Book Review

[kenjari]

Madame Bovary
by Gustave Flaubert

I never read this in school, and since it is considered one of the greatest novels ever written, I decided to give it a try. It is, indeed, quite good. Even in translation, Flaubert's talent for vivid yet concise description is evident. His sense of pacing is also superb - this novel never drags or rushes. It's a very good read.
However, I have to admit to not being as amazed by this book as I expected to be. Maybe it's that Madame Bovary has served as a model to so many writers. Many good books cover a lot of the same territory, namely the profound effect love affairs, ardent emotions, and futile desires can have on a person's life. And the skewering of bourgeois society is present in many other books of the 19th century. For me, Madame Bovary was thus a shining example, perhaps even the pinnacle, of a familiar type of book rather than something unique or extraordinary.

Comments

[apintrix.livejournal.com]

I think that part of the reason "Mamade Bovary" is such a big deal is that literature departments are obsessed with self-referentiality on many levels. In essence, Emma acts like the heroines of the literature she reads, but since she's in the real world, this treats her unkindly. Except that, of course, she's in a book, not the real world; making her a character in the wrong sort of book. Mme Bovary is similar to Don Quixote in this respect, but not played for humor. Grad students can go crazy analyzing the analytical implications of Mme Bovary's situation on multiple diagetic (levels of narration) levels, all sorts of things. Additionally, her case is interesting because, unlike most protagonists, she stubbornly does *not* change despite formative experiences.

Finally, Mme Bovary set a precedent in that it was one of the early novels of true realistic fiction. It was all spec fic before that (although it wasn't called that-- it was just the way one wrote, crazy stuff happening), 'romance' (adventure), courtly tales, poetry and epic and such.

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

In essence, Emma acts like the heroines of the literature she reads, but since she's in the real world, this treats her unkindly. Except that, of course, she's in a book, not the real world; making her a character in the wrong sort of book.
Yup. It's a little like Northanger Abbey in that way, too. Except without the wittiness.