The Bovaryc Anti-Heroine on the Hero’s Journey. Melancholic Maturing in Ingmar Bergman’s Summer with Monika

Abstract

This paper explores the emotions of one of Ingmar Bergman’s most iconic feminine characters, from his 1953 film, Summer with Monika. While describing the protagonist’s arc, the analytic approach focuses on Monika’s maturing from a narrative perspective, following the stages of the hero’s journey and  exploring her descent into melancholy. Starting from the premise that Monika possesses some of the traits of Bovaryc psychology, as developed by Flaubert and Jules de Gaultier, the character’s change from heroine to antiheroine is followed, putting an emphasis on the way her melancholy affects her fate.