Emma's Foreshadowing

In 19th century France, Emma Roualt marries a recently widowed man, Charles Bovary, and takes his name. Emma’s picture-perfect ideas of romance influence her every decision. She projects her ideals upon Charles until it becomes painfully obvious that she did not marry a storybook prince, so her dissatisfaction grows and she begins to stray. Emma’s idealizations of those around her to suit her desires eventually wreak havoc on all parts of her life, and lead to her end. A major foreshadowing factor of Emma’s sins in Madame Bovary persists- fire. Her extreme views on love kindle the destruction of her marriage and generate a desperate race to obtain new romance. The flaws in her projections and herself lead Emma to chase her unfeasible ideals
Destruction of Emma’s projection of Charles separates her from family and leads to her boredom with domestic life. Dissatisfaction with her husband causes the dysfunctionality of their relationship; “she would have [confided] to the logs in the fireplace” (274). The culmination of emotions within Emma tears apart her crafted image of a heroic Charles. Once the exterior ceases to exist, Emma seeks out a new romantic hero. The destruction of fire brings to light their failing marriage and the distance between Emma and her child; “the fire burned...and she heard her child shouting with laughter” (207). The fire of her passion burns away any potential for normal domestic life with her family. Ideal versions of romantic partners only serve to satisfy Emma Bovary for a limited time, and she casts them aside along with the person underneath when she recognizes the hidden
As the fantasy fails to satisfy her, Emma decides to take her life, and turns to one last romantic ideal to experience. Emma finds a lull in her pain after ingesting arsenic; “pale as a statue...with eyes red as fire, Charles...while the priest...was muttering words” (237). Even Charles recognizes the gravity of the situation, and Emma finds comfort in his awareness as well as her fantasy. She lives out her last moments as the protagonist; “the cure...threw the bit of cotton...into the fire, and...sat down by the dying woman” (301). All attention moves to Emma as she dies, and she truly becomes the focus of the story. Religion appears to finally fulfill her romantic standard without a projection, but her sickness brings her to the heart of the storyline. Her passionate pursuit of romance comes to an end but never escapes the clutches of