The document provides an overview of Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary. It discusses the Realism movement in 19th century France and focuses on Flaubert, the novel's main characters, plot, themes, and critical reception. Specifically, it notes that Madame Bovary depicts the impossibility of escaping one's nature and offers a truthful picture of contemporary society, themes include the inadequacy of language to describe emotion and the powerlessness of women.

1. Introduction to Madame
Bovary
By Grace Parker

2. Overview of the Realism Movement
• Realism: truthful representation of reality including the
“sordid”
• Time period from 1830-1900
• Predominant themes were liberty, science, progress
• A time of
> increased speed in transportation
> widespread wealth
> decreased religious influence
> middle class triumph
> class barrier erosion
( Lawall, 997-1002 )

3. Brief Word About the Author:
Gustave Flaubert
• Born in Normandy
• Began writing at age 16
• Studied law, but failed the exam
• Devoted life to writing after suffering
a nervous breakdown from failed law
exam
• Took a mistress in 1846
• Finished writing Madame Bovary in
1856
• Went to trial over Madame Bovary for
inciting adultery and was acquitted
( Lawall, 1033-34 )

4. Short Background on Madame
Bovary
• Written over a five year span of time
• Intended to portray the “vanity of dreaming (Lawall, 1035 )
• Depicts “the impossibility of escape from one’s own nature”
( Lawall, 1035)
• Represents a clear picture of life
and society during that time period
(Lawall, 1034 )
• Hailed as an exceptional narrative
style for the realism period

5. Main Characters
• Emma Bovary: Madame Bovary, the protagonist
• Charles Bovary: Emma’s dull, trusting husband
who finds her faultless
• Rodolphe Boulanger: Emma’s first affair (wealthy man)
• Leon Dupuis: Emma’s second affair
( law student, full of himself )
• Monsieur Lheureux: Merchant causing
Emma’s financial ruin
• Monsieur Homais: Atheist pharmacist

6. Plot
• Emma marries Charles, a less than successful doctor and soon
becomes bored and disappointed in the marriage
• While dreaming of a more sophisticated wealthy life she becomes
pregnant with a son, another disappointment
• To manage her unhappy life she begins an affair with a wealthy
man named Roldolfe. She goes into debt to buy his affections but
he leaves her eventually.
• She goes on to a second affair after her husband bails her from
debt and while never suspecting her infidelity
• She falls in debt again and tries unsuccessfully to borrow money
to pay it. This failure results in her suicide and her husband finally
seeing the truth after she is dead.
( www.sparknotes.com)

7. Themes
• Inadequacy of language *
> Words try but fail to capture the depth of
emotion throughout the piece
( Birkirts, 138 )
• Powerlessness of women*
> Seemingly only men have the power to change Emma’s life
> Emma wishes for a male child because “ a woman is
always hampered” *
• Failure of the bourgeoisie ( middle class) *
> The middle class has dissatisfaction with material things and
aspirations for “more” in life
> Mockery is made of middle class pretense and knowledge
( Champagne, 107-109)
* ( www.sparksnotes.com )

8. Concluding Thoughts
Madame Bovary, written in the “realism era,” was part
of the movement away from romanticism. It was a more
realistic story that readers could relate to their own lives
as opposed to romanticized mystical works of the
proceeding era.
Flaubert took five years to write it and struggled to get
every word “just right.” The work was initially condemned
for inciting immorality but has remained a valued piece of
literature. Today it is known for its narrative style and for
the detachment the author makes from his opinion about
the characters and the substance of the story.

9. Sources
Birkerts, Sven. “Rereading.” American Scholar 73.1 ( 2004): 137. MasterFILE
Premier. Web 15 Mar. 2013.
Champagne, Roland A. “Emma’s Incompetence As Madame Bovary.” Orbis
Litterarum 57.2 (2002): 103-119. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Mar.
2013.
Lawall, Sarah. “The Nineteenth Century: Realism and Symbolism.” The
Norton Anthology Western Literature. Ed. 8. Sarah Lawall. New York:
W.W. Norton and Company, 2009. 997-1005. Print.
http://www.google.com/images
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bovary/summary.html
http://www.wikipedia.org/wik/Madame_Bovary
Photos are from internet sources and clip art.

10. Sources
Birkerts, Sven. “Rereading.” American Scholar 73.1 ( 2004): 137. MasterFILE
Premier. Web 15 Mar. 2013.
Champagne, Roland A. “Emma’s Incompetence As Madame Bovary.” Orbis
Litterarum 57.2 (2002): 103-119. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Mar.
2013.
Lawall, Sarah. “The Nineteenth Century: Realism and Symbolism.” The
Norton Anthology Western Literature. Ed. 8. Sarah Lawall. New York:
W.W. Norton and Company, 2009. 997-1005. Print.
http://www.google.com/images
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bovary/summary.html
http://www.wikipedia.org/wik/Madame_Bovary
Photos are from internet sources and clip art.