Revolution And The Historical Novel

This book is an account of the ways the promise and threat of political revolution has informed historical novels from Walter Scott to the near present. Building off of the Marxist scholarly tradition of Georg Lukacs and Frederic Jameson, this book emphasizes the transformation of literary conventions to adapt to changing historical contexts.

This book is an account of the ways the promise and threat of political revolution has informed historical novels from Walter Scott to the near present. Building off of the Marxist scholarly tradition of Georg Lukacs and Frederic Jameson, this book emphasizes the transformation of literary conventions to adapt to changing historical contexts.

Approximately fifty historical novels dealing with the American Revolution were published in the United States in the single ten-year period from 1896 to 1906. Benjamin Lawson critically examines the narrative strategies employed in these many novels, the ways in which fiction is made to serve the purpose of vivifying national history. The British conventions of the historical romance in one sense seem to preclude radical declarations of literary independence even in books purportedly about a war against Britain. Working within the formula, these many writers nonetheless created fictional plots which parallel and reflect the enveloping concerns of the War for Independence. Just as the war was sometimes viewed as an Anglo-American family squabble, these metaphorical narratives depict familial and love interests.

""Scaramouche: A Romance of the French Revolution"" is a compelling historical novel by Rafael Sabatini, renowned for its thrilling narrative and vivid depiction of the tumultuous era of the French Revolution. Set against the backdrop of political upheaval and social unrest, the story follows the transformation of André-Louis Moreau, a quick-witted and passionate young lawyer, as he becomes embroiled in the revolutionary fervor and the pursuit of justice. Through a series of dramatic twists and turns, André-Louis assumes the identity of the charismatic and enigmatic Scaramouche, a figure known for his theatrical flair and fearless spirit. Sabatini skillfully weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and revenge, highlighting the complexities of human nature and the enduring struggle for liberty and equality. ""Scaramouche"" stands as a classic in historical fiction, captivating readers with its timeless exploration of passion, honor, and the pursuit of personal and political freedom.

He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. And that was all his patrimony. His very paternity was obscure, although the village of Gavrillac had long since dispelled the cloud of mystery that hung about it. Those simple Brittany folk were not so simple as to be deceived by a pretended relationship which did not even possess the virtue of originality. When a nobleman, for no apparent reason, announces himself the godfather of an infant fetched no man knew whence, and thereafter cares for the lad's rearing and education, the most unsophisticated of country folk perfectly understand the situation. And so the good people of Gavrillac permitted themselves no illusions on the score of the real relationship between Andre-Louis Moreau—as the lad had been named—and Quintin de Kercadiou, Lord of Gavrillac, who dwelt in the big grey house that dominated from its eminence the village clustering below. Andre-Louis had learnt his letters at the village school, lodged the while with old Rabouillet, the attorney, who in the capacity of fiscal intendant, looked after the affairs of M. de Kercadiou. Thereafter, at the age of fifteen, he had been packed off to Paris, to the Lycee of Louis Le Grand, to study the law which he was now returned to practise in conjunction with Rabouillet. All this at the charges of his godfather, M. de Kercadiou, who by placing him once more under the tutelage of Rabouillet would seem thereby quite clearly to be making provision for his future. Andre-Louis, on his side, had made the most of his opportunities. You behold him at the age of four-and-twenty stuffed with learning enough to produce an intellectual indigestion in an ordinary mind. Out of his zestful study of Man, from Thucydides to the Encyclopaedists, from Seneca to Rousseau, he had confirmed into an unassailable conviction his earliest conscious impressions of the general insanity of his own species. Nor can I discover that anything in his eventful life ever afterwards caused him to waver in that opinion.

Welcome to the3 Books To Knowseries, our idea is to help readers learn about fascinating topics through three essential and relevant books. These carefully selected works can be fiction, non-fiction, historical documents or even biographies. We will always select for you three great works to instigate your mind, this time the topic is:French Revolution. - The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emma Orczy. - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. - Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.The Scarlet Pimpernel is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. The novel is set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The title is the nom de guerre of its hero and protagonist, a chivalrous Englishman who rescues aristocrats before they are sent to the guillotine. A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and his release to live in London with his daughter Lucie, whom he had never met. The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several characters, particularly the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption. This is one of many books in the series 3 Books To Know. If you liked this book, look for the other titles in the series, we are sure you will like some of the topics