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Season 2025 – Talk 01 – Post Napoleonic France
In ‘Post Napoleonic France’ Peter Duffy tells us about the political difficulties in France in the 19th Century. He draws on Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas to show the parallels between the fact and fiction.
Scope:
The talk covers the period in France’s history between 1814 and the final collapse of the monarchy in 1848, and the formation of the Second Republic.
The time between the Bourbon restoration and the July Monarchy is a period that is often ignored when students rush from studying the French Revolution and Napoleon and then on to the Second Republic and Louis Napoleon. They often pay little attention to the intervening years.
A foundation for French history:
Peter tells us that this is a foundational period in the French story. A time when France colonises itself, extending the control of Paris over the rest of the country. They achieve this by extending the roads and introducing rail.
The most important factor is the development of a school network. A national education system with a national language. Before this, France had many regional dialects.
Social relations and divisions form; these are still active in France today. Recent elections illustrate this. Splits are the heart of political and social France, with roots from this period.
Victor Hugo and Alexander Dumas:
Both in their different ways are forceful commentators on the ills that they see in the France of this period. It is this period that gives their stories structure and meaning.
Understanding this period in France helps us understand attitudes in France today.
Listen to Peter tell the story.
About this podcast:
This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others.
AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk.
© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 – 2026