(December 12th, 1821 — May 8th, 1880)

Gustave Flaubert was a French novelist, considered a champion of literary realism and a proponent for formal perfection in fiction writing. He is known primarily for his first novel, Madame Bovary, which has been extensively translated.

He was the son of a director and surgeon at a hospital in Rouen, and began writing at a very young age. Flaubert was educated in Rouen, and then went to study law in Paris. While in Paris, he made several literary acquaintances, including Victor Hugo.

Flaubert never married and never had children. He travelled throughout Brittany and the Middle East for several years and was known to be promiscuous. He contracted syphilis in Beirut and continued to be in poor health afterwards.

Flaubert was by all accounts a very diligent worker. He worked continuously and very meticulously at producing his written novels, resulting in a style that was very technically crafted.

After Flaubert’s mother died, he found himself in very poor finances. His health declined further, and he eventually died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 58.