L'Assommoir

Summary

The novel «L'Assommoir» by Émile Zola tells the story of Gervaise Macquart, a laundress who moves to Paris with her two children and her lover Lantier. Lantier soon abandons her, and Gervaise marries Coupeau, a roofer. At first, their life goes well: they open their own laundry and live in relative comfort. However, after an accident, Coupeau becomes an alcoholic, and their life begins to unravel. Gervaise also gradually succumbs to drinking, losing her business and the respect of those around her. The novel shows how poverty and alcoholism become a trap for the characters, destroying their lives and destinies. Zola masterfully depicts the social problems and realities of the nineteenth-century Parisian working class, creating a grim and realistic portrait of human downfall.