Madame
Bovary is one of the most important
French novels of the 19th century. It is vastly regarded as
Flaubert's most important work, and is also considered socially
relevant because it
inadvertently served to inspire, if not signal the dawn of feminism. Flaubert's
adulterous heroine, the author's alter-ego of sorts, was happy in her
transgressions, her actions seemingly justified by her dull and
lifeless marriage.
On this website, you will learn about Gustave
Flaubert's life leading up to the publication of his novel, see from
where he drew his inspiration, and which events in his life led to, or
were the result of the publication of his book.
But getting back to our main "raison d'être", let us
whet your appetite as to the novel we have chosen to feature on our
website:
Madame Bovary
is the
story of Emma Bovary, an unhappily married woman who seeks escape
through forbidden relationships with other men. The book could
be viewed as an expose of the situation of women in the 19th century;
women who had not yet been emancipated and were expected to obey their
husbands, to stay in their homes while the men went to work, or left
for months on end to fight in wars. Emma Bovary also serves as a
voice for Flaubert, who patterned the character's personality after
his own. Emma Bovary's "rebellious" attitude against the
accepted ideas of the day, reflects Flaubert's views of the
bourgeoisie. Ultimately, Madame Bovary's indiscretions and her
obsession with Romance lead to her downfall, which not only appeases
the guardians of morality, but shows us Flaubert's view of the world
wasn't one of naive optimism.
This website is a labor of love, an homage of sorts to Gustave
Flaubert, whose work continues to resonate over 150 years after its
publication. We hope our biographical notes and comments will
make you want to read the book, whether you do so on our site or in
the comfort of your favorite chair.
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