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From "Madame Bovary" by Flaubert, Gustave
Charles Bovary
Emma's husband, a kind but unremarkable doctor.
Core Belief
"Happiness is found in stability, routine, and simple pleasures."
Worldview
Charles sees the world in practical terms, focused on his profession, his family, and his immediate surroundings. He is content with his lot in life and struggles to understand Emma's dissatisfaction and yearning for something more.
Personality
Charles is a simple, well-meaning, but ultimately dull and unimaginative man. He is devoted to his wife, but lacks the emotional depth and ambition to satisfy her romantic longings. He is complacent and easily manipulated, oblivious to Emma's dissatisfaction and infidelity.
In Their Own Words
"“How good it is to be at home again!”"
"“What’s the matter with you, my darling? Be calm; compose yourself. You know well enough that I love you. Come!”"
"“My trouser-straps will be rather awkward for dancing.”"
Discussions with Charles Bovary
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