‫بطن باريس (مشروع كلمة للترجمة)‬

by Émile Zola, إميل زولا, ياسر عبد اللطيف (Translator)

كان البلاط قد أصبح زلقاً على الرغم من جفاف الطقس، أكوام من سيقان الأرضي - الشوكيّ، وأوراق الخضار كانت تجعل الطريق محفوفاً بالمخاطر، كان يتحسس كل خطوة قبل أن يخطوها، وضاع منه لاكاي في شارع فوفيلييه، ومن ليهال حتى أروقة القمح، كانت أطراف الشارع تتمترس بحواجز جديدة من العربات، فقرّر الإحجام عن المقاومة، لقد استعادته سوق ليهال، وجرفّه التيار مرّة اخرى، وصل ببطء، ووجد نفسه عند ناصية شارع سانت أوستاش. ثم راح يستمع لصوت المسيرة الطويلة التي تنطلق من ليهال، باريس تهيّئ اللُّقيمات لِمليوني نسمة هم سكانها، كان ذلك كمثُل قلبٍ هائلٍ ينبض بشكل مخيف، ويضخّ دم الحياة في كلّ الشرايين، جعجعة فكّين عملاقين، ضجيج تحدثه جلبة التزوّد بالمؤن، من ضربات سياط البائعين بالجُملة، المنطلقين

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2019

About the author

Émile Zola was a prominent French novelist, journalist, and playwright widely regarded as a key figure in the development of literary naturalism. His work profoundly influenced both literature and society through its commitment to depicting reality with scientific objectivity and exploring the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior. Born and raised in France, Zola experienced early personal hardship following the death of his father, which deeply affected his understanding of social and economic struggles—a theme that would later permeate his writings.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.

Reviews

[Hussam · Rating 2 out of 5]

باعتبار ان الرواية قديمة وكلاسيكيه فهي تعتبر جيدة لكن بالنسبة لي كان الوصف طويل وملل في أغلب المقاطع
وهذا يجعلني اتسأل هل يحق لنا اعادة كتابة الأدب الكلاسيكي القديم ليتناسب مع الذائقه اليوم او من المفترض أن يكون كما هو لانه يعبر عن زمنه الخاص؟