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Flaubert, G

Name: Gustave Flaubert

Achievements: Great French novelist

Born: December 12, 1821; Rouen, France

Died: May 8, 1880; Croisset, France. Aged 59

Field & Discipline: Art; Literature; Writer

Language: French

Father: Achille Clephas Flaubert

Mother: Caroline Fleuriot

Siblings: Achille; Caroline

Spouse: None

Children: None

Education: Rouen College

Major Work:

"Madame Bovary"

Life & Times:

At 18 Flaubert began "Smarh" (published until 35 years later) but despite his love of

writing, he registered at the School of Law in Paris.  Two years later, he was asked to leave because it was discovered he was an epileptic. He then settled down to a serious writing career. Writer Maxime du Camp helped Flaubert make his way in Paris.  Flaubert was thrilled to meet French writer [met] Hugo* in 1843, and in 1846, at 25, he met poet

Louise Colet, who became his mistress.

Flaubert began revising "Smarh" and before setting off for a trip abroad, gave it to Du Camp to read and to poet Louis Bouilhet.  The work had a nihilistic streak, reflecting the ideas of Dutch philosopher [influenced by]  Spinoza*, whom Flaubert admired.  Du Camp said flatly the work was no good, and Bouilhet said Flaubert should emulate French author Honore de Balzac and write about real, everyday events. As a example, he told Flaubert a true story about a country doctor who had died of grief after his wife

deceived and ruined him.  This is often cited as the inspiration for Flaubert's masterwork "Madame Bovary."

Flaubert and du Camp left France in late 1849 and traveled for more than a year and a half.  They spent five months sailing the Nile, and visited Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece and then Italy.  When they returned to Paris, du Camp founded a periodical, "Revue de Paris,” and  Flaubert settled down outside Rouen to write "Madame Bovary.”  He  took five years to finish the novel, writing about three pages a day.

Du Camp agreed to serialize the work in his "Revue de Paris,” but when he saw the manuscript, he was scandalized and demanded cuts. The "Revue" had already been warned by the government that realism in art could lead to revolutionary socialism.  If nothing else, "Madame Bovary" was realistic.  Flaubert reluctantly agreed to make some cuts and the novel was run in the "Revue" from  October to December, 1856.

"Madame Bovary" was fairly well received by the literary public, but before the last instalment, Flaubert was charged with offending public morality and religion. This made the novel instantly famous,  and when it appeared in book form, it was a runaway success.

Flaubert began work on "Salammbo,”  a novel that takes place during the mercenaries' rebellion between 240 and 237 B.C.  His main authority was Polybius, the Greek historian, who  accompanied the general Scipio at the taking of Carthage.  The book appeared in 1862.  Critics were hostile but it sold well. IT was later set to music by [work adapted by] Mussorgsky* as “Boris Gudonov.”

French writer [a pal of] Sand*, whom Flaubert had met in 1859, wrote a favorable review of the novel and Flaubert wrote to thank her and asked for her portrait. They met often in Paris, visited each other's homes and exchanged long letters, despite the fact that they did not like each other’s style.  Flaubert also made friends with American writer [a pal of] Henry James*.

It was Flaubert's habit to spend the winter in Paris and the rest of the year near Rouen, where he entertained friends, including French philosopher [a pal of] Taine*, Sand, and others. A celebrated figure, Flaubert was invited to royal receptions by [received by] Napoleon III*.  He was awarded the Legion of Honor.

In 1869, Flaubert finished "L'Education Sentimentale,” a novel which dealt with the period 1840-51 in Paris, when unrest prevailed and socialism was gaining some favor.  The negative response to the book depressed Flaubert.

When the Franco-Prussian war broke out in 1870, Flaubert  became a lieutenant in the

National Guard and registered as a nurse at the Hotel Dieu.  He went to Rouen, near his home, for lessons in the art of war and undertook military excursions in the woods.

Flaubert struggled against illness and depression to write two plays, which were not successful.  He joined a group of other writers whose common bond was that they had had their works hissed off the stage. In the group were Russian writer Ivan [a pal of] Turgenev*, whom he had  met in 1874, French writer [ a pal of] Zola*, Edmond de Goncourt and French novelist Alphonse Daudet.  Of particular delight to Flaubert was his friendship with the young French writer [a pal of] De Maupassant*, whom he took under his wing and encouraged to consider the short story a literary form.

In 1874, Flaubert published "Smarh" under the title "La Tentation de Saint Antoine (The Temptation of St. Antony").   He abandoned another long novel to write "Trois Contes (Three Short Stories").   He died after a cerebral hemorrhage.

Extra Connections: “Madame Bovary” was translated by [translated by] Eleanor Marx*

Assessment: Acknowledged as one of the great masters of 19th century

literature.

Oneliner: Gustav Flaubert, great French novelist

Bibliography: