Just a finger in the ground here... Would it be advisable to compare Madame
Bovary by Gustave Flaubert, with the more modern novel The handmaid's tale by Margaret Atwood?
That is on grounds that they both consider language an important aspect of society?
that is, in Madame Bovary one is directly told that language is inadequate, or people incompetent to express emotion, and in the Tale, those of lower rank are forced into illiteracy.
Opinions much appreciated!
I don't know the Atwood novel, but I don't see why not if you can make the case.Originally Posted by Chava
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
Yes, that's about as excited as i got about it, untill someone mentioned a thesis statement...gotta love highschool!
Unfortunately, Chava, I apologize, as I have never read anything by Atwood, but would love to help with anything regarding Flaubert's Madame Bovary.
While reading Madame Bovary, yes, I certainly noticed the element of what remains unsaid, mostly due to the fact that it seems unable to express. Flaubert, I think, seemed of the opinion that some emotions and thoughts appeared perceived, as if outside of the mind, and entirely impossible to express, perhaps related to others' influence on emotion and thought (obvious in the novel). This, of course, created a lot of tension between the characters, but with other, closer characters, I would like to think created a bit of communication without speaking - more like something assumed between characters.
thanks, actually, Flaubert, in the narrative makes a point out of the fact that all the character's are so bad at communicating, i can't remember the quote, but i'll find it asap.
Aside from that, many of his character's often consider the incompetence of their words. For example, the letter's that Rudolphe get's from his many female friends, which he reads vainly, but yet contemplates as highly naive and superficial.
I haven't started work on it yet, since it's still rather arid, any suggestions for specifications would be much appreciated. I'm afraid my opinons of the book are impaired since I read it in Danish.. and the danish vocabulary is not very extensive, (ironic, n'est pas?)
Considering the era of Flaubert, at the peak in the philosophy of transcendentalism (Emerson, Thoreau, Kant, etc.), I have sometimes thought that the author may have aimed at the impossibility of expression of some thoughts and emotions, particularly ones that everyone may relate to, such as love, hate, admiration, and the like. I find it admirable, however, as you said, that the characters realize their own verbal limitations for expression, and I think this creates extensive tension in the novel.
As for specific quotations, I have always like this one, expressing much of the skepticism of why a character feels a certain way, despite a different atmosphere (from chapter 6, yet I happened to find it on a google search, having remembered a few words):
The whitish light of the window-panes was softly wavering. The pieces of furniture seemed more frozen in their places, about to lose themselves in the shadow as in an ocean of darkness. The fire was out, the clock went on ticking, and Emma vaguely wondered at this calm of all things while within herself there was such a tumult.
Excellent, exactly what i was wanting to express!
So, I have an idea baout why Flaubert stated the following, "Madame Bovary, c'est moi." I am Madame Bovary, but what do you think he meant by it?
When and where did Flaubert state this, just out of curiosity? You have certainly stumped me.
I have heard that too. Flaubert, at least in that statement, considered himself Madame Bovary. It's actually a relatively famous statement. I've never quite understood it, except perhaps to say he was a romantic like her.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
I'm not sure when he said it, i believe he would have said it sometime during all the media awareness that grew over the book, when it became notorious.
But come mono, what do you think he meant?
I did some research, Chava, and found that Gustave Flaubert underwent extensive trials by the French government, who desired to ban his book; at this time, just as now, to say the least, adultery seems slightly frowned upon, and the French government felt that Madame Bovary approved of such conduct, but dismissed the case, since the main character dies in the end.
When asked who inspired the character for Madame Bovary, Flaubert exclaimed "Madame Bovary, c'est moi!" This, I found, he may have said for a variety of reasons. Flaubert, I just read, did not believe in anyone seemingly instrinsically good or bad, and admitted the mix seemingly good or bad motives in each human being, perhaps implying that a "Madame Bovary" exists inside everyone; more accurately, in this case, Flaubert could have said "Madame Bovary, c'est nous!"
Also, researching into some of Flaubert's past, he author once described his mother as a "hopeless romantic," much like Madame Bovary, incessantly unsatisfied with the present state of things, always trying to improve, and disappointed that nothing meets her ideal. Furthermore, Flaubert described his father as a very successful, down-to-earth (so to speak), but simple doctor, much like Charles Bovary, her husband. Taking this into consideration, perhaps Flaubert could have called himself "Madame Bovary" at one time, while gaining so much inspiration from his parents, that he felt much like the spawn of a precise scenario of the novel.
Anyway, I hope I have helped, and, if you would like to discuss this further, I would to, also.
Bravo! We come to the same conclusion. And well done with your research!
About sources of inspiration, in my own research, it was found that he once new a young female, by the name of Louise Colet. She was married to a man by the name of Hyppolyte, and it may perhaps be a coincidence, (but wouldn't it be a wonderful one) but i'm sure your sharp mind has already noted that this is the name of the village fool. The Hyppolyte with the malformed foot?
Anyway, the story of Louise colet; she married monsieur Colet to escape from the peripheral farm land, and move into paris.
Once in Paris, she started having affairs with several men, amoungst which we find Gustave Flaubert...
Inspirational?
So what happened to her? well, wether Hyppolite died, or the were divorced i can't recall, but she became a poet, and provided for herself and her only child through her writting. If you look her up you can find her poetry, i think she has won several awards, but has also been accused of interference with those whom supported her. in the sense that most people don't think she wrote as well as she was acclaimed for, merely that she had influential friends.
On another note, when reading her poetry, it's really like seeing ghosts, because it feels like the work of a litterary character, which is rather eerie.
Your thesis statement could be something about the quality of language, or lack of, under restraint.
These restraints in Atwood's novel could be the fear that led the characters to avoid certain topics and questions. You could get into the brainwashing elements when the handmaids are sent to the school. I cannot remember the main character's name, but in every place she is sent, from the school where she is indoctrinated to the home where she tries to confide in the man of the house to the friend she makes in the other handmaid to the young man who eventually, possibly impregnates her and helps in her escape she seeks friendship and must be careful of what she says and what feelings she shows.
Mono has done a wonderful job of explaining Madame Bovary's motivation and lack of showing and expressing what she feels. I think that Bovary's need to hide what she feels and oppress her speech is also a matter of imposed restraint.
I feel that I am not being clear enough in this post because of time constraint, and it has been a long time since I have read either of these books.
Good luck with your paper. When I return later maybe we can discuss this some more. I do hope I have been of some help to you.
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.- Emma Goldman
Wow - I never found anything regarding that, but beautifully explained, Chava!
No doubt, such a genius mind as Flaubert's had inspiration coming from multiple aspects, and this probably played some kind of role in thinking of himself as a pseudo-"Madame Bovary." Especially about a real-life Hyppolite - how fascinating! I have read some work by Colet, but never knew a great amount about her life; somehow, however, a lot of this makes sense. Thank you for posting this - very infomative.
With this, however, I only wonder why Flaubert chose a woman as his main character - perhaps because, statistically (even today), adultery seems more common among men than women? Maybe this seemed an attempt at emphasizing the possible deviance of stating no existence of instrinstic good or bad? Do you have any opinions?
The more and more I think of it, the more I find similarities between Madame Bovary, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, and, oddly, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
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