Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives

This paper locates Madame Bovary within the scientific milieu of 1850s French society by reading Flaubert’s narrative as a Cuverian text. The French scientist Georges Cuvier, along with many of his contemporaries, formulated the catastrophist theory as a means of explaining the origins of the world....

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Main Author: Ruth Morris
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Institut des Textes & Manuscrits Modernes (ITEM) 2011-07-01
Series:Flaubert: Revue Critique et Génétique
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Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/flaubert/1327
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author Ruth Morris
author_facet Ruth Morris
author_sort Ruth Morris
collection DOAJ
description This paper locates Madame Bovary within the scientific milieu of 1850s French society by reading Flaubert’s narrative as a Cuverian text. The French scientist Georges Cuvier, along with many of his contemporaries, formulated the catastrophist theory as a means of explaining the origins of the world. In catastrophism, the world is divided into very discrete time periods which are punctuated by vast catastrophes, or in Cuverian terminology ‘revolutions’ that have eradicated life and enabled the world to be repopulated afresh. This has implications for the concept of ‘time’. Cuvier theorises the earth as being relatively recent in origin, with the present epoch being only five thousand years old. This compression of time can be inferred in Madame Bovary through references to rapidity and the tempo which increases towards the denouement. In catastrophism and Madame Bovary, time is not constructed in a linear or chronological manner. The ‘revolutions’ disrupt a realisation of continuous time and Emma is frequently unable to distinguish between past, present and future experiences. The ‘revolutions’ also serve to puncture and disrupt the status quo of life by creating massive events within the earth’s history. Emma’s life too parallels this. She regards her existence as being informed by magnitudinous events, such as the ball, which creates dislocated and fragmented time as in Cuviers’ theory. I will also argue for a connection between the suddenness and violence of the ‘revolutions’ and Emma Bovary’s emotional outbursts which occur without for-warning and border on the hysterical. A Cuverian concept of time has implications for other considerations which are arguably the main differences between catastrophism and evolution theory. These include the notions of adaptation, inheritance and death within Flaubert’s narrative.
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spelling doaj-art-f66750cdcb6d4760a0db23f7502288012025-02-05T16:29:33ZfraInstitut des Textes & Manuscrits Modernes (ITEM)Flaubert: Revue Critique et Génétique1969-61912011-07-01510.4000/flaubert.1327Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narrativesRuth MorrisThis paper locates Madame Bovary within the scientific milieu of 1850s French society by reading Flaubert’s narrative as a Cuverian text. The French scientist Georges Cuvier, along with many of his contemporaries, formulated the catastrophist theory as a means of explaining the origins of the world. In catastrophism, the world is divided into very discrete time periods which are punctuated by vast catastrophes, or in Cuverian terminology ‘revolutions’ that have eradicated life and enabled the world to be repopulated afresh. This has implications for the concept of ‘time’. Cuvier theorises the earth as being relatively recent in origin, with the present epoch being only five thousand years old. This compression of time can be inferred in Madame Bovary through references to rapidity and the tempo which increases towards the denouement. In catastrophism and Madame Bovary, time is not constructed in a linear or chronological manner. The ‘revolutions’ disrupt a realisation of continuous time and Emma is frequently unable to distinguish between past, present and future experiences. The ‘revolutions’ also serve to puncture and disrupt the status quo of life by creating massive events within the earth’s history. Emma’s life too parallels this. She regards her existence as being informed by magnitudinous events, such as the ball, which creates dislocated and fragmented time as in Cuviers’ theory. I will also argue for a connection between the suddenness and violence of the ‘revolutions’ and Emma Bovary’s emotional outbursts which occur without for-warning and border on the hysterical. A Cuverian concept of time has implications for other considerations which are arguably the main differences between catastrophism and evolution theory. These include the notions of adaptation, inheritance and death within Flaubert’s narrative.https://journals.openedition.org/flaubert/1327Flaubert GustaveMadame Bovaryevolutionary thoughtCuvier Georgescatastrophismtime
spellingShingle Ruth Morris
Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives
Flaubert: Revue Critique et Génétique
Flaubert Gustave
Madame Bovary
evolutionary thought
Cuvier Georges
catastrophism
time
title Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives
title_full Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives
title_fullStr Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives
title_full_unstemmed Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives
title_short Madame Bovary and Catastrophism: Revolving narratives
title_sort madame bovary and catastrophism revolving narratives
topic Flaubert Gustave
Madame Bovary
evolutionary thought
Cuvier Georges
catastrophism
time
url https://journals.openedition.org/flaubert/1327
work_keys_str_mv AT ruthmorris madamebovaryandcatastrophismrevolvingnarratives