Abstract
In the spring of 1857 Flaubert’s wide and eclectic knowledge of the history and religions of the southern Mediterranean, acquired for the composition of La Tentation de Saint Antoine, threw up another promising subject: the history of Carthage. Neglecting the best-known events, he fixed on an obscure period of three years (241-238 B.C.) when, defeated by Rome in the first Punic War, Carthage engaged in an increasingly vicious local conflict with its own mercenary army, which it had refused to pay off. Flaubert added two other themes: the documented description of the city and its civilisation, and a fictional story of the desperate passion of a mercenary leader for Salammbô, the daughter of the city’s military and naval chief, Hamilcar. If the contrast with the petty provinciality of Madame Bovary offered scope to his love of grandeur, exoticism, poetic lyricism and the summits of philosophical thought, the choice of subject posed a new set of challenging problems.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
