Set in the Victorian era of the 1800s, Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary exemplifies society's view of the established gender roles of this time. Flaubert uses Emma Bovary's masculinity to accentuate Emma's desire for control. Her desire for control extends from the social pressure of the period, revealing her envy towards men. Flaubert undoubtedly describes Emma's characteristics to have a masculine undertone, and over the course of the novel her femininity deviates as her priorities change. Emma's lack of femininity translates into her relationships, maneuvering the role of girlfriend or boyfriend. In Madame Bovary, Emma creates obvious goals based on the romantic novels she reads. To achieve her goals, she requires a level of control and meekness, especially regarding the relative goals a woman may have had during the Victorian era. Ultimately, she finds herself struggling with the limitations that society places on her as a woman. Emma says: A man, at least, is free; he can travel for passions and countries, overcome obstacles, savor the most distant pleasures. . . A woman is always hindered. . . there is always some desire that attracts her, some conventionality that holds her back. (Flaubert 93),Emma projects her vision of the ideal man into her expected child. As if she fantasized about what her life would be like if she had the control that men have over society. The resentment she feels towards her choices is related to the resentment she feels as a woman. Emma tries to prevail over the obstacles of being a woman by trying to do activities that a man would normally do, such as going out on the town all night, spending large amounts of money on a date, and courting a desired partner. After Leon leaves, the narrator talks about Emma's method of copying... middle of paper... a woman's appropriate role in relationships when she feels things are going right. Throughout the novel, Flaubert uses Emma Bovary's masculinity to accentuate Emma's desire for control. Emma's actions presented a rebellious and delusional woman who defies Victorian models by revealing her envy of men; Flaubert portrays Emma as a masculine-type figure who uses her femininity and masculinity to varying degrees depending on the circumstances. She specifically maneuvers her gender role in relationships in order to achieve her dreams. Through the use of masculinity Flaubert exemplifies the morals of the Victorian era and offers a perspective on the realism and romanticism of those expectations and the relationship to desired control. Works Cited Flaubert, Gustave. Mrs. Bovary. Trans. Eleonora Marx Aveling. Mineola (NY): Dover, 1996.