The Complete Works: Novels, Short Stories, Plays, Memoirs and Letters (Annotated)

Enriched Edition. From Madame Bovary to Sentimental Education: French realism in novels, tales, letters

Gustave Flaubert, Eleanor Marx-Aveling

• Publisher: e-artnow
• Year: 2015
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9788026838234
• Subtopic: European Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

This comprehensive volume gathers Gustave Flaubert's novels, short fiction, plays, memoirs, and letters, presenting the full range of a writer who transformed nineteenth-century prose. From the austere perfection of Madame Bovary to the historical richness of Salammbô, the ironic education of sentiment in Sentimental Education, and the symbolic compression of Three Tales, the collection reveals Flaubert's devotion to exact language, impersonal narration, and formal discipline. It situates him at the crossing point of Romantic inheritance, Realist observation, and modernist anticipation. Flaubert (1821–1880), born in Rouen and shaped by bourgeois provincial life, legal studies abandoned for literature, and extensive travel in the Mediterranean and Near East, wrote against cliché with almost ascetic rigor. His correspondence illuminates the famous pursuit of le mot juste and the artistic convictions behind his fiction: hatred of stupidity, fascination with desire and illusion, and a belief that style itself could become a moral and intellectual force. This edition is indispensable for readers seeking not merely Flaubert's masterpieces but the architecture of his entire imagination. It will reward students of realism, lovers of refined prose, and anyone interested in how modern fiction learned to see, judge, and withhold judgment. This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience. - An Introduction draws the threads together, discussing why these diverse authors and texts belong in one collection. - Historical Context explores the cultural and intellectual currents that shaped these works, offering insight into the shared (or contrasting) eras that influenced each writer. - A combined Synopsis (Selection) briefly outlines the key plots or arguments of the included pieces, helping readers grasp the anthology's overall scope without giving away essential twists. - A collective Analysis highlights common themes, stylistic variations, and significant crossovers in tone and technique, tying together writers from different backgrounds. - Reflection questions encourage readers to compare the different voices and perspectives within the collection, fostering a richer understanding of the overarching conversation.

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Historical Context
• Synopsis (Selection)
• The Complete Works: Novels, Short Stories, Plays, Memoirs and Letters
• Analysis
• Reflection