Germinal (1/2) 💛 By Emile Zola. FULL Audiobook

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Introduction by Havelock Ellis

Germinal (1/2) 💛 By Emile Zola. FULL Audiobook

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Germinal. By Emile Zola. Full Audiobook

Germinal is a novel written by French author Émile Zola, published in 1885. It is the thirteenth novel in Zola's twenty-volume series Les Rougon-Macquart. The novel is set in a fictional town in northern France called Montsou, and follows the journey of Étienne Lantier, a young coal miner leading his "comrades" in a strike against the oppressive "Company," whose shareholders' luxurious lifestyle is made possible by the backbreaking work of the poor . 

The novel is considered one of Zola's best works and takes its name from a spring month in the French Republican Calendar. Written in the naturalist tradition, 

the book studies how people are the product of both inner forces and their environments . 

Throughout Germinal, Zola uses the metaphor of spring and growth to represent the increasing awareness of the people. By offering examples of greed and selflessness, bravery and ambition, the cost of love and of justice, and the tragedy of human suffering, the novel creates a picture of the indomitable human spirit .

The novel is divided into seven parts, each of which is further divided into chapters. The following is a brief summary of each part:

1. The Coalfield: Étienne Lantier, a young mechanic recently fired from his railway job after hitting his boss, walks along the highway one night in his quest for work. He comes across the coal pit Le Voreux and meets Bonnemort, a driver who has worked there for 50 years, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Étienne receives a job on a team led by Bonnemort's son Maheu and is appalled by the working conditions in the mine. Maheu's teenaged daughter Catherine helps him navigate the roadways and shares her meager lunch with him. Étienne and Chaval, another young man on Maheu's team, form an instant dislike for each other .

2. The Settlement: Étienne moves into the Maheu home and becomes a lodger. He shares a room with Catherine's brother, Zacharie, who has returned from the army. Étienne becomes friends with Souvarine, a Russian anarchist who has come to France to work in the mines. The miners go on strike, and the Company hires soldiers to break it up. The miners are defeated, and Étienne is arrested .

3. The Strike: The miners go on strike again, and Étienne becomes a leader of the movement. The Company hires more soldiers, and the miners are again defeated. Étienne and Catherine fall in love .

4. The Catastrophe: The miners are forced to work longer hours and are paid less. They are also forced to work in dangerous conditions. A disaster occurs in the mine, and many miners are killed. Étienne and Catherine are trapped in the mine but are eventually rescued .

5. The Descent: The miners are forced to work even harder, and their living conditions deteriorate. Étienne and Catherine's relationship becomes strained. The miners plan a violent uprising .

6. The Torrent: The miners' uprising is brutally suppressed by the Company. Étienne and Catherine flee to Paris .

7. The Harvest: Étienne and Catherine return to Montsou, and the miners go on strike again. The Company hires more soldiers, and the miners are again defeated. Étienne and Catherine leave Montsou together .

I hope this summary helps you understand the book better!.

More: Germinal, Emile Zola, Les Rougon-Macquart

coalminers' strike, northern France, 1860s

socialist principles, working class movement literature, anarchist

political émigré, pub owner, Étienne Lantier

L'Assommoir, La Bête humaine, genetic theories

00:00:00 Introduction by Havelock Ellis

00:05:42 Part One. Chapter I

00:27:23 Chapter II

00:47:53 Chapter III

01:17:01 Chapter IV

01:41:57 Chapter V

02:04:48 Chapter VI

02:25:39 Part Two. Chapter I

02:48:36 Chapter II

03:12:59 Chapter III

03:40:46 Chapter IV

04:00:30 Chapter V

04:29:05 Part Three. Chapter I

04:55:39 Chapter II

05:26:46 Chapter III

05:49:49 Chapter IV

06:13:15 Chapter V

06:37:25 Part Four. Chapter I

07:09:10 Chapter II

07:29:19 Chapter III

07:53:06 Chapter IV

08:27:35 Chapter V

08:55:52 Chapter VI

09:27:02 Chapter VII

09:53:23 Part Five. Chapter I

10:14:34 Chapter II

10:41:25 Chapter III

11:02:30 Chapter IV