The Collected Works

Gustave Flaubert

Nov 2022 · DigiCat

About this ebook

Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880) was an influential French writer who was perhaps the leading exponent of literary realism of his country. Table of Contents: Novels: Madame Bovary Salammbô Bouvard and Pécuchet Sentimental Education The Temptation of Saint Anthony Short Stories: November A Simple Heart Saint Julian the Hospitalier Herodias The Dance of Death Studies and Literary Criticism: Gustave Flaubert: A Study by Guy de Maupassant Extracts from Virginia Woolf's diary Extract from 'Essays in London and Elsewhere' by Henry James Extracts from 'Phoenix: The Posthumous Papers' by D.H. Lawrence Extract from 'Figures of Several Countries' by Arthur Symons Madame Bovary is the French writer Gustave Flaubert's debut novel. The story focuses on a doctor's wife, Emma Bovary, who has adulterous affairs and lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life. Salammbô is a historical novel, set in Carthage during the 3rd century BC, immediately before and during the Mercenary Revolt which took place shortly after the First Punic War. Sentimental Education is an autobiographical novel, considered one of the most influential novels of the 19th century, being praised by contemporaries George Sand, Émile Zola, and Henry James.

About the author

Gustave Flaubert, the eminent French novelist, is renowned for his profundity in literary realism and his influence on literary history. Flaubert was born on December 12, 1821, in Rouen, Normandy, and delved into literature from an early age, influenced by the burgeoning Romantic literary movement. His meticulous approach to writing, marked by a relentless search for le mot juste (the precise word), has set a precedent for meticulous craftsmanship in literary production. Flaubert's masterpiece, 'Madame Bovary' (1857), remains an archetype of realist narrative, dissecting the life and romantic illusions of Emma Bovary. This seminal work drew controversy and legal scrutiny for its alleged immorality, yet subsequently solidified Flaubert's reputation as a writer who dared to challenge societal norms and artistic conventions. His literary repertoire is not restricted to this novel alone; 'Sentimental Education' (1869) and 'Salammbo' (1862) are other significant contributions that exhibit Flaubert's diverse thematic interests ranging from the historical to the psychological. 'The Collected Works' of Flaubert not only showcase his famed masterpieces but also compile his lesser-known works, offering an extensive vista into his narrative and stylistic evolution. The thematic preoccupation with human folly and the limitations of society is evident throughout his oeuvre, rendering his literature a provocative critique of his times. Flaubert's legacy is immense, having influenced generations of writers, including modernist luminaries such as James Joyce and Marcel Proust, and continues to be a subject of scholarly study for his stylistic rigor and narrative innovations.