Three Short Works

In Three Short Works, three character-driven stories follow each protagonist as they attempt to navigate the trials and tribulations of life, death, love and loss. Flaubert presents a powerful combination of realism and romanticism that jumps off the page. Three Short Works consists of three distinct stories. "The Dance of Death" centers on the plight of the Grim Reaper or Death, as he complains about his difficult job and unenviable title. In "The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitaller," a young man is cursed to murder his parents and attempts to outrun his fate. While "A Simple Soul" follows a hard-working maid, who dedicates her life to a mistress and her two children. Three Short Works is both enlightening and entertaining. Flaubert tackles vastly different stories from a unique point-of-view. Each selection is a poignant tale that charts the internal struggle of these disparate characters.