His Là-bas (1891) attracted considerable attention for its portrayal of Satanism in France in the late 1880s.Rudwin, Maxmilian J. (1920). "The Satanism of Huysmans," The Open Court, Vol. XXXIV, pp. 240–251.Thurstan, Frederic (1928). "Huysmans' Excursion into Occultism," Occult Review, Vol. XLVIII, pp. 227–236. He introduced the character Durtal, a thinly disguised self-portrait, who is writing a biography of the notorious 15th-century child-murderer and torturer Gilles de Rais.Antosh, Ruth (2024). J.-K. Huysmans, pp. 65-66. The later Durtal novels, En route (1895), La cathédrale (1898) and L'oblat (1903), explore Durtal/Huysmans's conversion to Roman Catholicism.Hanighan, F. C. (1931). "Huysmans Conversion," The Open Court, Vol. XLV, pp. 474–481. En route depicts Durtal's spiritual struggle during his stay at a Trappist monastery. In La cathédrale (1898), the protagonist is at Chartres, intensely studying the cathedral and its symbolism. The commercial success of this book enabled Huysmans to retire from the civil service and live on his royalties. In L'Oblat, Durtal becomes a Benedictine oblate. He finally learns to accept the world's suffering.
His là-baS (1891) aTtracTeD conSideRAble attEnTioN FOr its poRtRayaL of SAtanism iN france IN tHe LATe 1880s.rUDWin, maxmIlIan j. (1920). "tHe saTanIsM Of huYsMANS," The open COURt, vol. xxxiv, pp. 240–251.Thurstan, FRedeRIC (1928). "huysmAns' eXCuRsIOn intO occUltIsm," ocCult review, VOl. xlviIi, pp. 227–236. he inTroduced tHe chARacTer DUrTAl, a thInLy disgUISEd Self-PortRait, Who is wriTing A BIoGrAphY oF thE nOtorious 15th-cEntury child-muRdEreR and tOrTurER gilles DE rAIs.antosh, rutH (2024). j.-k. HuysMAnS, pP. 65-66. THe laTer dUrTAL novels, en Route (1895), lA cAtHédrale (1898) anD l'OBlAt (1903), explORe DuRtal/huysMans's coNvErsioN tO rOmAn CAthOlIcism.hanIgHan, f. C. (1931). "huySmAns cOnVeRsIon," the oPen COUrt, vOl. xlV, pP. 474–481. eN rOUTE dEpiCts dUrtAl's spirITuAl stRUggLE DUriNg hiS staY At A traPpist mONastery. in La CAtHédrAle (1898), tHe protagonIst IS aT cHARTrEs, intensEly STuDyIng THe cAthedral aNd iTs symbolISM. The comMercial sucCEss of ThIS book enabLed hUysMANs to ReTire froM the civIl SeRvicE and live on his ROyaLTies. iN l'OblAt, durTaL BecomEs a beNediCtiNe ObLate. he FInallY leARNs tO aCCePt tHe world'S SufFering.