Love vs
Love vs. passion in madame bovIn an ideal world, like the one Emma Bovary yearns for in the book Madame
Bovary, romantic relationships are based on the principle that the two
participants are madly in love with each other. But in the world Gustave Flaubert paints in his book, as in the real world, passion and personal gain are the only reasons people enter into a relationship.
Before meeting Emma, Charles Bovary weds a much older woman. He
“had seen in marriage the advent of an easier life, thinking he would be more
free to do as he liked with himself and his money.”(p. 7) But he also laments
that “his wife was master; he had to say this and not say that in company, to fast
every Friday, dress as she liked, harass at her bidding those patients who did
not pay.”(p. 7) These are clearly not the signs of a loving relationship; indeed, Charles and Madame Dubuc treat marriage as a chore or formality, and not a pleasure.
When Charles takes his second wife, Emma, love is, once again, not
involved. He muses that her father, “old Rouault was rich, and she!-so
beautiful!”(p.15) He knows he will be marrying into a wealthy family, and he will be obtaining a “trophy wife.” As for Emma’s part in the marriage, she has no say whatsoever. She is given to Charles by her father in exchange for a dowry. So, before she is even married, she is already treated like chattel by the men in her life.
Their treatment of her by men lend in part to her misery. The monotony of daily life as well as her own idealistic demeanor lead to her considering taking a lover. Leon, a young villager, catches her fancy and takes an interest in her as well. But she does not give in to her desires, perhaps out of loyalty to her husband, even though she obviously does not love him. In fact, she “detests”(p. 122) Charles. But still, she does not commit adultery with...
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