Gustave Flaubert, "Salambo" (historical novel): summary, reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The significance of Gustave Flaubert in French literature is so great that it is difficult to assess. His works contributed to the discovery of genre forms and entire trends. The refined technique of the author's descriptions even influenced the art school of the Impressionists. Flaubert did not leave as much as Hugo or Dumas, all his work will fit in a four-volume edition. But he polished every word so that his creations would remain in history forever, which is why they are admired to this day. The novel "Salambo" is one of the brightest examples of the writer's skill.

About the author

Flaubert was born in Rouen. His father was a surgeon, and he spent most of his childhood in the hospital. Gustave received a good education at the Royal College and was not going to be a writer. I wanted to continue my education, but a sudden illness changed my plans. Instead, he went to Italy.

In 1858, Gustave traveled through Africa. This is where the idea of writing a historical novel was born. The action of "Salambo" takes place in ancient Carthage. Such an exotic topic gave the writer scope for imagination andforced to plunge into the study of ancient sources. The novel was published in 1862, and it became so popular that women of fashion began to flaunt in dresses in the "Punic" style. The novel and critics did not bypass their attention. They wrote that Flaubert, chasing historical details, completely forgot about the psychology of the characters.

History of "Salambo"

The story told by Flaubert in the novel "Salambo" took place in Carthage three hundred years before the birth of Christ. Carthage has already lost its first war to Rome and lost Sicily.

Flaubert is a very demanding writer, he worked on every line and was not afraid to destroy entire chapters of his writings. When the beginning of the novel was laid, the writer felt that something was wrong and, without thinking twice, went on a long and dangerous trip - to Tunisia. Returning from his trip, he first of all destroyed everything he had written and began to actively study the works of ancient historians.

According to the writer, to work on the novel, he read more than a hundred scientific works about Carthage. Therefore, every detail used by Flaubert in "Salambo" had a historical source. Critics even tried to accuse his work of not being historic, but Flaubert immediately answered all questions and backed them up with references to historians and their work. The master has the last word.

The writer sold the novel for 10,000 francs, provided that it is accepted by the publisher without editing and does not contain any illustrations. After the success of the first book, Gustave Flaubert could set conditions, and they were unconditionallyaccepted. The novel was highly appreciated by both readers and colleagues of the writer. There were some grumblings from a few disgruntled critics as well.

About the novel

Flaubert's novel "Salambo" is valuable not only for its historical component, but also for its everyday background. Clothes, utensils, religion, weapons, food, architecture or military operations - everything was authentic. But this story is about people who live, love, hate and die, living real people with their passions and feelings. Yes, the reader and the heroes of the novel are separated by hundreds of years, but the feelings do not change - they remain the same, the same as ours.

In ancient Carthage, a council of oligarchs (we althy citizens) ruled, which ruined the country with its unsuccessful policy, lost the war and sent a talented commander into exile. He was remembered only when a crowd of mercenaries did not receive money and started a riot. Salambo is a priestess and daughter of the commander Hamilcar and sister of Hannibal. A woman with true and genuine feelings worthy of respect.

As the analysis of Salammbo showed, through the novel, as well as many works of the writer, the idea that a woman is capable of heroism and self-sacrifice runs like a red thread, but in the world of men this does not matter - everything will be destroyed and trampled.

Feast in the palace

Starting to a brief summary of the novel "Salambo", we recall that the action takes place in Carthage, devastated by the Punic War. His Council was unable to pay the salaries of mercenary soldiers and tried to moderate their ardor with plentiful refreshments. The gardens surrounding the palace of Hamilcar served as a place for a feast. Tiredwarriors of different nations flocked to the place of the feast. But the Council's calculation turned out to be inaccurate - the deceived soldiers, warmed up by wine, demanded more and more. Meat, women, wine…

Singing slaves came from the direction of the prison. Those who were feasting immediately left the feast and ran to free the prisoners. Soon, leading the prisoners in chains before them, they returned, and the feast resumed with renewed vigor. Someone noticed fish swimming in the lake, decorated with jewels. They were revered as sacred in the Baki family, but the barbarians caught beautiful fish, lit a fire and began to watch them wriggling in boiling water.

Salambo

At that moment, the terrace door opened and a female figure appeared. This is Salammbo, the daughter of Hamilcar. She was brought up by eunuchs and maids, away from prying eyes, in strictness and prayers to the goddess Tanit, who was considered the support of Carthage. Salambo called her favorite fish and reproached the soldiers for sacrilege, addressing everyone in his dialect. Everyone was staring at the girl, but the Numidian leader Nar Gavas was the most intent of all.

Libyan Mato also watched the girl with all his eyes. When she finished her speech, he bowed to her. In response, she handed the warrior a cup of wine. One of the Gaulish warriors noticed that if a woman serves wine to a man, then she wants to share a bed with him. He was still talking when Nar Havas threw a javelin at Mato. He rushed after him, met along the way one of the freed slaves, who promised to show where the treasures were stored. But all Mato's thoughts were now occupied by Salambo.

Campmercenaries

Let's continue the summary of "Salambo" and return to the mercenary camp. Two days later they were told that if they left the city immediately, they would be paid every penny. They agreed, they were told to set up camp away from the city. One day, Nar Gavas showed up there. Mato wanted to kill him, but he came with expensive gifts and asked permission to stay. Mato often went to bed and did not get up until the very evening - the image of Salammbô pursued him constantly. He confessed this to Spendius, who sat and wondered why Nur had come here. He was sure of his betrayal, but did not know who exactly he wanted to betray: Carthage or them.

Everyone was waiting for the promised gold to arrive, and people kept coming to the camp. Everyone came here - exiles, fleeing criminals, ruined peasants. Tension grew, but there was still no money. One day, the commander Hannon arrived and began to tell how bad things were in Carthage, how little money was in the treasury. The warriors moved to Carthage. In three days, they covered the path, and a bloody battle began.

Goddess Veil

Mato was revered by the Libyans for courage and strength, he was their leader. Once Spendius suggested that he secretly enter the city - through water pipes, and steal the divine veil from the temple of Tanit. They made their way to Hamilcar's palace, and Mato went to Salambo's room. She was asleep, but feeling Mato's gaze, she opened her eyes. He confessed his love to her and asked her to go with him or stay here. For the sake of his love, he was ready for a lot. Slaves came running, they wanted to rush tohim, but they were stopped by Salammbo - Mato was wearing the veil of the goddess Tanit, touching which threatened death.

The Betrayal of Havas

We continue a brief retelling of the book "Salambo". The struggle that began between the barbarians and Carthage was difficult - luck was on one side, then on the other. In Carthage, they were sure that the trouble happened due to the loss of the divine veil, and Salambo was blamed for this. Her tutor told her that the salvation of the republic was in her hands, and persuaded her to get to the barbarians and take the veil. Salambo set off. When she arrived at the camp, the guard took her to Mato. His heart began to beat, and only the imperious appearance of the guest embarrassed him.

Salambo's gaze rested on Tanith's coverlet, the girl raised her veil and said she wanted to take the coverlet. Mato, seeing her face, forgot about everything in the world. He knelt down in front of Salambo and began to kiss her hands, feet, shoulders, hair. The girl was amazed by his strength, and a strange feeling crept into her heart. At this time, a fire broke out in the camp. Mato ran out of the tent, and when he returned, the girl was gone.

Salambo at that time entered her father's tent, next to which stood Nur Gavas, who betrayed the mercenaries and went over to the side of Carthage with his cavalry. Varvarov assured that he was here to help them. In fact, Nur rushed about, on whose side there was strength, he was ready to serve. But now that he saw Salammbo and knew that she was in the camp, he was sure that his place was here.

Further the plot of "Salambo"develops very dynamically. The astute Hamilcar realized that this man could not be trusted. But when Salammbo took out the veil of the deity, the commander in a fit of feelings embraced Gavas. Soon the betrothal of Nur Gavas and Salambo took place. Father said so.

A lost battle

The war continued. And although the veil was returned to the goddess, the barbarians won. A plague broke out in the city. In desperation, the council of elders decided to sacrifice children from noble families to the gods. They also came to the house of Hamilcar - for the ten-year-old Hannibal. But the father hid the child, and gave the slave to the slaughter. After the sacrifice, it began to rain, and with it salvation came to Carthage. Rome and Syracuse rushed to their aid, and the mercenaries were defeated.

Discord and terrible famine began in their ranks. The faithful Spendius died, and Mato was taken prisoner: Havas, sneaking up from behind, threw a net over him. Before his death, he was tortured, it was forbidden to touch his eyes and heart in order to prolong his torment. When Salammbo, who was sitting on the terrace, saw him, Mato was a mass of blood.

The girl remembered how courageous he was in the tent, how affectionately he spoke to her. Matho's eyes were still alive, and he kept looking at Salammbo. Tortured, he fell dead. Gavas stood up and, in view of the jubilant city, embraced Salammbo and sipped the golden cup. The girl also rose, but immediately sank to the throne. She was dead. As Flaubert writes about Salammbeau, the girl died as a punishment for touching the divine veil.

Reviewsreaders

What attracts in Flaubert's novel "Salambo" is that it is based on real events that took place in Carthage. The author focuses his attention on the internal conflict - the aristocracy of the republic and the mercenaries who rebelled against it. Commander Hamilcar is a typical representative of the world of those in power. The wrath of the rebels is directed against him and those like him. The author, as it were, justifies this rebellion by describing the difficult conditions of their life. But, on the other hand, it presents this collision as a natural disaster that threatens the foundations of civilization. The revelry of cruel passions in this struggle can equate a person with a bloodthirsty, insatiable beast. In this regard, the novel is still relevant today.

As readers write in reviews of "Salambo", the historical component of the novel is exceptional: everything is spelled out to the smallest detail. But what is impossible to find in historical works? The senses. Flaubert himself wrote that he "would give half a stack of notes" to experience the excitement of "my heroes" even "for three seconds". He admitted how difficult it is to reincarnate as a person of that pre-Christian era. But the writer succeeded. The novel is addictive: the plot is dynamic, the characters are great. The history of Salambo will not leave anyone indifferent.