A Love Episode by Émile Zola (1879)

Name: A Love Episode
Author: Émile Zola

The novel revolves around the story of a young woman who becomes embroiled in an affair with a wealthy businessman. The narrative explores themes of love, class, and social status as the protagonist navigates her relationships and desires within the constraints of her societal position.

By Émile Zola · First published 1879 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Drama, Realism · 25 chapters · 140,131 words

First lines

The night-lamp with a bluish shade was burning on the chimney-piece, behind a book, whose shadows plunged more than half the chamber in darkness. There was a quiet gleam of light cutting across the round table and the couch, streaming over the heavy folds of the velvet curtains, and imparting an azure hue to the mirror of the rosewood wardrobe placed between the two windows. The quiet simplicity of the room, the blue tints on the hangings, furniture, and carpet, served at this hour of night to invest everything with the delightful vagueness of cloudland. Facing the windows, and within sweep of the shadow, loomed the velvet-curtained bed, a black mass, relieved only by the white of the sheets. With hands crossed on her bosom, and breathing lightly, lay Hélène, asleep-mother and widow alike personified by the quiet unrestraint of her attitude.

What this Textopian page supports

A Love Episode is listed on Textopian as a novel by Émile Zola, dated 1879 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Émile Zola
Date: 1879 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Drama, Realism, Romance, Psychological Fiction
Length: 140,131 words
Structure: 25 chapters, 2,302 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

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Work identity for A Love Episode by Émile Zola
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering A Love Episode?
How does this novel by Émile Zola fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The book explores deep emotional themes, character development, and the intricacies of human relationships, typical of literary fiction.
Drama — The narrative is driven by intense emotional situations and conflicts, particularly surrounding the health of Hélène's child.
Realism — Zola's work reflects realistic portrayals of life, focusing on the struggles and experiences of ordinary characters.
Romance — The story includes elements of romantic tension and emotional connections between characters, particularly between Hélène and Doctor Deberle.