Madame Bovary: Homais Essay Example

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On the other hand, Madame Lefrancois does not seem to care about hiding her lack of interest in Homais's (self-inflating) monologues. In Rimmon-Kenan's analysis, she distinguishes between two types of textual indicators for character portrayal: direct definition and indirect presentation. 'Direct' refers to the explicit naming of a trait using adjectives or abstract nouns. On the other hand, indirect presentation does not directly mention the trait but instead demonstrates and exemplifies it in different ways, allowing readers to infer such implications. The stylistic complexity of Flaubert's Madame Bovary, characterized by impersonality, complicates the reader's ability to distinguish between character and commentary. Stephen Heath refers to this as a reader's hesitation, unsure whether to take what is said about a character at face value. In his chapter on "Showing and Telling," Lodge vividly illustrates and identifies Flaubert's approach to characterization.

The apothecary, Homais, is portrayed as someone who always has the right words for any situation. This emphasizes the author's authority and makes us see the character in a very detailed way. However, there is a bit of repetition in restating Homais's obvious trait, which raises the question of why it is necessary to do so.

Lodge identifies this as a tool used to "accelerate the tempo of a narrative, hurrying us through events which would be uninteresting, or to interesting - therefore distracting, if lingered over" (Flaubert, 324). In evaluating Homais's importance to the novel's theme (besides the plot), we reach the conclusive moment: he has a vast clientele, is supported by authorities and public opinion, and has recently received the Legion of Honor. This ironic and critical conclusion highlights the presence

of social pressures that shape Homais's character. Homais, although not a central figure in the plot, represents the harsh reality imposed by Madame Bovary's underlying themes and acts as a mediator. However, Homais is more than just a mediator; he manipulates minds and subtly influences others' perceptions by using every possible medium to spread his own biases.

Despite being destructive, Homais is significant in the novel as he mediates by using irony to supply the novel and its characters. He manipulates Charles into taking Emma to the opera in Rouen, which triggers Emma's affair with Leon and leads to a sequence of detrimental events. This makes Homais essential to the plot as his negative influence on Emma's character shapes her path towards deterioration.

The combination of various factors, including Homais's name, his rhetorical style characterized by redundancy and demagogy, and Flaubert's need to emphasize it all with direct definition, results in the creation of a character who represents a wide range of social pressures, ultimately concluding the novel in a kaleidoscopic manner.