Œuvres complètes de Gustave Flaubert, tome 4: L'éducation sentimentale, v. 2

"L'Éducation sentimentale" by Gustave Flaubert is a novel published in 1869. Set against the backdrop of the 1848 revolution, it follows Frédéric Moreau, a sensitive young provincial who comes to Paris at eighteen. Through his passionate but inactive love for the married Marie Arnoux and encounters with art, politics, and society, Frédéric gradually burns through his romantic illusions. The novel portrays an entire generation's dreams and failures, painting a detailed portrait of French society from monarchy through republic to empire.