Germinal (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Émile Zola
- First Published: 1885
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Naturalism
- Time of Work: Nineteenth century
- Setting: France
- Genres: Long fiction, Naturalistic literature
- Subjects: Family or family life, Social reform, Socialism, France or French people, Nineteenth century, Violence, Lower classes, Riots, Mines, miners, or mining, Strikes or lockouts, Starvation
- Locales: France
Characters Discussed
Étienne Lantier (ay- TYEHN lahn-TYAY), a French laboring man who becomes a miner and falls under the influence of Marxism, which he believes is the workers’ only hope. He organizes the miners, only to lose his popularity when a strike is settled and the people go back to work. His suffering, even the loss of his lover in a mine disaster, only persuades him that he must continue his revolutionary work. He is the illegitimate son of Gervaise Macquart.
Catherine Maheu (kah-teh-REEN mah-HEW), a girl who works as a miner. She is loved by Lantier, even...
[The entire page is 717 words long]
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