Madame Bovary 2

Describe the relationship of Roldophe and Emma. What stages do they go through? How do they act at the various stages?


I think Roldophe and Emma have a typical affair type relationship. The first stage is their infatuation with each other and their immediate attraction. On page 1165, it explains that after seeing Emma, Roldophe thought to himself, "Lovely teeth, black eyes, a dainty foot....How did such a clodhopper ever get hold of her?" Later he thinks to himself that he will have her and starts devising a plan to figure out how he can make her his lover. Next they met during the day of the Agricultural Show. They walked through town and then as the show started they went up to the "council chamber" on the second floor. Roldophe confessed his true feelings for Emma, she tried to resist, but she eventually gave in to her same feelings. Soon after, Roldophe didn't contact her for a period of time so she would long for him. Although this made Emma cold at first, she warmed up to him and they seemed to be like two love-stricken teenagers. Roldophe continually told Emma how much he cared for her, and sometimes Emma admitted her feelings for him and other times she seemed uninterested in him. As Roldophe and Emma went horseback riding, the closeness she felt with him made her feel uncomfortable, but after she returned home she realized how she like having a lover, the narrator saying she acted as though, "she were beginning a second puberty" (1183). This comes to the next stage their affair came to. Their passion levels were extreme as Emma would sneak to him home in the wee hours of the morning, not really worrying about getting caught. Roldophe was very passionate about Emma, just as she with him. Then, near the end of Chapter X comes the downslide to their affair. Emma just like she did with Charles and Leon found flaws with Roldophe. "She would have liked him to be more serious -- or even more dramatic sometimes.." (1189). Also, Roldophe didn't like the fact that Emma seemed to want to be in a relationship because she was coming to sentimental and only stayed with her for her beauty. I think Roldophe really just wanted to have an affair without any true love feelings attached, and Emma was looking for a lover.

Madame Bovary I

                During his early years, Charles Bovary is presented in Chapter I as a obedient, submissive, and shy individual. Throughout chapter 1, Charles listened to his mother and did everything she told him to. He started out in the lower school at 15, and then his mother, “took him out of the lycee entirely and sent him to study medicine, confident that he could get his baccalaureate degree anyway” (1092). He did what his mother told him to do, he left school and studied medicine. I think Charles thought it would be easier to just obey his mother and do what she wanted him to do. Charles’ obedience and his mother’s domineering attitude made him a very submissive person in his marriage.  On page 1094 Flaubert describes Charles’ first wife’s control over him by saying, “…it was his wife who ruled: in front of company he had to say certain things and not others, he had to eat fish on Friday, dress the way she wanted, obey her when she ordered him to dun nonpaying patients.” Charles is being controlled in his first marriage just like his mother planned his life out for him. Because of his obedience to his mother, Charles didn’t know anything different and became a submissive lover in relationships. Finally, another characteristic is Charles Bovary’s shyness. When Charles enters the classroom and his classmates are laughing at him and he is unable to speak up and even tell the teacher his name shows his shyness (1089). On page 1091 it explains that Charles really never had to lift a finger as a child he was, “pampered like a prince.” Charles never really had to ask for anything or do anything for himself, his mother and father did everything for him. Charles Bovary’s obedience, submissiveness, and shyness were all common during his early years because of his mother’s controlling qualities.

Confessions

How do Rousseau’s life experiences and inner conflicts illustrate at least three dominant value of his period?

In Enlightenment and Romanticism literature the themes of new and old, individualism, and nature were stressed throughout many of the works. These themes were also exemplified throughout the Confessions. In the Confessions the theme of new and old is quite evident throughout the text. This piece of literature was Rousseau reflecting on his past, his memorable stories, lessons, and the people he encountered. In Book IV on page 673, Rousseau asks, “Why is it that, having found so many good people in my youth, I find so few in my later years?” He also later says, “…. the class in which I am obliged to look for them now, is no longer the same as that in which I found them” (673). This is an example of Rousseau comparing his new aged self, and quest to find genuine, honest people to his past.  Much like others in the Enlightenment, Rousseau also put much importance into that of the individual. He thought highly of himself and that of his intellect. He explains in the first two paragraphs of Book I that, "I am not made like any of those I have seen; I venture to believe that I am not made like any of those who are in existence. If I am not better, at least I am different" (664). In this quote and in these two paragraphs he wants to emphasize that he is his own person and different from everyone. Also, writing an autobiography, telling readers his story, memories, faults, and unique qualities shows that he stressed himself as an individual and to not conform. Finally, Jean-Jacques Rousseau expresses an importance on nature throughout Confessions. He consistently and constantly mentioned his travels to parks, lakes, the countryside, Paris, and other places. Nature seems more to Rousseau than something to look at it; it seems to be an inspiration. On page 672, he says, "I wanted to sate myself with the sight of this beautiful lake, which is there seen in its greatest extent." He goes on to say that seeing things from afar didn't make him want to act on things. Also in Book III he says, "I have never been able to produce anything, pen in hand...it is during my walk, in the midst of rocks and forests, at night in my bed" (671). This shows that he doesn't get his inspiration form his intellect alone, nature truly gets his mind going and lets his ideas flow. In the Confessions, much like others of the Enlightenment Age, Rousseau was able to use the themes of new and old, individualism, and nature in his literary work.

What were the benefits of writing Confessions for Rousseau?

In Confessions, Jean-Jeaques Rousseau's autobiography, he reflected on his past and the person he was, and his present life and the person who is has became. Through this he was able to elaborate his memories from his childhood and the feelings he connected with him. Although he admitted his faults, he described himself as a someone who was unlike anyone else and beloved by many. I believe Rousseau's reaped many benefits from writing his autobiography. He was able to fully reflect and delve into his life as a whole. Since he had to have the inspiration to write, as seen when he said that he produced most of his writing by walking in nature versus in front of a desk, Rousseau was able to think critically about much of his life and the meaning behind each of his actions in depth and how they have shaped him into the current man that was writing. Rousseau was able to be at peace with his decisions and show how his actions and qualities made him unlike the rest of the people of his time, and describe the person he was by his childhood, and adult life. By writing Confessions, Rousseau was able to evaluate his life, and show the world how he was a unique, honest individual.

The Rape of the Lock

What are some of the images that recur through the poem, and what significance do they have?  


One image that appears throughout the poem is the image of beauty. Pope seems to mock the people's  obsession with beauty. On page 496, Pope says, "Fair nymphs and well-dressed youths around her shone, / But every eye was fixed on her alone." This quote demonstrates just how beautiful Belinda truly was and how it was of importance to this society. Most of the individuals in the poem seem to rely too much on their appearance and not enough on their morals. Without the image of beauty, the poem would have not plot because if Belinda did not care about her appearance then she would have not cared about a missing lock of hair. With the image of beauty throughout "The Rape of the Lock" Pope tries to discourage people from acting obsessive over beauty. Another image that appears throughout "The Rape of the Lock" is the sun. I believe the sun is an image that is recurring because it helps represent Belinda's beauty and to signal different points of the day. In the second canto Pope says, "Bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike, And, like the sun, they shine on all alike" (497). This imagery about Belinda's eyes and appearance help the reader picture just how beautiful Belinda really is. The sun is also represented immediately in the poem through this line, "Sol, through white curtains shot a timorous ray," (493). This demonstrates the start of the day and the actual plot.  Also in Canto II, it says "The sun first rises o'er the purple main.." (496). This too, is a use that helps continue the plot and help keep track of what time of day this is taking place in. Another image that recurs throughout "The Rape of the Lock" is that of the sylphs. The sylphs are used in "The Rape of the Lock" just as the Gods and Goddesses are used in Greek epics. They can intervene in the actual people's lives and try to influence the events that happen to them. The sylphs try to protect Belinda from the "dread event" that Ariel knew was going to happen to Belinda (496). The sylphs help bring this poem into a more of an epic style of writing much like the Odyssey and the Illiad without the serious tone. These recurring images help the reader fully grasp what important to the individuals in the poem and help provide a better picture of the plot.

What are some of the ironies in this poem?  What theme or message do they support?


One example of irony in this poem is Belinda's guard Ariel. On page 495 Ariel says, "Of these am I, who thy protection claim,/ A watchful sprite, and Ariel is my name." After introducing himself as her guard who will protect her, he proceeds to tell her about a terrible event that may happen to her. Belinda just seems to brush it off and not paying any attention to these details. I think this example of irony helps support the message that people will do whatever they want to do, even if someone tells them its a bad idea, or something bad is going to happen. The people still do what they want because they don't believe anything is going to happen to them and that they will be okay. Another example of irony Clarissa's role in the scissors. I find it ironic that Clarissa gives Baron the scissors to chop off a lock of Belinda's hair and then gives a speech at the end about morals. Even though, the way Belinda reacted only supported Clarissa's speech about people caring too much about appearance, it is still usually against people's morals to commit acts that will make people be hurt. I believe this situation helps promote the idea that many people will do just about anything to get their idea heard and their point across. Finally, a third ironic situation is the card game situation. In the Third Canto, Pope explains the card game of trickery just like Homer and many other ancient poets wrote about battles in epics. The language Pope used and the way he worded the "battle" between Belinda, Baron, and the other players and their cards helps make the card game seem more like a battle. This example of irony helps the poem seem more like an ancient epic.  The first and the second examples of irony contribute to the overall themes of the poem, while the last examples helps demonstrate the style of Pope's poem.