The Dream

Name: The Dream
Author: Émile Zola

By Émile Zola

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French Literature Novels

About This Book

A homeless little girl found at a cathedral is taken in and raised by adoptive guardians beneath its images and legends; steeped in hagiography and sacred art, she becomes a devout young woman whose imagination is shaped by medieval visions of chaste, fairy-tale romance. When a noble suitor appears, her dream of a saintly marriage seems within reach, and the story follows the tension between that visionary longing and harsh social realities. Themes of innocence, religious devotion, the power of art and ritual, and the collision of idealized love with everyday fate are explored throughout.

About the Author

Émile Zola

Émile Zola (1840-1902) was a prominent French novelist and playwright, best known for his influential role in the literary movement of naturalism. His works often explore the struggles of the working class and the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior. Zola's most famous novel, "Germinal," depicts the harsh realities of coal miners' lives and is a powerful critique of industrial society. Throughout his career, he produced a series of interconnected novels known as the Rougon-Macquart cycle, which examines various aspects of French life during the Second Empire. Zola's commitment to social issues and his bold narrative style have left a lasting mark on literature.