Infidelity And Betrayal In Nana By Émile Zola

Little can match the devastating repercussions of discovering that one’s partner has been unfaithful. In the book Nana by Émile Zola, this theme is ever-present. Many versions of infidelity are found in this piece of literature. Sexual infidelity brought about through sexual relations between the characters, including Nana, negatively effects marital relationships. Emotional infidelity and betrayal plays a large role in some characters’ relationships with Nana.

Throughout the book, many characters fall at Nana’s feet and show their love and affection towards her. “Her slightest movements fanned the flame of desire, and with a twitch of her little finger she could stir men’s flesh” (Zola 46). Nana rises on the social ladder, as she becomes

A certain character, known as Comte Muffat finds himself entranced with Nana. This leads him to cheat on his wife and pursue a relationship with her. Throughout this relationship Comte Muffat makes clear that he wants “her promise of fidelity,” (Zola 409) but Nana has trouble keeping this request. While the relationship between Nana and Comte Muffat is going through these problems it is discovered that “his wife is Fauchery’s mistress” (Zola 218). This shows that there has been infidelity on both sides of the relationship, making this marriage very unstable. “All marriages are imperfect, and probably a disappointment in one way or another, which is a piece of reality, not a license to mess around with the neighbors,” states Psychology Today in an article titled Beyond Betrayal: Life After Infidelity. Just

Nana has many sexual partners but there is one person in particular with whom she has a real relationship. It was a young man, by the name of Georges Hugon who had first showed up at Nana’s house soon after her first performance. Despite the fact that he is only one year younger than Nana herself she refers to him as baby and, at first, dismisses him as she does the other men who come begging for her attention. Later in the book Georges sneaks out of his house in order to go visit Nana. This time she welcomes him and they enjoy each other’s company. He betrayed his mother’s trust by “slyly planning to slip away…to arrange his future meetings with Nana” (Zola 206). Once his mother found out about these meetings, she felt betrayed and kept him at home with her, not allowing him to leave. “Georges gazed at Nana with such obvious delight at seeing her again that his beautiful eyes began filling with tears (Zola 317) when he was finally able to return. Their relationship was that of love and care. Georges’ older brother eventually came and started spending time with Nana. In this sense, emotional infidelity plays a role. Georges felt betrayed by Nana when she says, “I go to bed with your brother if I feel like it. What right have you to call me to account for what I do? (Zola 420). Georges thought they had a relationship that was beyond just pleasure. It seemed to