Over Strand and Field by Gustave Flaubert [PDF]
by InfoBooks
Before Gustave Flaubert changed the course of fiction forever, he took a long walk through Brittany and wrote about it with the kind of raw enthusiasm that his later, more disciplined novels would never quite show. Over Strand and Field captures Flaubert at his most spontaneous, painting landscapes and local characters with a freedom he rarely allowed himself elsewhere. Published posthumously in 1886, this travel account remained hidden for decades, which only adds to its charm.
This free PDF edition lets you experience Flaubert's Brittany exactly as he saw it: windswept cliffs, crumbling megaliths, and colorful village life rendered in gorgeous prose. If you enjoy travel writing that goes beyond surface-level description and digs into the soul of a place, this book will not disappoint. Download it now and discover a side of Flaubert that most readers never get to see.
The interesting thing about this author is that even in a travel diary, his eye for detail and his sense of irony are already fully formed. Over Strand and Field is ideal for readers who appreciate literary nonfiction, French literature, or simply a well-told adventure through one of Europe's most beautiful and mysterious regions. If you liked Flaubert's fiction, try this lesser-known gem for a completely different perspective on his talent.
Over Strand and Field by Gustave Flaubert
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Information: Over Strand and Field
- Author: Gustave Flaubert
- Publication Date: 1886
- Main Characters:
- Gustave Flaubert: The narrator and co-author, a young aspiring writer whose vivid observations and lyrical prose drive the narrative forward.
- Maxime Du Camp: Flaubert's traveling companion and co-author who wrote the even-numbered chapters, offering a contrasting perspective on their shared journey.
- The Breton Locals: Various villagers, innkeepers, and guides encountered along the way, serving as windows into the customs and character of rural Brittany.
- Brief Summary: Over Strand and Field is a travel narrative by Gustave Flaubert, written in 1847 during a walking tour of Brittany with his friend Maxime Du Camp. The two alternated chapters, with Flaubert writing the odd-numbered ones. The text was published posthumously in 1886 and covers roughly 160 leagues of terrain, from ancient megalithic sites to coastal villages. Flaubert combines detailed landscape descriptions with reflections on history, religion, and local customs, making it both a travelogue and a literary meditation.
- Thematic Analysis: The central themes include the tension between romantic idealism and sharp realism, the passage of time as seen through ancient ruins and evolving landscapes, and the contrast between urban sophistication and rural simplicity. Flaubert also explores the role of art and architecture as records of human aspiration, weaving cultural criticism into his scenic descriptions.
- Historical Context: Flaubert and Du Camp undertook their Brittany tour in 1847, a period of political unrest in France leading up to the Revolution of 1848. The text reflects a France still deeply marked by its medieval and Celtic heritage, especially in the remote western provinces. Published in 1886, six years after Flaubert's death, the book arrived in a literary climate that had already been transformed by the realism Flaubert himself helped create.
Books by Gustave Flaubert
A Simple Soul by Gustave Flaubert
Bouvard and Pecuchet by Gustave Flaubert
Herodias by Gustave Flaubert
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert
Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert
The George Sand by Gustave Flaubert
The Temptation os St Antony by Gustave Flaubert
Three Short Works by Gustave Flaubert