Zola Emile

The Miller's Daughter Zola Emile

The Miller's Daughter is a short story by Emile Zola published in 1880. The setting is in the small French village of Rocreuse, seemingly during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), although that is never stated. During the story the town and mill are captured by Prussian soldiers who terrorize the miller, Perez Merlier, his daughter Francoise, and her fiance Dominique. Zola is a master at wrenching the most extreme emotions out of his characters and readers and succeeds splendidly with this story.