2.2.11: Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880)
A Simple Soul French Realism Gustave Flaubert was born on Dec. 12, 1821 in Rouen, France. He grew up in an affluent middle class family; his father was a respected surgeon. As a young man, Flaubert became friends in college with other students who despised the bourgeoisie, and began writing short stories and, eventually, novels that were critical of middle class values. Flaubert’s health problems (he suffered from epilepsy) forced him to give up plans to study the law, so he devoted his energies to writing literature. After his father died, he retired to a country house near Rouen, where he would spend the rest of his life. His masterpiece, Madame Bovary , is a psychological study of a woman desperate to escape a banal middle-class life. Flaubert is considered to be one of the greatest practitioners of literary realism in France. "A Simple Soul" is the study of the life of Felicite, a servant of Madame Aubain. Over the course of 50 years, she loses many people for whom she cares, and she ends her life caring for a rather difficult parrot named Loulou. Consider while reading:
- What characteristics of realism do you see in this story?
- Analyze the character of Felicite. What kind of suffering and loss does she undergo in her life?
- What do you think Flaubert is saying about life through this character. How do you respond to her?
- What is the significance of the title of the short story?
Written by Anita Turlington