Madame Bovary

1. Madame Bovary Vaughn’s Nutshell Presentation of the Novel

2. Introduction • Originally appeared in installments in a magazine called La Revue de Paris in 1856, which caught the eye of the censors. • As a result, Flaubert was put on trial in January of 1857 for obscenity; the novel seemed too risqué for the tastes of the government. • The trial actually had the opposite effect to the one the authorities had hoped for; after Flaubert was acquitted, the book became a smash hit.

3. What do women want?????? • What do women want? • What is a woman’s place? • What should a woman with young children do? • How should a man treat a woman? • Where should a woman get her ideas?

4. What men say about women • “A man likes his wife to be just clever enough to comprehend his cleverness, and just stupid enough to admire.” –Isreal Zangwill • “Nature has given woman so much power that the law cannot afford to give her more.” – Samuel Johnson • “No trust is to be placed in women.” – Homer • “Nature intented women to be our slaves … What a mad idea to demand equality for women!” – Napoleon I

5. Why read it? • Realism: one of the best examples of a realist piece of literature • Emma Bovary feels like the women from Sex in the City might feel in the middle of Kansas. Out of place and cramping her style. • Emma’s focus: fashion, sex, and excitement BUT she feels trapped by polite society rules & a mundane marriage (wrong town, wrong marriage, wrong century)

6. The Ending? • Ironic twist • Frustrating ending • Flaubert cruelly underlines the series of depressing UNROMANTIC (hence, the realism) points in the book: • Life is not fair! • People are lame! • Society is, more often than not, just flat-out wrong!

7. Literary Devices: Writing Style • Alternately ironic and descriptive • A mish-mash (sometimes straightforward, sometimes descriptive) • Great one-liners pointing out human flaws (“He has just been awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor”) • Intimate detail / Emma (“her heart beating again, and the blood flowing through her flesh like a river of milk”) • Totals: we are human and therefore flawed

8. Literary Devices: Tone • Intimate yet detached • We intimately feel what Emma is feeling – but Flaubert does not force us to sympathize with her (or any other character) • Example: Emma’s death scene – we know what she is thinking and feeling, and we are affected in some way, but not exactly crying our hearts out

9. Literary Devices: Point of View • Third Person Omnisicent • Ch 1: nameless, faceless narrator; former classmate of Charles • Ch 2: 3rd person omniscient

10. Literary Devices: Symbols, Imagery, Allegory • Emma’s appearance • As Emma changes, she gets more beautiful: Intense connection to her physicality • The blind beggar • Emma first feels pity, but mostly disgust • He shows up more at end (representing Emma’s corrupt soul) • His ugliness is described with same level of detail as her beauty, linking them in the readers’ minds

11. Literary Devices: Genre • Realism • Flaubert actually wrote his fair share of romantic novels – his friends challenged him to write a realist piece

12. Literary Devices: Setting • Tostes, Yonville-l’Abbaye, and Rouen, France • NOT the booming, romantic, magical metropolis of Paris • French provinces (Emma is stuck here) • The setting makes her feel even more trapped in her unhappy marriage • What? Just tending to a husband and kids, that’s it? Yup. That’s it. • Paris represents Emma’s dreams

13. The “Dedication” • Note from Flaubert • Senard was a big-shot lawyer who successfully defended Flaubert when he was put on trial for this racy, sassy novel

14. Emma Bovary, the woman • A fascinating, complicated woman • She is NOT romanticized (petty tirades, irrational changes of mood, deep dislike for her husband) • Ennui and frustration fill her life • Seeks outlets that fail to make her happy • Fights and unwinnable battle (social codes) • Searches for romances yet ironically sees real world

15. Part I: Chapter 1 • Recounting of young Charles at school • A rube, of sorts (and a total fashion nightmare) • Gets mocked – tragically ugly hat • Attacked by spitballs • His dad is a mediocre businessman • His mom (whose money has sustained them) is embittered – and obsessed with her son • Despite the lackluster upbringing, his parents had high hopes for him • Doesn’t make it in med school, but does become a health officer (kind of like a mall cop)

16. Part 1: Chapter 2 • Charles the “doctor” gets a call to help a patient with broken leg • He’s not confident at all (and neither are we) • Les Bertaux is nice estate / daughter (Emma) lets him in • Charles takes care of Rouault’s injury (a clean break) • Charles taken by Emma’s beauty (even though she can’t sew) • Emma: not content, hates country living – he notices only her beauty • So, he keeps visiting (pretending to check on the broken leg) • Meanwhile, Charles’ wife finds out and forbids him to visit again • However, we find out wifey didn’t have the $ she said she had so Charles’ parents freak, which causes wife to collapse and die • So Charles is free…

17. Part I: Chapter 3 • Charles halfway mourns, receives a visit/payment from Roualt, gets invited back to Les Bertaux • Gets over wife’s death quickly (likes his freedom and business picks up) • On a vist to LB, Charles and Emma share a drink (ex of sultry Emma) • Emma talks A LOT about herself and Charles is infatuated • Rouault finds Emma useless on the farm, notices Charles’ interest in her, and gives his blessing • Emma really has no say and a traditional wedding is planned

18. Part I: Chapter 4 • Wedding day (small town, no big city elegance) • Big after-wedding feast with country fare, gorging, and raucous • Some whiny guests complain about how unsatisfactory the wedding was (Flaubert is showing ironies and flaws of human beings) • Charles enamored, Emma not • Rouault remembers his marriage (first happy, then overcome by sadness) • They go to his (now their) house in Tostes

19. Part I: Chapter 5 • House – nothing fancy, but nice • Emma notices wife #1’s preserved bouquet and this doesn’t go down well – she totally renovates • Charles is so in love and gives her anything she wants – he was never happier • Emma, however, is not really feeling it

20. Part I: Chapter 6 • Emma flashback: a dreamy, romantic child. Sent to convent at 13 and fell in love with mystical ideals (not God and faith themselves, but rather ideas like “betrothed” and “heavenly lover”) • An old lady introduced Emma to books, giving her more romantic fodder (God out, historical romance in) • She rebelled against the nuns attempt to reel her back in and left (“no one was sorry to see her go”) • Home: “plays house” until Charles comes along • Did she fall in love with Charles or was she in love with the idea of being in love??

21. Part I: Chapter 7 • Emma starts thinking she would be happier somewhere else with someone else • She wants/needs to talk to someone. Every day he grows more unappealing to her. • She has a very romantic ideal of what a man should be and Charles is NOT it. • She turns to drawing and music and she’s not a bad wife when she tries • Charles is proud and thinks everything is just dandy (a simple creature) • Charles’ mom is skeptical of Emma (spends too much, plus mom is now no longer #1) • Emma tries (in her way) by singing songs, reciting poetry – but it does nothing

22. Part I: Chapter 7 (cont’d) • The only good thing: puppy (Djali) – woman’s best friend • She is convinced she could have married better • Then, an invitation arrives to big-shot party (Marquis d’Andervilliers) • Chapter ends with couple arriving at the Marquis’ chateau

23. Part I: Chapter 8 • Chateau is the stuff dreams are made of – for Emma • Wine at dinner, the Duc de Laverdiere (rumored Marie Antoinette’s lover), champagne, pomegranates, pineapple: everything is better here than home • Charles and Emma fight over Charles wanting to dance (Emma insists he’ll be laughed at) • Emma looks better than ever. Charles is like a puppy dog, Emma shoos him away • The Ball: wealth, jewels, clothing, secret love notes, gourmet meal, card games

24. Part I: Chapter 8 (cont’d) • Peasants look in the window, reminding Emma of her country roots • Witnesses secret love note exchange • Last dance w/ the Viscount • Emma goes to her room, stays up longing for this exciting world • Next day, on way home Emma notices the Viscount • Back home, Emma is frustrated – fires maid out of anger / Charles is perfectly happy • Charles tries to act sophisticated by smoking a cigar, but gets sick from it

25. Part I: Chapter 9 • Emma’s imagination runs wild, fantasizing about this other world (e.g. imagines herself as Viscount’s mistress) • Is obsessed with Paris, begins reading up on “couture” (always disappointed when she snaps back to reality) • Charles still clueless • Emma gets more depressed (gives up all her hobbies; disgusted by meals; no care in house or self; violent; mood swings) • Monseiur Rouault comes to visit, which sets her off further b/c he reminds her of past • Charles finally starts to see something is bothering her and suggests moving away • Go to Yonville-l’Abbaye • Rediscovers bridal bouquet and disgustedly throws it into the fire • Uh oh… Emma is pregnant

26. May 31, 2011: Emma as Wife and Mother • Make a 2-column chart “Good Wife” and “Bad Wife” – fill in with examples from text. • What specifically makes marriage a disappointment to her? What does she have instead of happiness? Give examples. • In chapter 7, is her evaluation of Charles accurate? Fair? Why/why not? • Emma’s moods are highly changeable, affecting her behavior towards Charles and toward her whole way of life. What causes the extreme moods? • If you were Emma’s therapist, how would you guide her?