Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Emile Zola, by William Dean Howells
VI
To me his literary history is very pathetic. He was bred if not born
in the worship of the romantic, but his native faith was not proof
against his reason, as again his reason was not proof against his
native faith. He preached a crusade against romanticism, and fought a
long fight with it, only to realize at last that he was himself too
romanticistic to succeed against it, and heroically to own his defeat.
The hosts of romanticism swarmed back over him and his followers, and
prevailed, as we see them still prevailing. It was the error of the
realists whom Zola led, to suppose that people like truth in fiction
better than falsehood; they do not; they like falsehood best; and if
Zola had not been at heart a romanticist, he never would have cherished
his long delusion, he never could have deceived with his vain hopes
those whom he persuaded to be realistic, as he himself did not succeed
in being.
He wished to be a sort of historiographer writing the annals of a
family, and painting a period; but he was a poet, doing far more than
this, and contributing to creative literature as great works of fiction
as have been written in the epic form. He was a paradox on every side
but one, and that was the human side, which he would himself have held
far worthier than the literary side. On the human side, the civic
side, he was what he wished to be, and not what any perversity of his
elements made him. He heard one of those calls to supreme duty, which
from time to time select one man and not another for the response which
they require; and he rose to that duty with a grandeur which had all
the simplicity possible to a man of French civilization. We may think
that there was something a little too dramatic in the manner of his
heroism, his martyry, and we may smile at certain turns of rhetoric in
the immortal letter accusing the French nation of intolerable wrong,
just as, in our smug Anglo-Saxon conceit, we laughed at the procedure
of the emotional courts which he compelled to take cognizance of the
immense misdeed other courts had as emotionally committed. But the
event, however indirectly and involuntarily, was justice which no other
people in Europe would have done, and perhaps not any people of this
more enlightened continent.
Explanation
William Dean Howells’ excerpt from his essay on Émile Zola is a reflective and nuanced critique of the French novelist’s literary career, philosophical contradictions, and moral heroism. Below is a detailed breakdown of the passage, focusing on its themes, literary devices, historical context, and significance, with an emphasis on the text itself.
1. Context: Who Was Émile Zola, and Why Does Howells Write About Him?
Émile Zola (1840–1902) was the leading figure of Naturalism, a literary movement that sought to apply scientific determinism to fiction, depicting human behavior as shaped by heredity, environment, and social forces. His Rougon-Macquart cycle (20 novels, including Germinal and Thérèse Raquin) aimed to be a "scientific" study of a family under the Second French Empire.
William Dean Howells (1837–1920), an American realist writer and critic, admired Zola’s boldness but was ambivalent about Naturalism’s extremes. This excerpt comes from Howells’ 1905 essay on Zola, written after Zola’s death, reflecting on his legacy—both as a literary revolutionary and as a public intellectual (most famously for his role in the Dreyfus Affair, where he risked imprisonment to defend a wrongly convicted Jewish officer).
2. Thematic Analysis of the Excerpt
Howells’ passage explores three major themes:
A. The Paradox of Zola’s Romanticism vs. Realism
Howells frames Zola’s career as a "pathetic" struggle between his romantic instincts and his rationalist ambitions.
- "He was bred if not born in the worship of the romantic, but his native faith was not proof against his reason" → Zola began as a romantic (influenced by Hugo and the melodramatic traditions of French literature) but later rebelled against romanticism in favor of scientific realism.
- "He preached a crusade against romanticism... only to realize at last that he was himself too romanticistic to succeed against it" → Howells argues that Zola’s Naturalism was itself a kind of romanticism—an idealistic, almost quixotic belief that people wanted unvarnished truth in fiction.
- "The hosts of romanticism swarmed back over him and his followers, and prevailed" → A military metaphor (crusade, hosts, swarmed) suggests romanticism was an unstoppable force. Howells implies that readers prefer illusion to reality—a cynical but perceptive observation about human nature.
Literary Device: Paradox
- Zola’s life was a contradiction: he hated romanticism but was drawn to its grandeur (e.g., his novels’ melodramatic plots, his heroic public stances).
- Howells calls him "a paradox on every side but one"—the exception being his humanity, where he was consistent.
B. The Failure of Realism (and Zola’s Delusion)
Howells suggests that Zola’s realist mission was doomed because people don’t want truth in art:
- "They do not [like truth]; they like falsehood best" → A provocative claim that challenges the realist project. Howells, a realist himself, acknowledges that audiences crave escapism, not harsh reality.
- "If Zola had not been at heart a romanticist, he never would have cherished his long delusion" → Zola’s faith in realism was itself a romantic ideal—he believed art could change society, but Howells sees this as naive.
Literary Device: Irony
- The great realist was unrealistic about human nature.
- His scientific novels were, in Howells’ view, epic poetry in disguise—more creative than documentary.
C. Zola’s Moral Heroism (The Dreyfus Affair)
The second half shifts to Zola’s public role, where Howells praises his courage despite stylistic reservations:
- "He heard one of those calls to supreme duty... and he rose to that duty with a grandeur" → Refers to Zola’s 1898 open letter "J’Accuse!", which exposed the French military’s anti-Semitic conspiracy against Alfred Dreyfus.
- "We may think that there was something a little too dramatic in the manner of his heroism" → Howells, an Anglo-Saxon Protestant, finds Zola’s French theatricality (rhetoric, emotional courts) excessive but admits it achieved justice.
- "The event... was justice which no other people in Europe would have done" → A backhanded compliment: France’s emotional, flawed system somehow delivered justice where colder, "more enlightened" nations (like America or Britain) might have failed.
Literary Device: Contrast
- Literary Zola (flawed, contradictory) vs. Moral Zola (noble, effective).
- French passion vs. Anglo-Saxon "smug conceit"—Howells’ cultural bias shows in his tone.
3. Literary Devices in the Excerpt
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Metaphor | "hosts of romanticism swarmed back over him" | Romanticism as an invading army—suggests inevitability. |
| Paradox | "a paradox on every side but one" | Highlights Zola’s contradictions. |
| Irony | "the great realist was a romantic" | Undermines Zola’s self-image. |
| Contrast | "the human side... far worthier than the literary side" | Elevates morality over art. |
| Cultural Stereotype | "our smug Anglo-Saxon conceit" | Howells’ self-aware bias against French emotionalism. |
| Rhetorical Question (implied) | "Do people really want truth in fiction?" | Challenges realist assumptions. |
4. Significance of the Passage
A. On Literary Theory
- Howells critiques Naturalism’s limitations:
- If truth is unpopular, can realism ever succeed?
- Is scientific detachment in art even possible when writers are inherently romantic?
- He anticipates modern debates about art’s purpose: Should it reflect reality or shape it?
B. On Zola’s Legacy
- Howells separates Zola’s art from his activism:
- As a writer, Zola was flawed (too dramatic, not truly realistic).
- As a moral figure, he was heroic—his Dreyfus intervention proved his humanity outweighed his literary contradictions.
- This duality (artist vs. activist) remains central to Zola’s reputation.
C. On National Character
- Howells’ Anglo-American perspective colors his view:
- He admires French passion but finds it excessive.
- His praise is qualified—Zola’s dramatic heroism is effective but not "enlightened" by Protestant standards.
- This reflects 19th-century cultural tensions between Latin emotionalism and Anglo-Saxon restraint.
5. Key Takeaways from the Text Itself
- Zola’s Internal Conflict – He was torn between romanticism and realism, and his realist manifesto was itself a romantic gesture.
- The Failure of Realism – People prefer lies to truth in fiction, making Zola’s project doomed from the start.
- Moral Triumph Over Literary Flaws – Zola’s greatness was in his humanity, not his artistry.
- Cultural Relativism – Howells’ Anglo-Saxon lens shapes his ambivalent admiration for Zola’s French dramatic style.
Conclusion: Why Does This Passage Matter?
Howells’ excerpt is not just about Zola—it’s about:
- The tension between art and morality.
- The limits of realism in a world that prefers illusion.
- The role of the intellectual in society (Zola as both failed artist and successful activist).
It remains relevant today in discussions about:
- Can art be truly objective?
- Should writers be moral leaders?
- How does culture shape our reception of literature?
Howells’ skeptical but admiring tone makes this a rich, layered critique—one that honors Zola while exposing his contradictions.