Overview

Madame Bovary, the debut novel by French author Gustave Flaubert, was first published as a serial in 1856 and as a novel in 1857. The novel tells the story of Emma Bovary, a young woman who marries a country doctor and becomes disillusioned with her provincial life. Seeking passion and luxury, Emma engages in extramarital affairs, accumulating debt and disillusionment. Madame Bovary is considered a seminal work of literary realism and is often studied for its examination of gender roles, societal expectations, and the human desire for fulfillment. 

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