Madame Bovary, Part 3, Chapter 6 summary
Part 3, Chapter 6 of 35 · 23 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 6, Emma and Léon grow weary of their affair, while her spending, borrowing, and renewed bills bring mounting debts and threats of seizure. After a masked ball leaves her distressed, she discovers a demand for eight thousand francs within twenty-four hours, and Lheureux refuses her desperate requests for more time.
What happens
- Monsieur Homais monopolizes Léon during a Rouen visit, disrupting Emma’s rendezvous and provoking her anger.
- Emma and Léon become dissatisfied with their affair, although desire and habit keep them together.
- Lheureux replaces an unpaid bill with new bills, while Emma secretly collects money, sells belongings, and borrows.
- Charles blames Emma’s behavior on illness, while their neglected household and Berthe suffer.
- After dancing at a masked ball, Emma faints during supper and returns home exhausted.
- Emma discovers an eight-thousand-franc demand backed by seizure proceedings, but Lheureux refuses delay and threatens disclosure to Charles.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The affair no longer offers the escape Emma seeks. Its familiar disappointments help explain why she clings to imagined love despite continuing to meet Léon.
Quick check
How much does the legal demand require Emma to pay within twenty-four hours?
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