McTeague

McTeague, published in 1899, is Frank Norris’s grim and gripping novel about a San Francisco dentist whose life spirals into greed, violence, and madness. Through the rise and fall of McTeague and his wife Trina, Norris exposes the brutal undercurrents of human nature and social Darwinism. Influenced by naturalism, the novel’s unflinching portrayal of psychological decay and urban despair shocked readers. McTeague remains a cornerstone of American realism and a powerful indictment of the corrupting power of money.