The Queen of the Bees
The story revolves around a beekeeper who becomes obsessed with a queen bee he believes has exceptional qualities. He focuses all his attention on her and the hive, neglecting his family and business. As the queen's power grows, so does her dominance over the beekeeper, leading to a tragic outcome.
By Émile Erckmann · First published 1892 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Philosophical Fiction · 6,156 words
First lines
"As you go from Motiers-Navers to Boudry, on your way to Neufchatel," said the young professor of botany, "you follow a road between two walls of rocks of immense height; they reach a perpendicular elevation of five or six hundred feet, and are hung with wild plants, the mountain basil (thymus alpinus), ferus (polypodium), the whortleberry (vitis idoea), ground ivy, and other climbing plants producing a wonderful effect.
What this Textopian page supports
The Queen of the Bees is listed on Textopian as a short story by Émile Erckmann, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Émile Erckmann
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Philosophical Fiction, Nature Writing, Gothic Fiction
- Length: 6,156 words
- Structure: 1 section, 113 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Queen of the Bees by Émile Erckmann
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Queen of the Bees?
- How does this short story by Émile Erckmann fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Child Of Storm by H. Rider Haggard
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The book explores deep themes of nature, perception, and human emotion through rich, descriptive prose.
- Romance — The narrative includes elements of affection and emotional connections, particularly through the character of Raesel.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text delves into existential questions and reflections on life, perception, and the divine.
- Nature Writing — The vivid descriptions of the natural landscape and the relationship between the characters and their environment are central to the narrative.
Tags
Fantasy · Romance · Adventure · Fiction · Mythology · Armenian Literature · Historical Fiction · Epic Fantasy · Quest · Good vs Evil · Magic · Supernatural