Madame Bovary
by Gustave Flaubert
Censorship Status
Banned in France (initially), Various countries
Reason: Adultery themes, challenging marriage norms, obscenity
A novel about a bored provincial housewife who seeks escape through adultery.
Why Madame Bovary Was Banned
Censorship Concerns
A controversial work that pushed boundaries and challenged social norms of its time.
Specifically, Madame Bovary was targeted for: Adultery themes, challenging marriage norms, obscenity. The book's themes and content were deemed threatening to the social, political, or religious order in multiple countries.
Why Read Madame Bovary Today?
- ✓ Historical Significance: Understand why this book was considered dangerous enough to ban.
- ✓ Intellectual Freedom: Support the right to read diverse perspectives and challenging ideas.
- ✓ Critical Thinking: Engage with ideas that authorities didn't want people to consider.
- ✓ Cultural Understanding: Gain insight into the fears and concerns of different societies and eras.
Other Banned Books You Might Like
Call Me by Your Name
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This acclaimed novel about a summer romance between two young men has been removed from Hillsborough County, Florida, and other districts over 'pornographic' content and LGBTQ+ themes. The book's lyrical exploration of first love and sexual awakening in a same-sex relationship has made it a target for Republican school boards implementing anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
The Bluest Eye
by Toni Morrison
This Nobel Prize winner's devastating novel about a Black girl who wishes for blue eyes has been restored in Florida after court challenges but remains targeted by Republican school boards. Morrison's unflinching examination of how racism and beauty standards destroy Black children's self-worth continues to make conservatives uncomfortable with America's racist history.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
This Pulitzer Prize winner has been removed from required reading lists by progressive school districts in California, Minnesota, and Mississippi. Left-leaning educators argue that despite its anti-racist message, the book centers white characters in Black stories and its frequent use of the N-word can be harmful to Black students. Unlike Republican bans, these removals come from a desire to de-center whiteness in discussions of racism.
Don't Let This Story Be Silenced
Support intellectual freedom by reading the books that challenged the powerful. Get your copy of Madame Bovary today and discover why it's still being banned.
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