Category: Madame Bovary

Literary realism is a part of the realist art movement that started in 19th century France and lasted until the early 20th century. It began as a reaction to the romanticism and the rise of bourgeoisie in Europe and it sought to convey a truthful and objective vision of contemporary life. Realism emerged in the aftermath of the revolution of 1848 that overturned the monarchy of louis-Philippe and developed during the period of the second empire under napoleon iii. As French society fought for democratic reform, the realists democratized art by depicting modern subjects drawn from the everyday lives of the working class. Rejecting the idealized classicism of academic art and the bewildering themes of romanticism, realism was based on direct observation of the modern world.

In keeping with Gustave Courbet’s statement in 1861 that ‘painting is an essentially concrete art and can only consist in the representation of real and existing things,’ realists recorded in often gritty detail the present-day existence of humble people, paralleling related trends in the naturalist literature of Emile Zola, Honor de Balzac, and Gustave Flaubert. The realists fought against the exaggerated subject matters and emotionalism which dominated the French literature and art since the late 18th century. Their works projected the people of all classes with their real life situations and often talked about the changes of the society that made by the industrial and commercial revolutions. The realists portrayed the day to day subjects and situations in contemporary setting and attempted to depict individuals of all classes at a same level.

Classical idealism, romantic emotionalism and drama were avoided equally and often untidy elements and sordid subject matters were displayed. Especially, social realism concentrated on the depiction of the working classes with the same seriousness as the other classes. Realism aimed to avoid artificiality in the treatment of human relations and sentimental manners. Due to the changes in the class divisions with the developments of the second half of the 19th century the novels became so popular. Literacy growth went high and written works were more accessible. In that way realism also enhanced the quality of novels since their subject matters often focussed on characters and themes relatable to the working classes. On the other hand, literary realism helped its readers on understanding the situations of women in the modern society. As the rise of modern society led men to desire and obtain power, the objectification of the moral values considered man as a social product and the namesake traditional norms shrugged the desires of women in the hands of men, besides men over minded the physical challenges of women when they were suffering mental challenges from being judged and objectified by their sex. That made the Avant grade of women to be always an advantage for men. Therefore, – Madame Bovary – the novel written by French novelist Gustave Flaubert, published on 1856, which gives as a wide idea of the male dominated society.

The protagonist of the novel Emma, the perfect representation of a typical modern woman, who wishes a big fashion modern lifestyle but later turns a sick filled woman and suicide herself at the end. The level of anxiety that she consumed was immense and that made her character to be the talk of the town so far. The entire journey of the heroine was portrayed in a raw & gritty style and that’s the top-notch quality of the novel. In other ways the character can also be compared with the ‘gaze’ theory, the gaze can be defined as the way people look at subjects or objects in a given text. The gaze concept was actually discussed on 1960 by some French intellectuals which later integrated with feminist theory and it deals with how men look women and how women look at themselves and other women and the effects surrounding this. Flaubert traced and implemented the gaze concept even before it was emerged and Madame Bovary promotes this gaze theory with representation of a modern woman. Flaubert has sketched the character in every possible way to publicize the perspective of a modern woman. It portrayed the mentality of bourgeois with its meticulous approach towards every character, Madame Bovary has been seen as the principal masterpiece of realism. The novel was also notable for the brilliance of its style, it always had the comparisons to poetry. Flaubert gave a great importance on style as same as his detailed content on subject, and he spent around five years on completing Madame Bovary

Monsieur Lheureux and Shylock are merchants that possess three common negative character traits: greed, jealousy, and uncharitable. Being both from the same occupation, their lives revolve around money. They purposely target citizens for their motives. Monsieur Lheureux in Gustave Flaubert’s, Madame Bovary and Shylock in William Shakespeare’s, The Merchant of Venice deliberately drive the protagonists to their financial ruin.

In Venice, Shylock has a reputation for charging too much interest on loans. He only has one thing on his mind, making money off of other people’s problems. Shylock’s tragic character is shown through his monologues. He describes his feelings towards his enemy Antonio, a rival merchant.

“I hate him for he is a Christian,

But more for that in low simplicity

He lends out money gratis and brings down

The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him (1.3.34-39).”

Shylock and Antonio serve as foil characters. Antonio has better morals than Shylock as he is honest and does not lend money with interest. As a result of Antonio’s better business and deals, fewer people borrow from Shylock which impedes his business. Shylock seeks vengeance and he uses Bassanio’s urgent need for money to attempt to entrap Antonio. Shylock agrees to loan Bassanio three thousand ducats for three months and requires Antonio to sign a notarized agreement. Having Antonio guarantee Bassanio’s return payment wraps him up in the deal. If Bassanio does not pay the loan back in time, Shylock will cut off a literal pound of Antonio’s flesh. It was his plan beforehand and he was never referring to the expression.

“Pray you, tell me this:

If he should break his day, what should I gain

By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man

Is not so estimable, profitable neither,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,

To buy his favor, I extend this friendship.

If he will take it, so. If not, adieu;

And, for my love I pray you wrong me not. (1.3.174-182)

When Antonio’s ships become lost at sea, he has no money to pay Shylock back with. Shylock receives an offer of six thousand ducats from Portia which is twice the original loan. He declines Portia’s money and only wants to receive Antonio’s pound of flesh. Shylock lacks the capability of having mercy on a soul. He wishes from Antonio’s bloodshed in front of the court.

The stereotype of the moneylender was extremely negative to be sensitive to the racist overtones in the historical and cultural context of The Merchant of Venice. Shylock is a Jewish man. Usury was forbidden to Christians by the church of the Middle Ages, and as a consequence, money lending was controlled by the Jews; as a rule, it was usually the only occupation which the law allowed to them. As a result, a great deal of medieval literature produced the conventional figure of the Jewish moneylender.

Lheureux is a merchant and moneylender who leads Emma into debt, financial ruin, and eventually suicide by playing on her weakness for luxury and extravagance. When we first meet him, we learn that he has already driven another unfortunate citizen (the tavern keeper), out of business and out of town. He will not feel guilty about doing the same to Emma. He is a large part responsible for Emma’s death. He even has the nerve to show up to her funeral and act like he is sad, while he is still benefiting off of Charles Bovary for more cash.

Lheureux shows us depths of depravity to which people can sink in the pursuit of money.

He makes money by encouraging people like Emma to spend more than they can afford and then lending them money at very steep rates. Lheureux is a bit of a devil figure who tempts people with luxuries they cannot afford and knows just when to appear with his requests for money and promises of more loans.

As a means of paying her mounting debts, Lheureux convinces Emma, who has power of attorney over Charles’s property, to sell him some of Charles’s father’s estate at a loss. He also talks her into borrowing more and more money. When Charles’s mother arrives to look over the accounts, Emma has Lheureux forge a bill for a smaller amount of money than she has.

For example, A debt collector surprises Emma with a visit, and the sheriff serves a legal notice against her. She borrows more money from Lheureux and begins a desperate campaign to raise money to pay her debts, even pawning many objects from Charles’s house in Yonville. All the while, she continues to spend decadently during her time with Leon, forcing him to entertain her opulently and providing him the money to do so.

Monsieur Lheureux plays an insidious role in Emma’s life and death. He manipulates her lack of judgment about money into a growing pile of debt with him, to the point at which Emma cannot figure out where all her money has gone. Emma has a visit from Lheureux, who offers to bring her any goods she might need. He offers her various pretty things and explains that she would not have to pay right then. He even offers her a loan. She coldly declines, but he chatters pleasantly about Charles’ patients and quietly leaves, promising to return.

Emma Bovary realizes that there is no way out of her financial debt. Not only is she driven to financial ruin but also her demise. She commits suicide by taking arsenic and leaves her daughter on her own. Her money struggles do not just directly affect Emma herself but also those around her. Berthe will have to suffer her life in extreme poverty due to her mother’s financial excesses and her parent’s deaths.

Shylock and Lheureux’s function in these literary works are to be the obstacles, the man who stands in the way of the “love stories” and move the plot along. Someone must impede and create a conflict; here, it is Shylock and Lheureux. In these works there are many and various ways they associate themselves with the multiple sets of lovers. Shylock involves himself in the lives of Portia and Bassanio, Gratiano and Nerissa, and Jessica and Lorenzo. While Lheureux involves himself in the world of Emma Bovary and her love affairs. Emma is seen throughout the novel with her husband Charles Bovary, along with her lovers: Leon and Rodolphe

Shylock and Lheureux are drawn in bold strokes. They are meant to be seen as antagonistic villains. Their malicious connections to their victims’ life help them achieve or fail their goals. Moneylenders need three qualities to be successful: merciless, greedy, and immoral. These characters contribute to financial ruin in their way. Lheureux was successful and eventually lead Emma to her ultimate downfall while Shylock leads himself into his on self-destruction.