Madame Bovary is a novel by Gustav Flaubert about Emma, whom Charles courts and marries after the death of his first wife. Emma soon grows tired of married life and enters into an affair with Rodolphe, which lasts for years until he abruptly abandons her before their planned elopement. Emma soon enters another affair with Leon. The two lovers quickly tire of one another, Emma's extravagance sends her husband into deep debt and she eventually kills herself. Charles discovers love letters from Emma's lovers, attempts to understand and eventually dies.
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The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.
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