Marie-Joseph "Eugène" Sue (; 26 January 18043 August 1857) was a French novelist. He was one of several authors who popularized the genre of the

serial novel In literature, a serial is a printing or publishing format by which a single larger work, often a work of narrative fiction, is published in smaller, sequential instalments. The instalments are also known as ''numbers'', ''parts'', ''fascicul ...

in France with his very popular and widely imitated ''

The Mysteries of Paris ''The Mysteries of Paris'' () is a novel by Eugène Sue. It was published serially in 90 parts in ''Journal des débats'' from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843, making it one of the first serial novels (''feuilleton'') published in France. I ...

'', which was published in a newspaper from 1842 to 1843. Francis Amery. "Sue, "Eugène", in Pringle, David. 1998. ''St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers''. Detroit, MI: St. James Press (pp. 680–681). .

Early life

Sue was born in Paris, France. He was the son of a distinguished surgeon in

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

's army,

Jean-Joseph Sue Jean-Joseph Sue (20 April 1710 – 15 December 1792) was a French surgeon and anatomist. Life He was born at La Colle-sur-Loup on 20 April 1710 the son of Pierre Jean Sue (d.1714) and his wife, Marguerite Bellisime (d.1748). Jean-Joseph Sue was ...

, and had

Empress Joséphine The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/ grand empress dowager), or a woman who rule ...

as his godmother. Sue himself acted as surgeon both in the 1823 French campaign in Spain and at the

Battle of Navarino The Battle of Navarino was a naval battle fought on 20 October (O.S. 8 October) 1827, during the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), in Navarino Bay (modern Pylos), on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, in the Ionian Sea. Allied ...

in 1827. In 1829 his father's death put him in possession of a considerable fortune, and he settled in Paris.

Literary career

Sue's naval experiences supplied much of the material for his first novels, ''Kernock le pirate'' (1830), ''Atar-Gull'' (1831), ''La Salamandre'' (1832), ''La Coucaratcha'' (1832–1834), and others, written at the height of the Romantic movement of 1830. In the quasi-historical style he wrote ''Jean Cavalier, ou Les Fanatiques des Cevennes'' (1840) and ''Latréaumont'' (1837). His ''Mathilde'' (1841) contains the first known expression of the popular proverb "''La vengeance se mange très-bien froide''", translated in 1846 as "''Revenge is very good eaten cold''" by D. G. Osborne, also constituting the first known English usage of the proverb later expressed in English as ''"Revenge is a dish best served cold"''. He was strongly affected by the socialist ideas of the day, and these prompted his most famous works, the

anti-Catholic Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics and opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and its adherents. Scholars have identified four categories of anti-Catholicism: constitutional-national, theological, popular and socio-cul ...

novels: ''

'' (''Les Mystères de Paris'') (published in ''

Journal des débats The ''Journal des débats'' (, ''Journal of Debates'') was a French newspaper, published between 1789 and 1944 that changed title several times. Created shortly after the first meeting of the Estates-General of 1789, it was, after the outbreak ...

'' from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843) and ''The Wandering Jew'' (''Le Juif errant''; 1844–1845), which were among the most popular specimens of the

. ''The Wandering Jew'' is a

Gothic novel Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror (primarily in the 20th century), is a literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name of the genre is derived from the Renaissance era use of the word "gothic", as a pejorative to mean ...

depicting the titular character in conflict with the villain, a murderous

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

named Rodin. These works depicted the intrigues of the nobility and the harsh life of the underclass to a wide public. ''Les Mystères de Paris ''spawned a class of imitations all over the world, the

city mysteries City mysteries are a 19th-century genre of popular novel, in which characters explore the secret underworlds of cities and uncover corruption and exploitation.Knight, Stephen. ''The Mysteries of the Cities : Urban Crime Fiction in the Nineteenth ...

. Sue's books caused controversy because of their strongly violent scenes, and also because of their socialist and anti-clerical subtexts. He followed up with some singular books: ''Les Sept pêchés capitaux'' (1847–1849) contained stories to illustrate each of the

seven deadly sins The seven deadly sins (also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins) function as a grouping of major vices within the teachings of Christianity. In the standard list, the seven deadly sins according to the Catholic Church are pride, greed ...

; ''Les Mystères du peuple'' (1849–1856), a long series of historical novels which was suppressed by the censor in 1857; and several others, all on a very large scale, though the number of volumes gives an exaggerated idea of their length. ''Les Mystères du peuple'' is a lengthy series of novels and novellas dealing with French history. ''Les Mystères du peuple'' begins with a novel graphically depicting slavery in the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

(''The Iron Collar''). Other ''Les Mystères du peuple'' novels dealt with

Early Christianity Early Christianity, otherwise called the Early Church or Paleo-Christianity, describes the History of Christianity, historical era of the Christianity, Christian religion up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Spread of Christianity, Christian ...

(''The Silver Cross''), King

Clovis I Clovis (; reconstructed Old Frankish, Frankish: ; – 27 November 511) was the first List of Frankish kings, king of the Franks to unite all of the Franks under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of petty kings to rule by a ...

(''The Poniard's Hilt''), the founding of the

Duchy of Normandy The Duchy of Normandy grew out of the 911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple, King Charles III of West Francia and the Viking leader Rollo. The duchy was named for its inhabitants, the Normans. From 1066 until 1204, as a r ...

(''The Iron Arrow-Head''), the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

in Palestine (''The Pilgrim's Shell''), the

Albigensian Crusade The Albigensian Crusade (), also known as the Cathar Crusade (1209–1229), was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, what is now southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted pri ...

(''The Iron Pincers''), the

Jacquerie The Jacquerie () was a popular revolt by peasants that took place in northern France in the early summer of 1358 during the Hundred Years' War. The revolt was centred in the valley of the Oise north of Paris and was suppressed after over tw ...

(''The Iron Trevet''),

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

(''The Executioner's Knife'') and the French Revolution (''Sword of Honor''). The novels were translated into English (as the "Mysteries of the People") and published in New York by

Daniel De Leon Daniel De Leon (; December 14, 1852 – May 11, 1914), alternatively spelt Daniel de León, was a Curaçaoan-American socialist newspaper editor, politician, Marxist theoretician (Marxism), theoretician, and trade union organizer. He is regarde ...

and his son, Solon. Some of Sue's books, among them ''The Wandering Jew'' and ''The Mysteries of Paris'', were dramatized by himself, usually in collaboration with others. His period of greatest success and popularity coincided with that of

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas , was a French novelist and playwright. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the mos ...

, with whom he has been compared. According to

Umberto Eco Umberto Eco (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) was an Italian Medieval studies, medievalist, philosopher, Semiotics, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular ...

, parts of Sue's book ''Les Mystères du peuple'' served as a source for

Maurice Joly Maurice Joly (; 22 September 1829 – 15 July 1878) was a French political writer and lawyer known for '' The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu'', a political satire of Napoleon III. Known life Most of the known informat ...

in his 1864 work ''Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu'', a book attacking

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

and his political ambitions. The two are depicted in

Will Eisner William Erwin Eisner ( ; March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series '' The Spirit'' (1940–1952) wa ...

's cartoon book ''The Plot'', co-authored with Eco. Eco, Umberto (1994), "Fictional Protocols", Six Walks in the Fictional Woods, Cambridge, MA:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is an academic publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University. It is a member of the Association of University Presses. Its director since 2017 is George Andreou. The pres ...

, p. 135, .

Political career

After the

French Revolution of 1848 The French Revolution of 1848 (), also known as the February Revolution (), was a period of civil unrest in France, in February 1848, that led to the collapse of the July Monarchy and the foundation of the French Second Republic. It sparked t ...

, Sue was elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Paris-Seine constituency in April 1850. He was exiled from Paris in consequence of his protest against the

French coup d'état of 1851 French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

. This exile stimulated his literary production. Sue died in

Annecy-le-Vieux Annecy-le-Vieux () was a former commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France. On 1 January 2017, it merged into the commune of Annecy.Savoy Savoy (; )  is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...

on 3 August 1857 and was buried at the Cimetière de Loverchy (

Annecy Annecy ( , ; , also ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Haute-Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, regi ...

) in the Non-Catholic's Carré des "Dissidents".

Legacy

* ''Rue Eugène Sue'' in the

18th arrondissement of Paris The 18th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements, or administrative districts, of Paris, the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as '' ...

near the Marcadet-Poissonniers station of the

Paris Métro The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...

, not far from

Montmartre Montmartre ( , , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement of Paris, 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Rive Droite, Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for its a ...

and the Sacré-Cœur. * ''Calle Eugenio Sue'' in

Polanco Polanco is a neighborhood in the Miguel Hidalgo borough of Mexico City. Polanco is an affluent '' colonia'', noted for its luxury shopping along Presidente Masaryk Avenue, the most expensive street in Mexico, as well as for the numerous pro ...

. * Sue is a character in

's 2010 novel '' The Prague Cemetery''.

Bibliography

* ''Kernock le pirate'' (1830) * ''Atar-Gull'' (1831) * ''La Salamandre'' (2 vols, 1832) * ''La Coucaratcha'' (4 vols, 1832–1834) * ''Jean Cavalier, ou Les Fanatiques des Cevennes'' (4 vols, 1840) * ' (2 vols, 1837) * ''Mathilde'' (6 vols, 1841) * ''

'' (Les Mystères de Paris) (published in ''

'' from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843) * ''

The Wandering Jew The Wandering Jew (occasionally referred to as the Eternal Jew, a calque from German ) is a mythical Immortality, immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way ...

'' (Le Juif errant; 10 vols, 1844–1845) * ''Les Sept pêchés capitaux'' (16 vols, 1847–1849) * ''Les Mystères du peuple'' (The Mysteries of the People) (1849–1856) **"The Gold Sickle; or, Hena, the Virgin of the Isle of Sen" **"The Brass Bell; or, The Chariot of Death" **"The Iron Collar; or, Faustine and Syomara" **"The Silver Cross; or, The Carpenter of Nazareth" **"The Casque’s Lark; or, Victoria, The Mother of the Fields" **"The Poniard's Hilt; or, Karadeucq and Ronan" **"The Branding Needle; or, The Monastery of Charolles" **"The Abbatial Crosier; or, Bonaik and Septimine" **"The Carlovingian Coins; or, The Daughters of Charlemagne" **"The Iron Arrow-Head; or, The Maid of the Buckler" **"The Infant’s Skull; or, The End of the World" **"The Shell of the Pilgrim; or, Fergan the Quarryman" **"The Iron Pincers; or, Mylio and Karvel" **"The Iron Trevet; or, Jocelyn the Champion" **"The Knife of the Executioner; or, Joan of Arc" **"The Pocket Bible; or, Christian the Printer" **"The Blacksmith’s Hammer; or, The Peasant-Code" **"The Sword of Honour; or, The Foundation of the French Republic" **"The Galley Slave’s Ring; or, The Family of Lebrenn"

References

External links

''Wandering Jew and Wandering Jewess''
dramatic screenplay adaptations by Robert Douglas Manning, * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sue, Eugene 1804 births 1857 deaths 19th-century French male writers 19th-century French novelists Critics of the Catholic Church French fantasy writers French historical novelists French male novelists French propagandists French socialists Writers from Paris Writers of Gothic fiction Writers of historical fiction set in antiquity Writers of historical fiction set in the early modern period Writers of historical fiction set in the Middle Ages Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis