The first naturalist novel in Greek: evidence from a close reading of Xenopoulos’ Nikolas Sigalos

Abstract

This article argues that Xenopoulos’ first extended novel, Nikolas Sigalos (1890), deserves to be analysed in greater detail than has been the case to date. The basis for this claim is two-fold: against the background of a nuanced vision of the nature of naturalism, Nikolas Sigalos proves to be a genuine offspring of this European literary movement, featuring remarkable similarities with the poetics of Emile Zola, whereas a profound critical analysis using the same literary model points to a number of structural shortcomings which exemplify the author’s subsequent negative stance towards his first-fruits. The methodology for conducting the proper textual analysis consists of such narratological concepts as story-line, description, semantic content, narrator and focalization.