“She was born to lie, to deceive, to conceal, to play a part, to wear a mask.”
Chapter 1: The Passage du Pont-Neuf
The novel opens with a detailed description of the gloomy Passage du Pont-Neuf in Paris, where Madame Raquin runs a small haberdashery shop. She lives with her sickly son, Camille, and her niece, Thérèse, whom she raised to marry him. Thérèse, a quiet and repressed woman, submits to this loveless marriage.
Chapter 2: The Family Life
Camille, weak and selfish, dominates Thérèse’s life. The couple moves to Paris, where Madame Raquin sets up a new shop. Thérèse, emotionally numb, endures her monotonous existence. Camille’s childhood friend, Laurent, a brash and sensual artist, begins visiting them regularly.
Chapter 3: Laurent’s Arrival
Laurent’s presence awakens Thérèse’s suppressed passions. They begin a torrid affair, meeting secretly while Camille remains oblivious. Their relationship is purely physical, driven by lust rather than love. The two conspirators grow increasingly reckless in their meetings.
Chapter 4: The Murder Plot
Thérèse and Laurent decide to murder Camille to be together freely. They plan carefully, choosing to drown him during a boat trip on the Seine. Laurent pushes Camille overboard during a struggle, making it look like an accident.
Chapter 5: The Aftermath
The murder appears successful. Laurent plays the grieving friend, while Thérèse feigns shock. Madame Raquin is devastated. The authorities accept the death as accidental. After a respectable mourning period, Laurent begins visiting more frequently, and they eventually marry.
Chapter 6: The Haunting Begins
After their marriage, guilt begins to consume both Thérèse and Laurent. They start seeing visions of Camille’s corpse. Their physical passion turns to mutual disgust. They become trapped in a nightmare of their own making, unable to escape each other or their guilt.
Chapter 7: The Descent into Madness
Madame Raquin, now paralyzed by a stroke, learns the truth but cannot speak. She becomes a silent witness to their torment. Thérèse and Laurent’s hatred grows as they blame each other for their misery. Their lives become a hell of mutual recrimination.
Chapter 8: The Final Reckoning
Driven to the brink of insanity, Thérèse and Laurent finally confront each other. In a violent climax, they poison each other, dying in agony before Madame Raquin’s eyes. The paralyzed woman is left alone with her grief and the knowledge of their crimes.
Key ideas
- Exploration of human nature’s dark impulses
- Psychological consequences of guilt
- Deterministic view of human behavior
- Naturalistic depiction of passion and violence
- Critique of bourgeois morality
Notable Adaptations
| 1928 | Thérèse Raquin | French silent film adaptation |
| 1953 | Thérèse Raquin | French film starring Simone Signoret |
| 2013 | In Secret | American film adaptation with Elizabeth Olsen |
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in psychological novels and character studies
- Fans of French naturalist literature
- Those who appreciate dark, intense narratives about human nature
- Students of 19th century literature