Trois contes by Gustave Flaubert

Description

Trois contes by Gustave Flaubert is a collection of three short stories written during the late 19th century. The individual tales—Un cœur simple, La légende de Saint Julien l’Hospitalier, and Hérodias—explore themes of love, sacrifice, and the complexities of human experience through richly detailed narratives, often focusing on female characters and their struggles within societal constraints. At the start of the first story, Un cœur simple, we are introduced to Félicité, a loyal servant who dedicates her life to her mistress, Madame Aubain, and her children. The narrative paints a picture of Félicité’s humble life, detailing her duties, past hardships, and glimpses of her unfulfilled desires, especially her lost love and connection to family. The opening sets the stage for a poignant exploration of Félicité’s devotion, her simple joys, and the quiet tragedies that define her existence, foreshadowing the deeper emotional currents that Flaubert will unfold throughout the story. (This is an automatically generated summary.)