3.57 AVERAGE

emotional reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Flaubert said of "L'Education Sentimentale": "I want to write the moral history of the men of my generation; "sentimental" would be more accurate. It is a book of love, of passion; but of desire such as 'it can exist, i.e. inactive ". I find that this paragraph perfectly illustrates the book's idea, namely that Flaubert offers us a book of Passions through this story, and who says Passions also says Suffering.
Indeed, the author sets up a wide range of characters, each more passionate than the other, and this by their actions or their ambitions: whether it is the fiery and sublime Passion between Frédéric Moreau and Mme Arnoux - but also carnal love with Rosanette, or interested with Mme Dambreuse, which nonetheless both remain passionate loves -, or that of Deslauriers for his career and glory, that of Arnoux for Money and Beauty, that of Pilgrim for Art.
But, like the silent and impossible love between the hero and Madame Arnoux, we see that each individual's search for the ideal and happiness is in vain. Moreover, in the novel's last pages, Frédéric and Deslauriers dwell on their past and note their failure: "And they summed up their life. They both missed it, the one who had dreamed of love [ Frédéric], the one who dreamed of power [Deslauriers]."
Not having heard, a priori, that novel's praise by Flaubert, I opened this book with many apprehensions and the fear of being bored during this reading. But it does not. There is nothing in the end! Of course, there are many lengths, but I enjoyed this read despite that. Fans of Flaubert's style will certainly not be disappointed by "L 'Éducation Sentimentale."

Sono stata tacciata, per il fatto di aver scelto di leggere L'educazione sentimentale, di pazzia, il che ha contribuito a fare in modo che restassi piacevolmente sorpresa, nel constatare che è un bel libro, e non quella noiosa mostruosità che mi era stata prospettata.
Si legge, tra le pagine della presentazione, che questo libro è "l'epopea della mediocrità"; io credo che esso riesca ad essere, riguardo la sua tematica principale, ancora oggi attuale.
La storia, infatti, è quella di un giovane, Federico Moreau, il quale si innamora di una donna più matura, la signora Arnoux, che però non potrà mai avere, in quanto sposata, e fedele all'adultero marito.
Così tutta la vita di Federico scivola via - in un caleidoscopio di personaggi, rivolte, cene tra nobili, rovesci di fortune - guardando a quello che non è stato mai, ma che avrebbe potuto essere.
Il protagonista, a quanto pare, incarna l'autore stesso, ma potrebbe essere chiunque di noi, qualcuno che ad un certo punto della sua vita si volta indietro, e scopre che l'ha lasciata andare, scappare, senza goderla, in attesa, e perso in qualcosa che non è successo.
Davvero perfetta la descrizione della società del tempo - la storia ha inizio nel 1840 - dei salotti, dei ritrovi, delle rivolte...
incantevole la signora Arnoux ( scrisse il Lugli: " ... a nessuno può sfuggire la delicata figura della signora Arnoux, una creazione di poeta... " ); odioso il traditore Deslauries; diabolica la signora Dambreuse; a tratti tenera e commovente Rosanette; viscido il signor Arnoux.
Un libro che vale la pena di leggere, anche se può risultare noioso, a mio parere, quando l'autore si dilunga sulle dissertazioni politiche dei personaggi.

http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/

https://theblogforculture.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/%D0%B2%D1%8A%D0%B7%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%87%D1%83%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0-%D0%BE%D1%82-%D0%B3%D1%8E%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B2/

ik voeg een paar quotes bij ter illustratie van het mooie Frans:

"Et Frédéric l'aimait tellement qu'il sortit. Bientôt, il fut pris de colère contre lui-même, se déclara un imbécile, et, vingt-quatre heures après, il revint."

"l'amertume des sympathies interrompues"

"J'aurais voulu vous rendre heureux"

voor de rest zijn er delen van het verhaal die iets te traag vooruit gaan, maar zelden stoort dat

Sentimental Education
By Gustave Flaubert

#books #reviews

http://sravikabodapati.blogspot.com/2022/07/sentimental-education-by-gustave.html

Excellently written and tremendously tedious in its ideas.
reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I can appreciate this book for the writing and what it was showing at the time: relationships/sex out of marriage, prostitution, affairs, the political climate etc.

But Frédéric was a complete arsehole. The thoughts he had about women were demeaning, spiteful and sometimes violent. He blamed women for all his problems even though he created them himself.
His baby died and he didn't give a shit. To busy thinking about another women.
  He was not 'educated' enough in my opinion. 

Dude is horny af

Frustrating, haunting, sensational...need to read it again before I forget all the little details