She let herself be carried away by the rocking of the melodies and felt herself vibrate with her whole being as if the bows of the violins were walking over her nerves.
She let herself be carried away by the rocking of the melodies and felt herself vibrate with her whole being as if the bows of the violins were walking over her nerves.
Gustave Flaubert Madame Bovary
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This quote from Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary beautifully captures the intimate, almost tangible relationship between music and human emotion. The imagery of being rocked gently by melodies evokes a sense of surrender and immersion, suggesting that music isn't just heard but felt deeply, stirring every fiber of one's being. The metaphor of the violin bows walking over the nerves conveys a delicate, even electric sensation, highlighting how art can penetrate our physical and emotional selves simultaneously. This passage also reflects the profound impact of sensory experiences on our mood and mental state, emphasizing how music can offer an escape, comfort, or resurface intense feelings. Flaubert’s precise and evocative language demonstrates his skill in rendering emotional subtleties and the inner world of his characters. This quote resonates beyond its literary context, inviting readers to remember moments when they too have been carried away by music, deeply touched and transformed by its power. It beautifully reminds us that art is not distant or abstract but something that throbs within us, linking perception and emotion in a dance as fluid as the melodies themselves.

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book quote french literature Literary Emotion Sensory Experience Music and Emotion
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Madame Bovary
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Gustave Flaubert
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Other quotes in Madame Bovary

She let herself be carried away by the rocking of the melodies and felt herself vibrate with her whole being as if the bows of the violins were walking over her nerves.
Gustave Flaubert Madame Bovary
She let herself be carried away by the rocking of the melodies and felt herself vibrate with her whole being as if the bows of the violins were walking over her nerves.
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{...} what I wish for Chizalum is the following: that she is full of opinions, and that her opinions stem from a well-informed, humane, and open mind. That she have health and happiness. That she have the life she wants to have.
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