Madame Bovary Essay

“For him the universe did not extend beyond the circumference of her petticoat” (Flaubert) Madame Bovary is a nineteenth century novel that explores the life, decisions, and downfall of Emma Bovary. Gustave Flaubert elegantly describes Madame’s viewpoint through her tasteless actions of deceit and laundering, as well as her dissatisfaction towards her marriage. Though nearly every action is consumed with how Emma perceived it and what part Emma had to play in it, the narcissistic air of the writing does not overwhelm her husband’s, Charles, important role in the ultimate collapse of their marriage. In fact, Charles’ character is the ember that sparks the fire which ends in the collapse of their marriage and his emotional downfall. His characterization, described by Emma, not only drives Emma’s downfall but his own as well.

Charles has two distinct personality traits that influence the novel: meek and oblivious. Especially in comparison to Emma whose emotional state could rival a roller coaster, Charles is the prime example of a static character. The opening chapters are told from Charles’ point of view, and they do a fantastic job of describing his childhood traits that continuously reappear in his adult life; his childhood shows how much of an impact his younger years had on him. The initial appearance shows young Charles Bovary’s first attendance at his new school. “The "new fellow," standing in the corner behind the door so that he could hardly be seen, was a country lad... he looked reliable, but very ill at ease” (Flaubert). Flaubert first introduces, here, fifteen year old Charles Bovary who is much too shy, even if front of a handful of teenagers with an adult to keep them in line, to announce his appearance, and, instead...

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...he severity of the situations he was thrust into. The poor man never seemed to know the battles he was up against till he was thrown in at the climax of the war. Though he tried to keep ignoring the monsters Emma forced him to face, he could not. It was an unbearable strain on him that led him to his death. Flaubert used Charles as a warning of sorts. Charles was a man who lived in an ignorant reality, and when he was corrupted by the truth, it drove him to his downfall. Flaubert was trying to show that the, “Ignorance is bliss,” mentality is not a fruitful path but a destructive one. Flaubert stresses that in order to enjoy life, one must accept reality for what it is and enjoy the joys it can offer. “One's duty is to feel what is great, cherish the beautiful, and to not accept the conventions of society with the ignominy that it imposes upon us” (Flaubert).