"Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert is a novel published in 1857. It tells the story of Emma Bovary, the wife of a provincial doctor who pursues adulterous affairs and lives beyond her means to escape the boredom and mediocrity of country life. Upon publication, the novel sparked a notorious obscenity trial that made it instantly famous across France. Flaubert's acquittal led to overwhelming success, with the first edition selling out in two months. The work is considered one of the earliest examples of literary realism.