Well I just finished - afew of my first impressions
I have to say it took me a bit to get into this work - more about putting myself in context of place and period written.
I found Madame Bovery (Emma) to be entirely sympathetic - up to the middle of part three. I was rooting for her to take a lover early on. But once she took up with Leon and then grew dissatisfied with that realtionship - or was it more lifestyle? The focus on her extravagance and perhaps more so her arrogance made her character turn for me.
I suppose Falubert in this anti-romance wanted to make sure the materialism of personal accounts and indiscriminant spending was important to showcase - personally, though I found the lisings of sums owed and refinanced to probably be just as confusing as Emma found them to be - it mystifies my why anyone trusted Lheuruex, though I guess no one had a choice. But here I wonder about the Mysoginism of Flaubert, as Emma's plight over love and money seems to imply that the desire for one leads to a sort of natural prostitution.
Early on though, I had to think about how years of her life were going by and she attended but three "cultural" events before falling in with Leon. For that I forgive her boredom - not sure how I'd do rural 19th centrury France, no doubt I would have run off to Paris to drown myself in absinth in the company of my debauched brethren. Emma clearly tries everything available to her to live a satisfying life, from being the good housewife, the pious Christian, The mother, etc. - Of course the Senior Mrs. B cricizes her "reading" as the source of her dissatisfaction, but I have to think Flaubert is poking fun at such notions - His thoughts are certainly in line with Voltaires despite his characters admonisions to shun him.
The banter between Homais and the Cure (can't remember his name) I found to be an interesting comentary as each arguing science versus religion, neither really consolled or helped anyone.
Charles was a dissappointment, of course - destined to cuckuldry and his end still seemed rather melodramatic - at least by contemporary standards, all this illness due to "heartbrake" seemed a borrowed romantic device by Flaubert.
I did love the scene in the theater, where Emma and Charles interests switch once Leon enters the theater.
Anyway - those are my frist thoughts
to respond to some things above:
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Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor
Oh, and I also found it completely unbelievable that this tiny town would not have figured out Emma's adultery and completely ostracized both her and Charles.
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I think it was clear that many knew, the servents were helping her cover up, Lheuruex definately knew, Leon's friends joke about his inappropriate gifts. I think many, Like Charels chose to ignore what was before them.
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Originally Posted by mistyisjafo
I'm assuming it's a book writen during the Romantic Era and it's a book condemning the era. Kind of a morality play to show those too deep into Romantism that even thou it's great to long for those things that they lose site of the important things around them.
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I've heard that said about the book, but I wonder about that - to me it seemed almost entirely amoral. Sure Emma casues all these problems in her life, but I don't see anyone else offering an alternative. Homais is the character that turns out to have the best luck in his life, and yet all his success seem entirely delussional - heck, he never figured out that it was his arsnic that killed Emma. But perhaps this is a zen moral tale, we are here but to suffer, happiness is an illusion, and knowledge is our downfall.