Comparison of speeches between Rodolphe and the councilman in Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

To further illustrate the seduction of Emma into an affair with Rodolphe, Flaubert juxtaposes the speech Rodolphe makes to Emma along with that of the councilman's speech to the people of Yonville at the Agricultural Show. Both Rodolphe and the councilman use the technique of seduction in order to gain their own selfish desires. By praising the people of Yonville for their honorable hard work and contributions to society, the councilman disguisedly sways the people …

…her in the weaker position. By seeing both these scenes so closely related, the deception of both audiences is viewed with ease and gives a clearer vision of both character's incentives and predictions, since they have both misguided and deceived their audiences for their own personal benefit. Therefore, with Rodolphe's fabrication and Emma's naivety, the results of their affair are clearly visible, since her desire for romance is misplaced with Rodolphe's misleading and exaggerated flattery.