Chapter 21 of Madame Bovary is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of Madame Bovary is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.” “Who told you?” she said, shuddering. “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone. “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais. He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
Chapter 21 of Madame Bovary is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading ““Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.”
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading ““Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.”
a small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold
From this reading ““Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.”
United States financier (born in France) who helped finance the War of 1812 (1750-1831)
From this reading ““Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.”
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading “He has gone on a journey, or is to go.””
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading ““We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.””
used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”
From this reading ““We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.””
shaking convulsively or violently
From this reading ““Who told you?” she said, shuddering.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
anew
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
a small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
United States financier (born in France) who helped finance the War of 1812 (1750-1831)
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
destroyed or killed
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
and nothing more
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He has gone on a journey, or is to go.”
on the contrary
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Who told you?” she said, shuddering.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Who told you?” she said, shuddering.
shaking convulsively or violently
From this reading “Who told you?” she said, shuddering.
in the near future
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “Who told you?” she said, shuddering.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “Who told me!” he replied, rather astonished at her abrupt tone.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “We are not likely to see Monsieur Rodolphe soon again, it seems.”
which person or people
From this reading “Who told you?” she said, shuddering.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why, Girard, whom I met just now at the door of the Cafe Francais.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Who told you?” she said, shuddering.
Chapter 21 of Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert holds 170 sentences, grouped into 34 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 21 holds 170 sentences of Madame Bovary, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 170 sentences, grouped into 34 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 34 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6429 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2413 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2413, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 535 minutes of reading across 1286 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Madame Bovary section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of Madame Bovary to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Madame Bovary, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
