Salammbo
By Gustave Flaubert
Opined synopsis:
Carthage the alternative ancient history told in narrative novel fiction format by a 19th century classic author from France. In closing this book on the final page the knowing reader can draw distinct parallels of “world conflict” between the world of “then” which was merely confined to a flat world of classic western civilization and more narrowly the Mediterranean Sea of ancient times and those of the same place slow forwarded to WWII. Is time merely an illusion where place sees the same thing over and over? Mythical Salammbo is laced with the horrors of battle as was WWII. Those horrors encompass not just the soldiers, but the civilians as well. I am amazed at how little has evolved in the human spirit from ancient times to at least the 20th century. In the year 2011 I hold out hope with little to go on.
Amazingly enough the book is clearly Carthage centric yet takes a seemingly world view, to the extent that the reader becomes aware that other Mediterranean powers form allegiances to either the side of the Barbarians or the side of the Carthaginians with much the same rationale as you find in today’s world powers. The book does not elaborate, but the reader’s conscience is piqued to the notion that Western Civilization is not dominated by solely Rome or Greece, and perhaps there was a “Richelieu” notion of balance of power long before the 16th century France and even before the collapse of the Roman Empire. Keep in mind that while modern man feels the effects of the Roman civilization, this book makes it apparent that the Romans inherited the effects of civilization from the likes of their predecessors in the likes of Carthage. It sheds light on what some cal the Dark Ages. Flaubert, leaves only hints of these notions as his narrative is grossly lost in the horrors of a three year war.
There is also a foggy popular notion that religion is at the root of all war. The book’s main thrust from its title and prime subject, though not necessarily the leading actor, does not come out until the very last sentence. In that sentence you find not religion as the cause of war, but the spirit of man. It is only then that the reader pauses to think. Flaubert, primes the thought, but leaves the examination of its merits to the reader.
To the book itself:
Characters of prime concern are Salambo and Mathos, protagonists among the Carthiginians; a people who were forced by the harsh realities of war to offer their first born sons as a sacrifice to the Tanith, a mythical Carthaginian lunar goddess of the Phoenician pantheon. Salambo was a cherished daughter of the prime mover of Carthiginian wealth, Hamilcar Barca, the Suffet. Matho was the representative of the practical man filled with lust and contempt. He was one of the leaders of the bloody war waged on Carthrage by a people that were denied the physical comforts of a life that belonged to the Carthiginians. You could equate this to the Palestinians and the Jews in the book Son of Hamas. Within Matho’s curiosity for the power of the ziamph also lay the lustful love for Salammbo. In this vexing angst Flaubert speaks to the nature of man to want that which is not his.
As the story unfolds the Zaimph, the prize in the apparent real world, was the veil between the physical world and the truth found in the mythology of humanity. Its Owner Salammbo loses it to a thief Matho. In the story the zaimph represents the thin veil between good and evil within all of us as illustrated in character description of Carthiganians –v- Barbarians.
In the Course of Salammbo’s retrieval of the ziamph which gave mystical power to its owner, she actually saw the other side; Mathos as a genuine and fully justified existence. She made love to it, not strictly with Mathos in a physical state but the essence of his whole being, and saw in its eyes, the same passions of humanity as within herself. Yet she fought it, despised it, and allowed that angst to impede any prospect of love. Yet in the end, when she came eye to eye with that same passion it led to her own crossing into the mythology of our humanity.
Inspired reaction:
Unlike the author Richard Bach of one hundred years later, who examines in literary form what crossing the divide between the physical and eternal may be like, Flaubert does not. Was the collective conscience of the enlightened literary man of Western Civilization in the 19th century void of this? I only find evidence to the affirmative in this book and can wonder if Richard Bach had taken in Salammbo and used the unanswered question to write Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and One. Clearly Flaubert leaves the reader on the precipice of the divide, and begs the question; must one transcend his body to overcome the duality of man?
There is a commandment that demands effectively man to not covenant their neighbor’s belongings. Oddly enough that is what is implied with Matho and Salammbo where in their transcendence they could at last have each other, a social reality similar to that of Romeo and Juliet that was not to be in the physical world. The book begs the question; must humanity torture itself through the laws of scarcity found in the physical world and sanctity found in its interpretation to the extent that love can be blinded by something as simple as a ziamph? The reader is clearly compelled to transcend this thinking and search for insights to do this in the mortal-material world. West meets East………in a modern new world that begins with love, the unconditional acceptance of what is.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Madame Bovary
Madame Bovary
By Gustave Flaubert
I picked this book up at a used bookstore in Traverse City a couple of years ago. I picked it up largely because it is an old French classic of original copyright printing & binding, simply to add to my bookshelf. I pulled it off my bookshelf to possibly discover in a classic, a lifestyle that may provide clues as to where or at what time in history man began his deference of self-accountability to his government. The book in modern times in a mid American crowd would be an Oprah chic book. So I was struck to find myself reading it. I had no clue of what I was getting in to. As it is a drama about the life of Madame Bovary, which could happen to anyone. The real beauty in the book is the French description, and the thought-provoking message. Character and setting introduction goes as follows.
The setting of the story is in the farm country of Western France. You could imagine slightly rolling hills carved by the intersection of two rivers, cultivated and rich in crop. The small towns are situated about fifteen miles from each other and each with a population of a hundred to two. The Bovary’s lived in town and from their house you get the impression that they could tune in to all that is happening by putting ones head out the window. The Bovary house came with one servant and was your typical middle-income house with a piano that may have had them in slight advantage over others. All in all it was a setting for a pretty quiet and uneventful life. The key characters help define the authors message.
Charles Bovary - was molded by his mothers drive. She set his life’s charter to be a doctor. His first effort was a failure due to the decision not being his own. However his second effort on the boot of his father proves successful. As he grew into his practice and got fat as his focused was on both his patients and his wife. He was well respected; a loving and caring husband, yet not refined to the manners of Paris. He fell into life.
Madame Bovary’s - (Emma) moral fabric was weaved in a convent. There she learned the morals of life’s decisions She came to appreciate art, music, and culture was well read. When her mother died she returned to the farm to help her father out. It was in this setting that she met Monsieur Bouvary, succumbed to a courtship out of limited choice and marriage partially arranged, partially promoted by her father. She battled through life.
Leon – a bit younger than Emma is a dreamer and also longing for the city. His longing for academic study and for culture led to his departure to Paris to pursue a career in law.
Rodolphe - was bachelor, a lady’s man. He was rich and developed selfish designs on Emma that go too far for a confirmed bachelor. He realizes her longing for arts and culture and plays into them only to have a mistress shackled in a marriage where he may have his way with her and also live his life of solitude.
Lormeaux - is the local merchant. I am always intrigued of the venue for distribution of goods of that time as well the understanding and practice of commercial exchange. Lormeaux extends credit to Emma and therefore plays the role of merchant and capitalist. This represents store credit cards of today. The main business difference is simple interest -v- compounding interest. Secondarily is today’s stores are much better situated to absorb losses for those that default on their loans. The personal interaction is less noticeable where one is not aware of the obligation to repay and consequence upon society and our economy for not doing so. Through the character of Lormeaux: the signing of a promissory notes, the negotiation of debt among other businessmen, and the tendering of debt paper as payment is described as common place of the times. Today that process is made as transparent as possible and I find that the average person may only witness with the transfer of a mortgage. Thus a stranger collecting on a debt, changing the unwritten understandings of the primary lender, do not occur.
In summary the story line picks up where marriage for Emma was an awakening where she soon discovered that her passion for a finer life could not be met with Charles. She was a good wife and tended to the house with elegance, yet inside she was burning for something more. Monsieur Bouvary was invited to a country party where she danced with a Viscount. The dance illuminated her desires for city life. Depression from absence of arts set in so drastically that Charles moved his practice to a new town in Yoneville, hoping a change in setting would cure her ailment. Coincidently their first child came along and Emma’s preoccupation with motherhood temporarily masked her passions. She discovers in young Leon someone she can share in her passion for art and culture. The passion for each other is lit, however restraint, founded in a moral code, prevails. It was Emma’s attempt to put mind over passion. Leon would eventually leave Yoneville for a Paris leaving a tremendous vacuum in Emma’s life.
This sets the stage for Rodolphe. In the vacuum he sweeps in and cultivates four years of escapade and rendezvous. In classic French style of the time the scenes are romantic, not naughty. While Rodolphe plays the cock that couldn’t crow with a strut instead, Emma plans a life together. Rodolphe plays along only to continue this perfect bachelor arrangement. Emma incurs tremendous debt arranging an escape to a new life only to find Rodolphe leaves her in a lurch. The scene draws a contrast of morals.
A moral code: “but one must bow to the opinion of the world and accept it’s moral code”
But there are two types “The small conventional, that of men, that which constantly changes, that brays out so loudly, that makes such a commotion here below. Of earth and earthy. But the other, the eternal, that is about us and the blue heavens that give us light”
This contrast sets the stage for the return of Leon. While there is at first an attempt for restrain an affair is lit by a carriage ride of lovemaking. This time however this time Emma is in control. This time Leon plays the part of the mistress. Emma spins a web of lies, waiting to be unraveled. Love turns to everyday life of which Emma funds through revenue from Charles’s patients and an over extension of her ability to repay her debt. She implores Charles to extend a power of attorney to manage the money of the house. Imagine this power not being implied through a marriage license. After this book one would be compelled to revert back to the ways of old. As an indication to the evolution away from personal responsibility the book includes a dialogue between Lormeaux and Charles with Lormeaux saying, “A man of science should not be troubled with matters of money”. This gives Lormeaux, with full knowledge of Emma’s agenda by way of the things she purchases, free access to the pocket book of unsuspecting Charles.
As events of the economy changed, Emma’s debt fell upon the decision making of persons not privy to the nature of her debt. And as such strict adherence to repayment was rudely and with great surprise introduced to Madame Bovary. Without knowledge of the custom of repayment to a stranger collecting on a debt, Bovary never considered changing the unwritten understandings of the primary lender, which previously allowed her a never-ending continuance of debt. As her passion for culture eroded to a lust for things she could not fairly gain she was rendered incapable of good business judgment. In the face of a bankruptcy process whereby the town official comes in to your home and prices all belongings for auction to facilitate repayment her solution an act was to take her own life.
In closing Charles, only after an honorable funeral, discovers the years of love letters and the deception. This discovery leads to the mysterious passing of Charles, where you conclude he simply lost all meaning of life. This left their daughter Berthe who you are left wondering about. The two metaphors from this book that give meaning to me are: When words fall short in the expression of ones heart: “They like a cracked kettle, on which we hammer out tunes to make bears dance, when we long to move the stars” “A lifetime of passion can be fit in a minute”. These are only to think about, as I have not an answer. My preference for poetic expression is though renewed from words like these. For they ironically do paint a meaningful picture best left to poetic interpretation. I did find the answer to a much simpler question; which is how a person could loose sight of personal accountability.
By Gustave Flaubert
I picked this book up at a used bookstore in Traverse City a couple of years ago. I picked it up largely because it is an old French classic of original copyright printing & binding, simply to add to my bookshelf. I pulled it off my bookshelf to possibly discover in a classic, a lifestyle that may provide clues as to where or at what time in history man began his deference of self-accountability to his government. The book in modern times in a mid American crowd would be an Oprah chic book. So I was struck to find myself reading it. I had no clue of what I was getting in to. As it is a drama about the life of Madame Bovary, which could happen to anyone. The real beauty in the book is the French description, and the thought-provoking message. Character and setting introduction goes as follows.
The setting of the story is in the farm country of Western France. You could imagine slightly rolling hills carved by the intersection of two rivers, cultivated and rich in crop. The small towns are situated about fifteen miles from each other and each with a population of a hundred to two. The Bovary’s lived in town and from their house you get the impression that they could tune in to all that is happening by putting ones head out the window. The Bovary house came with one servant and was your typical middle-income house with a piano that may have had them in slight advantage over others. All in all it was a setting for a pretty quiet and uneventful life. The key characters help define the authors message.
Charles Bovary - was molded by his mothers drive. She set his life’s charter to be a doctor. His first effort was a failure due to the decision not being his own. However his second effort on the boot of his father proves successful. As he grew into his practice and got fat as his focused was on both his patients and his wife. He was well respected; a loving and caring husband, yet not refined to the manners of Paris. He fell into life.
Madame Bovary’s - (Emma) moral fabric was weaved in a convent. There she learned the morals of life’s decisions She came to appreciate art, music, and culture was well read. When her mother died she returned to the farm to help her father out. It was in this setting that she met Monsieur Bouvary, succumbed to a courtship out of limited choice and marriage partially arranged, partially promoted by her father. She battled through life.
Leon – a bit younger than Emma is a dreamer and also longing for the city. His longing for academic study and for culture led to his departure to Paris to pursue a career in law.
Rodolphe - was bachelor, a lady’s man. He was rich and developed selfish designs on Emma that go too far for a confirmed bachelor. He realizes her longing for arts and culture and plays into them only to have a mistress shackled in a marriage where he may have his way with her and also live his life of solitude.
Lormeaux - is the local merchant. I am always intrigued of the venue for distribution of goods of that time as well the understanding and practice of commercial exchange. Lormeaux extends credit to Emma and therefore plays the role of merchant and capitalist. This represents store credit cards of today. The main business difference is simple interest -v- compounding interest. Secondarily is today’s stores are much better situated to absorb losses for those that default on their loans. The personal interaction is less noticeable where one is not aware of the obligation to repay and consequence upon society and our economy for not doing so. Through the character of Lormeaux: the signing of a promissory notes, the negotiation of debt among other businessmen, and the tendering of debt paper as payment is described as common place of the times. Today that process is made as transparent as possible and I find that the average person may only witness with the transfer of a mortgage. Thus a stranger collecting on a debt, changing the unwritten understandings of the primary lender, do not occur.
In summary the story line picks up where marriage for Emma was an awakening where she soon discovered that her passion for a finer life could not be met with Charles. She was a good wife and tended to the house with elegance, yet inside she was burning for something more. Monsieur Bouvary was invited to a country party where she danced with a Viscount. The dance illuminated her desires for city life. Depression from absence of arts set in so drastically that Charles moved his practice to a new town in Yoneville, hoping a change in setting would cure her ailment. Coincidently their first child came along and Emma’s preoccupation with motherhood temporarily masked her passions. She discovers in young Leon someone she can share in her passion for art and culture. The passion for each other is lit, however restraint, founded in a moral code, prevails. It was Emma’s attempt to put mind over passion. Leon would eventually leave Yoneville for a Paris leaving a tremendous vacuum in Emma’s life.
This sets the stage for Rodolphe. In the vacuum he sweeps in and cultivates four years of escapade and rendezvous. In classic French style of the time the scenes are romantic, not naughty. While Rodolphe plays the cock that couldn’t crow with a strut instead, Emma plans a life together. Rodolphe plays along only to continue this perfect bachelor arrangement. Emma incurs tremendous debt arranging an escape to a new life only to find Rodolphe leaves her in a lurch. The scene draws a contrast of morals.
A moral code: “but one must bow to the opinion of the world and accept it’s moral code”
But there are two types “The small conventional, that of men, that which constantly changes, that brays out so loudly, that makes such a commotion here below. Of earth and earthy. But the other, the eternal, that is about us and the blue heavens that give us light”
This contrast sets the stage for the return of Leon. While there is at first an attempt for restrain an affair is lit by a carriage ride of lovemaking. This time however this time Emma is in control. This time Leon plays the part of the mistress. Emma spins a web of lies, waiting to be unraveled. Love turns to everyday life of which Emma funds through revenue from Charles’s patients and an over extension of her ability to repay her debt. She implores Charles to extend a power of attorney to manage the money of the house. Imagine this power not being implied through a marriage license. After this book one would be compelled to revert back to the ways of old. As an indication to the evolution away from personal responsibility the book includes a dialogue between Lormeaux and Charles with Lormeaux saying, “A man of science should not be troubled with matters of money”. This gives Lormeaux, with full knowledge of Emma’s agenda by way of the things she purchases, free access to the pocket book of unsuspecting Charles.
As events of the economy changed, Emma’s debt fell upon the decision making of persons not privy to the nature of her debt. And as such strict adherence to repayment was rudely and with great surprise introduced to Madame Bovary. Without knowledge of the custom of repayment to a stranger collecting on a debt, Bovary never considered changing the unwritten understandings of the primary lender, which previously allowed her a never-ending continuance of debt. As her passion for culture eroded to a lust for things she could not fairly gain she was rendered incapable of good business judgment. In the face of a bankruptcy process whereby the town official comes in to your home and prices all belongings for auction to facilitate repayment her solution an act was to take her own life.
In closing Charles, only after an honorable funeral, discovers the years of love letters and the deception. This discovery leads to the mysterious passing of Charles, where you conclude he simply lost all meaning of life. This left their daughter Berthe who you are left wondering about. The two metaphors from this book that give meaning to me are: When words fall short in the expression of ones heart: “They like a cracked kettle, on which we hammer out tunes to make bears dance, when we long to move the stars” “A lifetime of passion can be fit in a minute”. These are only to think about, as I have not an answer. My preference for poetic expression is though renewed from words like these. For they ironically do paint a meaningful picture best left to poetic interpretation. I did find the answer to a much simpler question; which is how a person could loose sight of personal accountability.
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