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Flaubert: Madame Bovary

Stephen Heath

184 Pages
1992

Flaubert: Madame Bovary

Cambridge University Press

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Flaubert: Madame Bovary - Summary

Stephen Heath provides a comprehensive analysis of Flaubert's revolutionary novel 'Madame Bovary,' exploring its impact on 19th-century literature and society. The book examines how Flaubert's masterpiece challenged conventional narratives about marriage, femininity, and bourgeois life while establishing new standards for literary artistry and style through innovative narrative techniques and deep psychological character development.

Key Ideas

1

The Evolution of Literary Realism

Flaubert's groundbreaking approach to realistic narrative transformed the novel as an art form. His pursuit of le mot juste and use of free indirect discourse created an unprecedented level of psychological realism that influenced generations of writers.

2

Social Critique and Female Identity

The analysis explores how Flaubert used Emma Bovary's tragic story to expose the suffocating limitations placed on women in 19th-century French society, critiquing romantic ideals, consumer culture, and social institutions.

3

Artistic Impersonality and Style

Heath examines Flaubert's revolutionary concept of authorial detachment, showing how his commitment to stylistic perfection and narrative objectivity created a new paradigm for literary creation and transformed personal observations into universal artistic truth.

FAQ's

While the book is primarily aimed at academic readers and literary scholars, Heath provides sufficient context and background information to make his analysis accessible to those who haven't read Flaubert's novel, though prior familiarity would enhance understanding.

Heath's work stands out for its comprehensive examination of both the novel's historical context and its lasting influence on modern literature, while also providing fresh insights into Flaubert's innovative narrative techniques and stylistic choices.

The analysis remains relevant to modern literary discourse by connecting Flaubert's themes to contemporary discussions about gender, social expectations, and artistic expression, while demonstrating how his technical innovations continue to influence current narrative theory.

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