“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.”
– Gustave Flaubert
Gustave Flaubert was one of the many stellar products of the 19th century. Born on December 12, 1821, the French novelist is a leading exponent of literary realism. Gustave Flaubert is the father of modern realistic novels. He shunned clichés and strove to depict reality. His goal in life was to write. He aimed for perfection and believed in the principle of “le mot juste” or the right word. Flaubert worked hard to produce his best works. His writing style was painstaking and he opted for quality over quantity. Flaubert believed that “an author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere.”
Gustave Flaubert rose to fame pretty early in his writing career. He took the literary world by storm with his controversial and unabashed portrayal of life in his novels. It is pretty evident that he put in a lot of work in his writing endeavors. He drew from his travels and life experiences to come up with his best works.
This year, while we celebrate his birthday, let us look at some of Gustave Flaubert’s best books.
Book: Madame Bovary
Year: 1857
Madame Bovary is the novel that shot Gustave Flaubert to fame. The sensational novel created such a controversy that Flaubert was tried in a court of law for “offenses against morality and religion.” It follows Emma Bovary, a free-spirited lady who pursues love and passion unabashedly, even beyond her marital life. Flaubert vividly explores the material world of sensation. He beautifully makes use of the imagery of sound, smell, touch, and sight to depict an imagined spirit seeking adventure and release. Even today, Madame Bovary shocks the senses with its daring depiction of life in all its glory. It is no wonder that Madame Bovary is considered to be the first ever modern realist novel.
Book: Salammbô
Year: 1862
Published in 1862, Salammbô was an instant success upon its publication. Revolving around a priestess and the daughter of Hamilcar Barca, the book is set in Carthage immediately before and during the Mercenary Revolt. Flaubert put in a lot of research while writing this book. He himself visited the site and read a number of books on archaeology and history. His main source material was Book I of Polybius’ Histories. Flaubert went all in while penning this piece. His vivid descriptions of the battles between Carthage and the mercenary armies, complete with the actions of charging elephants renewed interest in Rome’s conflict with the North African Phoenician outpost of Carthage.
Book: Sentimental Education
Year: 1869
Sentimental Education was published in 1869. The novel gives us profound lessons on love, friendship, and betrayal. The book follows Frederic Moreau as he lives a tumultuous life during the French Revolution of 1848 and the founding of the Second French Empire. The story gives us a glimpse into Moreau’s love for an older woman. The lady is based on the wife of the famous music publisher, Maurice Schlesinger. Moreau represents a generation of Frenchmen who went through the highs and lows of the Revolution. Flaubert employs an ironic and pessimistic tone to capture the true essence of the era.
Book: The Temptation of Saint Anthony
Year: 1874
In 1874, Gustave Flaubert finally published The Temptation of Saint Anthony. Flaubert spent his whole adult life working on this poem written in prose. When he was twenty-five, Flaubert was struck by the painting named The Temptation of Saint Anthony, while visiting the Balbi Palace in Genoa. The painting inspired him to pen this epic poem. Illustrated by the French painter, Odilon Redon, The Temptation of Saint Anthony is truly a masterful piece of poetry.
Book: Three Tales
Year: 1877
The Three Tales is a collection of three engrossing short stories penned by Gustave Flaubert. He published the book in 1877. The stories included in the book are A Simple Heart, Saint Julian the Hospitalier, and Hérodias. A Simple Heart follows Felicité, a servant girl left heartbroken after the love of her life, Théodore, marries a wealthy lady. Felicité then moves to a widow’s house and grows close to her two children. A Simple Heart is a simple story of a simple girl. Saint Julian the Hospitalier is the story of Julian, a boy who was predicted to do great things when he was born. As he grows up, he develops a cruel side. To escape his dark fate, he flees. Hérodias is Flaubert’s version of the story of the beheading of John the Baptist.
Book: Bouvard and Pécuchet
Year: 1881
Bouvard and Pécuchet was published in 1881 after Gustave Flaubert passed away in 1880. The unfinished novel tells the story of two copy clerks named François Denys Bartholomew Bouvard and Juste Romain Cyrille Pecuchet. They are of the same age and have similar personalities. With time, they develop a symbiotic relationship. When Bouvard inherits a fortune, Pécuchet follows him to the country. After settling in Normandy, Pécuchet and Bouvard dedicate themselves to finding intellectual stimulation. In the process, their relations with the local villagers deteriorate. Add to that, the unsettling atmosphere of the Revolution of 1848, and we are all set to have a tense climax. Regrettably, Flaubert passed away before writing the ending.
Conclusion
Gustave Flaubert started his writing career when he was well in his thirties. Though he is best known for his masterpiece, Madame Bovary, Flaubert is the creator of a number of amazing modernist novels. It is no wonder that he served as an inspiration to a great many eminent authors like Henry James, James Joyce, Franz Kafka, Marcel Proust, Virginia Woolf, Samuel Beckett, and Guy de Maupassant, among others.
Gustave Flaubert made an undeniable contribution to modern literature. His realist style greatly shaped today’s modern novels. As Cornelius Quassus said, “…in Flaubert, realism strives for formal perfection, so the presentation of reality tends to be neutral, emphasizing the values and importance of style as an objective method of presenting reality.”
Do comment and let me know which of Gustave Flaubert’s novels intrigues you the most.
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It’s rare for a novelist to succeed early on, and I guess it was even rarer back then. I loved Madame Bovary, though I think her constant dissatisfaction must have been heartbreaking. It’s even given name to the unofficial “Madame Bovary syndrome.”
Flaubert’s success with “Madame Bovary” was indeed uncommon for his time. The novel’s exploration of Emma Bovary’s constant dissatisfaction has left a lasting impression, even coining the term “Madame Bovary syndrome.” Despite the heartbreaking nature of Emma’s story, the novel’s universal themes continue to resonate, making it a timeless masterpiece.