Why did Germaine de Stael not like Napoleon?
Napoleon needed people to like him and Germaine made it clear that she neither liked nor respected him. She demanded that Napoleon’s government pay back the money her father had loaned to France. She wrote letters, essays, novels, and books extolling her diverse and quite modern beliefs.
What did Madame de Stael say about Napoleon?
De Staël met Napoleon twice. She concluded that he was ‘a ruthless tyrant who regarded individuals as pawns on a chessboard which he controlled’.
What did Germaine de Staël do?
In De l’Allemagne Staël examined the history, culture, and national character of Germany. She encouraged the rise of German consciousness and held it up as a model for France. Her book ended with a plea for enthusiasm and sentiment, which she understood to be the original “fact” of the human soul.
When did Madame de Stael meet Napoleon?
December 1797
The two met at the end of December 1797, and they shared an intense mutual dislike of each other. For a woman who cherished the romantic sentiments of Rousseau, the politics of Montesquieu, and the philosophy of Voltaire, Napoleon represented something abhorrent.
Who did Stael critique?
Her revenge was to sponsor a famous liberal salon in her family chateau at Coppet in Switzerland where she gave shelter and support to many liberal critics of the regime. She also wrote one of the first histories of the French Revolution in which she was able to savagely critique Napoleon’s tyrannical rule.
Why was Madame de Stael exiled?
Years of exile. For ten years de Staël was not allowed to come within 40 leagues (almost 200 km) of Paris. She accused Napoleon of “persecuting a woman and her children”. On 23 October she left for Germany “out of pride”, in the hope of gaining support and to be able to return home as soon as possible.
Why is Anne Louise Germaine de Staël important to the French Revolution?
De Staël herself was a centrist politically, and ultimately her more moderate opinions would endanger her during the more radical phase of the Revolution. Her importance as a writer and literary figure is undisputed. She wrote numerous political pieces as well as novels, plays and literary criticism.
Who was Germaine de Stael and what happened to her?
Staël’s only comfort in despair was a new romance. Her husband had died, and in 1811 she married a 24-year-old Italian lieutenant named Rocca. In 1812 she escaped from Coppet and traveled to Russia, Sweden, and England. In 1814, after the fall of Napoleon, she returned to Paris.
What was happening with women’s rights in France during Napoleon’s reign?
Women had no political rights in pre-Revolutionary France; they were considered “passive” citizens, forced to rely on men to determine what was best for them. However, the Jacobin element in power abolished all the women’s clubs in October 1793 and arrested their leaders. The movement was crushed.
When was Germaine de Stael exiled?
1803
De Staël was the daughter of Jacques Necker, Louis XVI’s Swiss Protestant finance minister. She published novels, literary tracts, and memoirs and became one of the best-known writers of the early nineteenth century. Napoleon exiled her in 1803.
What was Madame de Staël known?
Writer, republican, literary theoretician and philosopher, Madame de Staël contributed to the diffusion of ideas in Europe through her travels and her Salon, where she received many European intellectuals.
Why is Madame de Stael important?