Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert

Sentimental Education 

By Gustave Flaubert 

Rating : 3.5/5 

Genres : Classics, France, Romance, Revolution.

An ok,ok read. I thought that throwing in elements of revolution and strife into an otherwise peacefully going romantic story created some discord in my mind im relation to the intactness of the plot. This is a story with elements of idealization of love which is unrequited, betrayals and debauchery, unfulfilled desires and aching hearts coming to terms with things as they turned out to be. 

So, a young man Frédéric meets a married woman on a boat trip and falls instantly in love with her. Where others find her quite plain and of mediocre attractiveness, he attributes all the traits of Venus to her. He establishes a connection to her husband M.Arnoux who is a passionate businesses man but also a swindler and prone to getting into several shady deals unknown to his family. He also has several adulterous relationships among who one is notable - a woman Marechale with whom even Frederic gets involved with and laters fathers a child out of wedlock. So, continuing with the plot in order, all attempts of Frédéric to get closer to Madame Arnoux fail even though every one in his circle including her know of his deep intentions because she is a virtuous woman without a fault. The more she keeps him at a hand's length, the more intoxicated and obsessed he becomes with her. She resembles the forbidden fruit to him which he cannot obtain but for the very life of him -  wants. Unable to get her affections,  he turns to other women like Marchale and a wealthy countess Madame Dambreusse both of whom with jealousy and possessiveness towards Frédéric bring the ruin of M.Arnoux pushing him into bankruptcy through law suits and thereby also his wife. The couple are forced into retreat to a remote corner of earth and Frédéric left to his own devices wiles away time in hedonism and squandering his inheritance.  All the while dreaming about and thinking about his one idealized object - Madame Arnoux. Long time later she returns to pay him one last visit while her husband lies on death bed and even though there was a chance to consummate his long time passion with her, he chooses to refrain and let her go. Her white hair and disheveled appearance sort of throws a shade of disillusionment on his most cherished image and he chooses to retain what once was best and most pure. 

Their love and passion for each other remained untainted and unaffected through the hard times and bitter failures - even though they could never consummate it. :)