Divinity in Literature: "Madame Bovary"

Gustave Flaubert's beloved "Madame Bovary" has been hailed as the perfect novel and has received countless accolades ever since its publishing.  Such praise is, indeed, well deserved as Flaubert carefully forged a complex narrative populated by richly detailed characters amid an atmosphere of opulence and greed that leads onward to a heart-wrenching ending that elegantly pronounces its message amid tears and despair.  Such brilliance can never exist without the inclusion of a worldview, naturally leading to its view of God.  Though many Christians were initially repulsed by the scandalous nature of "Madame Bovary," its inclusion of God shines strongly and only receives further embellishment amid the worldly and sinful narrative of the story's heroine.

This illustrates an interesting mechanic of didacticism that is often ignored by Christians, that being the 'diamond amid ash principle,' a phrase popularized by Cyrano de Bergerac in his last words.  This simply states that morality can often be better taught to powerful effect by creating a narrative that is devoid of whatever principles the author endeavors to teach.  For instance, taking two very different characters of literary lore, Anne Eliot and Anna Karenina, both of which have extensively differing values, one can see an interesting contrast of moral instruction.  In Anne Eliot's tale, she remains steadfast and loyal, never faltering in her virtue, and weathering all storms to reach her blissful ending in the arms of her beloved.  Anna Karenina, on the other hand, follows the path of greed, lust, and selfishness that ultimately results in her despair and suicide.  Now, while it is immensely satisfying to see the wonderful fruits of Anne Eliot's honor and principle, the final act of self-destruction undertaken by Anna Karenina is heartbreakingly tragic and impresses its moral on the reader with an echo of finality that stays far longer than the happy exultation enjoyed by audiences of the happier Anne Eliot. 

Returning to "Madame Bovary," Gustave Flaubert wove his novel as the paragon of the 'diamond amid ash' principle in regards to divinity as the large cast of characters appear to live in a deistic world, that is to say that God has no role in the lives of the people involved in the story.  This is made evident in the book's dialogue throughout the novel, one such example being the town pharmacist's vituperative assault on God when he says, "I worship God, I assure you! I believe in a supreme being, a creator. Whoever he is-and what difference does it make?-he put us here on earth to fulfil our duties as citizens and parents," and, "My god is the god of Socrates, of Franklin, of Voltaire, of Beranger! My credo is the credo of Rousseau! I adhere to the moral principles of '89! I have no use the kind of god who goes walking in his garden with a stick, sends his friends to live in the bellies of whales, gives up the ghost wit ha groan and then comes back three days later! Those things are not only absurd, madame- they're completely opposed to all physical laws!" These lines resound through "Madame Bovary" and become an integral part of its worldview as all other circumstances appear to point to the truth of this statement.

Despite the clearly godless world of "Madame Bovary" one can definitely look through the lines and see the book's powerful message against this very worldview by showing the results of the character's, primarily Emma, the protagonist's, worship of tangible idols.  For instance, Emma puts all her trust and faith in her suitors, men who take all her love, faith, and money and move on, leaving Emma in financial and, ultimately psychological ruin, culminating in her suicide.  

Taking this even further, Madame Bovary can be read as a complex and deeply effective allegory of the relationship between man and God.  This is discerned in Emma's complete and total rejection of her loving husband, Charles, who spends the entire novel attempting to give her his warm affection and forgiveness, making him a metaphorically Christ-like figure as no matter what Emma does with her worldly suitors, he's always ready to forgive her and take her back. Unfortunately, like the sinner, Emma goes right on through life not only ignoring her husband, but developing a venomous and hateful stance against him, preventing her from ever gaining absolution and freedom from her idols and sinful lifestyle.  Emma's harrowing and painful suicide finalizes this as Gustave Flaubert skillfully reinforces Romans 6:23's powerful message: "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life."

"Madame Bovary" is a masterpiece, and rightly so. It's incredible depth, complex characterization, and detailed  worldview earn it its place among the world's finest novels and achieve a nearly unprecedented position, putting Gustave Flaubert among the likes of Dosteovsky and Tolstoy.  Its views of divinity are enamoring and complicated, making the work a successful foray into theological exploration, a rarely successful venture that Flaubert beautifully incorporated into his timeless novel of lost love.