Bouvard and Pécuchet

The novel follows two clerks, Bouvard and Pécuchet, who, after inheriting a fortune, embark on a quest for knowledge across various fields, including science, literature, and art. Their unrelenting pursuit leads them to numerous failures and absurdities, highlighting the folly of their blind ambition and the limitations of self-education. Flaubert uses satire to critique the era’s obsession with knowledge and the superficiality of contemporary intellectual trends, ultimately portraying the futility of their endeavors and the human condition.