Flaubert’s Madame Bovary: The Story of a Tragic Victim

“I measure every grief I meet
with analytic eyes,
I wonder if it weighs like mine,
or has an easier size.

I wonder if they bore it long,
or did it just begin?
I could not tell the date of mine,
it feels so old a pain.

I wonder if it hurts to live,
and if they have to try,
And whether could they choose between
they would not rather die…”
-Emily Dickinson

In Gustave Flaubert’s controversial novel Madame Bovary, the title character is viewed by most critics as a sinful, despicable, self-serving human being. I, however, ascertain that although her behavior was far from chaste or ladylike, nevertheless, she was truly a victim and, indeed, desrving of the reader’s sympathy. Those who have the insight to step back and view Madame Bovary through a different light will see that she was an “incomplete” soul full of suffering. The intent of her actions was never to hurt others, but to try and find some form of peace for herself.

She is an individual who is experiencing an emptiness-a void within herself-and is grappling at anything to make herself fell “whole”. In the era of which the book was written, as people were often judged mainly by their actions, it is easy to see, at first glance, why she would be interpreted as such a villain. However, as we read this novel in the 21st century, we are now able to extend our understanding beyond external observations and look beyond one’s actions to determine what issues may lay beneath the surface. With this insight, we see that in reality an individual such as Madame Bovary is, in truth, a victim.

In this novel, it is obvious that Madame Bovary (Emma) is continually on an endless pursuit to seek love from others. She has such a strong need to find validation in others because she is lacking in self-esteem and love for herself. Therefore, she is left with (for lack of a better word) a “void”. It is that indescribable feeling that many of us have one time or another of an “emptiness”- that “something” is missing. However, what that something is eludes her, sending her on a futile search to find something, anything, to fill this hole within her.

The presence of this appears many times in the novel. We see this when Flaubert writes “In her yearnings, she confused the sensualities of luxury with the joys of the heart…” (1). this confirms the yearning or emptiness that dwells within her and, like the alcoholic who tries to fill his soul with drink, she mistakenly tries to find happiness and love mainly in men and luxury. In modern day, we’ve all seen the talks shows featuring promiscuous teens “looking for love in all the wrong places”, trying to fulfill their need for love and self-worth through a string of men.

Or we could possibly equate this to the stories we hear of twins separated at birth, only to remain with a feeling of incompleteness and emptiness that follows them throughout their life, both unable to put words to or find cause for their “chronic emptiness”. Similarly, there was an element that Emma lacked. Her “missing piece” was the self worth and love, from herself and others, that is at the root of a human’s most basic emotional needs.

There are yet many more passages that support this idea throughout the novel. One such passage is that which addresses the issue of Emma’s marriage: “Before she had married she thought she was in love. But the happiness that should have resulted did not come: she must have deceived herself…” (2). From this we see another one of her failed attempts to fill her void and find love. And yet, to the dismay of the critic who likes to crucify her, she states that she did indeed try to love her husband. She even tried making a valiant effort to cure her emptiness in other ways. “…she became excessively charitable. She would sew clothes for the poor, send wood to women in labor and, one day, Charles (came home to find)…three tramps sitting at the kitchen table and drinking soup.” (3) Yet, none of these seemed to be the magic cure and as her needs and emptiness grew stronger, so did Emma’s vulnerability.

This made it that much easier for her to be seduced by the pseudo-sentiment of Rodolphe, exclaiming that in his soul she was “…a Madonna on a pedestal, exalted, secure and immaculate” (4) adding “But I need you to survive” (5). These words were exactly what she needed to hear to mend that hole insider her, devoid of self worth, at least temporarily. And yet, despite her passion with Rodolphe, it still was not him that she yearned for, as much as the way he made her feel that she desired so desperately. For Rudolphe would not provide her with her so needed “quick emotional fix”. She would only mourn until another gentleman became available to provide her with this “service”.

This truly came to light as she was involved in a romantic moment with Rodolphe and her thoughts wondered to sme of those men before him. “She seemed to still be turning to that waltz in the viscount’s arms…Leon was not far off…and yet she did not stop being aware of Rodolphe’s head besider her…(as)…the sweetness of this sensation mingled with her old desires…and they were tossed around…settling on her soul” (6). This further reconfirms that the men were not part of a selfish scheme, but a means to an end in her desperate hunt for a feeling of completion and peace.

Taking our analysis a step further, clear when accompanying Emma’s emptiness, also lies an incredible enduring sadness. Whether one was a precipitate to the other, or whether they are both perhaps different hues of the same emotion is unclear. Yet, what is relevant is that this sadness exists. We see this in many places, such as when she asks Rodolphe “But does one ever find happiness?” (7) Or, when after a wonderul night she asks of him again “then why am I so sad? Is it the fear of the unknown?…” (8)

Taking all this into consideration and using the knowledge and awareness we have today, I find it not hard to arrive at the conclusion that Emma was actually suffering from depression. Therefore, her actions were not the ruthless manipulations of a villain, but the acting out of a victim trying as best as she can to get by with this undiagnosed disease…a disease which even today is under or misdiagnosed as “there are no fevers, no rashes, no blood test to send people scurrying in concern” (9).

As we look at some of the features of depression, we see that Emma’s behavior is consisten with such symptoms: persistent melancholic mood, loss of enjoyment in certain activities, changes in sleep, changes in appetite, lack of self-esteem, irritability, atention deficit, mood swings, slowing of all functions, and lastly, suicidal thoughts (10). At different points throughout the novel, she experiences each one of these. Her mood swings and indifferenece are very evident in relation to how she treats her child. The child, not overly attended to by Emma, is mentioned minimally throughout the book. But, then, in a severe change of mood, she rushes to Berthe crying “I love you so much my darling child, so much!” (11) Even the maid was “…quite amazed at this excess of affection” (12).

In another instance, Charles’ observation of her symptoms comes to light: “What frighened him most was Emma’s state of prostration, she didn’t speak, appeared not to hear…or to even suffer” 913). Even little details throughout, that at first glance seem to hold little significance, will at second glance support this premise. One of these is her inability (earlier in the story) to focus on or complete a single book. would this not be exactly the type of attention devicit that accompanies depression?

Not only is there the disease of depression, itself, but there are different types of this disease. Endogenous depression is “seen as biologically based because its occurrence is presumably linked to inner cuases rather than external changes” (14). This seems to be the strain which Emma is afflicted with. It has been a lifelong companion of hers, with no particular precipitating factor. This is evident as she couldn’t help thinking to herself “…what was making her so unhappy? Where was the extraordinary calamity that overwhelmed her?” (15) And, once again, after she is reunited with Leon, whe reflected again that “nonetheless, she was not happy, had never been happy. Why then was life so inadequate?” (16)

In the end, as we know, Emma chose to take her own life. Although the moral majority, including the church, may see this as the ultimate act of selfishness, a female writer, also suffering from depression wrote this on the topic: “Suicide is an end to the pain, the agony of despair, the slow slide into disaster, so private, but as devastating as any other ‘act of God'” (17) It was therefore very befitting that her mauseoleum epitat referred to her as “a spirit carrying an extinguished torch” (18). Her existence could not have been summed up better.

In closing, I came across a literary criticism in which the author, Gustave Flaubert, expresses that he, himself, is in some ways represented by Madame Bovary. Unfortunately, he has not cornered the market, as I, too, have lived through many of her experiences. During this time, my primary motivations (much as I believe Emma’s to be) were not to be hurtful or deceitful, but like Emma’s. Through proper diagnosis, counseling, and thorough self examination, I have come to terms with my issues of self-esteem and depression, to become a content and “whole” person of and within myself.

I am now an individual no longer in need of outside validation, but only that which I find within my own being and within my own heart. Had Madame Bovary lived in an age of knowledge and understanding of these behaviors and feelings, as we do today, she too may have overcome her emotional and mental obstacles to reach the level of achievement that I have. The fact that she not only suffered from these feelings and consequential behaviors, but that she had to suffer them in an era of ignorance and intolerance, only further confirms that she is not only a victim…but a victim two-fold.

“My soul is deprived of peace,
I have forgotten what happiness is,
I tell myself that my future is lost…”
Lamentations

Footnotes

1. Flaubert, Gustave, Madame Bovary, New York, 1964, p. 76
2. Ibid, p. 55
3. Ibid, p. 209
4. Ibid, p. 161
5. Ibid, p. 161
6. Ibid, p. 151
7. Ibid, p. 147
8. Ibid, p. 195
9. Manning, Martha, Undercurrents, New Jersey, 1994, p. 107
10. Nevid, Jeffrey, Abnormal Psychology, New York, 2000, p.235
11. Flaubert, Gustave, Madame Bovary, New York, 1964, p.172
12. Ibid, p. 172
13. Ibid, p. 204
14. Nevid, Jeffrey, Abnormal Psychology, New York, 2000, p. 239
15. Flaubert, Gustave, Madame Bovary, New York, 1964, p.172
16. Ibid, p. 267
17. Manning, Martha, Undercurrents, New York, 1994, p.99
18. Flaubert, Gustave, Madame Bovary, New York, 1964, p.319