Landau

Description

A Landau is a four-wheeled carriage that seats four people on two facing seats with an elevated front seat for the coachman. It was distinguished by two folding hoods, one at each end, which met at the top to form a boxlike enclosure with side windows. It was a lightweight vehicle, that was usually drawn by four horses. Its windows could be dropped tom make it an open  carriage in the summer. Landaus were pretty expensive vehicles and as such were owned by rich individuals in 19th century France, and certainly admired by the masses. 

Quick Facts

• Capacity: 4 people
• Average Speed: ~ 6 miles per hour
• Power: 2 horses

   

Literary Analysis of Its Significance

Using The ceremonial arrival of the Prefectural Councelor at the Agricultural Fair in a Landau, Flaubert reveals how people in the 19th century view this vehicle. Peasants standing in awe, almos fighting just to get a glompse of the vehicle. This shows that Landaus were extremely well looked upon back in the 19th century. Only wealthy people, or those somewhat high ranking officials could afford to own or even ride in a Landau. It is important to note how Flaubert describes the horses that were pulling the Landau however. Here we have this extremely nice vehicle, but at the same time, we have dawdling, emaciated, skinny horses pulling it.  This therefore greatly takes away from the greatness of the vehicle because a carriage is only as fast and effective in getting its rider to destination as the horses that are pulling it.

Appearances in Madame Bovary

It was a false alarm.  The prefect wasn't even in sight, and the members of the jury were in a quandary, not knowing    whether to begin the proceedings or wait a while longer.

Finally at the far end of the square appeared a big hired  landau drawn by two skinny horses who were being furiously  whipped on by a white-hatted coachman.  Binet had just time to

shout, "Fall in!" and the colonel to echo him.  There was a  rush for the stacked rifles, and in the confusion some of the  men forgot to button their collars. 

 But the official coach-and-pair seemed to sense the difficulty, and the emaciated beasts dawdling on their chain, drew up at a slow trot in front of the portico of the town hall just at the moment when  the national guard and the fire brigade were deploying into  line to the beating of the drums.Then there emerged from the  carriage a gentleman clad  in a short, silver-embroidered coat, his forehead high and bald, the back of his head tufted, his complexion wan and his expression remarkably benign.  His eyes, very large and  heavy-lidded, half shut as he peered at the multitude, and a

the same time he lifted his sharp nose and curved his sunken  mouth into a smile.  He recognized the mayor by his sash, and   explained that the prefect had been unable to come.  He him

self was a prefectural councilor, and he added a few words of  apology.  Tuvache replied with compliments, the emissary declared himself unworthy of them, and the two officials  stood the

 face to face, their foreheads almost touching, all about them the members of the jury, the village council,  the local elite, the national guard and the crowd. 

--The fact that this councelor came in a Landau reveals that rich or important people are the ones that ride in this type of carriage.

--This carriage must have been "THE" carriage of the 19th century,their sort of "Ferrari"

References

http://www.metaglossary.com

http://www.georgianindex.net/horse_and_carriage/carriages.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landau_%28carriage%29

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9047036/landau+landau+vehicle,+france&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

http://www.guildofmodelwheelwrights.org/newsite03/vehicles/pas_4wheel.html