Gustave Flaubert

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Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) was a French novelist best remembered for his debut novel Madame Bovary. Flaubert, as a writer, was notoriously a perfectionist, avoiding such techniques as cliche and finding "le mot juste" ("the right word").

Flaubert's Early Years

Flaubert was born in Rouen, the son of a surgeon. Flaubert began writing as a child and was educated at the Lycee in Rouen. In 1840, he moved to Paris in order to study law, but found the city distasteful. One of the few people he met in Paris was the novelist Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserables.

From 1846 to 1854, Flaubert had an affair with the poet Louise Colet, his only serious romantic relationship. He never married, but it is suspected that he had a mistress in England and is known to have frequented prostitutes. Flaubert openly wrote about his sexual activities with prostitutes, especially during his travels. He traveled to the Middle East from 1489 to 1850, visiting Greece, Egypt, and Beirut, where he contracted syphilis.

Flaubert began work on Madame Bovary in 1850, but did not complete the novel until 1856. His second novel, Salammbo, was written between 1858 and 1862 following a voyage to Carthage. Suffering from venereal disease, Flaubert died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1880 at the age of 58. He was buried in his hometown of Rouen.

Famous Writings of Gustave Flaubert

Some of Flaubert's greatest works include:

• Madame Bovary
• Sentimental Education
• The Candidate