Join us on a literary world trip!
Add this book to bookshelf
Grey
Write a new comment Default profile 50px
Grey
Subscribe to read the full book or read the first pages for free!
All characters reduced
Bouvard and Pécuchet - cover

Bouvard and Pécuchet

د.خولة حمدى

Publisher: LBA

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Summary

Nowhere do Flaubert's explorations of the relation of signs to the objects they signify reach a more thorough study than in this work. Bouvard and Pécuchet systematically confuse signs and symbols with reality, an assumption that causes them much suffering, as it does for Emma Bovary and Frédéric Moreau. Yet here, due to the explicit focus on books and knowledge, Flaubert's ideas reach a climax. Consequently, the book is widely read as a precursor to modern theories on semiotics and postmodernism. The relentless failure of Bouvard and Pécuchet to learn anything from their adventures raises the question of what is knowable. Whenever they achieve some small measure of success (a rare occurrence), it is the result of unknown external forces beyond their comprehension. In this sense, they strongly resemble Antony in The Temptation of St. Anthony, a work which addresses similar epistemological themes as they relate to classical literature. Lionel Trilling wrote that the novel expresses a belief in the alienation of human thought from human experience. The worldview that emerges from the work, one of human beings proceeding relentlessly forward without comprehending the results of their actions or the processes of the world around them, does not seem an optimistic one. But given that Bouvard and Pécuchet do gain some comprehension of humanity's ignorant state (as demonstrated by their composition of the Dictionary of Received Ideas), it could be argued that Flaubert allows for the possibility of relative enlightenment.
Available since: 06/13/2018.

Other books that might interest you

  • The Emperor's Men 2: Betrayal - cover

    The Emperor's Men 2: Betrayal

    Dirk van den Boom

    • 0
    • 2
    • 0
    Drunken from their triumph at Adrianople, the Goths set to the conquest of Eastern Rome and threaten the city of Thessaloniki. While the men of the German Cruiser Saarbrücken are still trying to prove their usefulness to the Roman Empire, the resistance against the time-travellers grows stronger. Mighty clergymen scheme against the growing influence of the Germans, and on the Saarbrücken itself the seeds of treason are planted ... and not only there.
    Show book
  • The Lost Child - cover

    The Lost Child

    Sarah Ash

    • 0
    • 1
    • 0
    A brutal murder stirs up suspicion and sorcery in a provocative novel by the author of the Tears of Artamon Trilogy,“an innovative fantasist” (Asimov’s). 
     
    The shocking discovery of a child’s corpse in the Tsiyonim ghetto of Arcassanne stirs up old fears and enmities in the city. Suspicion falls on Rahab ben Chazhael, a tailor still haunted by the day when he lost hold of his little brother’s hand as his family fled a brutal pogrom. 
     
    Rahab must escape the city guard and search for help—and the truth—in Tifereth, a scholarly Tsiyonim community hidden deep in the mountains. He’ll bring with him an unexpected companion: wealthy Lia, once a customer of Rahab’s, who has made some shocking discoveries about her own past. 
     
    But time is running out. As the citizens of Arcassanne surround the ghetto, can Rahab find the murderer and save his community from suffering the same fate as his family? 
     
    Praise for the Tears of Artamon Trilogy 
     
    “Unusual . . . Exotic . . . Well worth the read!” —Katherine Kurtz, New York Times–bestselling author  
     
    “A splendid tale . . . Sarah Ash is destined to be one of the bright luminaries of fantasy.” —Dennis L. McKiernan, national bestselling author 
     
    “Rousing. . . . with its vivid 18th-century European flavor and fallen angels who evoke Paradise Lost. Lovers of big, complex fantasy sagas (think Robert Jordan or George R.R. Martin) will be well pleased.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
    Show book
  • The Morcai Battalion: The Recruit - cover

    The Morcai Battalion: The Recruit

    Diana Palmer

    • 0
    • 2
    • 0
    A forbidden romance blossoms between a human combat surgeon and an alien military commander as they fight together for peace in this thrilling space epic. A prophecy foretold:   Three years after the unprovoked attack on a peaceful colony, the war between the Rojok dynasty and the Tri-Galaxy Fleet rages on. Born of that war is the Morcai Battalion, a fleet comprised of Centaurians and humans—the first collaboration of its kind and a step toward an intergalactic alliance. But the fragile union is tested as their courageous commander in chief, Dtimun, is faced with the temptation of the forbidden—and human—Dr. Madeline Ruszel.   A combat surgeon, Ruszel is aware of the danger of inciting a Centaurian’s interest, even if he is the most intriguing of men. Besides putting their mission at risk, personal relations between their kinds are still outlawed. But a prophecy that touches on both their lives and the future of all alien nations hints that a greater unity may be theirs for the taking . . . if they, and their crew, survive in the battle for peace. Praise for Diana Palmer and her work“A high-octane and gritty space adventure.” —RT Book Reviews on The Morcai Battalion“Fans of stark outer space military science fiction will appreciate this sobering at war thriller.” —The Best Reviews on The Morcai Battalion“Palmer . . . is the queen of desperado quests for justice and true love.” —Publishers Weekly on Dangerous
    Show book
  • The Morcai Battalion: Invictus - cover

    The Morcai Battalion: Invictus

    Diana Palmer

    • 0
    • 1
    • 0
    A dangerous mission tests the relationship between a surly commander and a sassy doctor in this action-packed, romantic science fiction epic.   For almost three years, Dtimun, the enigmatic and mysterious Cehn-Tahr commander of the Morcai Battalion, has been at war not only with the Rojok Dynasty . . . but also with his feisty medical chief of staff, Dr. Madeline Ruszel.    Now a surprising visitor from the future has charged them with the rescue of the enemy, field marshal Chacon. To ensure success, both Madeline and Dtimun must make personal sacrifices and attempt a dangerous mission behind enemy lines. Sparks fly as each twist and turn throws them closer together than they've ever been before, but can they resist acting on desires they have long denied?    If their plans are discovered, they face exile by their own governments and possibly even execution. If they do not act, the future will see the end of civilization itself . . .   Praise for The Morcai Battalion: Invictus  “This futuristic romance is action-packed and will please fans of Marcella Burnard and Katherine Allred. Readers new to the series will enjoy Kyle's well-conceived universe and the different modes of government and acceptable social interaction that make for a wealth of possibilities in this tale.” —RT Book Reviews
    Show book
  • Deep Down - cover

    Deep Down

    Deborah Coates

    • 0
    • 1
    • 0
    Deep Down is the chlling sequel to Wide Open, Deborah Coates's "refreshingly original dark fantasy debut" (Publishers Weekly). Now that she's solved her sister's murder, Hallie Michaels has left the army and isn't sure what to do next. Her relationship with deputy Boyd Davies is tentative, there's still distance between her and her father, and she needs a job. The good news is, she hasn't seen a ghost in weeks. All that changes when she gets a call asking her to help an elderly neighbor who is being stalked by black dogs, creatures from the underworld that are harbingers of death. When a black dog appears, Hallie learns, a reaper is sure to follow. And if the dark visions she's suddenly receiving are any indication, it looks like the reaper is now following her. Meanwhile, strange events herald the arrival of ghosts from Boyd's past, ghosts the young deputy isn't ready to face. Refusing Hallie's help, Boyd takes off to deal with the problem on his own, only to find that he's facing something much larger and more frightening than he'd imagined. Stalked by a reaper and plagued by dark visions, Hallie finds she must face her fears and travel into Death's own realm to save those she most loves.
    Show book
  • Wide Open - cover

    Wide Open

    Deborah Coates

    • 0
    • 1
    • 0
    Wide Open by Deborah Coates is the first book in a series of "startlingly original" (Booklist) contemporary fantasy novels set against the sweeping prairies and desolate byways of the American Midwest, creating "a rural backwater where the normal and paranormal seamlessly merge." (Publishers Weekly) When Sergeant Hallie Michaels comes back to South Dakota from Afghanistan on ten days' compassionate leave, her sister Dell's ghost is waiting at the airport to greet her. The sheriff says that Dell's death was suicide, but Hallie doesn't believe it. Something happened or Dell's ghost wouldn't still be hanging around. Friends and family, mourning Dell's loss, think Hallie's letting her grief interfere with her judgment. The one person who seems willing to listen is the deputy sheriff, Boyd Davies, who shows up everywhere and helps when he doesn't have to. As Hallie asks more questions, she attracts new ghosts, women who disappeared without a trace. Soon, someone's trying to beat her up, burn down her father's ranch, and stop her investigation. Hallie's going to need Boyd, her friends, and all the ghosts she can find to defeat an enemy who has an unimaginable ancient power at his command. --Wide Open has been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel, appeared on Locus Magazine's Recommended Reading List for first novels, and was chosen as a Tor.com Reviewer's Choice Pick for Favorite Book of the year. The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction claimed that it is "one of the best first novels I've read in a long time" and Library Journal agrees that "fans of urban fantasies should enjoy the kick-ass [heroine]."
    Show book