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Theater and the Truth: Political and Theatrical Representations of the 1793 Siege of Toulon
Aufderheide, Chela M
Aufderheide, Chela M
Abstract
The revolutionary period in France was characterized by great upheavals in theater, politics, and political culture, including the new popularity of théâtre d’actualité, or theater based on current events. This théâtre d’actualité offers a unique source with which to examine the interactions between the political and theatrical spheres at this time. To this effect, I used as a case study the 1793 siege of Toulon, in which republican forces recaptured the city after a royalist uprising. The siege and ensuing victory were frequently referenced in political discourse, and also served as the subject matter for a profusion of contemporary plays and operas. This paper outlines the ways in which the representations of this victory speak to broader debates on the nature of the relationship between theater and politics in the revolutionary period, through a close reading of the National Convention’s records regarding the siege as well as theatrical works produced immediately afterwards which showcased the victory.
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Keywords
French Revolution, theater, siege of Toulon, theatricality, transparency, publicity, propaganda, French Revolutionary Wars, French history, political culture