Gustave Flaubert and Le Mot Juste

Gustave Flaubert (1821 – 1880) was a French novelist. He is most famously known to have adhered to a strict sense of perfection in writing. Legend has it that he tried so hard to avoid vague expressions trying to to write harmonious sentences.

Specifically, he was known to spend a lot of time trying to choose le mot juste (the correct or right word). Le mot juste, he believed, was the key to attaining high quality in literary art.

This rigorous style of writing rendered his publishing less prolific, but it elevated his work. His book Madame Bovary is a testament to the precision of his writing and the power of le mot juste. What a book!