Holy Irony. Two Facets of Parodic Ekphrasis of the Cathedral in Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the use of parodic ekphrasis of the cathedral in Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. This matter was first brought to attention by Małgorzata Czermińska, who pointed out the satirical nature of the literary description of the gothic church in Rouen. However, to truly understand the way in which the novelist transformed the traditional formula of ekphrasis in Madame Bovary one must consider two drastically different dimensions of this treatment. The inspiration for this division comes from the work of Renata Lis, who argued that Flaubert’s work is marked by a fundamental ambivalence concerning spirituality, resulting in a variety of representations of holiness in his novels. On one hand, the parody of ekphrasis in the novel serves the most obvious function – it’s a cause for the mockery of the bourgeoisie and its distorted spiritual and aesthetic sensibilities. On the other hand, the parodic aspect of the discussed fragment is reminiscent of Olga Freudenberg’s approach. According to this Russian scholar, the essence of parody is not expressed through comedy and ridicule but rather through tragedy and an inseparable connection to the sacred. Such an understanding of the parodic ekphrasis of the gothic temple in Madame Bovary highlights the remarkable consistency with which Flaubert reflected on the existential condition of the protagonist. Emma’s inability to grasp the aesthetic values and sanctity of the cathedral expresses her tragic tendency to misrecognize, which leads to the novel’s somber finale.