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Water Avoidance and Artistic Failure in Émile Zola's L'Oeuvre
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Water Avoidance and Artistic Failure in Émile Zola's L'Oeuvre

Hélène Sicard-Cowan
The French review, Vol.90(2), p.13
2016

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Abstract

L'œuvre, one of Zola's most autobiographical novels, narrates the tragic story of the aspiring painter Claude Lantier. This article argues that, contrary to appearances, Claude's tragic demise can be attributed neither to family heredity (Claude's eye lesion) nor the influence of Romanticism, but rather to his fear and repression of the natural element of water.
1800-1899 artist manqué fear French literature L'Oeuvre Lantier, Claude (character) Masterpiece novel water Zola, Émile

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