A Simple Heart was, apparently, a challenge undertaken by Gustave Flaubert to write a character antithetical to his extremely popular Emma Bovary. As with most writing undertaken as an experiment this short story is technically precise and well written, but lacks the love and enjoyment that writing done for the love of it possesses. The main character, Felicite, is unremarkable protagonist, but that is likely the point. Flaubert did not name the story A Simple Heart for nothing. However, one wonders if he there is a double edge meaning to the term "simple". On one hand, it appears clear that he means simple in the classic way; plain and uncomplicated. On the other hand, it can be argued that simplicity in this case is used as a euphemism for stupidity.

My argument for this stems from the fact that Felicite, despite being mistreated and forced to work for others throughout her entire life, is too simple to ever aspire to anything more. Perhaps this is because aspiring to more would be recipe for heart ache, but she seems often oblivious to the fact that the rest of the world is not as kind of a place as one would hope.

Before this, I had not read anything by Flaubert, though his famous Madame Bovary is next on my list, so perhaps I am missing some contextual significance to this sort story. Perhaps I lack the analytical prowess to see this story for the masterpiece it is, or else only the most dedicated fans of classical French literature even bother to pick this up. Regardless, I seem to be alone in my mediocre rating of this story. Perhaps if I return to it again at some later date, I will understand the amplified ratings by others.