여인들의 행복 백화점 2

Les Rougon-Macquart #11 part 2

by Émile Zola, 에밀 졸라

<출판사 책소개>

세계 최초의 백화점 ‘봉 마르셰’를 모델로, 백화점의 발전상에 따른 사회적 명암과
이를 둘러싼 다양한 인간 군상들의 모습을 완벽하게 그려낸 소설

『여인들의 행복백화점』은 에밀 졸라가 처음으로 ‘사회의 진보’라는 문제에 관해 적극적인 관심을 드러내며, 자본주의를 소설의 강력한 장치로 활용한 작품이다. 이 소설에서는 백화점이 배경의 역할에 머무르는 것을 뛰어넘어 이야기를 이끌어가는 실질적인 주인공으로 기능한다. 에밀 졸라는 이미 이 작품을 통해 현대 백화점의 전략들과 자본주의의 매커니즘을 상세히 묘사했다.

실제로 이 작품에는 정가제, 세일, 미끼 상품, 반품, 통신판매, 직원 성과급, 음료 서비스, 광고, 포스터, 백색 대전시회, 아동 마케팅, 경품 증정 등 현재의 백화점이 사용하는 대부분의 전략이 포함되어 있다. 이뿐만 아니라 계절과 시간에 따라 달라지는 백화점의 모습, 혁신적인 건축양식과 실내장식, 매장의 분위기와 판매원들 간의 관계, 쇼핑객들의 모습과 고객과 판매원과의 관계 등도 상세히 묘사했다. 이런 다큐멘터리적인 면모로 인해 독자들은 19세기 파리 사람들의 삶을 생생하게 그려볼 수 있다.

또한 그는 진보 지식인으로서 백화점의 ‘화려함’ 뒤의 그늘에도 공평한 시선을 보내고 있다. 무슈 보뒤, 부라 영감 등으로 대표되는 백화점 주변 영세 상인들의 몰락, 백화점 근로자들의 지위 향상이나 노동 환경의 개선에 노력을 기울이는 여주인공 드니즈의 모습 등을 통해서 백화점이라는 존재의 다양한 양상을 드러내 보인다. 또한 그의 일반적인 소설들이 삶의 비참함과 빈곤, 우울함을 그려냈다면, 이 작품은 그의 소설들 중 유일하게 해피엔딩으로 끝맺으며, 삶과 행위의 기쁨을 그리고자 하는 작가의 적극적인 의지가 반영되고 있다.

392 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2012

About the author

Émile 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.