Madame Bovary: A Critical Analysis of Flaubert’s Masterpiece
Part 1: Introduction to Charles and Emma Bovary
Flaubert’s Madame Bovary opens with an introduction to the main characters, Charles and Emma. The novel details their childhoods, upbringings, family backgrounds, and aspirations. This allows readers to form an understanding of their personalities by interpreting their behavior and reactions.
Part 2: Emma’s Search for an Escape
The second part marks a new phase in the Bovarys’ marriage. Emma seeks an escape from her suffocating life. No longer content to hide her dissatisfaction from her husband, she finds Yonville l’Abbaye’s provincial existence unbearable. This section marks the beginning of the true action, as Flaubert delves into the lives and psychologies of the townspeople.
The Genesis of Madame Bovary
Flaubert’s correspondence, particularly with Louise Colet, reveals the novel’s creation process. The letters detail the author’s struggles, doubts, and meticulous approach. Four years of continuous work and constant revisions shaped the final product. The disintegration of the plot accelerated as Flaubert progressed. Madame Bovary, along with Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal, ushered in a new era of modern literary sensibility, breaking with the decadent romanticism of the time. Both works faced legal challenges due to their perceived immorality.
Narrative Techniques: Scene and Summary
Madame Bovary begins with a scene: Charles’s humiliation by his peers. It then transitions to a summary of his parents, childhood, medical studies, and first marriage. Flaubert masterfully shifts between these narrative modes. His subtle commentary and judgments on the characters, often delivered indirectly, showcase his skill. This is evident in the final chapter, where the characters fade away, leaving a sense of quiet sadness.
The Bourgeoisie and Flaubert’s Critique
Flaubert’s portrayal of the mediocre and gray lives of the bourgeoisie is a key strength of the novel. He viewed the bourgeois as philistine, bovine, presumptuous, vulgar, unconcerned, conservative, and gregarious. His antiheroes lack traditional positive values, serving as a critique of the bourgeoisie he despised. Flaubert’s cold and critical style further emphasizes his disdain for this social class.
Character Analysis
Charles Bovary
Charles is presented as grotesque and pitiable from the outset. The novel begins and ends with him, framing Emma’s life. His surname, Bovary, ironically combines “bouv” (beef) with “Ry,” the village where the true story that inspired Flaubert took place.
Emma Bovary
Like Don Quixote, Emma’s attempts to apply ideals from books to reality lead to conflict. She is misunderstood by a society unfamiliar with her experiences. Dissatisfied with her role as a woman, she rebels against societal expectations and the confines of rural life.
Other Key Characters
- Homais: The vain, anti-clerical apothecary, advocating progress while exhibiting vile and petty behavior.
- Lheureux: The cunning merchant and usurer who profits from Emma’s mistakes.
- Rodolphe: Emma’s first lover, a wealthy landowner who fears commitment and represents the demystification of the Don Juan archetype.
- Léon: Emma’s second lover, a vulgar and shallow man who allows her to dominate him.
- Binet: Represents provincial monotony.
- Bournisien: The rector, embodying tradition and conservatism.
Structure and Parallels
Flaubert uses parallels and contrasts for aesthetic and didactic purposes, a technique he termed “doublet composition.” Examples include the comedic agricultural/rural wedding contrasted with the elegant ball at Vaubyessard, and the dual visits to the mothership.