Le théâtre des vanités mondaines : le Bois de Boulogne dans les chroniques zoliennes
The theatre of socialites’ vanity: the Bois de Boulogne in Emile Zola’s chronicles

Summary/Abstract: Emile Zola’s journalistic work deals with every aspect of Parisian reality of his time, from “serious” political and social subjects to slight or frivolous ones. The existence of the Parisian upper classes under the reign of Napoleon III is considered by the author as trivial, based on appearances and an ostentatious display of one’s richness. Actually, vanity is the main default of the Parisian high society of the Second Empire, and showing off is their new religion. The everyday parade of wealthy and fashionable people takes place at the Bois of Boulogne, freshly reshaped into an English landscape park. The paper analyzes some elements of this “vanity parade” in relation to Zola’s hostile attitude towards the Second Empire.

• Details
• Contents