Publisher's Synopsis
This book explores the Gothic revival in the nineteenth century and examines how this revival was felt by three French writers of the period. Each writer, argues Agn Peysson-Zeiss, uses a different approach to reflect the influence of the Gothic revival, whether it be architectural, religious, or cultural. The author suggests that Victor Hugo was the first to problematize the restoration of the old order, in Notre-Dame de Paris. Huysmans, in La cathedrale et L'oblat, proceeded to use the gothic cathedral as a point of departure for a spiritual journey. Finally, Emile Zola, as a naturalist, dealt with the coming of age of the modern buildings in Le Ventre de Paris and Au Bonheur des Dames. (Text in French).
