Madame Bovary

by Gustave Flaubert

Madame Bovary: Situational Irony 1 key example

Part 3, Chapter 11
Explanation and Analysis—The Ending:

The ending of Madame Bovary is when the novel’s cynicism comes to its head, as it follows through on its realism to ensure that Emma’s bad actions have consequences. However, Flaubert takes this cynicism further by having the even more morally corrupt characters, such as Homais and Lheureux, succeed in their greedy ambitions while innocent characters, such as Berthe and Charles, find their downfall with Emma. Ironically, Emma’s attempts to gain status result in her family losing any status they once had.