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First published in 1856, ¿Madame Bovary¿ is a novel by French writer Gustave Flaubert. Originally serialised the ¿Revue de Paris¿ in 1856, the plot revolves around the titular Emma Bovary, an attractive farm girl raised in a convent who marries a virtuous but unexciting doctor. When married life turns out to be less of an adventure than she had hoped, Emma turns to sentimental romantic novels for her thrills. In an attempt to bring some excitement into her life, she acts out her romantic fantasies and becomes embroiled in an affair with a local landowner by the name of Rodolphe. What follows is a tragic spiral into ruin and despair that she will eventually pay the ultimate price for. Gustave Flaubert (1821¿1880) was a French novelist and mentor of the celebrated writer Guy de Maupassant. He was highly influential and is generally considered to be leading exponent of literary realism in France. ¿Madame Bovary¿ constitutes a must read for all literature lovers and is not to be missed by fans and collectors of Flaubert's seminal work. Read & Co. Classics is republishing this novel now in a brand new edition complete with additional essays on Flaubert and his works, including the transcript of the court hearing that resulted in Flaubert being put on trail for obscenity.
About the author
Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) was a renowned French novelist, often regarded as one of the greatest writers in Western literature. Born in Rouen, France, Flaubert is best known for his meticulous style and his pioneering contributions to literary realism. His writing is characterized by a deep psychological insight, a sharp critique of bourgeois society, and a masterful command of language. Flaubert's dedication to the craft of writing is legendary; he was known to labor over every sentence, striving for perfection in form and structure. Flaubert's most famous work, Madame Bovary (1857), is a groundbreaking novel that portrays the tragic life of Emma Bovary, a woman trapped by her unfulfilled dreams and desires. This novel became a cornerstone of realist literature, focusing on the complexities of human emotions and societal expectations. Despite early controversy and even legal challenges for obscenity, Madame Bovary is now considered a masterpiece. In addition to Madame Bovary, Flaubert wrote other significant works such as Sentimental Education, Salammbô, and the short story A Simple Soul, all of which reflect his concern with the human condition and society's flaws. Flaubert's influence on modern fiction is immense, inspiring writers like James Joyce and Marcel Proust.
