Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Madame Bovary - post II

Having a rough idea of what is coming - in terms of the adultery presumably that is not too far off the horizon – the question the reader faces is whether or not they feel that Madame Bovary would be justified.

She is certainly bored enough and dislikes her husband enough but something at this stage holds her back otherwise why not get involved with Leon the lawyers clerk? Mind you it is not too long before temptation returns in another guise.

Bullet points between 60 – 134

* Facing a life of rural boredom Madame Bovary gets her husband to move to take up a position in another larger village and there she is able to at least get a chance to change the scene and meet some new people

* There are a handful of characters that interact with the Bovary’s on a daily basis and one of these becomes Leon the lawyer’s clerk who falls in love with Emma and although she feels the same she buries her feelings

* Emma concentrates on busying herself in the house but the more work she does making the home perfect for Charles the more her distaste for him and her life increases and she starts to spoil herself with a few luxury items

* Meanwhile Charles is oblivious to it all and even fails to pick up on the tension when Emma hurts their daughter in a temper and he gets bogged down in dealing with patients, one of which takes a shine to his wife

* The bored aristocratic patient focuses his attention on Madame Bovary and decides that as the town celebrates hosting the agricultural fair he will make an attempt to make a conquest of her

More tomorrow…