L'Assommoir

Historical Context and Significance

The novel «L'Assommoir» by Émile Zola, published in 1877, is one of the key works of naturalism and part of the «Rougon-Macquart» cycle. The book explores the social and economic conditions of the nineteenth-century French working class, focusing on the life of the laundress Gervaise Macquart and her gradual descent into poverty and alcoholism. Zola uses detailed descriptions of daily life and environment to show the impact of surroundings on the individual. «L'Assommoir» had a significant influence on the development of realistic literature, raising important questions about social injustice and human degradation. The novel also contributed to public discussion of alcoholism and poverty, making it an important social commentary of its time.