About “Une page d'amour”
Zola includes the family tree of the Rougon-Macquart in this volume because many readers asked for it, and it helps them navigate the large number of characters in the family. He also explains that he delayed publishing the tree in the first volume of the series, which led to concerns that it was created later. To clarify, he wants to show that the family tree was drawn up in 1868, before he wrote any part of the series. This is evident in the first part, La Fortune des Rougon, where he could not establish the family's origins without first defining the lineage and ages. The challenge was greater because the story spans four generations over 18 years.
Book details
- First published
- 1879