Opening remarks · 6
Desire, and you shall obtain | Da-Hye Lee

Author's Preface · 15

Thérèse Raquin · 25

Translator's Note · 381
A few things missing from "Thérèse Raquin," which shakes us up

A tragedy brought about by two souls consumed by forbidden desire and madness.
A bold narrative and groundbreaking story that will keep you glued to your screen for even a moment.
The very work that served as the motif for the movie “Thirst”!

“As soon as I read ‘Therese Raquin,’ I knew I wanted to make it into a film.” _Park Chan-wook

Left in the care of her aunt since childhood, Thérèse grows up with her sickly cousin Camille, suppressing her raging desires and living indifferently according to her aunt's will.
Madame Raquin, who watched Thérèse silently stay by the sick Camille's side, decided to marry them, hoping that Thérèse would fill her void in the future, and thus began their loveless marriage.
One day, after moving to the 'Pont Neuf Passage' and living an ordinary life, Camille's old friend Laurent visits the house, Thérèse's numb life begins to turn upside down.
Therese and Laurent, who are strongly attracted to each other, develop a relationship that satisfies their physical desires, and decide to kill Camille, who stands in their way, by drowning her in the Seine River.
But where desire has disappeared, only fear and anxiety remain.

"Thérèse Raquin," which delves into the dark side of human psychology and the dark side of desire, is a work filled with the realistic descriptions and explicit tone characteristic of Émile Zola, a master of naturalistic literature.
The character's neurotic temperament adds tension to the incident, and the spatial background of 'Passage', which has the light and dark of a big city, creates a cold and melancholic atmosphere.
The author's overwhelming writing ability, which coolly unfolds provocative material through these elements, instantly draws the reader into the story.

Director Park Chan-wook, who produced the 2009 film “Thirst” based on “Thérèse Raquin,” said, “My style is to find answers by experiencing moral dilemmas in extreme situations,” and “I wanted to turn it into a film the moment I read it.”
This work, which has been read and reread by countless readers over a long period of time and has been recognized for its artistic value, is a masterpiece among masterpieces that continues to inspire countless creators and is constantly being reborn in various forms.

Émile Zola's cold and persistent gaze on humanity
An important first step in naturalistic literature

“I simply applied analytical methods to two living bodies, much like a coroner performing an autopsy on a corpse.”
_From the “Author’s Preface” attached to the second edition in 1868

"Thérèse Raquin" is an important work that marks the beginning of naturalistic literature, hinting at the monumental masterpiece "The Rougon-Macquart Series" that later elevated Émile Zola to the ranks of masters.
However, when it was published in 1867, it was criticized by the public for its provocative subject matter, groundbreaking narrative, and explicit descriptions.
Critics slammed the work, calling it immoral and obscene, and claiming the author was "pleasingly enjoying pornography."
In response, Émile Zola, seeing that his work was being misinterpreted contrary to his intentions, added a preface to the second edition directly refuting the critics' opinions.


In this preface, the author clearly states his intention in writing the work, saying that he “wanted to study temperament, not character” and that he “applied analytical methods to two living bodies, as a coroner does an autopsy on a corpse.”
Furthermore, he clearly revealed his own thoughts based on natural science, which seemed to foreshadow the naturalistic literary world that Émile Zola would soon establish in his own unique way.


Reporter Da-Hye Lee, who wrote the book's opening remarks, says, "If this novel makes readers feel uncomfortable... it's because it forces them to open their covered eyes."
Émile Zola's novels are not made up of only beautiful scenes.
Because it delves deeper into human nature, which is like an unknown territory and a forbidden world.
But that is precisely why it offers insight into life and allows us to look at reality from various perspectives.
"Thérèse Raquin," which contains Zola's sharp gaze on humanity, will remain a meaningful work for us living in the present.

Literature of the Century in Modern Translation
Willbook Classic's sixth series, the 'Fireworks Collection'

The classic masterpieces 『The Awakening』, 『Thérèse Raquin』, and 『Their Eyes Were Watching God』, which contain stories of women escaping from untrue love and facing their true selves, have been reborn as the 'Spark Collection'.
These works explore the complex emotions of love and deeply portray the inner lives of women who dream of a free life, transcending the barriers of time and shining a new light.
Although their groundbreaking subject matter caused much controversy in their time, their literary achievements were only rediscovered in modern times.
The true nature of love, not just beauty, amidst human desire and agony, and the narrative of a woman who sets out in search of the object of her own desire, not the desires dictated by the outside world, even if it ultimately leads to destruction, will provide readers with food for thought, encompassing both past and present.


Discover works that have left a significant mark on the history of women's literature, through Willbook Classic's delicate and modern translation, along with expert forewords that closely connect the work and the reader.