Madame Bovary

*Madame Bovary* is a novel by Gustave Flaubert that explores the life of Emma Bovary, a bored and idealistic woman who seeks passion, luxury, and excitement beyond her provincial life through romantic fantasies and extramarital affairs. Her pursuit of these desires leads to financial ruin, emotional despair, and ultimately tragedy. The story critically examines themes of societal expectations, the emptiness of materialism, and the limitations placed on women in 19th-century France. Flaubert’s detailed realism portrays Emma’s inner struggles and the consequences of her discontent with society’s confines.