Fate in "Madame Bovary"

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that in many novels of the Romantic age, fate is considered a cruel force which is out there to attack and hurt others. The paper believes that fate is actually used as an easy scapegoat to take responsibility for one's own selfish actions. In particular, the paper looks at the strange ways in which fate appeared in "Madame Bovary" and how some are even comical. The paper asserts that fate had wanted Madame Bovary to stay imprisoned in the circularity of her existence and stay with Charles all her life.

From the Paper:

"Fate may be the same thing as destiny but with heavily negative connotations. For some reason even though fate can be positive too, in literature it has mostly been used as an evil naturalistic force that is cruel and doesn't help the characters involved. The word fate is frequently used in Gustave Flaubert's masterpiece, Madame Bovary. The novel is a classic with few known works to match its stature but it is as much influenced by the times in which it was written as any other."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Thibaudet, Albert. "Madame Bovary." Trans. Paul de Man. Madame Bovary Backgrounds and Sources Essays in Criticism. Ed. Paul de Man. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1965. 371-383.
• Madame Bovary Backgrounds and Sources Essays in Criticism. Ed. Paul de Man. New York:W.W. Norton & Company, 1965.

More papers on Fate in "Madame Bovary":

• Book Review # 123672 : "Fate in 'Madame Bovary'"
• Analytical Essay # 16674 : "Determinism in "Madame Bovary"
• Book Review # 71182 : "Madame Bovary"

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