Helen Maria Williams coaxes the reader into the revolution
by presenting the life of Mons. Du F----, and his many misfortunes caused by
his father. Baron du F---- “preferred the exercise of domestic tyranny to the
blessings of social happiness, and chose rather to be dreaded than beloved”
(115). Williams described how Baron du F---- exercised his way of ruling, and
further explains in her novel, Letters
Written in France, his tyrannical behavior is not limited even to his sons,
at one-point imprisoning Mons. du F---- for going against his father’s wishes. Even
Baron du F----‘s other sons hesitated in visiting Mons. du F----, as to not
face their father’s repercussions. Discussing first-hand accounts of the severity
and cruelty from Baron du F---- gives further insight as to why the French
Revolution came to occurrence. Baron du F---- no doubt exercised similar
actions towards the people in the civilization.
Williams then brings a call to action in her final letters
by responding to the British criticism of the French Revolution. The British
thought differently of the French Revolution, Williams recounting these descriptions
as “dismay” and “horror” and tells of the main discussions in British
conversation being about “crimes, assassinations, torture, and death” (147).
Williams asks herself “Must I be told that my mind is perverted…because I do
not weep with those who have lost a part of their superfluities, rather than rejoice
that the oppressed are protected, that the wrong are redressed…” (148). Williams,
as opposed to seeing the French behaving in a barbaric manner, celebrates the
revolt as a fight for freedom and liberty. The British lived a more privileged
life, and seeing the French fight against the authority oppressing them shocks
the British because they were afraid of another war.
Williams choice to have the embedded memoir in the novel does seem like a way to win over the British population in favor of the revolution. I agree that Williams is celebrating the revolution and its ideals. The entire novel is structured to manipulate the reader into supporting the revolution and all the notions or ideals that are a part of it. I don't completely agree with your opinion on the reason the British were shocked by the revolution though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not totally convinced that Mons. du Fossé's brothers were only trying to avoid their father's temper by avoiding their older brother. From the bits of his life that Williams shares with us, the glimpse we catch of his brother visiting him seemed cold, distant. Not like what I would expect to brothers two act like when being reunified under such conditions. I fail to catch any notion of worry for Mons. du Fossé, any compassion. Perhaps the siblings stayed away because they simply didn't care what happened so long as they weren't inconvenienced by it.
ReplyDeleteSurely they feared war, but was it not more so that the British operated under the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy? It seemed, to me, that Williams was suggesting the British were stubborn in giving up their traditions, which stunted their growth where France was racing ahead- equality among the races, the classes, the sexes.