Joris-Karl Huysmans - Marthe: The Story of a Whore (1876)

As mentioned in a previous post, J.-K. Huysmans’ novel A rebours (Against Nature or Against the Grain) is widely regarded as perhaps the key moment in the development of Decadent literature. While there were novels about dandies and their cynical angst before it, A rebours seems to have fully crystallized the Decadent trope of a wealthy, cultured dandy as an alienated commentator on fin de siècle society. 

Given the impact of A rebours, it occurred to me - as a side project in my decadent reading frenzy - to read Huysmans’ novels in their order of publication to see if I could track his progression from Naturalist disciple to Decadent firestarter. This might provide some insight into the development of the Decadent movement, as well as where and how Decadent literature broke away from Naturalism and the other schools that came before it.

My project didn’t start well. Huysmans’ first book, Le drageoir aux épices (1874), is not available in English. However, it was a collection of Baudelaire-inspired poetry, and I’m interested in his development as a novelist. It’s still interesting to note Huysmans was inspired by Baudelaire, because Flowers of Evil has more in common with the lurid Decadents than the journalistic Naturalists. Perhaps Huysmans’ time as a Naturalist was doomed to be short-lived?

Huysmans’ first true novel, Marthe: The Story of a Whore, was published eight years before his Decadent masterpiece. Whatever his early influences and inspirations may have been, Marthe is clearly recognizable as Naturalism and it was a strong enough entry in the genre to catch the attention of movement superstar Emile Zola. Although Marthe didn’t sell very well, ascending to Zola’s circle must have been quite a coup for the 28-year-old aspiring author. 

Given Zola’s approval, it’s not surprising Marthe adheres closely to the Naturalist program. Huysmans presents his lead character – one can’t call her a heroine – and her story without any high-flying idealism, lofty individualism, or elevated Romanticist spirit. Instead, his novel is an unvarnished, brutal depiction of a poor, alcoholic prostitute alternately making her living in brothels, cheap theaters, scummy dives, and off admirers when she can snag one. 

Huysmans’ skill as a writer is immediately apparent. His first chapters include a vividly detailed portrayal of the flamboyant backstage life of the dive theater in which Marthe - whose primary asset is neither her moves nor her voice - debuts as a singer, the squalor and poverty of Marthe’s life, and a synopsis of her path to prostitution. The vividness of Huysmans’ realism is driven by close personal observations and/or extensive research, which is typical of Naturalists. 

However, many Naturalists paired their realism with political commentary or social justice themes. In another possible sign of Huysmans’ early divergence from the Naturalist school, he doesn’t offer such subtext in Marthe. Despite his story possessing many elements that would easily allow introduction of such subtexts - the hopelessness of Marthe ever rising out of her poverty, the realities of sex work - Huysmans never really goes there. 

Part of the reason is Huysmans’ palpable scorn for women. He just doesn’t have much empathy for Marthe. More importantly, the vividness of his realism seems rooted in a near-pornographic fascination with destitution and vice rather than a social justice agenda. Huysmans does offer a hint of a moral toward the end of Marthe, but it’s too tacked-on to be convincing. The introduction to the Dedalus edition I read (translator: Brendan King) suggests this may have been a strategic concession to censors rather than a sincere artistic statement. 

One could interpret Huysmans’ avoidance of these subtexts as utter faithfulness to the Naturalist impulse to report life as it is. Contemporary reviews of Marthe and his second novel The Vatard Sisters seem to have taken this interpretation. However, in retrospect, this ‘faithfulness’ may actually signal Huysmans’ choice of subject matter was driven by very different motives than what impelled Naturalists. [At right: The Absinthe Drinker by Degas depicts a drunk prostitute and was painted within a year of Marthe being published.]

At about 100 pages, Marthe is more of a novella. However, it’s as well-written as his most celebrated works and an excellent sample of Naturalism. Its main strength is Huysmans’ unsparing you-are-there slice of life from the seediest parts of fin de siecle Paris, allowing the reader to slip back in time for an intimate view of Parisian life. However it’s also not hard to find signs that Huysmans the Naturalist already contained the seeds of the very different writer he would become.