The Cathedral (Huysmans novel)
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 Title page of the American edition of The Cathedral. | |
| Author | Joris-Karl Huysmans |
|---|---|
| Original title | La Cathédrale |
| Language | French |
| Genre | Novel |
Publication date | 1898 |
| Publication place | France |
Published in English | 1898 |
| Preceded by | En route |
| Followed by | The Oblate |
The Cathedral (French: La Cathédrale) (1898) is a novel by the French writer Joris-Karl Huysmans. An edition of the 1898 translation with photographs of the cathedral was published in 2011.
It is the third of Huysmans' books to feature the character Durtal, a thinly disguised portrait of the author. He had already featured the character of Durtal in Là-bas and En route, which recounted his conversion to Catholicism. Huysmans' fourth and final novel featuring Durtal was The Oblate, published in 1903.
The Cathedral continues the story. After his retreat at a Trappist monastery, Durtal moves to the city of Chartres, renowned for its Chartres Cathedral. Huysmans describes the building in great detail.
Huysmans first published fourteen extracts from La cathédrale as a serial in the newspaper L'Écho de Paris, beginning on October 27, 1897. The entire novel was published as a book in January 1898. Some commentators questioned the sincerity of the author's religious beliefs, but the novel was the most commercially successful of Huysmans' works during his lifetime. He retired from his job as a civil servant and lived on his royalties.
Reception
The Cathedral was Huysmans' best-selling novel and was translated into English. Due to its extensive details about the Chartres Cathedral, tourists often use it as a guidebook.
