Overview
19th-century French literature , recognized as one of the fathers of realism. Born in Rouen in 1821, he spent most of his life devoted entirely to his art , working on his works with extreme rigor and meticulousness .
A master of style
Flaubert is famous for his tireless search for the right word. He polished his sentences, sometimes for days, to achieve stylistic perfection and sonic harmony. This relentless work resulted in prose masterpieces characterized by impersonal narration and rigorous objectivity. He believed that the artist should step back from his work to let reality itself speak , an evolutionary idea for the time.
His major works
His most famous novel , Madame Bovary (1857), was a turning point in literature. The story of Emma Bovary, a woman bored with her provincial life and seeking escape in adultery , shocked contemporary society . Flaubert was prosecuted for outrage against public decency, but was acquitted , making his book even more popular.
Other important works by Flaubert include:
Salammbô (1862): a historical and exotic novel set in ancient Carthage.
Sentimental Education (1869): a novel that traces the history of a disillusioned generation through the loves and life of Frédéric Moreau .
the most famous of which is A Simple Heart, the story of the devoted servant Felicité .
A lasting impact
Flaubert’s influence was immense . He laid the foundations of the modern novel by moving away from Romanticism and emphasizing discipline, careful observation, and stylistic refinement. His concern for precision and detachment inspired many writers, from Maupassant to Proust and many others, making him a key figure in world literature.
History
Gustave Flaubert was born in 1821 in Rouen, Normandy, into a wealthy family. The son of a chief surgeon, he grew up in an environment that valued science and observation, an influence that would profoundly influence his style. From an early age , he developed a passion for literature and moved away from the law studies he had begun in Paris, which he abandoned after a nervous breakdown in 1844.
Having become a rentier following the death of his father , Flaubert retired to his estate in Croisset, near Rouen , where he led a reclusive life dedicated to his art. His life was marked by an obsessive search for stylistic perfection, known as “gueuloir” (the act of shouting out his sentences to test their sound). His goal was to achieve the “right word” and to erase the author’s presence to let the story speak for itself .
A realistic and controversial writer
His life as a writer is above all a story of hard and solitary work. Work on his masterpiece, Madame Bovary (1857), took him nearly five years. This novel, which depicts the life of a provincial woman stifled by boredom and conformity, caused a scandal upon its publication. Flaubert was prosecuted for outrage against public decency, but his acquittal propelled him to the forefront of the literary scene .
After this success , Flaubert continued to perfect his style through works as diverse as the historical and poetic novel Salammbô ( 1862), the autobiographical and disillusioned L’ Éducation sentimentale (1869) and the collection of short stories Trois contes (1877), which includes the very moving ” Un cœur simple”.
A difficult end of life and an immense legacy
Despite this recognition, the end of his life was marred by financial difficulties and illness. He devoted himself to writing his final novel, Bouvard et Pécuchet, a scathing critique of human stupidity , which he left unfinished at his death in 1880.
Flaubert left a colossal literary legacy , not only through his works, but also through his correspondence, which is a valuable source on his conception of art and his life. He is considered a precursor of the modern novel and a master of realism, influencing a whole generation of writers, including Maupassant.
Timeline
This is a timeline of the life and works of Gustave Flaubert, one of the greatest writers of the 19th century , known for his demanding style and his major role in the development of realism .
Beginnings and training (1821-1846)
12, 1821: Birth of Gustave Flaubert in Rouen, Normandy.
1840: He obtained his baccalaureate and began studying law in Paris, but quickly lost interest .
January 1844: A nervous breakdown forces him to abandon his studies. He returns to his family in Croisset, where he will devote himself entirely to writing for the rest of his life.
January 15, 1846: Death of his father . Two months later, his sister Caroline also died in childbirth. This profound grief left a lasting mark on him.
maturity and masterpieces (1849-1877)
1849-1851: Flaubert travels to the Orient (Egypt, Palestine, Türkiye) with his friend Maxime Du Camp, an experience that will nourish his imagination.
1851-1856: He worked intensively on Madame Bovary. It was a meticulous creative process, in which he tirelessly searched for the right word.
1857: Publication of Madame Bovary. The work caused a scandal and Flaubert was taken to court for “contempt of public and religious morality.” He was eventually acquitted .
1862: Publication of Salammbô , an exotic historical novel which meets with great success .
1869: Publication of Sentimental Education, which depicts the disillusionment of a generation . The novel was a commercial and critical failure, but is now considered one of his major works.
1877: Publication of Three Tales, a collection of short stories which notably includes “A Simple Heart”.
End of life and legacy (1875-1880)
1875: Flaubert experiences significant financial difficulties following the ruin of his niece’s husband .
1877-1880: He works on his last novel, Bouvard et Pécuchet, a satire on the stupidity and absurdity of knowledge.
May 8, 1880: Flaubert dies in Croisset of a cerebral hemorrhage , leaving Bouvard and Pécuchet unfinished . His work will be published posthumously .
Characteristics of Novels
Gustave Flaubert’s novels are distinguished by a set of characteristics that make them major works of realism and precursors of the modern novel. ✍ ️ His texts are the fruit of hard work, and he leaves nothing to chance.
Style and method
The quest for the “right word”: Flaubert is famous for his obsessive search for the perfect expression. He would reread his sentences aloud in his “gueuloir” to check their musicality and accuracy, which gave his prose great formal perfection.
Impersonality: Flaubert completely erases himself from his works. He refuses to intervene as a narrator to give his opinion or moralize. He lets the facts and characters speak for themselves , which creates an impression of objectivity and detachment. This principle was a true revolution for the time.
Realism and Observation: For Flaubert, the novel must depict reality with scientific accuracy. He researches extensively and incorporates precise details and meticulous descriptions to immerse the reader in the social and historical framework of his stories .
Themes and characters
Criticism of Romanticism and Human Stupidity : Although he himself was influenced by Romanticism , Flaubert criticizes its illusions and idealism. His characters, such as Emma Bovary, are often overwhelmed by the triviality of everyday life, as reality never matches their romantic dreams . Flaubert also shows great irony towards the stupidity and mediocrity of the bourgeoisie and society .
Boredom and Pessimism: Flaubert’s novels, particularly Madame Bovary and Sentimental Education, are imbued with a deep sense of weariness and boredom. His characters are often disenchanted and unable to find meaning in their lives.
The failure of ambitions: Its protagonists, whether young bourgeois (Fréd éric Moreau) or copyists (Bouvard and Pécuchet), are driven by great aspirations which invariably clash with the banality of the real world, leading to failure and disillusionment .
Style(s), genre(s), theme ( s) and technique(s)
Gustave Flaubert’s novels are founding works of 19th-century realism , characterized by a methodical approach and an extremely polished style .
Style and method
His style is defined by an obsessive search for the “right word” and meticulous attention to the musicality of the sentence. Flaubert uses a writing technique based on impersonality , where the narrator steps aside to let the events and characters speak for themselves . He uses free indirect speech to make his characters’ thoughts heard while maintaining a narrative distance. His method is based on exhaustive documentation and rigorous observation of reality .
Movements and eras
Flaubert is the leader of realism, a literary and artistic movement that seeks to represent reality in an objective and detailed manner . His work is also a transition between Romanticism, which he criticizes while being imbued with it , and Naturalism, of which he is a precursor. His novels belong to the 19th century , a time of great social change and disillusionment .
Genres and forms
Flaubert’s main genre is the novel. He explored different forms of this genre:
, Sentimental Education), which depicts the life and customs of a society .
The historical novel (Salammb ô).
The short story (Three tales).
The philosophical and satirical novel (Bouvard and Pé cuchet).
Themes and subjects
The major themes of his novels are:
Disenchantment and disillusionment, often linked to the failure of ambitions and dreams .
Criticism of the bourgeoisie and its stupidity .
The conflict between dream and reality , often symbolized by the boredom and triviality of everyday life.
Fate and social determinism, which crush the characters.
The mediocrity of the human condition .
Impacts & Influences
Gustave Flaubert is a pivotal figure in modern literature, whose impact extends far beyond his own time. His influence is felt both by writers of his time and by subsequent generations , profoundly changing the way the art of the novel is conceived.
Impacts on realism and French literature
Flaubert was one of the main architects of realism. 📚 His insistence on objectivity, impersonality, and documentation redefined the standards of novel writing. Far from Romanticism and its passionate outbursts, he showed how the most banal everyday life could become the subject of great art.
The “right word” and stylistic perfection: Flaubert’s obsessive quest for the perfect sentence elevated style to a major issue. He taught writers that art lies not only in the subject, but also in the form.
Impersonality: By removing himself from the narrative, Flaubert gave the novel a neutrality that has influenced many authors. This detachment allows the reader to judge for himself , without the moral interference of the author.
Heirs and global influences
‘s influence extends far beyond French borders .
Naturalism: Émile Zola, although he had his own theories , continued along the path of scientific realism opened by Flaubert, applying even more rigorous observation methods to the description of social environments.
Anglo-Saxon writers: The American writer Henry James admired Flaubert’s work, considering him a “writer for writers.” His novels, focused on psychology and the subtleties of social relationships, owe much to Flaubertian precision . Other figures such as Joseph Conrad were influenced by his style.
Modernity: Later, Flaubert influenced writers like Marcel Proust, who praised his mastery of the phrase. Twentieth- century authors , from Vladimir Nabokov to Michel Butor (for the Nouveau Roman), entered into a dialogue with his work, either imitating it or distancing themselves from it.
Flaubert is therefore an essential milestone in literature, because he transformed the novel into a demanding and self-conscious art form .
Relationships with novelists
Gustave Flaubert maintained complex and significant relationships with several writers of his time, mainly through extensive correspondence and regular meetings in Parisian salons. These relationships, often based on mutual respect despite aesthetic differences, played a crucial role in the literary landscape of the 19th century .
Guy de Maupassant
The relationship with Guy de Maupassant is undoubtedly the most famous and the most paternal. 👨 🏫 Flaubert was a friend of Maupassant’s family and took the young writer under his wing, guiding and advising him rigorously . In particular, he instilled in him his fundamental principle: work and discipline. Flaubert encouraged Maupassant to write and was the first to recognize his talent after the publication of Boule de Suif, which he called a masterpiece . Flaubert’s death in 1880 deeply affected Maupassant .
George Sand
George Sand and Flaubert maintained a deep and fascinating literary and epistolary friendship, despite diametrically opposed visions of the world and art . 💌 George Sand, a romantic and idealist, believed in the social utility of art and the need to put one’s heart into one’s works. Flaubert, a realist and pessimist, defended art for art’s sake and the absolute impersonality of the artist. Their correspondence reveals a passionate exchange , in which George Sand attempts to bring Flaubert back towards more humanity, while he remains faithful to his demand for stylistic detachment.
Émile Zola
The relationship between Flaubert and Émile Zola began in 1869 and lasted until Flaubert ‘s death. Zola admired Flaubert, whom he considered his master . Flaubert, although he was sometimes annoyed by Zola ‘s theories of naturalism, recognized his immense talent. The two men exchanged views on each other’s works, and Flaubert praised Zola’s strength and observation. Zola, for his part , attended Flaubert ‘s literary Sundays in Paris and often sought his approval, recognizing him as a precursor of his own movement.
The Goncourt brothers
Flaubert maintained a friendship with the brothers Edmond and Jules de Goncourt, important figures of realism. Flaubert met with them regularly and shared discussions on literature and art. Their famous Journal offers a valuable account of Flaubert and his working method, describing in detail his “gueuloir” and his search for the right word. Although Flaubert may have been critical of their style, which he sometimes found too busy, he respected their observational work and their role in modernizing writing .
Relationships
Gustave Flaubert maintained important relationships with figures who were not exclusively novelists, shaping his thinking and work. These relationships were often by letter or took place in the context of literary encounters.
Relationships with poets
Flaubert had a complex relationship with the poets of his time. ✍ ️ Although he focused on prose, poetry occupied an important place in his life. His most notable relationship was with the poet Louise Colet. Their tumultuous love is best known through their abundant correspondence. In these letters, Flaubert developed his theories on art, style, and impersonality , defending an aesthetic that opposed the lyrical exaltation of Romanticism, of which Colet was a representative .
Another key figure was the poet Louis Bouilhet. Bouilhet was his closest friend and “literary conscience.” He often reread Flaubert’s manuscripts, especially Madame Bovary, advising and critiquing him. Flaubert considered him “half of his brain,” and their collaboration was essential in Flaubert’s creative process.
Relations with other personalities from the literary world
Flaubert interacted with philosophical figures and critics. He was notably a friend of the critic and historian Hippolyte Taine. Flaubert read Taine’s works, as evidenced by the file of notes he left on works by Spinoza and Hegel, and was interested in his scientific approach to literature, which may have reinforced his own vision of realism. He was also in contact with playwrights, such as Victor Hugo, and himself attempted to venture into the theatrical genre, notably with The Candidate (1874), a critical and commercial failure.
Flaubert maintained a correspondence with his niece , Caroline Commanville. These letters, often full of advice and remarks on his work, offer valuable insight into his personal reflections on art, life, and society , reinforcing the idea that for Flaubert, literature was a solitary and absolute passion that drew its nourishment from exchanges with a very small circle of intimates.
Similar Novelists
In general , novelists similar to Gustave Flaubert are those who share his commitment to realism, stylistic perfection, and a meticulous observation of detail. Here are some important names:
From the same century as Flaubert
Guy de Maupassant: Maupassant was a direct disciple of Flaubert. He inherited his taste for impersonality, brevity of sentence and clinical description of morals and social circles. His realism is often darker and more pessimistic than Flaubert’s .
Honoré de Balzac: Balzac is considered the father of French realism . Although his style is less refined than Flaubert’s, he shares with him a titanic ambition to exhaustively depict the society of his time. Flaubert admired Balzac but criticized his style, which he sometimes considered sloppy .
Émile Zola: Zola is the leader of naturalism, a literary movement that pushes realism even further by adding a scientific and deterministic dimension . Zola considered Flaubert a precursor and shared his love of documentation and detailed description .
Beyond France
Henry James (United States): Henry James was a great admirer of Flaubert. He shared his concern for composition, psychological finesse, and a technical approach to writing. His prose, though different, is of great precision and complexity, seeking to probe the consciousness of his characters.
Anton Chekhov (Russia): Although he is better known for his plays , Chekhov’s short stories are an example of realism and impersonality . He depicts the ordinary lives of his characters with a gaze that is both detached and deeply empathetic.
Leo Tolstoy (Russia): Like Flaubert, Tolstoy is a master of describing the mores of his time. His novel Anna Karenina is often compared to Madame Bovary for its exploration of the themes of adultery and boredom in high society .
These novelists are examples that illustrate Flaubert’s legacy: a legacy of style, method, and a demanding vision of the novel as an art form in its own right .
Novels
Gustave Flaubert is famous for several novels that are considered masterpieces of French literature and founding texts of realism. Here are the best known:
Madame Bovary (1857): This is his most famous novel and a major work of world literature. It tells the story of Emma Bovary, a woman bored with her provincial life and seeking escape in adultery and dreams of luxury , until her tragic downfall. The novel caused a scandal upon its publication, but is now admired for its impeccable style and psychological and social description.
Salammbô (1862): This novel is a striking contrast to the realism of Madame Bovary. It is a historical novel set in ancient Carthage, just after the First Punic War. Flaubert uses lyrical prose and exotic descriptions, the result of a colossal amount of research.
Sentimental Education (1869): This novel, often considered the male counterpart to Madame Bovary, traces the life of Frédéric Moreau from 1840 to 1851. It is a work that depicts the disillusionment of a generation through the failed loves and ambitions of its protagonist. Although it was a commercial failure upon its release, it is now seen as a masterpiece .
Three Tales (1877): This collection of three short stories is an example of Flaubert’s perfection in prose. It includes three very different stories : “A Simple Heart” (the story of a devoted servant ), “The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitaller” (a medieval legend ), and “Herodias” (a version of the story of the beheading of John the Baptist).
Bouvard and Pécuchet (posthumous, 1881): This unfinished novel is a satire on human stupidity and encyclopedic knowledge. It follows two copyists who, after inheriting a fortune , decide to embark on the study of all the sciences and arts, systematically failing in their endeavors.
Madame Bovary (1857)
The Story of Emma Bovary
famous novel , published in 1857. It tells the story of Emma Bovary, a young woman from the Normandy countryside, raised in a convent and passionate about romantic romance novels. She is deeply bored with her life, which does not correspond to her aspirations and dreams . To escape this dreary reality , she marries Charles Bovary, an honest but mediocre and unambitious country doctor .
After their marriage, the couple moved to Yonville, a small provincial town. Emma, even more disillusioned by married life and the boredom of the rural bourgeoisie, sought escape. She embarked on adulterous affairs , first with a wealthy landowner, Rodolphe Boulanger, and then with a shy notary’s clerk, Léon Dupuis.
These relationships, which were supposed to offer her the happiness and passion she idealizes, end in bitter failure. Rodolphe abandons her, and Léon cannot meet her desires for luxury and a high society life. To maintain the lifestyle she dreams of having, Emma goes into heavy debt with a deceitful merchant, Lheureux.
Emma’s Fall
Emma sinks deeper into debt and despair. Unable to meet repayments, she faces seizure of her property. Rejected by all her lovers and so-called friends, she finds herself alone and with no way out. To escape humiliation and ruin , she commits suicide by swallowing arsenic.
Why is the novel so important?
Realism: Flaubert depicted provincial life with unprecedented precision and attention to detail . He refused to glorify his characters and showed the stark, banal reality of their existence .
Style: The novel is a lesson in literary style. Flaubert worked tirelessly to find the “right word” and used free indirect speech to express his characters’ thoughts without ever judging them.
The scandal: Upon its publication, the novel was deemed immoral and led to Flaubert being put on trial for “contempt of public and religious morality.” His acquittal made him a major figure in French literature .
Sentimental Education (1869)
Sentimental Education is a novel by Gustave Flaubert, published in 1869. Often considered the male counterpart to Madame Bovary, it is a fresco of French youth from 1840 to 1851, and the story of failure and disillusionment .
A young man and his disillusionment
Gustave Flaubert’s Sentimental Education follows the life of Frédéric Moreau , an ambitious and naive young man who arrives in Paris in 1840 to pursue his law studies. He quickly becomes swept away by social events and platonic love affairs, neglecting his professional ambitions.
Frédéric meets and falls madly in love with Marie Arnoux, the wife of an art dealer. This passion is the driving force of the plot. It renders him passive, pushing him to fantasize about an impossible relationship rather than take action to make his dreams come true .
At the same time , the novel paints a detailed portrait of French society at the time . Frédéric frequented artistic and political circles where he met a variety of characters: the corrupt banker Dambreuse, the desperate artist Pellerin , the political activist Deslauriers, and many others. These encounters reflect the social and political upheavals of the period, notably the Revolution of 1848.
The loves of Frédéric
Frédéric is unable to commit to a lasting relationship; his love life is a series of failures and failed loves. He has affairs with other women, such as the courtesan Rosanette and the bourgeois Madame Dambreuse, but none can replace his love for Marie Arnoux. These affairs are fleeting and superficial , and they bring him neither happiness nor fulfillment.
Frederick ‘s hopes and dreams gradually crumble . He fails to find his place in society , fails in his ambitions, and his love life is reduced to disappointments . He is the symbol of a lost youth, unable to transform his aspirations into concrete actions . The novel ends on a note of introspection, where we see that Frederick ‘s youthful passions have led him nowhere .
The novel takes place against a backdrop of major political upheavals, including the Revolution of 1848 and the coup d’état of December 2, 1851. Flaubert depicts an entire generation whose political and sentimental hopes and ideals have been shattered. The novel ends on a somber note, where the aging Frédéric recalls with his friend Deslauriers the only time in their youth when they showed any audacity, a simple visit to a brothel.
Why is the novel important?
Novel of failure: Unlike traditional novels, Sentimental Education does not follow the rise of its hero, but rather his fall and inaction. It is a critique of romanticism and its illusions.
Realism: Flaubert depicts the political and artistic life of the time with historical and social accuracy. His style is neutral and impersonal, without any moral judgment.
Boredom: The novel is a meditation on boredom and the emptiness of existence, a central theme in Flaubert’s work. Frédéric is an anti-hero, a passive character who finds no meaning in his life.
Bouvard and Pé Cuchet (posthumous, 1881)
Bouvard and Pécuchet is an unfinished novel by Gustave Flaubert, published posthumously in 1881. It is a ferocious satire on human stupidity and the absurdity of knowledge.
The story of two copyists
The novel begins with a chance encounter between two men, François Bouvard and Juste Pécuchet, who bear a striking resemblance to each other and share the same profession as copyists. They become friends and, after both inheriting a fortune, decide to buy a farm in Normandy to retire from Parisian life.
They settled in Chavignolles, determined to educate themselves and live independently . Their plan was simple: to study all areas of human knowledge and put them into practice.
A quest for knowledge doomed to failure
Bouvard and Pécuchet enthusiastically embarked on a series of experiments and studies in every imaginable field:
Agriculture: They read treatises and manuals on how to cultivate their gardens, but their attempts end in bitter failure.
Medicine and chemistry: they dabble in medicine, concocting remedies that only aggravate the ills of their neighbors.
Politics: They debate politics and religion, but their opinions change with each new book they read.
Science, literature, philosophy, archaeology: they tackle all subjects, but their lack of method and their systematic spirit lead them to confusion and ridicule.
Flaubert left extensive notes for the rest of the novel, where the two men were to return to their first profession as copyists, copying all the documents they found, illustrating the idea that knowledge leads nowhere .
Works outside the novels
Apart from his famous novels , Gustave Flaubert wrote several works of various genres, which complete his literary corpus and reveal other facets of his genius .
Three Tales (1877): This is his most famous collection of short stories , a masterpiece of short prose. It is composed of three stories: “A Simple Heart” (the story of a devoted servant ), “The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitaller” (a medieval tale of redemption), and “Herodias” (a version of the story of John the Baptist).
The Candidate (1874): This is a play , a comedy that critiques the political mores of the time. Flaubert attempted to achieve success on stage , but the play was a commercial and critical failure .
The Dictionary of Received Ideas ( published posthumously): This is a satirical project that Flaubert worked on throughout his life. It is a collection of bourgeois expressions and clichés, aimed at exposing the stupidity and conformism of the society of his time. This dictionary was intended to be part of the unfinished novel Bouvard and Pécuchet .
The Temptation of Saint Anthony (three versions, 1849, 1856, 1874): This is a philosophical and poetic drama that explores the themes of temptation and holiness. Flaubert deploys a rich and imaginative style , inspired by his readings of the Fathers of the Church and philosophers.
Correspondence: Flaubert left behind a wealth of high-quality correspondence, which is now an essential part of his oeuvre. These letters to friends such as George Sand, Guy de Maupassant, and Louise Colet are a valuable testimony to his creative process, his aesthetic ideas , and his worldview.
Episodes and anecdotes
Gustave Flaubert, despite his life as a recluse in Croisset, was the protagonist of several significant episodes and anecdotes that shed light on his personality, his writing process and his place in the literary world.
The Trial of Madame Bovary
Perhaps the most famous episode in Flaubert’s life was his trial for outrage against public morality and religion in 1857, following the publication of Madame Bovary. Imperial prosecutor Ernest Pinard criticized the novel for its “vulgar realism” and immorality . Flaubert was defended by lawyer Marie-Antoine-Jules Sénard. The trial lasted five days and ended in his acquittal, an outcome that not only saved his career but also made him a key figure in French literature . The trial paradoxically contributed to the novel’s success , drawing public attention to a work perceived as scandalous.
The “shouter” and the quest for the “right word”
For Flaubert, writing was a true craft. He is famous for his “gueuloir,” a method he used to test the musicality and rhythm of his sentences. He reread his texts aloud , almost shouting them, to ensure that each word was in its place and that the sentence had perfect harmony. This method symbolizes his obsessive quest for the “right word” and his conviction that the art of prose was as rigorous as poetry. It was at Croisset, in the solitude of his home, that he devoted himself to this exercise with unwavering rigor.
Flaubert’s statue in Rouen
An anecdote tells that at the inauguration of Flaubert’s statue in Rouen in 1907, his friend and disciple Guy de Maupassant refused to attend. Maupassant, who had a complex relationship of admiration and respect for his master , is said to have declared that he could not bear the thought of seeing Flaubert “transformed into bronze.” This reaction testifies to the deep affection and loyalty Maupassant felt for Flaubert, a bond so strong that he could not reduce him to a mere monument.
The Authors ‘ Dinner and Taine’s Joke
At a dinner party with the critic Hippolyte Taine, Flaubert was the butt of a joke. In the middle of a conversation, Taine asked him: “Say, Flaubert, do you know that oysters are the dumbest animals in the world?” Flaubert, always serious, is said to have replied: “No, I don’t have that information.” Taine then reportedly smiled broadly and added: “Well, now you’ve got it !” This anecdote, perhaps apocryphal , highlights Flaubert’s austere and often dour character , who was more at ease in the world of ideas than in that of social banter.
(This article was generated by Gemini. And it’s just a reference document for discovering poet and poetries you don’t know yet.)
Index of notes on novelists and literary periods
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