Character Analysis of Emma in Flauberts Madame Bovary

An Analysis of Emma and Society in Madame Bovary Introduction Emma in Gustave Flauberts Madame Bovary represents a digression from the provincial archetype. She exemplifies Romanticism and meets her foil not only in the societal conventions of the time but also in the very ideas that seductively lure her on. Her husband Charles, likewise, exists as a kind of simpleton spectator and a symbol of the exact sort of common countryside provincialism that his wife Emma comes to resent. If Charles is banality personified, Emma seeks escape from that personification. Yet, ironically, it is exactly this provincialism that allows Charles to remain rooted in his work and life: his common sense as it might be called keeps him, essentially, from becoming a jealous type. Whether Emma (and the reader) would have benefited more had Charles become such a type, the reader may speculate, but, alas, it is not the course of the narrative to show. Although Charles shows no human jealousy of Emma, even as she begins her adulterous way of living, it is reasonable to su ggest that perhaps Emma would have benefited from a deeper awareness in her husband. As it is, Emma, unsatisfied by his conventional complacency, looks for fulfillment outside the home. In this sense, Emma reflects the shift in societal considerations, and anticipates the sexual revolution of the 20th century. This paper will show how Emma is a character both formed by and against the societal world around her. Emma theShow MoreRelated Movie Essays - Gustave Flauberts Madame Bovary on Film2317 Words   |  10 PagesGustave Flauberts Madame Bovary on Film      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The figure of Emma Bovary, the central character of Gustave Flauberts novel, Madame Bovary, caused both cheers of approval and howls of outrage upon its publication, and continues to fascinate modern literary critics and film makers. Is she a romantic idealist, striving for perfect love and beauty in dull bourgeois society? Is she a willful and selfish woman whose pursuit of the good life brings about her own destruction and that of herRead MoreAn Analysis of Homais as an Instrument of Satire in Flauberts, Madame Bovary1596 Words   |  7 PagesAn analysis of Homais as an instrument of satire In Flauberts satiric novel, the storys apothecary is used to convey Flauberts views of the bourgeois. As a vehicle for Flauberts satire, Homais is portrayed as opportunistic and self-serving, attributes that Flaubert associated with the middle class. Homais obsession with social mobility leads him to commit despicable acts. His character and values are also detestable. He is self-serving, hypocritical, opportunistic, egotistical, and crookedRead More An Analysis of Homais as an instrument of satire in Flauberts, Madame Bovary1577 Words   |  7 Pages An analysis of Homais as an instrument of satire In Flaubert’s satiric novel, the story’s apothecary is used to convey Flaubert’s views of the bourgeois. As a vehicle for Flaubert’s satire, Homais is portrayed as opportunistic and self-serving, attributes that Flaubert associated with the middle class. Homais’ obsession with social mobility leads him to commit despicable acts. His character and values are also detestable. He is self-serving, hypocritical, opportunistic, egotistical, and crookedRead MoreRomanticism vs Realism2268 Words   |  10 PagesCast of Madame Bovary: A Study of Realism and Romanticism Through the Characters of the Novel Gustave Flaubert is considered one of the most influential novelists of the Realist period. His most famous work, Madame Bovary, earned both heavy criticism and fame for its controversial style and mockery of Romanticism. The novel itself even went to trial, being banned for a while due to immorality (Various, 1). Many elements commonly found in Romantic novels were criticized and, to an extent, parodiedRead MoreThe Rise Of A Middle Class Essay1678 Words   |  7 Pagescomes from Gustave Flaubert’s work Madame Bovary. Madame Bovary follows the life of Emma and Charles Bovary and highlights the lows and highs of pinning for a Bourgeoisie life in a way where the reader feels this story could be about them. The effects of a life of excess reflect in Madame Bovary through the characters, the character’s interaction with each other and the melancholy ending that ties in the overall theme of the book, which exemplifies the consequences of characters actions. To some,