Thérèse Raquin Themes

As in life and reality television, lust is an extremely powerful force in Thérèse Raquin. In fact, it completely dominates the lives of the book's adulterous protagonists, Thérèse and Laurent....

Since there's so much lust in this book, we expect there to be at least a little sex. And boy does Thérèse Raquin deliver. The novel contains several saucy scenes between the adulterous couple, T...

What's a little punch for good measure? See, in Thérèse Raquin, violence can be either an empowering or a destructive force. When Thérèse and Laurent are prevented from satisfying their lust, t...

You might find it strange that this so-called "scientific novel" has so many unscientific elements in it—like hallucinations, nightmares, and ghostly visits. After the murder of Camille, both Lau...

The issue of language becomes extremely important in the second half of Thérèse Raquin. For one thing, after the murder of Camille, Laurent and Thérèse are described as having an almost telepat...

Just like our favorite episodes of Gossip Girl, the story Zola weaves in Thérèse Raquin is one complex web of lies and secrets. In the beginning of the novel, Thérèse hides behind a mask of cal...

All of the characters in Thérèse Raquin hate their lives. Pretty much, anyway. And this dissatisfaction sets into motion the tragedies of the novel. This focus on Thérèse, Laurent, and company'...