1. Toneè, Nia, Rue, Jaida IB English—2Nd hour Interactive Oral
Madame Bovary
Toneè, Nia, Rue, Jaida
IB English—2Nd hour
Interactive Oral

2. Background The book Madame Bovary was written by Gustave Flaubert.
First published in La Revue de Paris from October 1, 1856 to December 15, but it was attacked by prosecutors for obscenity. Later, in January of 1857, there was a trial for the novel. He was acquitted on February 7, 1857.
The novel is considered a Flaubert masterpiece and is one of the most influential novels ever written.

3. Characters
Emma Bovary: A farm girl who marries Charles Bovary, thinking this romantic illusion about marriage but then soon realizes that its not and becomes depressed and bored. Soon, she starts an affair with Rodolphe (the first lover who leaves her a farewell letter leaving her with “brain fever”) and Leon (the second lover). She runs up her husbands debt and then kills herself when she can’t pay the debt back.
Charles Bovary: a doctor who was a lazy, spoiled, good-natured child growing up. His parents sent him to medical school but he was playing around which caused him to fail the medical exam but took it over again and passed. After medical school, he practices in Totes and marries Heloise Dubac. When Charles goes to the farm to treat Emma’s father for a broken leg, he meets Emma and they get to talking and Charles keeps talking to Emma each time he goes to treat her dad. Soon Heloise notices and forbids Charles to go to the farm and he comprises but then learns that Heloise’s lawyer has stolen most of her money and she lied about being wealthy before the marriage. Heloise, shocked and humiliated, dies a week later.

4. Characters cont.
Leon: While a law clerk in Yonville, Leon and Emma meet. Both Emma and Leon realized that they shared many qualities, started seeing each other, and their love for one another increased. Soon after, Leon had to move to Paris to study law but also because he thinks that their love is doomed while she’s married. Emma later meets him in Rouen and he now thinks he can win her love and basically has a new personality. Emma is drawn to it and they begin their affair again. At first, their affair is romantic but they become bored and disgusted with each other. He can’t help her when she’s in distress and makes excuses for not helping her financially. Soon Emma dies and after, Leon marries.

5. Characters cont.
Monsieur Homais: He is the pharmacist in Yonville. He is very self- impressed, loves to hear himself talk, obnoxious, and talks about clichés. He helped Charles create himself as a doctor in the town. He is not religious so he often gets into disagreements with the priest saying that religion and prayer are useless.

6. Romanticism and Realism
Emma is blinded by the romantic illusion she is addicted to. She has many lovers who say and do things for her that are romantic but she keeps getting hurt and ends up being sick. She also believes she is wealthy and spends money that she doesn’t have. Emma doesn’t see that the real world is dull and boring.

7. Social Class
The social class was Bourgeoisie, which was the middle class.

8. Rise of bourgeoisie
The rise of the bourgeoisie was to show wealth and be prestigious, basically to look rich.

9. The Roll of Women
Emma’s role basically was a lover because she had many affairs.
The role of the women in this time period, for the middle class women, was to be busy. They were seamstresses, tailors, shoemakers, washwomen, bakers, etc. but most were domestic servants. Farmer’s wives tended to the animals, the vegetables, sold the goods in the market, but they also had to take care of the family and clean the house.