The significance of Gustave Flaubert in French literature is so great that it is difficult to evaluate. His works contributed to the discovery of genre forms and whole directions. 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, therefore 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 King's College and was not going to be a writer. He wanted to continue his education, but a sudden illness changed plans. Instead, he went to Italy.
In 1858, Gustave traveled to Africa. Here the idea arose of writing a historical novel. The action of "Salambo" takes place in ancient Carthage. Such an exotic theme gave the writer room for imagination and forced him to immerse himself in the study of ancient sources. The novel was published in 1862, and it became so popular that fashionistas began to flaunt in dresses in the "Punic" style. The novel and critics did not ignore it. They wrote that Flaubert, chasing historical details, completely forgot about the psychology of the characters.
The story of Salammbo
The story that Flaubert told in the novel “Salambo” occurred in Carthage three hundred years before the birth of Christ. Carthage had already lost Rome its first war and lost Sicily.
Flaubert is a very demanding writer, he worked on every line and was not afraid to destroy entire chapters of his works. 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 journey, he first destroyed everything he wrote, 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 on Carthage. Therefore, every detail Flaubert used in Salambo had a historical source. Critics even tried to accuse his composition of non-historicity, but Flaubert immediately answered all the questions and backed them up with references to historians and their work. The last word was left to the master.
The novelist sold the novel for 10,000 francs, provided that it would be accepted by the publisher without editing and there would be no illustration in it. After the success of the first book, Gustave Flaubert could set conditions, and they were unconditionally accepted. The novel was highly appreciated by both readers and colleagues of the writer. Not without grumbling a few discontented critics.
About the novel
Flaubert’s novel “Salambo” is valuable not only for its historical component, but also for its everyday background. Clothing, dishes, religion, weapons, food, architecture or military operations were all reliable. 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 have been separated for hundreds of years, but the feelings do not change - they remain the same, the same as ours.
In ancient Carthage, the council of oligarchs (wealthy citizens) ruled the country, who ruined the country with its unsuccessful policy, lost the war and sent into exile a talented commander. They remembered him only when a crowd of mercenaries did not receive money and began a riot. Salambo is a priestess and daughter of general Hamilcar and sister of Hannibal. A woman with true and genuine feelings worthy of respect.
As Salammbo’s analysis showed, through the novel, as well as many works by the writer, the idea that a woman is capable of heroism and self-sacrifice is a common thread, but in the world of men it does not matter - everything will be destroyed and trampled.
Feast in the palace
Getting to the brief content of the novel “Salambo”, we recall that the action takes place in Carthage, ravaged by the Punic War. His Council was unable to pay a salary to the hired soldiers and tried to moderate their ardor with plentiful refreshments. The gardens surrounding Hamilcar Palace served as a place for a feast. Tired warriors of different nations flocked to the feast. But the Council’s calculation turned out to be inaccurate - the deceived warriors warmed up with wine demanded more and more. Meat, women, wine ...
From the prison came the singing of slaves. The feasts instantly left the feast and ran to free the prisoners. Soon, leading prisoners in chains, they returned, and the feast resumed with renewed vigor. Someone noticed jeweled fish swimming in the lake. They were revered as sacred in the Baki family, but the barbarians caught beautiful fish, lit a fire and began to watch them wriggle in boiling water.
Salambo
At that moment, the terrace door opened and a female figure appeared. This is Salambo - the daughter of Hamilcar. She was brought up by eunuchs and maidservants, far from prying eyes, in severity and prayers to the goddess Tanit, who was considered the pillar of Carthage. Salambo called her favorite fish and reproached the soldiers for sacrilege, referring to everyone in his dialect. Everyone was staring at the girl, but more closely than all, the Numid leader Nar Havas.
Libyan Mato also watched the girl in all eyes. When she finished her speech, he bowed to her. In response, she handed the warrior a cup of wine. One of the Gaul 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 dart 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.
Mercenary Camp
We continue the brief summary of Salammbo and return to the mercenary camp. Two days later they were told: if they leave the city immediately, they will be paid everything to the penny. They agreed, they were ordered to camp away from the city. Once Nar Havas 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 evening - the image of Salambo haunted him constantly. In this he confessed to Spendius, who sat and wondered why Nur had appeared here. He was sure of his betrayal, but did not know who he wanted to betray: Carthage or them.
Everyone was waiting for the promised gold to arrive, and people in the camp all arrived and arrived. Everyone came here - exiles, escaped criminals, ruined peasants. The tension grew, but there was still no money. Once the commander Gannon arrived and began to tell how bad things were in Carthage, how little money there was in the treasury. Warriors moved to Carthage. For three days they crossed the path, and a bloody battle began.
Cover of the goddess
Mato Libyans revered for courage and strength, he was their leader. Once Spendius invited him to secretly enter the city - through water pipes, and to steal a divine veil from the Tanit temple. They made their way to the palace of Hamilcar, and Mato headed to Salambo's room. She was sleeping, but when she felt Mato's gaze, she opened her eyes. He confessed his love to her and asked her to go with him or to stay here. For the sake of his love, he was ready for a lot. Slaves came running, wanted to rush at him, but Salammbo stopped them - on the Mato was the cover of the goddess Tanit, whose touch threatened with death.
Betrayal of Havas
We continue the brief retelling of the book “Salambo”. The struggle between the barbarians and Carthage was difficult - luck was on one side, then on the other. In Carthage, they were sure that the disaster was due to the loss of the divine coverlet, and Salambo was accused of this. Her teacher told her that the salvation of the republic was in her hands, and convinced her to get to the barbarians and pick up the coverlet. Salambo hit the road. When she arrived at the camp, the sentry took her to Mato. His heart was beating, and only the imperious appearance of the guest embarrassed him.
Salambo's gaze rested on the Tanit bedspread, the girl raised her veil and said she wanted to pick up the bedspread. Mato, seeing her face, forgot about everything in the world. He knelt before Salambo and began to kiss her hands, legs, shoulders, hair. The girl was struck 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 had betrayed the mercenaries and crossed to the side of Carthage with his cavalry. Varvarov, however, convinced that he was here to help them. In fact, Nur rushed about, on whose side there was power, to which he was ready to serve. But now, when he saw Salambo and found out that she was in the camp, he was sure that his place was here.
Further, the plot of "Salambo" is developing very dynamically. The astute Hamilkar understood that this person cannot be trusted. But when Salambo pulled out the cover of the deity, the commander embraced Gavas in a fit of feelings. Soon the betrothal of Nur Gavas and Salambo took place. So the father ordered.
Lost battle
The war went on. And although the veil was returned to the goddess, the barbarians won. A plague began in the city. In desperation, the council of elders decided to sacrifice children from noble families to the gods. They came to the house of Hamilcar - for a ten-year-old Hannibal. But the father hid the child, and at the spell he gave the slave. After the sacrifice, it poured rain, and with it rescue came to Carthage. Rome and Syracuse rushed to their aid, and the mercenaries were defeated.
In their ranks began discord and terrible hunger. The faithful Spendius died, and Mato was captured: Havas, having crept 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 Salambo, sitting on the terrace, saw him, Mato was a bloody mass.
The girl remembered how courageous he was in the tent, how affectionately he talked to her. Mato's eyes were still alive, and he stared at Salammbo. Tortured, he fell dead. Gavas stood up and in the sight of the jubilant city embraced Salambo and sipped a golden cup. The girl also rose, but immediately sank to the throne. She was dead. As Salambo Flaubert writes about, the girl died in punishment for touching the divine bedspread.
Reader Reviews
What attracts Flaubert’s novel “Salambo” is that it is based on real events in Carthage. The author focuses on the internal conflict - the aristocracy of the republic and the mercenaries who rebelled against it. The commander Hamilkar is a typical representative of the world of those in power. The anger of the rebels is directed against him and others like him. The author, as it were, justifies this rebellion, describing the difficult conditions of their life. But, on the other hand, this clash represents a natural disaster that threatens the foundations of civilization. The rampant violent passions in this struggle can equate a person with a bloodthirsty, insatiable beast. In this regard, the novel is relevant today.
As readers write in reviews of Salammbo, 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? Feelings. Flaubert himself wrote that “he would give half a stop to notes” in order to at least “for three seconds” experience the excitement of “my heroes”. He admitted how difficult it is to transform into a person of that pre-Christian era. But the writer succeeded. The novel is addictive: the plot is dynamic, the heroes are magnificent. The story of Salambo will not leave anyone indifferent.