The Earth by Émile Zola (Penguin Classics)

Description

Part of the vast Rougon-Macquart cycle of novels, The Earth was regarded by Émile Zola’s as his greatest novel. This Penguin Classics edition is translated with an introduction by Douglas Parmée.

When Jean Macquart arrives in the peasant community of Beauce, where farmers have worked the same land for generations, he quickly finds himself involved in the corrupt affairs of the local Fouan family. Aging and Lear-like, Old Man Fouan has decided to divide his land between his three children: his penny-pinching daughter Fanny, his eldest son – a far from holy figure known as ‘Jesus Christ’ – and the lecherous Buteau, Macquart’s friend. But in a community where land is everything, sibling rivalry quickly turns to brutal hatred, as Buteau declares himself unsatisfied with his lot. A fascinating portrayal of a struggling but decadent community, The Earth offers a compelling exploration of the destructive nature of human ignorance and greed.

Douglas Parmée’s translation vividly conveys the naturalistic tone of the original in clear, contemporary English. This edition also includes an introduction, exploring Zola’s motivation in writing The Earth and considering its influence on his contemporaries.