Lecture notes
Flaubert Lecture 4 - Bêtise and the Art of Writing
- Institution
- University Of Oxford
Notes on a lecture about Flaubert's overall approach to the concepts of science and ignorance in his literary project.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Flaubert Lecture 4- cliché + bêtise > because language = a worn-out medium. But can be transcended
through Art?
- Valéry > language as worn-out banknote > worn out + dirty > has been handed
down : also what gives it its value. Flaubert : chaudron fêlé > have to deal with it as
an imperfect medium.
- Cliché / stereotype (not as linked to language) > but mindless repetition concepts
and language are linked, hard distinguish between the 2.
- Visual copying, mindless repetition of a form in MB > Binet’s wooden napkin rings.
In ES > L’Art Industriel > mechanically reproduced art to sell. Question of photogra-
phy as Art? Flaubert : mechanical reproduction. Also Bouvard + Péruchet = human
photocopiers.
- Flaubert goes beyond cliché by Framing or Citation : goal of rewriting bêtises that
he has heard > framing them. Helps deal with banality of language > collects exam-
ples of it. Uses citations sans guillemets > hard to know who enunciator is > repeat-
ing cliché framed in work of art counteracts it > uses style indirect libre > reported
speech + thought, moves things into the past. Romantic clichés of Léon + Emma in-
vade the 3rd person of the narrator, who is impersonal, limited focalisation, not om-
niscient.
- Use of dialogism > novel is space of dialogue, between different genres (poems, ar-
ticles, political speech, different types of language). SIL = crucial tool in personality
author, allows distance from events.
- BUT creates Cretan Liar Paradox (Prenderghast) > novels in human language telling
us that novels in human language = problematic. Parrots are the key > learn human
language through repetition > Flaubert does it, repetition provides ironic distancing.
Flaubert escapes by framing, but also by subverting naïve reality.
- Read as realist, but realism should only be “tremplin”. Hates realists thinking that
can represent real in plausible way. Realists position selves in opposition bourgeois
pol + art, and reject lyricism of romanticism. Flaubert renews romanticism with this,
subverts details of realism to return to beauty of lyricism > through the impersonal-
ity of the author > not expressing personal feelings, disseminating them into char-
acters who don’t think like him.
- Also uses limited variable focalisation > perspective = reduced. (still some lyrical
identification in MB). But writes about mediocre world without identifying with it.
- Also rejection certainty + narrative frustration > parodies realist certainty. Not have
neat binaries and antithetical characters like Balzac. Narrative frustration > we
search for meaning in characters + places + events (Charles looking for Emma in
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller FEDFH. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
81113 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now