I am finding that most of the famous classics written by men involve a female character tempted with adultery and fornication- Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, Portrait of a Lady, Tess of the D'Ubervilles, Vanity Fair, The Scarlet Letter ect. In these books women are tempted, tried, and then suffer the consequences of their immorality. 18th century authors and beyond definitely have a double standard in the consequences they impose on the women in the adulteress relationships versus the men. But I won't go into a tirade on the double standard of morality. Instead I compliment the authors of most of these books on portraying how the immorality changes and destroys the woman. Madame Bovary in particular was driven mad by living a double life. All unhealthy aspects of a relationship end up ruining the love affairs- jealousy, control, and vanity. Th irony of this book is that she is searching for an ideal image of love created by her youth and fails to see the only real-lasting- forgiving love given to her was by her husband, daughter, and father. Her husband is to blame as well by putting her on a pedestal and spinelessly letting her rule him. His character is weak till the very end where he fully understands of her unfaithfulness and instead of rising above the power of his wife with anger he wishes he could be more like the man of her love affair. The selfishness of his love for her on a pedestal and her love with an ideal image of love end up destroying them both and their families. I always like to find the noble characters in these books and it seems none of the main characters were noble but only "the child" who was innocent but destroyed by her parents.
