Là-bas

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Là-bas

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Joris-Karl Huysmans' controversial novel explores decadence, Satanism, and the occult through the story of Durtal, a disillusioned writer in 19th-century Paris. Rejecting the materialism of Naturalism, he descends into a sinister underworld where mysticism, astrology, and the supernatural collide with the gritty reality of the city.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in the decadent Paris of the *fin de siècle*, Joris-Karl Huysmans' *Là-bas* chronicles the spiritual crisis of the protagonist, Durtal, as he rejects the materialistic limitations of Naturalism. He views the movement's focus on brute force and mundane detail as a 'superficial quackery' that ignores the soul. Seeking a deeper truth, Durtal turns to the occult and the supernatural, finding profound inspiration in the raw, suffering realism of Matthias Grünewald's *Crucifixion* and the visionary art of the Primitives. Durtal becomes entangled with a circle of eccentric figures who debate the nature of faith in a positivist age. This group includes the cynical critic Des Hermies, who attacks the 'earthiness' of Naturalism; the astrologer Gévingey, who discusses the validity of hysteria versus possession; and the devout bell-ringer Carhaix, who represents a fading medieval piety. Together, they explore the decline of faith, the existence of the supernatural, and the terrifying allure of the demonic. The narrative delves into the historical infamy of Gilles de Rais and the mysterious Chantelouve, whose connection to the occult world threatens Durtal's sanity. The novel contrasts the vacuous materialism of modern bourgeois life with the profound, albeit dark, spirituality of the past. Through vivid descriptions of Parisian streets, religious rituals, and occult practices, Huysmans constructs a world where the boundary between the sacred and the profane is dangerously thin. Durtal oscillates between the mundane horrors of daily existence and the terrifying pull of the spiritual, leaving the reader to question the very nature of reality and the soul in an era where Satanism thrives while the Church struggles to maintain its influence.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/joris-karl-huysmans_la-bas.epub

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data/epubs/url-5198470e7deb17de.epub

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Categories

• Fiction
• Horror
• Occult