"Madame Bovary" is a novel written by French author Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The story follows Emma Bovary, a young woman who seeks to escape her mundane provincial life through romantic fantasies and material desires. Her pursuit of passion leads her into a series of affairs and financial troubles, ultimately resulting in her tragic downfall. The novel is renowned for its realistic portrayal of 19th-century French society and its critique of romanticism. Flaubert employs a detailed narrative style and complex characters to explore themes of desire, disillusionment, and the constraints of social expectations, making it a significant work in literary history.