Madame Bovary

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During the latter half of the nineteenth century France was undergoing immense social upheaval, resulting in the rise of a new middle class - the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie gained their fortunes through commercial endeavours rather than inheritance and as a class, were largely characterised by a gaudy materialism. Flaubert found their moral conservatism and unsophisticated tastes appalling and in Madame Bovary used the form of the novel to bring attention to bourgeois mediocrity. The characteristics and effects of social class on the individual are evident throughout the novel, the stifling nature of middle class life eventually contributing to the downfall of the protagonist, Emma Bovary.

The character of Homais embodies all that Flaubert dislikes about the middle class: he is an obnoxious, self-righteous know-it-all. As one of the main characters he spends much time centre stage, each time reaffirming the fact that his garrulous nature is rarely able to hide his lack of knowledge and his speeches are ridden with cliches. Although the narrative voice of the novel is consistently detached, the reactions of others and the use of free indirect discourse elaborate on Flaubert's portrayal of the pharmacist as a pompous speechmaker and tiresome bore. He has an opinion on everything despite having little comprehension of the science, technology and faith that he lectures on. Although he knows little of agriculture he insists on claiming experience by ridiculously and irrelevantly linking the trades of farming and pharmacy: 'Take the composition of manures, the fermentation of liquids, the analysis of gases, the effects of noxious effluvia - what's all that, I ask you, if it isn't chemistry in the strictest sense of the word.' If the characterisation of Homais were to stop here, we would perhaps not link his actions so implicitly to his social class. However, Flaubert proceeds to suggest an element of danger in the pretentious attitudes that individuals like Homais hold. The debacle of the clubfoot operation is testament to the menacing threat this can pose to society; Charles Bovary is influenced and encouraged principally by Homais, to attempt a radical new technique for correcting the abnormality of a clubfoot. Even though Charles's inadequate medical skills may contribute to the failure of the operation, it is Homais's enthusiasm and determination that leave the unfortunate Hippolyte with a mid-thigh leg amputation. Although superficially Homais is 'allocated the role of the comic buffoon, ridiculous to the point of absurdity' his beliefs and attitude ultimately have the power to inflict serious damage. His trademark display of pomp also takes effect in the aftermath of Emma's suicide attempt, where his ostentatious demeanor prevents him from taking the swiftest and most practical action of inducing her to vomit.

Flaubert is rarely sarcastic in his descriptions of the bourgeoisie, preferring to portray the class through example or a less intrusive irony. This narrative technique can be seen in the presentation of Binet's hobby of making napkin rings; it is not inferred that this is a useless activity, but by providing no valid reason for a man to need so many, we conclude ourselves that this is ridiculous behaviour. While we understand that the production of napkin rings for ornament purposes implies that there is little actual use for the tastes of this particular bourgeois, Flaubert is not condemning such actions outright. Comedy is often present where the negative aspects of the middle class are being conveyed, even in the case of bourgeois churchgoers. Throughout Madame Bovary religious followers are shown to be primarily concerned with the superficial, showy side of their faith, and actually demonstrate little genuine piety. The character of Bournisien the local priest of Yonville illustrates this point most lucidly with his treatment of Emma in her hour of most need. Having turned to the priest for spiritual guidance she finds him preoccupied with trivial matters and therefore, completely unable to help. In fact he misses her meaning entirely and is mistakenly believes she is suffering from the heat rather than any emotional or spiritual ailment. Ironically, he references his role as a person who is required to take care of the soul, but it seems his words are merely lip service to the true meaning and aims of the church, '"He takes care of the bodies," he added, with a heavy sigh, "and I look after the souls."' The inadequacy of religion is again brought to our attention when Emma moves straight the interior of a different church into an elicit affair with Leon; the reader cannot help but ponder if she would have made this decision had the church guide provided her with more spiritual direction rather than a tour of its physicality.

Class distinctions in Madame Bovary are proven to be of vital importance, often illustrated by the nature and quantity of food. Charles's atrocious eating habits show his lack of sophistication and highlight Emma's disgust of her husband and her desire for social refinement. In contrast to Charles, the table manners of the nobles at the ball are highly dignified and the foods exotic, showing that how a person eats and what they eat can be seen as an indicator of their social class. No character places greater significance on social class than Emma Bovary herself. She reflects Flaubert's opinions of the middle class in many ways: she is bored by Homais's lengthy speeches and is generally dissatisfied with the attitudes of those in her class. However, Flaubert's use of a detached narrator and variation between character points of view, allows us to observe the protagonist critically. After all, Emma is also a member of the bourgeoisie. With regard to religion, she too is drawn to sensation rather than piety, as illustrated by her fascination with the sounds of religious words and the pictures in her prayer book during her time at the convent. It seems that Emma's original attraction to religion is not dissimilar to the superficial nature of the Church that she meets later in the novel.

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