- Revolutionary Tradition and Les Mis
-
- Revolution
1789
-
- People
- --The
Monarchy
- --Desmoulins
- --Robespierre
- --Danton
- --Marat
- --Jacobins
- --Sans-culottes
- --Napoleon
-
- Events
- --Tennis
Court Oath
- --Fall
of the Bastille
- --October
Days
- --Varennes
- --Declaration
of War
- --Palace
Invaded
- --Louis
XVI
- --Reign
of Terror
- -- Fall of Robespierre
- --At
war
- --Napoleon
-
-
- Timeline
-
- 1789
in Les Miserables
- --The
Terror
- --The
People
- --The
Students
- --Revolutionary
- --The
Monarchy
- --Philosophy
-
- Monuments
- --Elephant
- --Bastille
- --L'arc
- --Place
de Concord
- --Pantheon
- --Tuileries
- --Notre
Dame
- --Elysées
-
- Daily
Sites
- --Restraunts
- --Cafes
- --Street
Names
- --Guillotine
- --Children's
Names and Games
-
- Works
Consulted
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The Parisian is among
Frenchman what the Athenian was among the Greeks. Nobody sleeps
better than he, nobody is more frankly frivolous and idle than
he, nobody seems to forget things more easily than he; but do
not trust him, notwithstanding; he is apt at all sorts of nonchalance,
but when there is glory to be gained he is wonderful in every
species of fury. Give him a pike and he will play the tenth of August; give him a musket, and you shall
have an Austerlitz. He is the support of Napoleon, and the resource of Danton. Is France in question? he enlists; is liberty
in question? he tears up the pavement. Beware!
Les Miserables, Fantine, Book Third, Chapter V
This quote is
rich with allusions to the French Revolution. Hugo captures the
duplicity of the Parisian characater succinctly and makes reference
to some of the pivitol events of the revolutionary period. This
quote foreshadows the radical attitudes of the students of the
ABC, who "tear up the pavement" to build barricades
later in the novel. Hugo also reveals his political beliefs in
this quote. He clearly sees the people of Paris as dynamic and
powerful force.
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|
The Fall
of the Monarchy, 10 August 1792 |
- When Hugo writes "give
him a pike and he will play the tenth of August," he is
referring to the date in 1792 when the monarchy of France was
overthrown. The crowds of Paris were pivitol in the overthrow--they
stormed the royal residence and massacred the royal guards while
the royal family fled. After the overthrow was secure, they dismembered
the bodies of the guards and carried their heads through the
city on pikes. This event gave Parisians a reputation as blood
thirsty savages throughout Europe.
- For more information on
this event click here.
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|
Photograph
of the Battlefield at Austerlitz, 1998 |
- Immediately after
mentioning the tenth of August, Hugo drops the name "Austerlitz"
into this quote. Austerlitz was one of Napoleon's great triumphs
as a general. This battle took place in Austria in 1805. It confirmed
that Naopoleon was a brilliant tactician, as he was able to defeat
both Russian and Austrian armies. Ordinary citizens were critical
to French military success. In August of 1793, the revolutionary
government declared universal mobilization of the nation, and
by 1794, they had raised an army of over 1 million men (Spielvogel, p. 690). By 1805, France had
been at war for more than 10 years, but the people of France
continued to support Napoleon's military campaigns.
- For more information on
Austerlitz click
here.
 |
|
Napoleon at the
Bridge of Arcola, Baron Gros, 1796 |
- The common people of Paris
were the "support of Napoleon" because they fought
for him loyally. They were also his support when he overthrew
the Directory in 1799, and they continued to support him as he
crowned himself the emporer of France. Without popular support,
Napoleon would not have been a successful general or a successful
dictator.
- For more information on
Napoleon's overthrow of the Directory click here.
- For more on information
on Napoleon click here.
- For differing views of
Napoleon click here.
- Hugo describes the people
of Paris as "the resource of Danton." Danton was a
popular figure during the first years of the French Revolution
(1789-1794), and one of the most admirable (Dowd,
91). He was a large man with an intimidating physical presence
and was known as a persuasive public speaker. He was not allowed
to speak at his own trial for fear that he would incite the people
of Paris to riot. Dowd says,
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"Danton was
a popular man, and a man of the people. He had founded the Cordeliers
to give the sans-culottes of Paris a voice, and the people of
Paris idolised him for it. Although he antagonized many of his
fellow politicians, many more respected him for his quick intelligence,
his conviction and his fiery eloquence." (Dowd,
90). |
- Danton often called on
the people to act against the monarchy. He believed in the people
and they were fiercly devoted to him.
- For more information on
Danton click here.
- For information on the
Fall of Daton click here.
- For more information on
the sans-coulottes click here.
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