Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Madame Bovary Novel

At the end of the novel, Emma Bovary tragically dies by poisoning herself. Her romantic illusions crumble, and she is overwhelmed by debts and unhappiness. Her death symbolizes the destructive consequences of living a life of unfulfilled desires and the perils of pursuing unrealistic fantasies.

Emma Bovary's husband, Charles, is a doctor. He is a well-meaning and simple man who loves his wife deeply but fails to understand her desires and aspirations. Charles' profession plays a significant role in Emma's yearning for a more glamorous and sophisticated lifestyle.

Léon Dupuis is Emma Bovary's lover. He is a young law clerk who reappears in Emma's life after their initial encounter in Rouen. Léon offers Emma intellectual stimulation and the promise of a more romantic existence. However, their affair also becomes a source of disappointment and disillusionment for Emma.

Emma Bovary's daughter is named Berthe Bovary. Emma neglects her parental duties, and Berthe grows up in a neglected and impoverished environment. This further illustrates Emma's dissatisfaction with her domestic life and her inability to find happiness within the confines of motherhood.

Emma indulges her fancy for luxury goods and clothes with purchases made on credit from the merchant Lheureux, who arranges for her to obtain power of attorney over Charles' estate.

Monsieur Homais is the town pharmacist in the novel. He is a respectable and hypocritical figure who represents the middle class and the town's social norms. Monsieur Homais often clashes with Emma's unconventional behavior and becomes a symbol of the stultifying and conformist environment that Emma wants to escape.

Gustave Flaubert's novel " Madame Bovary" is set in provincial France in Tostes and Yonville, close to the small cathedral city of Rouen , areas familiar to Flaubert. The town serves as the backdrop for Emma's disillusionment and dissatisfaction with her married life, which drives her to seek excitement and escape. 

After the death of Emma and Charles, their young daughter is placed with her grandmother, who soon dies. Later, she lives with an impoverished aunt, who sends her to work in a cotton mill.

Emma Bovary's maiden name was Emma Rouault. One day, when Charles visits a local farm to set the owner's broken leg, there he meets his patient's daughter, Emma Rouault. Emma is a beautiful, poetically dressed young woman who has a yearning for luxury and romance inspired by reading popular novels.

"Madame Bovary" was originally published as "Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners" in French, under the title "Madame Bovary: Mœurs de province." This subtitle provides essential context to the novel's setting and themes. "Provincial Manners" refers to the societal norms and customs of rural or provincial life in 19th-century France. It hints at the central theme of the novel, which explores the stark contrast between the desires and aspirations of the eponymous character

Rodolphe Boulanger is the first lover of Emma Bovary. He is a wealthy gentleman who seduces Emma and engages in an affair with her. Their passionate relationship represents Emma's search for romantic and sensual fulfillment outside her mundane marriage.

Charles Bovary is called to treat a patient who has been poisoned. This incident adds tension to the narrative and showcases Charles' professional skills, as he tries to save the patient's life. It also highlights the dangers and consequences of the societal expectations and norms that Emma rebels against.

When the novel was first serialized in Revue de Paris between 1 October and 15 December 1856, public prosecutors attacked the novel for obscenity. The resulting trial in January 1857 made the story notorious. After Flaubert's acquittal on 7 February 1857, Madame Bovary became a bestseller in April 1857 when it was published in two volumes. A seminal work of literary realism, the novel is now considered Flaubert's masterpiece, and one of the most influential literary works in history.

The novel Madame Bovary is written in the third-person limited point of view. The narrative primarily follows Emma Bovary's perspective and experiences, delving into her thoughts, emotions, and actions. This narrative style allows readers to intimately understand Emma's desires, frustrations, and the consequences of her choices.

Madame Lefrancois is Emma Bovary's confidante and close friend. She works at the inn where Emma frequently stays during her secret trysts and romantic encounters. Madame Lefrancois becomes a trusted confidante who sympathizes with Emma's emotional struggles and provides support in her moments of distress.