First LoT book club discussion: Madame Bovary

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Once she was dead it was far easier for him to over-dramatize her supposed qualities.

But isn't this how it really is? When someone isn't around, our fantasies get to fill in the spaces - for good or bad.

But in Charles' case, it seems his need was to preserve the illusion of a happy marriage lost - to the point of paying out non-existent debts. His denial is so great one wonders if his dispair was casued so much by her betrayal, or rather her inability to be discreet. Certainly in French culture of the time, it was discretion that was valued above all, infidelity seemed an expectation or at least a commonplace enough occurance.