Sentimental Education

“The heart, like the stomach, wants a varied diet.” — Gustave Flaubert, Sentimental Education

Part One

Frédéric Moreau, a young law student from the provinces, travels by boat to Paris in 1840. Onboard, he meets Jacques Arnoux, an art dealer, and becomes infatuated with Arnoux’s wife, Madame Marie Arnoux. This encounter shapes his romantic and social aspirations. In Paris, Frédéric befriends Charles Deslauriers, an ambitious but impoverished friend, and immerses himself in the city’s intellectual and political circles. He frequently visits the Arnoux household, nurturing his unrequited love for Marie.

Part Two

Frédéric inherits a fortune, allowing him to pursue a life of leisure. He mingles with artists, journalists, and radicals, including the socialist Sénécal and the opportunistic Hussonnet. His love for Madame Arnoux remains unfulfilled, though he engages in fleeting affairs, including one with Rosanette, Arnoux’s mistress. Political unrest brews as the 1848 Revolution looms, and Frédéric’s idealism clashes with reality.

Part Three

During the 1848 Revolution, Frédéric witnesses the chaos of Paris. Though initially sympathetic, he grows disillusioned with the violence and political infighting. His relationships deteriorate—Deslauriers betrays him, Arnoux faces financial ruin, and Rosanette bears his child, who dies shortly after birth. Madame Arnoux leaves Paris, and Frédéric’s dreams crumble.

Epilogue

Years later, Frédéric and Deslauriers, now middle-aged and disillusioned, reminisce about their youth. They recall a failed youthful escapade to a brothel, symbolizing their wasted ambitions. The novel ends with them agreeing that their “sentimental education” was their best and worst experience.

Key Ideas

• Romantic idealism vs. harsh reality
• The futility of political revolutions
• Social mobility and bourgeois hypocrisy
• Art and commerce in modern society
• The passage of time and lost youth