Gustave Flaubert is arguably one of the greatest novelists of all time. His first novel, Madame Bovary, was published in 1856 and is considered a literary masterpiece by critics and scholars. His skillful wordsmithing combined with the scandal surrounding the novel launched it into notoriety. The story focuses on a doctor’s wife, Emma, a tragic heroine who attempts to escape her boring provincial life by having multiple affairs and living beyond her means. Madame Bovary is a terrific example of Gustave Flaubert’s determination and his execution of capturing the details of modern realism.