Consider the historical development of the French Revolution and its aftermath over the course of the 1790s and its impact on British poets.
The French Revolution was born out of an age of extraordinary triumph where man decided to fight for the rights of his kind. It was described by Thomas Paine as a period in “which everything may be looked for” (The Rights of Man 168) and attained. “Man” was readily developing into an idealistic concept that had the capability to accomplish things that had only previously been matters of thought. However this glorious Revolution soon showed signs of weakness and was eventually marked a failure by the Jacobin “Reign of Terror”, resulting in William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge facing profound
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The first failure of the Revolution that the poets focus on is the uniting of the multitude under one harmonic voice. This was a necessity in order to progress forward in the attainment of human rights. However from the onset the Revolution was faced with opposing beliefs which broke its hope for absolute unity and hindered its strength. In Book IX of the Prelude, whilst referencing his conversations with the opposing Royalists, Wordsworth states that these “defenders of the crown” (198) did not refrain from trying to win him over to their side (197-200). This inability to achieve a unified body is however countered in Wordsworth’s “Lines written in Early Spring” as he reveals Nature’s success at accomplishing what man failed to. In the first line of the poem Wordsworth declares, “I heard a thousand blended notes” (“Lines written in Early Spring” 1) and therefore, in this beautiful grove, the poet reveals the presence of multiple sounds that grow in harmony with each other. The choice of the word “blended” (1) highlights the unification of Nature’s sounds into one cohesive body of song. Along with this, the use of sibilance also emphasizes this fusion as it produces one peaceful sound that pervades the rest of the stanza, therein mimicking the successful union of nature into one voice. In a manner similar to that of
The initial impulse of the French revolution was destructive. For those who lived through all, or even part, of these vast upheavals, the shock was overwhelming. Maximilien Robespierre was a proud disciple of the enlightenment and declared that no political writer had foreseen this revolution. Robespierre (1758-1794) was one of the leaders of the Committee of Public Safety, the effective governing body of France during the most radical phase of the revolution. The leaders of this revolution attempted, perhaps more than any other revolutionary leaders before or since, to totally transform human society in every way. (Supreme Being) Although Robespierre began with patriotic intent he still was the face of the Reign of Terror and was viewed as being a radical person.
← Doyle, William. The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. 2001
Just about any country that one can name has some history of civil unrest, class issues, rioting in the streets, and outright warfare. These patterns of behavior are common denominators for most civilization in the world. The names, faces, and places may change, but the motivations are generally the same, because of the need for change and the willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve it. In contrast to the United States, which was in the process of freeing itself from British colonial rule, France was working to free itself from royal absolutism. This period is historically known as the French Revolution. Many scholars do not agree on the chronology of the French Revolution; some scholars suggest that the Revolution took place between 1789 to 1799 while others feel that it did not end until Napoleon lost power in 1815. To better understand the history of the French Revolution it is necessary to discuss the causes, major events, significant figures, and the outcomes associated with these political developments. Without this uprising, that changed the face of the entire country and influenced local political life in many countries in Europe, in all likelihood the France we know today would never have existed.
The French Revolution was a result of influence and inspiration gained from the American Revolution. This event occurred in 1789 and continued until the late 1790’s due to bloodshed and disagreement. During this time period the people with nothing began to have a voice and the people with power were rapidly executed leading to democracy, which meant every man was free with equal rights. The French’s method was named the Reign of Terror because of the French’s unique scare tactics. This event was not justified due to the oppression of the guillotine, the Tribunal system, and Declaration of the Rights of man.
Liberté, Egalité, and Fraternité were the main principles of the French revolution. However, it was a time where these three ideals would be twisted into nothing more than moral and physical violence. The revolution was ultimately a failure which spun out of control and began to murder itself. The French wanted Freedom from its absolutist ruler, but in turn saw themselves being governed by the devil. These citizens wanted a sense of brotherhood amongst their country, but saw their nation being torn apart by violence. Furthermore, the third estate sought to benefit from a new government that promised equality; however, the result was a further imbalance in an already corrupt society. Ironically, the gruesome reign of terror which was
The French Revolution was a monumental historical event. Somehow, however, the causes of this conflict are often forgotten among all of the chaotic events. However, the causes of this revolution are exactly what will be discussed in this essay. The three most paramount issues which caused the French Revolution were the inequality in estates, the ignorance of King Louis XVI, and the political system.
The French Revolution of 1789 was inarguably a significant turning point in the history of Europe. However, there have been historical debates over the major contributing factor that had caused the French Revolution. Many historians have argued that the French Revolution was sparked by the emerging new age ideas of Enlightenment in the 18th century, which encouraged people to think logically and critically about their society. Many notable writers such as Diderot and Voltaire began to publicly criticise the social structure and the governance of France. (Darlington et al., 2004, p.25) But other historians argue that ideas affected the way people saw
The Enlightenment was characterized by ideas of social, political, and economic change. Reason and education became the most valued quality among man, replacing the importance of the church in all aspects of life. The Enlightenment had a major influence on the thinkers of the French Revolution. It was this intellectual change that led to the desire for a new governmental system and liberty for all people. This want of liberty, equality, and fraternity amongst the French people could not have been achieved without steep consequences. The practices used to achieve these goals were majorly flawed and often violent. The Revolution was an exceedingly dark time in French History and it led to relatively few successful changes. Due to the horrors of the Terror, the lack of unity among people, and the resulting rule of Napoleon Bonaparte, I
In three documents associated with historical revolutions, Thomas Jefferson’s The Declaration of Independence, the French National Assembly’s The Declaration of the Rights of Man, and Olympe de Gouges’ The Declaration of the Rights of Women, readers are presented with the markedly different perspectives on revolution and reform that their authors held, painting a picture of ideals in revolutions separated by both an ocean and an inherent difference in perceptible motivation. Though each document mentioned is notably more progressive than the last in its criticisms of social inequalities, with The Declaration of the Rights of Man advocating for social justice at the outset, and The Declaration of Independence making no mention of social
During the Industrial Revolution there was a dramatic change in Britain, which instigated social and economic problems Throughout Britain. During the Industrial Revolution, romantic poets such as William Wordsworth, along with other romantic artists, inflicted a positive aspect on the Industrial Revolution due to creating images that revealed everything as being beautiful and expressed the simple life. William Wordsworth illustrates an abundance of romanticism to deal with social and economic problems in the Industrial Revolution and to express the true beauty of nature.
The French Revolution (1789-1814) was a period that affected the outcome of world history tremendously. This is considered a major turning point in European history which has led to dramatic changes in France and other regions of the world. Various social and political issues led to the start of the revolution. Politically, France suffered under the rule of Louis XVI, who ruled by absolute monarchy. Many people had their natural rights renounced and weren’t able to have a political voice. Socially, France had divided its population within 3 estates (classes). French citizens took it upon themselves to remodel their country 's’ political structure. The French Revolution had encountered both positive and negative effects. However, many Europeans viewed the Revolution as much more than just a bloody massacre. The French Revolution was used to demonstrate new ideology that would emphasize the principles of liberty and equality throughout Europe.
The Royal Family of France’s attempted escape on June 20th, 1791 made many people very unhappy with the King. The mob, ever ready to exercise the uncontrolled Rights of Men, made a mock parade of the King’s Arms in the market places, and, dashing them and the figure of a crown to the ground, they trampled upon them, crying out, “Since the King has abandoned what he owed to his high situation, let us trample upon the ensigns of royalty” (Ascherson 48)! The Royal Family not only lost many of its followers through their attempted escape, but also because King Louis XVI kept making bad decisions, ones that had no benefit to France or its people. The people wanted someone who would lead them into a revolution and change France for the better, not because they wanted the power, but because they believed in France and wanted it to become a great nation. That man was Robespierre, who after the flight of the King followed the Jacobin club in its move toward republicanism. He called for universal male suffrage and the end of property qualifications for voting and office holding (Blumberg 290). Robespierre wanted to make France a republic, a government for the people and by the people, a country where everyone had the freedoms and rights they deserved. In January of 1793, Robespierre voted on whether or not he thought that King Louis should be executed for his actions. At the Convention on the trial
Liberté, égalité, fraternité was the cry of freedom that countless people used to propel them through, and to the end of the French Revolution. This long period of social, political and economic change in France lasted 10 years, starting in 1798 and ended with Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution greatly affected all of Europe at the time and continues to represent the embodiment of revolution to this day. This constant struggle between the heavily taxed, burdened, and unrepresented third estate and those higher created an environment of monumental change for everyone. In the years leading up to the French Revolution, new beliefs and ideas were reaching every corner of Europe creating the thought that men should live free of oppression. However, in France the leader Louis XVI lead like a tyrant leaving the people impoverish and angry. Through the analysation of numerous circumstance present during the Ancien Régime, such as an inferior fiscal leadership, massive debt, and the forthcoming of new ideas during the Enlightened period, it can be concluded that the means for this revolution were justified as it is in our essence to revolt for a change.
Revolutions are a common occurrence throughout world history. With the amount of revolutions in history, there are those that get lost and those that are the most remembered or well known. One of the well known revolutions is the French Revolution which occurred in the years 1789 to 1799. Before the French Revolution, France was ruled by an absolute monarchy, this meaning that one ruler had the supreme authority and that said authority was not restricted by any written laws, legislature, or customs, a definition given by wikipedia.com and the feudal system, which was a system that said a peasant or worker would receive a piece of land in return for serving under a king, a definition given by vocabulary.com. Those who opposed the, then
The French Revolution began as an expression of rebellion against centuries of absolute rule in France. After an interim of experimental liberalism under the rule of Jacobins and Girondins and then the infamous reign of terror, the people of French were drawn to a man who promised them a return to stability, and honor through the expansion of empire. France and it’s people had long yearned for this sens eof honour, it had seemed, and could finally sens eit in a lasting rpesence under the rule of their prodigious, unbeatable general, Napoleon Bonaparte. He would soon take the reigns of civil government as well and become yet another Absolutist ruler, yet this