Left Wing in France

Tilly Matthews - The Airloom

 

DADAISM

 Here you will find a short video about Dadaism.

The Triplets of Belleville

This animated film follows elderly Frenchwoman Madame Souza as she becomes involved in international intrigue when her grandson, Champion, a professional cyclist, is kidnapped and taken abroad. Joined by her faithful dog, Bruno, Souza embarks on a journey to find Champion, and stumbles across unlikely allies in the form of three sisters who are veterans of the vaudeville stage. Tracking down Champion's criminal captors, the quartet of old women uses their wits to try and win the day.

Art and French Revolution

 

Debate topics on “Arts During the French Revolution.”

1. Is the "Death of Marat" more a political symbol than 

an artistic masterpiece?

Argue whether the painting’s primary value lies in its 

political message or its artistic merit.

2. Does David's idealization of Marat undermine 

the authenticity of the event?

Debate whether David's portrayal of Marat as a serene 

martyr distorts the harsh realities of the Revolution and 

Marat’s true personality.

3. Is the portrayal of Marat in the painting more 

about victimhood or heroism?

Explore whether David's work emphasizes Marat's 

victimhood or elevates him as a heroic figure in the 

revolutionary cause.

4. Was the Tennis Court Oath an act of unity or defiance?

Discuss whether the gathering of the Third Estate represented 

a united effort to create a fairer government or an act of rebellion 

against the monarchy.

5. Does Jacques-Louis David’s unfinished painting accurately 

reflect the significance of the event?

Discuss whether David’s interpretation captures the spirit and 

urgency of the Tennis Court Oath or if its incompleteness leaves 

important aspects unaddressed.

6. Does "The Oath of the Horatii" represent true loyalty to 

the state over family?

Debate whether the painting’s portrayal of the Horatii 

brothers emphasizes a message of patriotism and loyalty to 

the state above personal or familial ties.

7. Was the Women’s March on Versailles the true turning 

point of the French Revolution?

Debate whether this event had a more profound impact on 

the Revolution than other key moments, such as the Storming 

of the Bastille or the Tennis Court Oath.

8. How important were food shortages in motivating the 

Women’s March on Versailles?

Discuss the role of economic factors, particularly the scarcity 

of bread, as a primary cause of the march and whether it 

was more influential than political motivations.

9. Was the painting "Napoleon Crossing the Alps" an accurate 

depiction of Napoleon’s leadership or a glorified version?

Debate whether the painting represents Napoleon as he 

truly was, or if it exaggerated his heroic qualities for the sake 

of propaganda.

10. Can the portrayal of Napoleon on a rearing horse be seen 

as an intentional myth-making tool?

Discuss whether the dramatic imagery of Napoleon astride a 

rearing horse was meant to elevate his image to near-mythical 

status, distancing him from the reality of the event.

11. Does the painting "Lady Liberty Leading the People" by Eugène 

Delacroix represent the ideal of revolutionary freedom for all 

people, or is it primarily a glorification of violent rebellion?

Discuss whether the painting's portrayal of Liberty as a 

heroic figure embodies the universal ideals of freedom and 

equality, or if it emphasizes the chaos and violence inherent 

in revolutionary uprisings.

Enlightenment 2

Enlightenment 2: 

 

1. Rousseau. The Social Contract. 

2. Government as a “necessary evil” (Rousseau).

3. Rousseau’s ideas about women. 

4. Kant and the difference between science and morality. 

5. Montesquieu. The 3 branches of government. 

6. Beccaria’s ideas about punishment. New concepts.

7. Adam Smith. The Wealth of Nations. Against the State's intervention. 

8. The Encyclopedia and the institution of monarchy. 

9. Mary Wollstonecraft.

Enlightenment

 

1. Define scientific revolution. 

2. Consequences of skepticism over religion. 

3. John Locke and his idea of the tabula rasa. 

4. Hobbes and his idea of Leviathan. 

5. The idea of a contract. (Locke)

6. Revolution is legitimate when the leader has become a tyrant. (Locke)

7. Writings and readership: the birth of public opinion. Consequences.

8. Philosophers and salons. 

9. Voltaire. Candid. 

10. Voltaire’s deism. 

11. Hume and his idea about miracles.