I forgot to add the context of his last moments. He had remarried by then and was thinking of his new wife, not the one who had passed away the year prior! This will be my last video on the French Revolution for the foreseeable future, I hope you enjoyed watching them as much as I enjoyed researching and making them! New video out soon
"It were better to be a poor fisherman than to meddle with the government of men". I hear these words over two centuries later as if it's my own thoughts.
Yess i agree it is because history and the human mind and counciouss never changed just the faces clothes and languages changed the thought emltions and actions are still the same ,always are rhere the ones who desire and and always are the ones who life too do and to be Edit: sorry for spelling wrote this on phon late at night
The saddest thing is that I'm sure Robespierre meant every word he wrote back then, when he and Danton were friends and shared similar views. About Danton's last moments, I don't know how you can be so brave and defiant. I saw the guillotine and it is a terrifying sight. The great french poet and writer Victor Hugo wrote that he had the feeling this machine was haunted and even sentient, having absorbed the souls of the people she killed. And yes, in french the guillotine is a "she", not a "it". Victor Hugo said that, standing in front of the machine, he had the impression she was looking down at him, whispering "come, come into my arms and my blade will give you the kiss of death. I felt the same way, but I'm known for having way too much imagination.
I think you talk about the guillotine chez Madame Tussauds. I visited it a long time ago and I remember that I was impressed by the fact that it seemed so small and still caused so many deaths. I imagined the blade being wider and there it was, that horrific artefact that looked so insignificant. You mention the great Victor Hugo and watching all these videos lead me to read again “ Le dernier jour d’un condamné » where the impact that provoques the story told in fist person and the master plume of Hugo give us the impression that we are living those last moments of this poor man and accompanied him on every step. I was horrified by the nightmare that he had the afternoon just before his execution. If my memory doesn’t fail me I think that it was a nightmare that Hugo had himself and lend to the main character that represent so many, too many people.
@@monicaolsson I saw the "real" guillotine last used in 1977 in France at the MUCEM Museum in Marseille, France. It's the Berger model from 1871. She's quite narrow but stands almost 4 meters high. See picture (with a person behind the curtain for scale): guillotine1889.free.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/berger-1871-mucem.jpg I saw another one at the Liège Citadel in Belgium, it is the revolutionary model from Tobias Schmitt, and this one is even taller. I never saw the guillotine at Madame Tussauds, but from the picture I saw it's a replica, but not on scale. Stories say she was bought from one of Charles-Henri Sanson (royal then revolutionary executioner) sons or grandsons, but historians seem to think it's an urban legend. I think the Victor Hugo quotes I mentioned are indeed from "La dernière journée d'un condamné" but I'm not sure. It might be from one of his numerous pamphlets against the death penalty.
Thank you for the information. It was in London where I saw the “ believed to be” blade that cut the head of Marie Antoinette. It was only the blade. The image from the link is impressive. It gives me shivers! I haven’t finished re reading the book yet as it was making me feel anxious. I stopped after the nightmare just before the execution. I will let you know if the comment of Hugo was from there if I find the courage to finish it. What you said about the blade and guillotine reminded me a book of Mark Twain . Innocents abroad I think. They were on a cruise around Europe and in every big church there was a relic, a piece of the crown of thorns that was believed was in Jesus head. In one of the churches they also had such relic but this time it was the full crown..😂
@@monicaolsson J'ai trouvé, c'est dans "Les Misérables", Première partie: Fantine, Livre premier, Un Juste, chap.4 "L’échafaud, en effet, quand il est là, dressé et debout, a quelque chose qui hallucine. On peut avoir une certaine indifférence sur la peine de mort, ne point se prononcer, dire oui et non, tant qu’on n’a pas vu de ses yeux une guillotine ; mais si l’on en rencontre une, la secousse est violente, il faut se décider et prendre parti pour ou contre. Les uns admirent, comme de Maistre, les autres exècrent, comme Beccaria. La guillotine est la concrétion de la loi ; elle se nomme vindicte ; elle n’est pas neutre, et ne vous permet pas de rester neutre. Qui l’aperçoit frissonne du plus mystérieux des frissons. Toutes les questions sociales dressent autour de ce couperet leur point d’interrogation. L’échafaud est vision. L’échafaud n’est pas une charpente, l’échafaud n’est pas une machine, l’échafaud n’est pas une mécanique inerte faite de bois, de fer et de cordes. Il semble que ce soit une sorte d’être qui a je ne sais quelle sombre initiative ; on dirait que cette charpente voit, que cette machine entend, que cette mécanique comprend, que ce bois, ce fer et ces cordes veulent. Dans la rêverie affreuse où sa présence jette l’âme, l’échafaud apparat terrible et se mêlant de ce qu’il fait. L’échafaud est le complice du bourreau ; il dévore ; il mange de la chair, il boit du sang. L’échafaud est une sorte de monstre fabriqué par le juge et par le charpentier, un spectre qui semble vivre d’une espèce de vie épouvantable faite de toute la mort qu’il a donnée. »
@RelivingHistory1 Yes, and then Robespierre followed him in the tumbril with his accomplices. Stalin would do that Russia from 1936 onwards and Mao in China during the Cultural Revolution
Robbie was a real snake in the grass. I'll get a bottle and put it on the shelf for the next anniversary of him getting his head chopped off. The last one I enjoyed very much. It was for McCain. I've got one up there for Hillary, and one for Rumsfeld. I need to invest in a lot more whiskey.
Another banger as usual
I forgot to add the context of his last moments. He had remarried by then and was thinking of his new wife, not the one who had passed away the year prior! This will be my last video on the French Revolution for the foreseeable future, I hope you enjoyed watching them as much as I enjoyed researching and making them! New video out soon
Love these videos, very well made and insightful! 😊
I’m learning so much in this channel. They should show your videos at school !,
Just so very good. Love the yellow cards by the way, very tasteful.
Thank you my friend!! I like their aesthetics too, and it allows the video to flow better in my opinion:)
"It were better to be a poor fisherman than to meddle with the government of men".
I hear these words over two centuries later as if it's my own thoughts.
Yess i agree it is because history and the human mind and counciouss never changed just the faces clothes and languages changed the thought emltions and actions are still the same ,always are rhere the ones who desire and and always are the ones who life too do and to be
Edit: sorry for spelling wrote this on phon late at night
The saddest thing is that I'm sure Robespierre meant every word he wrote back then, when he and Danton were friends and shared similar views.
About Danton's last moments, I don't know how you can be so brave and defiant. I saw the guillotine and it is a terrifying sight. The great french poet and writer Victor Hugo wrote that he had the feeling this machine was haunted and even sentient, having absorbed the souls of the people she killed. And yes, in french the guillotine is a "she", not a "it". Victor Hugo said that, standing in front of the machine, he had the impression she was looking down at him, whispering "come, come into my arms and my blade will give you the kiss of death. I felt the same way, but I'm known for having way too much imagination.
I think you talk about the guillotine chez Madame Tussauds. I visited it a long time ago and I remember that I was impressed by the fact that it seemed so small and still caused so many deaths. I imagined the blade being wider and there it was, that horrific artefact that looked so insignificant. You mention the great Victor Hugo and watching all these videos lead me to read again “ Le dernier jour d’un condamné » where the impact that provoques the story told in fist person and the master plume of Hugo give us the impression that we are living those last moments of this poor man and accompanied him on every step. I was horrified by the nightmare that he had the afternoon just before his execution. If my memory doesn’t fail me I think that it was a nightmare that Hugo had himself and lend to the main character that represent so many, too many people.
@@monicaolsson I saw the "real" guillotine last used in 1977 in France at the MUCEM Museum in Marseille, France. It's the Berger model from 1871. She's quite narrow but stands almost 4 meters high. See picture (with a person behind the curtain for scale): guillotine1889.free.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/berger-1871-mucem.jpg
I saw another one at the Liège Citadel in Belgium, it is the revolutionary model from Tobias Schmitt, and this one is even taller.
I never saw the guillotine at Madame Tussauds, but from the picture I saw it's a replica, but not on scale. Stories say she was bought from one of Charles-Henri Sanson (royal then revolutionary executioner) sons or grandsons, but historians seem to think it's an urban legend.
I think the Victor Hugo quotes I mentioned are indeed from "La dernière journée d'un condamné" but I'm not sure. It might be from one of his numerous pamphlets against the death penalty.
Thank you for the information. It was in London where I saw the “ believed to be” blade that cut the head of Marie Antoinette. It was only the blade. The image from the link is impressive. It gives me shivers! I haven’t finished re reading the book yet as it was making me feel anxious. I stopped after the nightmare just before the execution. I will let you know if the comment of Hugo was from there if I find the courage to finish it. What you said about the blade and guillotine reminded me a book of Mark Twain . Innocents abroad I think. They were on a cruise around Europe and in every big church there was a relic, a piece of the crown of thorns that was believed was in Jesus head. In one of the churches they also had such relic but this time it was the full crown..😂
Je ne retrouve pas ce passage, ni en français ni en anglais. Je vais continuer à chercher .
@@monicaolsson J'ai trouvé, c'est dans "Les Misérables", Première partie: Fantine, Livre premier, Un Juste, chap.4
"L’échafaud, en effet, quand il est là, dressé et debout, a quelque chose qui hallucine. On peut avoir une certaine indifférence sur la peine de mort, ne point se prononcer, dire oui et non, tant qu’on n’a pas vu de ses yeux une guillotine ; mais si l’on en rencontre une, la secousse est violente, il faut se décider et prendre parti pour ou contre.
Les uns admirent, comme de Maistre, les autres exècrent, comme Beccaria. La guillotine est la concrétion de la loi ; elle se nomme vindicte ; elle n’est pas neutre, et ne vous permet pas de rester neutre. Qui l’aperçoit frissonne du plus mystérieux des frissons. Toutes les questions sociales dressent autour de ce couperet leur point d’interrogation. L’échafaud est vision. L’échafaud n’est pas une charpente, l’échafaud n’est pas une machine, l’échafaud n’est pas une mécanique inerte faite de bois, de fer et de cordes.
Il semble que ce soit une sorte d’être qui a je ne sais quelle sombre initiative ; on dirait que cette charpente voit, que cette machine entend, que cette mécanique comprend, que ce bois, ce fer et ces cordes veulent. Dans la rêverie affreuse où sa présence jette l’âme, l’échafaud apparat terrible et se mêlant de ce qu’il fait. L’échafaud est le complice du bourreau ; il dévore ; il mange de la chair, il boit du sang. L’échafaud est une sorte de monstre fabriqué par le juge et par le charpentier, un spectre qui semble vivre d’une espèce de vie épouvantable faite de toute la mort qu’il a donnée. »
The more i learn about the french revolution, the more the nature of human beings disturbs me.
The revolution devouring its own.
It seems to be a reoccurring theme:)
@RelivingHistory1 Yes, and then Robespierre followed him in the tumbril with his accomplices. Stalin would do that Russia from 1936 onwards and Mao in China during the Cultural Revolution
Robbie was a real snake in the grass. I'll get a bottle and put it on the shelf for the next anniversary of him getting his head chopped off. The last one I enjoyed very much. It was for McCain. I've got one up there for Hillary, and one for Rumsfeld. I need to invest in a lot more whiskey.
The French revolution is madness.