The Inevitable Abyss of Madame Bovary
Dr. Satler’s comments: This student’s paper displays the radiance of writing kindled by discriminating reading. His careful attention to words and their subtle tones in context translate into interpretive language that clarifies the subtle shapes of meaning.
The abyss that so terrifies Emma in Madame Bovary is reality and the crushing finality of it. The fantasy world that she has constructed from early childhood takes on more and more substance until it becomes her alternate reality. True reality is still there for her, but it exists as a shadow of the substance of her fantasies. When she is confronted by reality, in any form that threatens her fantasy world, she perceives it as an abyss opening before her.
Throughout the book, we see Emma creating her fantasy world and insulating herself from the harsh light of reality. The disillusionment with her marriage and the exposure to the glamour of Vaubyessard is a major building block in this fantasy world. Flaubert tells us that "her journey to Vaubyessard had made a gap in her life," and although "she was resigned" to her marriage and life with Charles, "something had rubbed off on [her heart] that could not be removed" (p. 40). We are told that from this point on that the memory of the ball at Vaubyessard "became an occupation" for her. Flaubert's genius is evident in his choice of words here. To use the term "obsession" would destroy the lambent subtlety at an early stage of the story, whereas "occupation" leaves us with an impression of the innocent triflings of a young woman.
Emma's alternate reality is, however, beyond obsession. A student of psychology would easily label her a true sociopath. She is incapable of feeling an...
... middle of paper ...
...he financial disaster is finally confirmed, it is mere icing on the cake. Emma is already destroyed from within. Flaubert masterfully brings her ruin to a crescendo with fiery, exploding spheres that are the dying gasp of her dreamscape. When they disappear, the lights of the houses through the fog are a picture of reality coming into focus, and then the abyss is there for her.
In a last ditch effort to cheat the abyss, Emma poisons herself. She somehow believes that she has accomplished this evasion as she lays dying, until the emissary of reality sings her dirge for her. At the very point of escape she is seized by the terror of reality, and pulled into the abyss by the song of the blind man.
Works Cited
Bart, Benjamin. Flaubert. Syracuse: Syracuse UP 1967.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Trans. Lowell Bair. New York: Bantam 1972.
The 2011 Libyan Civil War started as peaceful protesting in front of the police headquarters over ruler Muammar Gaddafi’s corruption as their leader. This protest was met with brutal police violence. This sparked the Transitional National Council’s formation in an effort to change the government. The peaceful protest then made the leap to a rebel uprising that began to spread across the entire country. In order to contain this rebellion effort, Gaddafi stepped up his military control of the country and took back major cities. He also blocked off the public’s access to the media with censorsh...
...eisz. She can hear her playing the piano and thinks of her talking about art. She wonders if she is a real artist. She becomes exhausted and knows that she is too far out to return. The water that she was so mesmerized with throughout the novel and that was the beginning of her new life, was also the end.
Hemp was viewed as a threat to several competing industries which caused them to create a smear campaign against hemp. By associating hemp with marijuana and by creating the propaganda film “Reefer Madness” this caused hysteria amongst the population (History of Hemp, n.d.). Hemp prohibition started in the 1930s. Hemp was grouped under the umbrella of marijuana and effectively made illegal under the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. Furthermore, In 1970 Industrial hemp was classified as marijuana under the Controlled Substance Act in spite of decades of government-funded research that identified industrial hemp to have a unique structure and function (Hemp’s History, n.d.). In spite of Hemp being illegal in America, Hemp is legally grown in about 30 countries around the world, with China and France as the leading producers of hemp. Canada our neighbor to the north legalized Hemp cultivation in 1998. Farmers, there must have a licensed and also grow approved low-THC seeds. Hemp grown in Canada has to be tested to ensure they contain less than 0.3 percent THC. This essay will
Furthermore, Agee's focus on the life of Emma is a result of his obvious infatuation with her. In his opening line Agee explicitly states, "I am fond of Emma". Throughout Agee's writings he incorporates a sexual undertone, which the reader may interpret as somewhat of a secret lust for Emma. Agee refers to Emma as a "young queen" and later writes, "Each of us is attracted to Emma". This gives the reader a false sense that Emma's life is purely sexual when in reality, her character is much more complex than this.
There are many different words for what was originally considered, “hemp” to the ancient world. Some are, cannabis, marijuana, weed, and pot. Over time, the different words have reflected the views and uses of hemp through different societies and time periods. Hemp dates back to the early Mesopotamian days in what is considered Turkey today. It is the first known plant to be domestically cultivated. According to research, “The oldest relic of human history is hemp fabric dated to 8,000 BCE.” In 1492, Christopher Columbus brought hemp as a rope to America. His ships were full of hemp fabric used for uniforms, parachutes, ropes, sails, baggage, shoes and many more military uses. To free the American colonies from England press, Benjamin Franklin started a paper mill, which used cannabis to create paper and print books. This allowed America to have free colonial press from Britian without having to ask for them. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both drafted on hemp paper. Betsey Ross made the first flag of the United States of America out of hemp, which was the strongest known fiber at the time. “Farmers from 1942 through 1945 who agreed to grow hemp were waived from serving in the military, along with their sons; that is how vitally important hemp was to America during World War II.” Henry Ford also used hemp-based plastic to create vehicles, which was proven to be stronger and lighter than steel and could withstand much more impact without denting. He also used hemp-based ethanol fuel, which was more efficient. Hemp had been used widely throughout the United States before it became illegal and served many purposes.
Emma as a character is at the same time very strong, but also she comes across as a bit of a know-it-all, and she acts as though she is superior to every other character in the novel. Emma allows status to interpret her feelings of people, and it affects how she treats them. It is quite obvious that Emma allows herself to mistreat people for her own purposes, whether it is for mere satisfaction, to prove a point, or perhaps it is just a subconscious task for her that is beyond her control until it is too late to be fixable.
... to her mother: " 'Leave me alone!' Emma repeated angrily. The look on her face frightened the child and she began to shriek. 'I told you to leave me alone!' said Emma, shoving her away with her elbow" (p. 100). The fantasy world in which Emma constantly lives in prevents her from loving her daughter the way that a mother should.
In 1940, the import of hemp during World War II was a big factor in creating supplies such as parachutes or cordage. In the 1960’s, President Kennedy found from research that marijuana does not induce violence or lead to heavier drug use. George Washington, the first president of our beloved country, grew cannabis on his plantations. Thomas Jefferson also grew hemp as a reliable
Nanda, S and Warms, R.L. (2011). Cultural Anthropology, Tenth Edition. Belmont, California: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. ISBN – 13:978-0-495-81083-4.
The Bank of Canada is Canada’s central bank, whose current Governor is Mike Carney. It was founded in 1934 by the Bank of Canada Act of the same year. The country’s banking system was quite stable even before the Bank of Canada was established, mainly thanks to its branch banking structure, and showed little interest in central banking in the early 1900s. In addition, the banking system was somewhat being regulated by the Canadians Bankers’ Association. However, as the Great Depression took Canada by storm, talks about its then financial state were brewing. Some even questioned the country’s ability to meet larger demands. The central bank was formed from the Act in 1934, and starting running in 1935, but as a privately owned institution. Then, when William Mackenzie King was re-elected as Prime Minister after a full term by Richard Bennet, the new government made an amendment to the Bank of Canada Act, making the bank publicly owned by 1938, as it is today (Bank of Canada: History). Its primary objective was to be able to support financial and economic wellbeing of our country (Go Currency: Bank of Canada). In that way, it has many roles and functions as a central bank, which I will expand in the coming paragraphs.
It was the Spanish who brought marijuana to America in 1545. Soon enough, it became a major commercial crop like tobacco in 1611. By 1890, marijuana was used in some medicines, and it began to catch on in the 1920’s, the same era of prohibition of alcohol. Hemp began to be one of the largest agricultural crops in the word. This was due to its incredibly robust and durable qualities. It was used for fabric, lighting oil, paper, fiber, dynamite, cellophane, and many more. Most textiles were actually made out of hemp at this time (The Union: The Business Behind Getting High).
The history of marijuana in the United States dates to early colonial times. ``In 1619, America's first marijuana law was enacted at Jamestown Colony, Va., `ordering' all farmers to `make tryal of' (grow) Indian hemp seed.” (Tribune) A by-product of the cannabis plant is hemp. Today, hemp can be used to make fabrics, construction, paper, medicines, oils, body care products, and molded plastics. In colonial times hemp was used to make various textile products and in the 1800s hemp was found to have medicinal benefits. Herer says in his book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, “various marijuana and hashish extracts were the first, second or third most-prescribed medicines in the United States from 1842 until the 1890s. (Herer) For centuries people have recognized the medicinal properties of cannabis; “depending on the c...
In ‘Madame Bovary’ Flaubert portrays Emma, a convent-educated farm girl who appears willing to do anything to get off her father’s farm and in order to do some marries a man named Charles and very quickly she gets fed up of Charles boring personality and seeks an affair to fulfil her romantic fantasies. Emma, despite having a child, has affairs with 2 men (Leon and Rodolphe) and spends vast amount of Charles’ money buying her lovers gifts. This leads to the imminent downfall of Emma, who took her family in to extreme debt and she commits suicide after realizing this, after learning of Emma’s affairs and disgraceful actions Charles does, too.
Schultz, Emily A. & Lavenda, Robert H. 2005, Cultural Anthropology, 6th edn, Oxford University Press, New York, Chapter 3: Fieldwork.
Allende’s House of the Spirits demonstrate emotional connections and remembrances amongst Clara and the characters through the application of Magical Realism which contrasts to Flaubert’s Madame Bovary which demonstrates Emma’s characterization and lack of emotion towards the death of the characters.