# Hippolyte Tautain — Madame Bovary character guide

> Hippolyte Tautain in Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Hippolyte

**First appearance:** 0015-part-ii-v

## Who they are

The clubfooted stable boy at the inn on whom Charles operates.

## In the story

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/madame_bovary_se/chapters/part-ii-xi)

The victim of the operation. Persuaded by collective pressure, his condition deteriorates from clubfoot to gangrene, necessitating amputation.

### [The Death of Charles's Father & Financial Maneuvers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/madame_bovary_se/chapters/part-iii-ii)

Brings Emma's luggage back, his painful movement and presence serve as a humiliating reminder of Charles's professional failure (the botched operation).

### [The Funeral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/madame_bovary_se/chapters/part-iii-x)

Attends the funeral, kneeling painfully with his new leg, a reminder of the Bovarys' past failures.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/madame_bovary_se/characters/hippolyte_tautain
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/madame_bovary_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/madame_bovary_se/characters