"Rodolphe
concealed his indifference less and less" (Flaubert 120)
Rodolphe Boulanger
is an influential character in the demise of Emma Bovary, but he was not
the actual cause of it. Emma’s inability to sacrifice for the
one’s she wants to pursue a relationship with is her problem (Black
75). She has the ability to love but does not know what it means to
love someone, so that is why she takes part in her sexual adventures with
Rodolphe.
People may ask why Emma chooses such an infamous character such as Rodolphe.
Well the answer is fairly simple, Rodolphe is a person who has the characteristics
that she would want in Charles ( Sherrington 107). He has the flair
and charm that Charles does not and Rodolphe is able to play on her desires,
because she is seeking a “real man”. Many people have asked
me ‘why does Rodolphe act the way does, with such blatant disregard
for other people’s feelings’? There is no real answer to
that question he just represents what people are capable of doing (Black
71). Rodolphe is a typical cad, a “19th century literary phenomenon”,
a hedonist who doesn’t care about who he hurts as long as he is happy”
(Black 71).
Rodolphe could be seen as a satanic preacher or even the devil himself in
some ways. At the Agricultural Show he speaks with the rhetoric of
a preacher, he says that fulfilling your urges is natural and pure; “seduction
is at a higher moral as well as physical level” (Cortland 55).
Emma buys into his propaganda as the farmers buy into Lieuvain’s.
Now he is able to control and manipulate Emma. Since rodolphe is so
experienced with women, he knew other girls who were just like Emma so he
told her exactly what she wanted to hear (Cortland 59). With his control
he molds her he desires, and the entire town thinks she looks stunning.
“The attributes of her beauty are so…sinister… as if
the devil himself were shaping it” (Cortland 62). Rodolphe is
the devil, he corrupts and uses her until he grows tired of her.
Emma wants to show her love for Rodolphe, but when you try to show your true
feelings for someone, it is difficult sometimes for them to seem genuine.
So as we see Emma struggle we realize our limitations as well, but Rodolphe
sees her rantings a just lines that he has heard from many other women (Cortland
60).
Everyone knows that Rodolphe was a disappointment to Emma, because he was
not the sincere, passionate, knight in shinning armor that she desired.
In fact, Emma was a disappointment to Rodolphe as well. He was not
looking for someone to have a long-term relationship, he was looking for
another trophy, and he wants to be free to love and hurt anyone he wants
just as long as he get what he desires. He does not want to be in a
relationship where he is with a woman with ridiculous expectations and a
child, so that is why he broke it off he believes no harm to him no foul.
The loss of Rodolphe devastates Emma, who was too dependent on him.
The problem was she had such high expectations, but Rodolphe could not live
up to them and she never looked inward to solve her own problems (Sherrington
115).
People of Yonville
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