Secret Garden (The Most Shocking Literary Work of the 19th Century)

Author: [French] Octave Mirbeau
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: On the surface, the book revolves around the theme of torture, portraying it as an elegant art form and depicting the decadent image of government officials who have sunk into corruption under the guidance of a peculiar female protagonist. In reality, it is a satirical critique of Western values and their hypocritical social norms, as well as lobbying politics. Octave Mirbeau, a French writer, wrote The Secret Garden in 1899, one of the most extreme works in literary history. On the surface, the book explores the theme of torture, depicting it as an elegant art form, but in essence, the author also leads readers to witness the decadent image of government officials who have sunk into corruption through the guidance of a peculiar female protagonist. It can be said that it is a satirical critique of Western values and their hypocritical social norms, as well as lobbying politics. The Secret Garden was created in an era when authorities in aesthetics and morality were questioned by anarcho-socialists, decadent writers, naturalists, impressionists, and surrealists, and the focus on ultimate atrocities in the work continued until the very last year of the 19th century. Octave Mirbeau was a unique writer. He combined his rich imagination with a lifelong dedication to resisting authoritarian and unjust authority. Although once called "the most outrageous artwork of the 19th century," in fact, The Secret Garden has become one of the most original works imaginable by humankind.