Nana, Emile Zola's controversial masterpiece confronts the monstrous forces of ecstatic eroticism and unleashed physical desire.
Introduction
"Nana," a work published in 1880 by the renowned French author Emile Zola, delves into the captivating realms of ecstatic eroticism and unbridled passion. It narrates the tale of Nana, a budding actress in Paris whose innate physical allure seduces and subsequently ruins numerous men of the city's upper echelons. This novel stands as the ninth installment in Emile Zola's monumental "Les Rougon-Macquart" series, often hailed as the cornerstone of naturalist literature.
Nana, the protagonist of "Nana," is the daughter of Gervaise, the central character in another of Zola's seminal works, "L'Assommoir." Set against the backdrop of Paris on the brink of the Franco-Prussian War incited by Napoleon III and Prussian Chancellor Bismarck, "Nana" unfolds a captivating narrative.
Emile Zola was born to an Italian father and a French mother in Paris, France. Following the premature death of his father, a civil engineer, Zola and his mother endured financial hardships, ultimately relocating from southern France to Paris. It was during his formative years in the French capital, amidst the struggles of the working class, that Zola resolved to pursue a career in literature. Known for his outspokenness against social injustice, Zola's literary oeuvre, including "Nana," candidly exposes the moral decay prevalent in French society. The naturalistic ambiance, characteristic of Zola's writing, permeates "Nana," evoking wry smiles and deep contemplation in equal measure.
Characters
The protagonist is a woman named Nana. Nana has a son named Louiset. She boasts a glamorous array of male admirers and has many lovers, with the most significant role played by Count Muffat. He is a married man with a wife named Sabine. Additionally, a teenager named Georges becomes infatuated with Nana and becomes her lover. Nana also cohabitates with a comedic actor named Fontan.
Plot summary
Paris, the capital of France, has recently been abuzz with the arrival of a rising star in the theatrical world named Nana. Possessing a sensuous allure, she quickly gained immense popularity. Particularly in the controversial play "The Blonde Venus," Nana took on the role of Venus, boldly showcasing her physical charm and captivating audiences with her provocative costumes.
During one performance, elite members of society, including the journalist Positano, attended, and Nana's performance dazzled everyone, leaving them amazed by her allure. Similarly, a late-teen named Georges, who watched the same performance, also fell deeply in love with Nana upon witnessing her provocative appearance for the first time.
The day after the successful performance, Nana found herself surrounded by admirers visiting her home and receiving bouquets of flowers. Despite being in a common-law relationship and having a young son named Louiset, Nana was receiving financial support while boasting a collection of wealthy admirers.
On that day, Viscount Steiner and his son-in-law Count Muffat visited Nana's home. They requested sponsorship funds to assist the less fortunate, and Nana handed them a sum of money. Later, the infatuated boy Georges visited Nana, delivered a bouquet of flowers, and then disappeared.
Some time later, members of Parisian high society were invited to a party hosted by Nana. They enjoyed themselves in her home in a chaotic manner. Although Nana had also invited Count Muffat to her party, a devout Catholic, he declined the invitation. However, the performance of "The Blonde Venus" continued, and Count Muffat, performing the duties of a prince of England, came to watch the show, eventually meeting the actors in the dressing room and falling for Nana.
Afterward, Nana went on a holiday to a place called Orlean, near Paris, coincidentally visited by members of the Parisian upper class. The upper-class individuals were quite sexually libertine, and a strange undercurrent developed between Count Muffat's wife, Sabine, and journalist Positano.
Meanwhile, Nana, torn between the infatuated Georges and her affair with Count Muffat, chose Count Muffat as her lover, leaving Georges, who was confined to her house by his mother, for Count Muffat.
The relationship between Nana and Count Muffat continued for several months thereafter. Nana learned of Count Muffat's wife Sabine's affair with journalist Positano and subtly informed Count Muffat. Shocked by his wife's infidelity, Count Muffat sought solace from Nana, but she had already lost interest in him and was in love with a homely comedic actor named Fontan.
Nana and Fontan begin living together and initially, their relationship goes smoothly. However, it soon starts to deteriorate, and Fontan even begins to habitually exert violence towards Nana. Despite this, Nana remains infatuated with Fontan and struggles to sustain their livelihood by selling herself. Eventually, their relationship reaches a breaking point, and Nana is driven away by Fontan.
Meanwhile, Muffat, who still hasn't forgotten Nana, lavishes her with a substantial sum of money to support her after her Venus role and subsequent decline. This leads to a rekindling of their relationship, with Muffat spending a fortune on lavish gifts and accommodations for Nana. Despite this, Nana continues to charm numerous wealthy men with her allure, leading a glamorous lifestyle.
One day, Georges breaks through his mother's supervision and visits Nana. She takes him as her lover, even capturing Georges' brother Philippe when he comes looking for him. Nana's enchanting power ensnares men to the extreme, causing many to ruin themselves because of her.
Georges attempts suicide after being rejected by Nana, while Philippe, a former soldier, embezzles funds to provide money for Nana, leading to his downfall. Meanwhile, Muffat pours his vast fortune into Nana and indulges her every whim.
Eventually, Nana becomes deeply indebted due to her extravagant lifestyle, resorting to fleeing Paris in hiding. Various speculations arise about her whereabouts until it's revealed that she has returned to Paris. During her absence, her young son Louiset died of smallpox, and Nana herself falls ill with the disease.
Ultimately, amidst the backdrop of the Franco-Prussian War and the escalating war atmosphere in Paris, Nana meets a lonely death in a hotel.
Review
He felt ensnared by Nana, thinking that if he could possess her even for just an hour tonight, he would gladly deny everything and sell off his entire estate.
The thoughts of Muffat, who became infatuated with Nana in the work, "Nana." It makes one wonder just how beautiful and charming someone must be to captivate so many men, but in reality, becoming blind to love and disregarding reality is a phenomenon commonly seen around us. In my case, I've experienced unrequited love or falling for someone, feeling heartbroken, and seeing everything in a negative light. Despite knowing about the human love and desire, there seems to be an irresistible force that sweeps us away.
This work, true to the style of Émile Zola, a pioneer of naturalism literature, vividly portrays the reality. So, did Émile Zola aim to expose a certain aspect of society through this work? While his other masterpiece, "The Drinking Den," depicted the debauched and corrupt lives of the working class, "Nana" seems to show that the upper class is no different.
The characters in this work, except for extreme figures like Nana, are mostly wealthy men from the upper class. They live affluent and extravagant lives, wielding social influence, yet they ultimately crumble before the carnal desire embodied by Nana.
Muffat, who poured his immense fortune into Nana, Georges, who attempted suicide after failing to win her heart, and many other men willingly sacrifice everything to Nana like moths to a flame, only to meet their downfall.
Nana, coming from humble origins, feels not gratitude but rather disgust towards their actions.
"I don't admire such people anymore; admiration is over. Both the lowly and the lofty are dirty scoundrels, all part of the same gang."
The statement that both the lower class and the upper class are the same ultimately might be the message that Émile Zola wants to convey through this work. He blatantly exposes the true nature of the ruling class while showing they too are corrupt. And he says it directly.
"It was a world where people of noble birth and filthy wretches sank into the same degradation out of desire for the same pleasures."
The protagonist Nana ultimately meets a miserable and lonely end. In fact, it's not surprising since in many of Émile Zola's works, protagonists meet their demise. However, what intrigued me was not Nana's death itself but the reason behind it: she died because of her son Louiset's smallpox.
Due to her previous debauched lifestyle, Nana gives birth to a son, Louiset, whose father she doesn't even know. In the early part of the novel, traces of maternal affection are found in Nana as she starts caring for her son once she has money. However, as the story progresses, Nana indulges more in luxury and debauchery, eventually neglecting Louiset, whom she leaves in the care of relatives. Louiset only makes sporadic appearances and doesn't receive proper care. Towards the end of the novel, when Nana attempts to care for her son, he succumbs to smallpox and dies.
In this work, Louiset seems to symbolize the minimum morality and humanity of a person. The gradual abandonment of Louiset by the initial caring Nana represents the abandonment of these minimum morals and humanity. Hence, the author seems to suggest that this ultimately leads to a miserable end.
On the day Nana faces death, the war between France and Prussia breaks out. This scene isn't just included randomly. By depicting the start of the war with Prussia, the author might be showing that the corrupt social system, which is the foundation of the upper class's decadent lifestyle, is shaking from its roots.
On the other hand, the character of the unattractive comedic actor Fontan is intriguing. While Nana consumes and ruins the lives of all the men around her, Fontan is rejected. Moreover, he doesn't belong to the upper class and doesn't have an exceptional appearance. The fact that someone like Nana, who could enchant any man, is rejected by an ordinary person like Fontan might be a kind of joke on the upper class. Or perhaps their relationship didn't start from physical desire, so it was just a portrayal of a typical relationship where two lovers share ordinary love and part ways.
Final thoughts
Describing Nana as portrayed in the book, I'd say she's like a venom spreading through Paris, captivating and dazzling like the shimmering sunlight on a snake's scales. The men who are drawn to Nana end up receiving her venom and infecting themselves and their families. In the end, only destruction remains for everyone involved.
This work, being a novel from a naturalistic perspective, coupled with the behaviors exhibited by Nana and her suitors, often evokes a sense of unease and discomfort while reading. The witty expressions interspersed throughout somewhat alleviate this stress; without them, I might not have been able to read it all at once. From Zola's other novels like "The Drinking Den," "The Human Beast," to "Nana," they all exude darkness and melancholy throughout. However, perhaps it's precisely because they unveil the raw emotions at the bottom of human nature that they feel that way. It prompts us to ponder whether we all have such aspects within ourselves.
