Wie man heiratet und wie man stirbt. Comment on se marie et comment on meurt.

by Émile Zola

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

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.

Reviews

[Veridiana Ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Não importa quantas releituras eu faça, Zola sempre me leva às lágrimas! Os contos são muito impactantes e o livro é tão curtinho que se lê em pouquíssimo tempo.

[Reh · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's quite short, so there is no excuse not to read this. It still says a lot about our society. And if you need a better reason to read it, well, it was written by the literature giant Emile Zola.

[Sandro Augusto Cardoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quanto mais se tem, menos se tem.

[stefania gloss · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dire il vero, non mi era noto che naturalista e impietoso fossero sinonimi. Se Emile Zola fu il padre del naturalismo, con questo suo breve e curioso compendio su Sposalizi e Funerali, si lascia decorare anche dallo stemma dell'impietosità. Risalta subito all'occhio del lettore del 3° Millennio come nei matrimoni sette-ottocecenteschi si badasse più all'etichetta e al vil denaro, che non all'amore. Del padre di un giovanotto borghese, invogliato a sposarsi con una donna non avvenente per realizzare meglio il suo studio di avvocato, Zola scrive: “Valuta quindi attentamente i patrimoni attorno a lui. (…) Poi a dire il vero, una ragazza da un milione e duecentomila franchi può permettersi di essere brutta”. Parimenti anche negli eventi funebri, indipendentemente dallo strato sociale di appartenenza. Di una coppia di cartolai che sono partiti dal nulla e sono arrivati ad avere una onorabile attività renumerativa, alla di lei morte per tisi dice: “ Lui si reca in chiesa e discute a lungo il prezzo del corteo funebre. Non è che perché ha avuto un dispiacere che devono derubarlo.” Curiosità: emerge spesso la condizione della donna di quella società preindustriale, talvolta ridotta a mero soprammobile nei salotti di buona società, altre volte a libro contabile, qui a oggetto plasmabile dall'astuzia del marito borghese, là vivace tenutaria di casa aristocratica. Mai dotata di intelligenza propria, se bella, Zola le riconosce autonomia di pensiero solo in caso di brutte fattezze. Un coacervo di stereotipi che davvero non mi sarei aspettata da un altro rappresentante della letteratura mondiale. Consigliato a sociologi in erba e femministe capaci di ridere.