Madame Bovary

gustave flaubert donada peters

This exquisite novel tells the story of one of the most compelling heroines in modern literature-Emma Bovary. Unhappily married to a devoted, clumsy provincial doctor, Emma revolts against the ordinariness of her life by pursuing voluptuous dreams of ecstasy and love. But her sensuous and sentimental desires lead her only to suffering corruption and downfall. A brilliant psychological portrait, Madame Bovary searingly depicts the human mind in search of transcendence. Who is Madame Bovary? Flaubert's answer to this question was "Madame Bovary, c'est moi." Acclaimed as a masterpiece upon its publication in 1857, the work catapulted Flaubert to the ranks of the world's greatest novelists. This volume, with its fine translation by Lowell Bair, a perceptive introduction by Leo Bersani, and a complete supplement of essays and critical comments, is the indispensable Madame Bovary.

Genres fictionclassicsfranceliteraturefrench literatureromance19th centurynovelshistorical fictionclassic literature

0 pages, Audio CD

First published December 15,1856

Places

rouen, yonville-labbaye, tostes, france, normandy,

This edition

Format: 0 pages, Audio CD
Published: August 15, 2006 by Tantor Audio
ISBN: 9781400132744
ASIN: 1400132746
Language: English

Characters More characters

Emma Bovary

The daughter of a French farmer, she is beautiful but socially ambitious. She is portrayed as an irresponsible, immature, and neurotic woman who is unable to adjust to the realities of her life....
Charles Bovary

A dull but sincere man, he is a doctor in rural France. A visit to a farmer with a broken leg lead to his marriage to Emma Rouault, whose social ambitions are far greater than his own....
Monsieur Homais

The town apothecary for Yonville-lAbbaye, he is a pompous man who practices medicine illegally.more...
Berthe Bovary

Emma and Charles Bovarys daughter.more...
Rodolphe Boulanger

A wealthy landowner with an estate near Yonville....
Léon Dupuis

...

About the author

gustave flaubert

Gustave Flaubert was a French novelist. He has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country and abroad. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flaubert, realism strives for formal perfection, so the presentation of reality tends to be neutral, emphasizing the values and importance of style as an objective method of presenting reality". He is known especially for his debut novel Madame Bovary (1857), his Correspondence, and his scrupulous devotion to his style and aesthetics. The celebrated short story writer Guy de Maupassant was a protégé of Flaubert.