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J'accuse ! et acte d'accusation sur l'affaire Dreyfus
J'accuse...! est le titre d'un article rédigé par Émile Zola au cours de l'affaire Dreyfus et publié dans le journal L'Aurore du 13 janvier 18981 sous la forme d'une lettre ouverte au président de la République française, Félix Faure.
En 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, officier français d’état-major d’origine juive, accusé à tort d’avoir livré des documents à l'Allemagne, est condamné à l'emprisonnement à perpétuité et expédié sur l’île du Diable, en Guyane française.
En 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, officier français d’état-major d’origine juive, accusé à tort d’avoir livré des documents à l'Allemagne, est condamné à l'emprisonnement à perpétuité et expédié sur l’île du Diable, en Guyane française.
- GenresNonfictionClassics
31 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2015
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About the author
Émile Zola
2,761 books4,508 followersÉmile Zola was a prominent French novelist, journalist, and playwright widely regarded as a key figure in the development of literary naturalism. His work profoundly influenced both literature and society through its commitment to depicting reality with scientific objectivity and exploring the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior. Born and raised in France, Zola experienced early personal hardship following the death of his father, which deeply affected his understanding of social and economic struggles—a theme that would later permeate his writings.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 23, 2020
Lettre adressée directement au président de la République de l'époque, Félix Faure dont la lecture me paraît indispensable. Zola y est engagé, éloquent et profite de sa notoriété afin de servir une cause juste.
June 11, 2022
¡Qué lengua tan mordaz!
Qué manera de sacudir a una nación, con tanta elocuencia, con afirmaciones... viperinas (pero verdaderas) y gritar a los cuatro vientos, cual Mushu en Mulán (pero sin el valor comédico), "traidores unos, traidores los otros".
Esta versión contiene varias de las cartas abiertas escritas por Zolá con un breve prólogo de Fernando Tinajero; hubiese querido un poco más de trasfondo histórico, pero, bue... No se puede tener todo en esta vida.
Definitivamente Émile Zolá estaba comprometido con la verdad... incluso a sabiendas del coste que iba a tener en su carrera.
Qué manera de sacudir a una nación, con tanta elocuencia, con afirmaciones... viperinas (pero verdaderas) y gritar a los cuatro vientos, cual Mushu en Mulán (pero sin el valor comédico), "traidores unos, traidores los otros".
Esta versión contiene varias de las cartas abiertas escritas por Zolá con un breve prólogo de Fernando Tinajero; hubiese querido un poco más de trasfondo histórico, pero, bue... No se puede tener todo en esta vida.
Definitivamente Émile Zolá estaba comprometido con la verdad... incluso a sabiendas del coste que iba a tener en su carrera.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews