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One of the acknowledged masterpieces of 19th century realism, Madame Bovary is revered by writers and readers around the world, a mandatory stop on any pilgrimage through modern literature. Flaubert's legendary style, his intense care over the selection of words and the shaping of sentences, his unmatched ability to convey a mental world through the careful selection of telling details, shine on every page of this marvelous work. Now the award-winning translator Margaret Mauldon has produced a modern translation of this classic novel, one that perfectly captures the tone that makes Flaubert's style so distinct and admired.Madame Bovary scandalized its readers when it was first published in 1857. And the story itself remains as fresh today as when it was first written, a work that remains unsurpassed in its unveiling of character and society. It tells the tragic story of the romantic but empty-headed Emma Rouault. When Emma marries Charles Bovary, she imagines she will pass into the life of luxury and passion that she reads about in sentimental novels and women's magazines. But Charles is an ordinary country doctor, and provincial life is very different from the romantic excitement for which she yearns. In her quest to realize her dreams she takes a lover, Rodolphe, and begins a devastating spiral into deceit and despair. And Flaubert captures every step of this catastrophe with sharp-eyed detail and a wonderfully subtle understanding of human emotions. Malcolm Bowie, a leading authority on French literature, explores Flaubert's genius in his masterly introduction to this must-have book for all lovers of great literature.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Emma Bovary’s desperate pursuit of romantic idealism leads her into a cycle of infidelity and financial ruin that threatens to destroy her marriage and social standing. Trapped in a mundane existence as the wife of a provincial doctor, Emma seeks to escape her reality through illicit affairs and extravagant spending. Her internal dissatisfaction clashes with the rigid social expectations of 19th-century France, creating a narrative of inevitable decline. The novel employs a third-person omniscient perspective to dissect the psychological state of its protagonist with clinical precision.
Readers and critics frequently highlight the precision of Flaubert’s prose and his ability to render the mundane details of provincial life with profound significance. Discussion often centers on the character of Emma Bovary, with many debating whether she is a victim of her environment or the architect of her own misfortune. The novel is widely recognized for its influence on the development of modern realism and its technical mastery of narrative distance. Scholars emphasize the effectiveness of the author's detached, objective tone in exposing the emptiness of the protagonist's romantic illusions. The work remains a central subject of study for its rigorous stylistic discipline and its enduring critique of social artifice.
Page Count:
368
Publication Date:
2008-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199535655
ISBN-13:
9780199535651
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