Macro View of "Quills"

American Revolution 1783

The French helped out the U.S. in the American Revolutionary war monetarily as well as actively sending troops. It is ironic that King Louis XI helped the US to gain Independence when in a few years he would be overthrown by his own subjects seeking their independence. The success of the American Revolution inspired the French Revolution, and the financial losses due the money spent on giving aide to America were major contributor to the fiscal crisis which started the French Revolution. This is important to understanding the French Revolution and the Characters in "Quills" who have lived through this turmoil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_in_the_American_Revolutionary_War



French Revolution 1789-1799

Although this happened a eighteen years prior to the play it is vital to understanding the world of the play, because this event changed France forever. The dissolution of the aristocracy put the French people in control of their government, unfortunately instead of things becoming better for the people the extremist side of the revolution gained control. This led to the “Reign of Terror” in which thousands of people were executed for supposed crimes against the revolution. This political uphevel would have had strong affects on all the characters especially on the Marquis who refers to all these happening in the play.
http://www.answers.com/topic/french-revolution

Moral Code 1802

Prior to the French Revolution royal decrees’ had outlawed prostitution but after the revolution all of this had to be reassessed, the Bureau des Moeurs stepped into this position legalizing it once again. It was said that the bureau was the model for toleration of prostitution. This is very ironic for part of the peoples beliefs at the time was that the aristocrats were sexually deviant but here the very reformers were allowing prostitution. It is important to understanding the Marquis de Sade’s views on governments being hypocritical which are expressed in the play and his Libertinism.
http://prostitution.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=000117


Napoleon

Napoleon gained control of the government by means of coup d’état becoming a militaristic dictator and eventually crowned himself emperor in 1804. His rise to power through the coup of 18 and established the consulate which he ruled till restoration of the Bourbons’ in 1814. He forced all printers and booksellers to swear an oath of allegiance to him and all newspapers fell under his control. This displays Napoleons’ tight control of all reading materials and information available to the French people. It also gives greater insight to Napoleons’ censorship of the Marquis in “Quills”, it is the Marquis defiance of censorship that gives his tormentors cause to thwart him.
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture15a.html




Religion in France in 1807

Although Catholism was the favored religion in France it was not the state religion. Napolean himself believed that religion was just the cement to hold society together, because it prompted unity among the classes and it kept people mild and calm instead of independent. He also allowed Jews and protestants to practice freely. Napoleons’ view of religion as a means to control the people is important because the Marquis writing undermined the church, the Marquis saw the church as corrupt and hypocritical. This would be dangerous to Napoleon since he viewed the church and religion as way to control the people. For if people began to read the Marquis and even so much as begin to question the church they (the people) would be harder to control. So we can understand why Napoleon was threatened by the marquis use of religion in his writings.
http://www.historyguide.org./intellect/lecture15a.html.


Literacy in 1807

Prior to the French Revolution the aristocrats and members of the educated elite felt that peasants or common people only needed to know what was necessary for their daily tasks. That if they were educated it might make them aware of their place and thus unhappy with their lives and then possibly dangerous to those in charge. After the French Revolution when Napoleon came to power he set up free compulsory elementary education. Understanding that the common people could read is important because it was that fact that caused Napoleon to want to control all the materials made available to the public. This censorship is what "Quills" is essentially about.

http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/athomas/aduill/page31.htm


Popular Author in 1807

Sophie Ristaud Cottin was an extremely popular French sentimental novelist of the early 1800s. Her most famous work “Elisabeth ou les Exiles de Sibene” published in 1806, was said to be very romantic story yet very moral. It is notable to the world of the play to know what was popular reading material read at the time. Cottin’s work obviously greatly contrast the Marquis in many was.

http://www.answers.com/topic/sophie-ristaud-cottin


War of the fourth Coalition 1806-1807

The fourth coalition against France was made up by Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the UK. August of 1806 King Fredich Wilhelm III of Prussia goes to war with Russia against France. Napoleon’s forces won with ease, the French took control of Poland and made it a new state, then Napoleon fought the remainder of the Russian army to capture the Prussian capital at Kohlgsberg. Russia was defeated and had to make peace with Napoleon at Tilsalt with the treaty of Tilsalt July 7,1807. These conflicts were going on at the same time the Marquis is waging his own war of wills, like the countries Napoleon is fighting for dominance the Marquis wants to be free to write in peace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_wars


Anglo-Russian War 1807

Apart of the Napoleonic wars, started due to the Treaty of Tilstmith between Russia and France, Russia had to close off maritime trade with the United Kingdom as part of the agreement. Napoleon wanted to hurt the UK economically as he could not match them in a sea attack. Russia proceeded to declare war on UK in 1807 after the UK attacked Denmark in September of 1807. This war is important because this war was going on at the time the play is taking place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Russian_War_(1807-1812)


Aaron Burr Trial 1807

In 1807 Aaron Burr an American political leader was arrested on charges of treason, it was speculated that he wanted the west to break off from the US and start its own government these allegations were never proved and Burr was acquitted but his name was ruined. This is notable for Burr’s prosecution takes place the same time “Quills” is set and just like the Marquis, Burr is persecuted unjustly.

http://www.nndb.com/people/184/000022118/

Phrenology

The pseudoscience, as its referred to today, was brought to France in 1807 by its founder Dr. Franz Joseph Gall. He claimed that emotional and intellectual functions could be deduced by the placement and size of bumps on a patients skull. This practice is referred to by Doctor Royer-Collard at the end of the play, the Abbe's release is dependent on the findings of the phrenologist that the Doctor is sending the Marquis skull to. The fact that the Abbe's fate depends on a science that we know today does not have any scientific evidence to back up shows the atrocity of the socitey that thinks it knows what it is doing but clearly has faith in the wrong methods.