Under the eyes of the Revolution: Les Misérables and the First Republic
Much like its role in Les Misérables, the French Revolution of 1789 was an incorporeal yet ever-present actor in the tumultuous world of nineteenth-century French politics. This presentation situates Les Amis within the context of this tumult. Designed to serve as an introduction to 1789, this presentation provides a brief summary of the Revolution and its impact on nineteenth-century political thought. It examines the political philosophies embodied by each of the Amis, comparing them to each other and to the philosophers and statesmen Hugo references. What does Hugo mean when he describes Enjolras as having “too much of Saint-Just about him, and not enough of Anacharsis Cloots,” and what can such allusions tell us about Hugo’s interpretation of the French Revolution and its legacy?
Speaker
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Madeleine