister of the mistress of Lantier).
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There were also thereafter many adaptations to the cinema, most famous being undoubtedly Gervaise , film of Rene Clément left in 1956.
- 1933 : adaptation carried out by Gaston Roudès, with Line Noro and Daniel Mendaille
External bonds
- the virtual Museum of the wormwood