Study Guide: Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary, one of the great realistic novels of the 19^th century, is a frank look at the destruction a woman wreaks upon herself and her family through her desperate attempts to live the life she imagines she deserves. It is simultaneously an indictment of reading, of the middle class, of bourgeois complacency, of science, and of religion. It seems there is no sacred cow that Flaubert does not attack at some time in his novel, yet the book is not simply one attack after another. It is, above all, a beautifully written, tightly constructed, and poetic work that leaves you feeling as if these people were real, that they must have thought and acted this way in every detail. I hope you enjoy it.

About the Study Guide: This study guide is not meant to be detailed and comprehensive as the one on Dante was. It does not ask you about specific allusions, theological points, structural details, etc. It is meant, rather, as a stimulus to reading and to journal-writing. Occasionally I will point you to one or two specific details, but mostly this is a guide to our exploration of the book

Part I

Chapter 1

·         If the novel is entitled “Madame,” why does the first chapter begin with a description of Charles?

·         Give an explanation for the use of first person here, when it occurs nowhere else in the novel.

·         Give a detailed description of Charles, including his mannerisms. What kind of an “academic” is he? What indicates that he is much more conforming than rebellious? How is he “bovine,” as his name would indicate?

·         What about the hat?

·         Describe Charles’s parents, especially their different views about his upbringing.

·         When away from his parents’ influence, what does Charles like to do?

·         What kind of an early “education” did Charles have? What does this say about his parents? About the Church?

·         What kind of wife does Charles’s mother find for him? What does this say about Charles and his mother?

Chapter 2

·         What kind of farm does Monsieur Roualt have? Prosperous? What indication is there?

·         What kind of description do we get of Emma through Charles’s eyes? Why is it piecemeal instead of “holistic”?

·         There is a charcoal portrait of Minerva hanging on the wall. Who drew it? Why is it out of place here? What does it say about Emma? Could we call this foreshadowing?

·         What does Heloise do when she hears that Roualt has a daughter? How does Charles respond?

·         How do Heloise and Charles’s mother treat him when they get together? What is your explanation for this?

·         If Charles has a wife for only one chapter, what purpose could she really have served in this novel? Answer this question based on later chapters.

Chapter 3

·        Is Charles grieving? What indication is there?

·        How does Charles’s bereavement help his business?

·        How is this second description of Emma more seductive than the first? Is this intentional? Why?

·        Why do we never hear Emma and Charles speak to one another?

·        How is Monsieur Roualt’s assessment of his daughter’s impending marriage more practical than fatherly?

·        What is extremely odd about Charles’s “proposal”? Why can it not be any more detailed than this?

·        What does Emma’s notion about marriage at midnight say about her and about her understanding of the world in which she lives?

Chapter 4

·        Though the wedding reception is described in detail, the wedding is not. Why?

·        What details of the guests’ descriptions particularly show off their social class and, in one instance, their resemblance to farm animals?

·        What does Charles do when Emma’s dress catches on the weeds? What does this say?

·        Madame Bovary senior and Monsieur Bovary have two different responses to the day. Explain.

·        What purpose is served by the lengthy description of the food?

·        Following the wedding night, Emma is enigmatic while Charles is transparent. What does this say about the two of them and their relationship?

·        What thoughts go through Father Roualt’s mind following the wedding?

Chapter 5

·        The bindings of the medical texts are uncut. Significant?

·        Emma sees the “other’s” wedding bouquet. What statement is being made?

·        What immediate changes does Emma effect in her new home?

·        These first few weeks of marriage bring far different reactions to both Emma and Charles. Explain.

·        Notice the frequent repetition of the word “would.” What purpose does it serve?

Chapter 6

·        The last words of chapter 5 make a perfect transition into this chapter, which is incidentally one of the key chapters in the book. Why is it so important?

·        What most attracts Emma about life in the convent?

·        How is her response to convent life a partial explanation for why her wedding was not described in chapter 4?

·        What do the books she reads all have in common?

·        What effect did her mother’s death have on her? Why might we consider her grieving bizarre—or at least affected?

·        What, finally, was the cause of Emma’s departure from the convent?

·        At the end of the chapter, what dichotomy is being set up in Emma?

Chapter 7

·        Contrast the images of Emma’s fantasies with the reality that is Charles. What kind of diction is used to describe each?

·        What are Emma’s obvious talents in this chapter?

·        How do Emma and her mother-in-law respond to one another? Where does Charles fit in here?

·        What is the significance of Emma’s greyhound? How does it provide an outlet?

·        Emma SPEAKS! Sort of.

·        What, specifically, got Charles and Emma invited to Vaubyessard?

Chapter 8

·        The paintings on the walls are significant. What do they say about “mass culture” as opposed to the true aristocracy?

·        What are two different ways of seeing the old man who is dribbling food from his mouth? How is he to be seen through Emma’s eyes?

·        How does Emma respond to Charles’s notion that he dance or that he embrace her?

·        Both Emma and Charles are attentive to something they don’t understand. What? And how is it different for each of them?

·        For a moment we see the peasant’s looking through the shattered glass into the ballroom. Of what is this symbolic?

·        Emma’s “dance” with the viscount is quite seductively written. Why?

·        Of what is the cigar case symbolic?

·        How has the evening at Vaubyessard changed Emma? For good or ill?

Chapter 9

·        For what does Emma envy the fishmongers?

·        What does Emma do to immerse herself vicariously in the society of Paris?

·        “Besides, the closer things were, the more she turned her thoughts from them.” Relate this line to other episodes in Emma’s life.

·        Contrast Charles’s life with his patients to the life he has at home with Emma.

·        What kind of doctor is Charles? What kind of doctor would Emma like him to be?

·        As the year passes, what is Emma waiting for? What happens as October approaches?

·        On pages 80-81, Flaubert conveys a sense of overwhelming monotony and routine. How?

·        What are the signs of Emma’s growing capriciousness?

·        Why and where does Charles decide to move?

·        What is the symbolism of the wedding bouquet at the end of the chapter?

Part II

Chapter 1

·        What might have Flaubert’s purpose been in describing the geography of Yonville so minutely?

·        “Since the events about to be described here, nothing has changed,” indicates that the “narrator” is taking a future perspective. Why?

·        Some of the local characters are introduced here, notably Homais. Briefly describe Madame Lefrançios, Lestiboudois, Binet, Leon, and the curé.

·        What is Homais’s attitude toward progress? Toward himself and his profession? Toward the clergy?

·        What kind of “religion” does Homais practice? Who are his heroes among writers?

·        How is Lheureux’s “consolation” of Emma somewhat inappropriate?

Chapter 2

·        What kind of entrance does Emma make into this establishment?

·        Contrast the conversation between Charles and Homais with that between Emma and Leon.

·        In what way are Leon and Emma kindred spirits? In what way are they both self-deceiving?

·        Charles alludes to the dangers of reading here. Where?

·        In offering to share his library, Homais completely misses the point. How? What does this say about his attitude toward himself and the rest of the world?

·        Emma and Leon discuss the titles of novels and the world they didn’t know. Remark on this.

Chapter 3

·        In what ways does Homais assist the Bovarys? What is his ulterior motive?

·        What is symbolic about the plaster curé being smashed on the way to Yonville?

·        Describe the extremes of emotion and the conflicting thoughts Emma experiences as she awaits the birth of her child. What did she want for a cradle?

·        She fantasizes about having a son, yet faints when she hears it’s a girl. Explain.

·        Who attends Emma during childbirth? Hmmm?

·        How is a name finally settled on?

·        Describe Monsieur Bovary’s behavior when he comes to visit Emma and Charles.

·        Describe, in detail, the encounter between Emma and the wet nurse. How are the two actually alike? How does Emma express her disdain? What about that picture on the wall?

·        In what way are both Emma and Leon frightfully naive—about the townspeople, about each other, and about themselves?

·        “I’m so bored, so bored.” Who says it?

Chapter 4

·        Describe Homais at dinner.

·        How does Emma’s and Leon’s “affair” grow in the presence of Charles and Homais?

·        Is there any significance to Binet standing over his lathe from morning to night making napkin rings? How does it contrast with the minds around him?

·        What gifts do Emma and Leon exchange? Why is this hazardous?

·        At the end of the chapter, Emma is convinced she cannot be in love. Why?

Chapter 5

·        What does Charles do/have that makes Emma hold him in contempt?

·        What suddenly happens that makes Emma realize the truth about Leon?

·        Lheureux the shopkeeper is introduced. Describe him and explain what evil is foreshadowed in him. Shouldn’t he be skinny?

·        Emma suddenly appears virtuous and motherly. Why? What is the difference between the inner and the outer Emma?

·        How does her new demeanor affect Leon?

·        Why does Emma want Charles to beat her?

Chapter 6

·        In Emma’s interview with the curé, who comes off looking more ridiculous?

·        Will Emma win “Mother-of-the-Year”?

·        What kind of parent is Homais? Is this consistent with the character that has been established for him?

·        What is Binet’s suggestion for curing Leon’s ennui? Is this a stupid idea, or has it some merit?

·        What vision does Leon have of himself in Paris?

·        During and following Leon’s departure, what makes it clear that Emma lives in a world totally different from that inhabited by Homais and Charle

Chapter 7

·        Compare the “Take me, I’m yours” on page 131 to the one on 218 (later).

·        In what way does Emma reward herself for the enormous sacrifices she has made? What are those sacrifices?

·        What suggestions does Charles’s mother offer as a cure for Emma? Do you agree?

·        What does Emma’s behavior at the bleeding say about her? Why is it significant that she has never had a fainting spell?

·        What is Rodolphe’s assessment of Emma? Of himself? Is he accurate in his estimations?

·        What do you think of Rodolphe?  

Chapter 8

·        Homais again. What does he fancy himself to be amid the activity of the Agricultural Show?

·        What has Lheureux done? Of what is this a foreshadowing?

·        Give evidence (if it exists) that Rodolphe adapts himself, his actions and his words, to his moment by moment reading of Emma.

·        In what ways does the Agricultural Show turn out to be a failure? How does Homais report it in his article? Can we make a comparison between his writing and Emma’s reading?

·        Can you say “bombastic”? What is Flaubert trying to say by giving Lieuvain this speech to orate? Yet what is the audience’s reaction to this speech? Explain.

·        Compare p. 147 to 111.

·        Compare p. 151 to 33. How is Emma more like Charles than she would ever admit?

·        What is the effect of the rapidly shifting dialogue on p. 152? Humor?

·        Compare the old lady on p. 153 to the old man on p. 67. Is there an intentional parallel? What are we to think of her? What does she signify?

Chapter 9

·        In what way does Charles become an unwitting accomplice to his wife’s seduction?

·        Compare 160 to 49.

·        On 161 Rodolphe is positively a chameleon. Is he being honest or dishonest?

·        Well, did you see it? Or did you miss it?

·        Rodolphe can smoke a cigar and carry a knife. Isn’t that interesting?

·        How does Emma react to the knowledge that she is an adulteress? Could this have had a hand in the banning of the book?’

·        All of a sudden Emma has achieved membership in a glorious sisterhood. Of what?

·        Before the end of the chapter, we realize that Emma is taking it too far. Explain.

Chapter 10

·        Emma and Binet give each other quite a start. What do subsequent events say about Emma?

·        How do Emma and Rodolphe arrange their meetings throughout the winter?

·        What foolish suggestion does she make regarding pistols? What does this say about her?

·        How is Emma’s affair becoming blighted? Whose fault is it?

·        Why news, why now, from Father Rouault? Into what reverie does his letter plunge her?

·        Look at the description on 172. Could anything be more idyllic? Why is it here?

Chapter 11

·        What is the nature of the conspiracy around Hippolyte? What has Homais to gain? Emma? Charles? The rest of the town?

·        In this chapter, finally, Emma and Homais become co-conspirators. How?

·        What are the many and various ways that reading can be dangerous?

·        “The tendon was cut, the operation finished.”

·        In his panegyric, Homais mocks the fanaticism of religious men by parodying scripture, yet his own fanaticism is no less. Explain.

·        Poor Hippolyte is the victim of “Job’s counselors.” Where?

·        Homais condemns and scolds the curé; yet the curé is actually more effective. How?

·        Is Canivet a good or a bad doctor? How are we to take his railing against progress?

·        Emma and Charles are both selfish—absorbed in their own thoughts. Where?

·        Flaubert was urged by his editors to leave out this horrifying chapter, or at least to tone it down, but he insisted on keeping every detail of it intact. He considered it to be the one of the most important chapters of the book. Do you agree? Why?

Chapter 12

·