Unhappily married to a devoted, clumsy provincial doctor, Emma revolts against the ordinariness of her life by pursuing dreams of ecstasy and love. But her sensuous and sentimental desires lead her only to suffering, corruption, and downfall. A brilliant psychological portrait, Madame Bovary searingly depicts the human mind in search of transcendence. Acclaimed as a masterpiece upon its publication in 1857, this classic is still revered today as one of the finest novels of English literature.