Madame Bovary

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

14155

Title

Madame Bovary

Language

fr

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in provincial France, this novel follows Charles Bovary, a naive country doctor whose life is upended by his wife Emma's romantic disillusionment. With biting realism, Flaubert explores the corrosive effects of unfulfilled desire and social aspiration against the backdrop of rural life and petty bourgeois hypocrisy.

Summary up to 500 words

Gustave Flaubert's *Madame Bovary* opens at a school in Rouen, introducing Charles Bovary, a tall, awkward boy from the countryside who struggles with his appearance and speech but possesses a strong work ethic. His father, a former surgeon turned failed farmer, lives in debt and regret in Yonville. Charles grows up in a household where his mother, initially loving, becomes bitter and domineering as his father neglects them. After a brief stint with the local priest, Charles is sent to college, where he meets Emma Rouault, the daughter of a wealthy apothecary. Emma, intelligent and imaginative, feels stifled by her rural existence and her father's business. She is invited to a lavish party at the chateau of the Marquis de Vaubyessard, where she experiences a world of luxury and romance. This exposure fuels her dissatisfaction with her own life. Upon returning home, she begins an affair with Rodolphe Boulanger, a wealthy landowner and neighbor, driven by a desire to escape her mundane reality. Charles, meanwhile, is a kind but dull man who loves his wife and child but lacks the wit to understand her inner turmoil. He is also plagued by financial troubles and a rivalry with the ambitious pharmacist Homais, who constantly criticizes him and promotes modern science and progress. As the story progresses, Emma's affairs deepen, and her financial situation deteriorates. She incurs massive debts with the merchant Lheureux, who exploits her vanity and ignorance of commerce. Charles discovers her infidelity, leading to a period of despair and illness. Emma's health fails, and she becomes increasingly obsessed with death and escape. The novel culminates in a tragic end for both Emma and Charles, leaving their daughter Berthe to face a bleak future. Through this tragedy, Flaubert critiques the romantic illusions that destroy lives and the rigid social structures that offer no outlet for human emotion.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• Romance
• Fiction