Emma Bovary and Edna Pontellier are two of many nineteenth-century female protagonists who fail in their struggles out of the boredom of married life. Among Anna Karenina, Effi Briest, Hedda Gabler and others, they, too, commit suicide. In this essay, Gustave Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary” will be compared to the American novel “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin. First of all, general similarities and differences, such as the historical background, characters, plot, conflicts and motifs, will be examined. In the third chapter, the scenes of suicide will be compared more closely in order to point out the differences between Chopin and Flaubert concerning language and style. Finally, a summarizing conclusion will be given.
Table of Contents
I Introduction
II General comparison
a. Historical background
b. Characters and plot
c. Conflicts and motifs
III The suicide scenes in comparison
IV Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the parallels and divergences between Gustave Flaubert’s "Madame Bovary" and Kate Chopin’s "The Awakening," focusing on how both nineteenth-century female protagonists navigate societal constraints and marital boredom. The study examines character motivations, structural similarities in their romantic entanglements, and the distinct stylistic portrayals of their ultimate suicides.
- Comparative analysis of historical and feminist contexts
- Examination of character development and romantic disillusionment
- Structural comparison of plot parallels and male influence
- Evaluation of Realism versus Romanticism in narrative style
- Analysis of suicide scenes as thematic resolutions
Excerpt from the Book
III The suicide scenes in comparison
While Flaubert describes his protagonist’s death with cruel precision filling eight pages, Chopin awakens a vague romantic image of suicide on less than one page. The differences in language and style between these two novels become most apparent here. Chopin plays with romantic imaginery and subtle allusions, whereas Flaubert disillusions those who believe in an easy escape from life, including Emma herself: “ ‘Ah, it is but a little thing, death!’ she thought. ‘I shall fall asleep and all will be over.’” (Flaubert 223) In a very realistic way, he describes Emma’s physical sufferings which seem gruesome to the reader: “Drops of sweat oozed from her bluish face, that seemed as if rigid in the exhalations of a metallic vapour. Her teeth chattered, her dilated eyes looked vaguely about her, […].” (Flaubert: 224)
The dying scene is the ending climax in a series of Emma’s disillusions. After all those unfulfilled longings and all those failings in her life, she suffers from a cruel death. Inevitably, this causes a state of pity and compassion in the reader. However, it is also a kind of moral justice for the adulterous woman.
This is different in “The Awakening”. There, one of the vague hints that Edna actually commits suicide is the following: “Perhaps Doctor Mandelet would have understood if she had seen him – but it was too late; the shore was far behind her, and her strength was gone.” (Chopin: 128) Here, for the reader, the death seems quick and soothing: “She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again.” (Chopin: 128) After this short instant of terror, Edna imagines her youth by hearing sounds of her home and smelling familiar smells.
Summary of Chapters
I Introduction: This chapter introduces the two protagonists, Emma Bovary and Edna Pontellier, and outlines the comparative focus on their struggles and eventual suicides.
II General comparison: This section provides a detailed analysis of historical contexts, character parallels, and structural similarities in the romantic lives of the two women.
III The suicide scenes in comparison: This chapter contrasts the graphic, realistic death of Emma Bovary with the ambiguous, romanticized suicide of Edna Pontellier.
IV Conclusion: The final section synthesizes the findings, attributing differences to the authors' distinct historical periods, gender perspectives, and literary influences.
Keywords
Madame Bovary, The Awakening, Flaubert, Chopin, suicide, romanticism, realism, feminism, nineteenth-century, marriage, boredom, literary comparison, social conventions, independence, adultery
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper provides a comparative literary analysis of Gustave Flaubert’s "Madame Bovary" and Kate Chopin’s "The Awakening," examining the lives and deaths of their female protagonists.
What are the central themes discussed?
The work explores themes of marital unhappiness, societal expectations, the struggle for female independence, romantic illusions, and the depiction of death.
What is the core research question of this study?
The study asks how the two protagonists' struggles with societal roles compare and how their respective authors utilize different literary styles and attitudes to depict their ultimate downfall.
Which methodology is applied in this analysis?
The author uses a comparative literature approach, contrasting historical backgrounds, character trajectories, and stylistic choices regarding plot construction and death scenes.
What content is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates the historical background, characters, plot structures, thematic conflicts, and finally, a detailed comparison of the suicide scenes in both novels.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Realism, Romanticism, feminist movement, adultery, social conventions, and comparative literature.
How does the author characterize the difference in the suicide scenes?
Flaubert is described as using "cruel precision" and realistic imagery to emphasize the physical suffering of death, while Chopin uses "vague romantic imagery" to portray the death as quick and soothing.
What role do the husbands, Charles Bovary and Léonce Pontellier, play in the narrative?
Both husbands are portrayed as preoccupied with their work and social status, often ignoring their wives' emotional needs, which contributes to the protagonists' feelings of boredom and isolation.
- Quote paper
- Daria Eva Stanco (Author), 2007, Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" and Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" in comparison, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/88424
