Character Analysis of Madam Bovary

Character Analysis of Madam Bovary
Richard Brooks
English 226
Essay # 4
July 10th 2003



Madame Bovary, written by Gustave Flaubert was considered very controversial when it was first published. The novel was actually tried in a court of justice for obscenity, because it was alleged to be concerned with adultery and contains situations and allusions that shocked the prudish philistine government of Napoleon III. It was cited for "offenses against morality and religion. Fortunately, Flaubert won his case and "Madame Bovary" remains to this day one of the masterpieces of French and world literature. It still holds up fairly well today. The psychological descriptions are so well depicted that they transport the readers to the character's most inner psyche. An analysis can be made of the two most important roles composing this novel: Emma and Charles.

Emma Bovary
One may say that Emma Bovary is one of the most interesting women characters of world literature. One of the major...