Emile Zola was a French novelist who established himself as a writer by working at a Paris publishing house in 1860.
Emile Zola published his novel in 1867, titled 'Theresa Raquin', where he spoke about the scientific theories of determination of character by studying their environment and heredity. The primary ideas of these novels established him as the father of naturalism in literature.
Emile Zola began as a best-known novelist and naturalist for his project Rougon-Macquart Cycle (1871-1893). It consists of 20 sequence novels documenting French life through the loves of the violent Rougon family and Mazquarts. Emily is also known for the open letter written by him.
It is called 'J'accuse' (1898), and it talks about a preconceived opinion. The letter was to denounce the French army general staff. Find below 55 thought-provoking Emile Zola quotes to inspire anyone.
Famous Emile Zola Quotes
Emila Zola produced 60 volumes of theories and fiction during his 40-year writing career. Besides, he also produced numerous journalism pieces. His best-known work was the 20-volume series 'Les Rougon-Macquart'. Read here some of his famous quotes.
"If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work."
"A society is only strong when it opens the truth up to the bright light of the sun."
"I am little concerned with beauty or perfection. I don't care for the great centuries. All I care about is life, struggle, intensity."
"Dreyfus was found guilty for the crime of treason by a court martial; he, therefore, is guilty and we, a court-martial, cannot declare him innocent. On the other hand, we know that acknowledging Esterhazy's guilt would be tantamount to proclaiming Dreyfus innocent."
"The past was but the cemetery of our illusions: one simply stubbed one's toes on the gravestones."
"These young people naturally grow up with ideas different from ours, for they are born for times when we shall no longer be here".
“At this solemn moment, in the presence of this tribunal which is the representative of human justice, before you, gentlemen of the jury, who are the very incarnation of the country, before the whole of France, before the whole world, I swear that Dreyfus is innocent.”
- February 22, 1898.
“All seems against me — the two Chambers, the civil authority, the military authority, the most widely-circulated journals, the public opinion which they have poisoned. And I have for me only an ideal of truth and justice. ”
- February 22, 1898.
"And the astounding outcome of this appalling situation was that the one decent man involved, Lt. Colonel Picquart who, alone, had done his duty, was to become the victim, the one who got ridiculed and punished."
“But I am quite calm; I shall conquer. I was determined that my country should not remain the victim of lies and injustice. I may be condemned here. The day will come when France will thank me for having helped to save her honor.”
- February 22, 1898.
"Lt. Colonel Picquart had carried out his duty as an honest man."
"He kept insisting to his superiors in the name of justice. He even begged them, telling them how impolitic it was to temporize in the face of the terrible storm that was brewing and that would break when the truth became known."
"Keep well; that is the half of wisdom and of happiness."
Emile Zola Quotes Which Will Make You Wonder
(Find here 10+ inspirational quotes from Emile Zola taken from his novels and personal life, especially naturalism theories.)
Emile Zola published his first novel in 1865, titled 'La Confession De Claude'. The novel earned him a reputation among the public and police for its seedy and controversial concepts and theories. Find the Emile Zola quotes that inspire and make you wonder about his theories and concepts.
"The truth is on the march and nothing will stop it."
"In my view, you cannot claim to have seen something until you have photographed it."
"The past was but the cemetery of our illusions: one simply stubbed one's toes on the gravestones."
"Yes! live life with every fibre of one's being, surrender oneself to it, with no thoughts of rebellion, without deluding oneself that one can improve it and render it painless."
"There are two men inside the artist, the poet, and the craftsman. One is born a poet. One becomes a craftsman."
"The public was astounded; rumors flew of the most horrible acts, the most monstrous deceptions, lies that were an affront to our history. The public, naturally, was taken in. No punishment could be too harsh."
“A court-martial, under orders, has just dared to acquit a certain Esterhazy, a supreme insult to all truth and justice. And now the image of France is sullied by this filth, and history shall record that it was under your presidency that this crime against society was committed.”
- January 13, 1898, Letter to the President of the Republic.
"Classical education has deformed everything, and has imposed upon us as geniuses men of correct, facile talent, who follow the beaten track."
"She was cold by nature, self-love predominating over passion; rather than being virtuous, she preferred to have her pleasures all to herself."
"Inability, human incapacity, is the only boundary to an art."
"All that was really there was still more misery -- oh yes! as much of that as you like."
"They dared not peer down into their own natures, down into the feverish confusion that filled their minds with a kind of dense, acrid mist."
"Civilization will not attain perfection until the last stone from the last church falls on the last priest."
"Blow the candle out, I don't need to see what my thoughts look like."
Motivating Emile Zola Quotes
Emile Zola became the most popular writer in France for his successful writing style, especially for his letter to the president at the thought of carefully hidden undeserved punishment and preconceived opinions. In addition to his writing, Zola was also a playwright, the best-known practitioner of literary school naturalism, and an important contributor to developmental theatrical naturalism.
Read Emile Zola's motivating quotes on success here.
"If people can just love each other a little bit, they can be so happy."
"We have before us the ignoble spectacle of men who are sunken in debts and crimes being hailed as innocent, whereas the honor of a man whose life is spotless is being vilely attacked: A society that sinks to that level has fallen into decay."
"Did science promise happiness? I do not believe it. It promised truth, and the question is to know if we will ever make happiness with the truth."
"Through the centuries, the history of peoples is but a lesson in mutual tolerance."
“There’s only one thing that warms my heart, and that is the thought that we are going to sweep away this bourgeois.”
"I am an artist... I am here to live out loud."
"Did not one spend the first half of one's days in dreams of happiness and the second half in regrets and terrors?"
"Violence has never prospered, you can't remake the world in a day. Anyone who promises to change everything for you all at once is either a fool or a rogue!"
"If I cannot overwhelm with my quality, I will overwhelm with my quantity."
"The thought is a deed. Of all deeds, she fertilizes the world most."
“When the truth is buried underground it grows, it chokes, it gathers such an explosive force that on the day it bursts out, it blows up everything with it.”
- 1898.
"Next General de Boisdeffre, then General Gonse, and finally, General Billot himself were all pulled into the effort to get the Major acquitted, for acknowledging Dreyfus's innocence would make the War Office collapse under the weight of public contempt."
“Existence is so bitter for every one of us! Ought we not forgive others much, my friend, if we wish to be forgiven ourselves?”
- 'Nana'.
"The first court martial was perhaps unintelligent; the second one is inescapably criminal."
Brilliant Emile Zola Quotes
Influential French Novelist and an example of literary school naturalism and self-proclaimed lead of developmental naturalism, Emile Francois Zola began writing at the age of 28. Find here the inspirational quotes from Emile Zola taken from his novels and personal life featuring his concepts on such explosive power as passion, being an artist, and naturalism.
"If you shut up truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way."
“One forges one's style on the terrible anvil of daily deadlines.”
- 1881, Le Figaro.
"We are told of the honor of the army; we are supposed to love and respect it. Ah, yes, of course, an army that would rise to the first threat, that would defend French soil, that army is the nation itself, and for that army, we have nothing but devotion and respect."
"I have but one passion: to enlighten those who have been kept in the dark, in the name of humanity which has suffered so much and is entitled to happiness. My fiery protest is simply the cry of my very soul."
"I have only one passion, that for light, in the name of humanity which has suffered so much and which has the right to happiness."
"I believe that the future of humanity is in the progress of reason through science. I believe that the pursuit of truth, through science, is the divine ideal which man should propose to himself."
“Blow the candle out, I don't need to see what my thoughts look like.”
"Dreyfus is innocent. I swear it! I stake my life on it — my honor!"
"When you have a sorrow that is too great it leaves no room for any other."
"Knowing where you want to go is a good start, but you have to show you are on your way."
"There she was, patiently waiting, alone, formidable in her gentleness."
"It came down, once again, to the General Staff protecting itself, not wanting to admit its crime, an abomination that has been growing by the minute."
"Up to this day, there has been no proof of the existence of any intelligence other than the human."
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