Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) was a French novelist, often regarded as one of the leading western novelists of all time. His most famous work is MADAME BOVARY, focusing on an adulterous doctor’s wife who lives beyond her means to escape the boredom and meaningless of her life. A driven and dedicated writer, Flaubert never married, but engaged in several affairs and frequented prostitutes. He suffered venereal diseases for much of his life.