There's Something About Bovary

Whilst reading Madame Bovary, I found myself enthralled with the concept of the powerlessness of women throughout the text. Simply looking at Emma’s strong desire to have a male child rather than a girl, it is strange to me to think that she truly wishes and hopes that she gives birth to a boy. We can clearly see her life being affected again and again by the men that surround her, may it be for better or worse.

I am just very interested in what Flaubert is trying to accomplish by showcasing her lack of power but then ultimately requiring her to claim responsibility for her actions. She chooses to be unfaithful to her husband; it is not forced upon her. She ultimately makes the immoral decision, which also leads to her suicide. She has to use sexuality in order to end her life and gain access to the poison.

I’m not sure how I ultimately felt about the novel, mostly because of this concept of the powerlessness of women. Looking at other classic novels, I find Emma to be one of the weakest female characters and ultimately one of the most flawed. Of course, I can enjoy it, but I also can’t see why Flaubert would claim to be Madame Bovary. Why would you want to be her? She’s ultimately incredibly trapped.