The myth of Napoleon has
been found to have played a significant role in the development of the second
wave of French romantic poetry. Such poets as Hugo and Musset were greatly
influenced by the events that were considered to have been irrevocably tied to
Napoleon, and it is to these myths that some of their greatest works can be
attributed. While this may be the fact, the outside world seems to know very
little concerning this remarkable man who is often considered to have been the
villain in the stories concerning him outside of France itself. In Britain, for
example, the fact that Napoleon was considered an enemy of the British
civilisation has continued to be the view in the current world and this has
affected the way that they view the French ruler. It is said that he was short
in stature and that because of his height; he felt that everyone looked down on
him, making him want to achieve greatness in compensation. Despite the
stereotypes that have developed concerning Napoleon in some countries, the fact
remains that he was the greatest ruler that France had ever had since Charlemagne.
One myth that has often
been propagated concerning Napoleon was his height, which many stated that was
quite short. This myth has turned out not to be true and this has been mainly
because of the fact that he was 5’7”, which was about the average height of a
Frenchman in the nineteenth century. In addition, Napoleon was a genuine
believer in a united Europe which united all the European peoples under one state,
despite their nationalities and ethnicities, so that there could be lasting
peace between them. During this period, it was the British, not Napoleon, who
did not want a peaceful settlement to the dispute concerning the dominion of
the French empire over Europe, because the French empire was believed to be a
potential threat to the prosperity of British trade and security both on land
and at sea. An example of the reluctance of the British to reach a peaceful
settlement with Napoleon was seen through the British breaking the treaty of
Amiens, which resulted in war. In the resultant war, Napoleon only went to war
because he wanted to retain his crown and not because he was in any way
antagonistic towards the British. It is a fact that unlike other rulers in
Europe who after defeat could still simply remains in power, this was not the
case with Napoleon and this was because he was considered by the other rulers
in Europe to be an upstart, who had taken the crown that legitimately belonged
to the Bourbons. Thus, Napoleon could not afford to lose a fight because if he
did, then all would be lost for him, an example of this being when in 1812,
rumours spread that he had been killed in the Russian campaign, the British
worked towards the restoration of the Bourbons, overlooking Napoleon’s son’s
claim to the throne.
The romantic poets
garnered their inspiration from Napoleon, whom they praised considerably in
their works while comparing him to his less liked nephew, Napoleon III, who was
the French emperor at the time. The image of Napoleon as a hero was not
reflected in countries outside France, especially Britain, where the government
worked tirelessly to ensure that the reputation of Napoleon was damaged beyond
repair. There was the use of widespread propaganda which included the
distribution of pamphlets and newspaper articles which stated that Napoleon was
a usurper to the French throne who had murdered the rightful monarchs of other
European states. In addition, it was stated that Napoleon was an invader of
free nations whose aim was to ensure that Britain was brought under his
control. The British population was of the belief that their country was about
to be invaded by Napoleon worked in the increasing of the negative public
opinion of him. However, the dread of Napoleon’s invasion of Britain was not
apparent, especially when one considers the fact that during the peace of
Amiens, he allowed tourists from Britain to flock to France. These tourists
showed a grudging admiration and fascination for the achievements of Napoleon
in France, which were quite considerable when compared to his contemporaries. Even
after his defeat at Waterloo, when Napoleon was shipped to British waters, it
is stated that a large number of small vessels approached the ship in which he
was being held so that they could catch a glance of the man who many feared yet
admired in equal measure. Napoleon was so popular that people travelled from
far in Britain to see him, and this was a cause for panic for the British
government, which feared that Napoleon’s popularity would influence a popular
uprising within Britain itself. This is the reason why he was exiled on St.
Helena Island, far from Britain, because he was considered a direct threat if
he were to step on British soil.
The charisma of Napoleon
is one of the factors which have contributed to the development of the
Napoleonic myth. He is probably the only ruler in modern world history who,
after being ousted from power and sent into exile, returned to his throne
without a single shot being fired. When news of his returned reached the
French, they immediately accepted it and their soldiers flocked to his banners
in a show of support. The people cheered his return, looking upon it as a
return to the peace and prosperity that they had enjoyed under his rule. The
fact that the Bourbon king was quickly forgotten with the return of Napoleon is
a testament of his charisma as well as the popularity that he enjoyed among the
French people. The ability of Napoleon to move the masses can only be
considered to be remarkable, because it showed just how much he was favoured by
them. The return of Napoleon to Paris and his throne captivated the political
and academic elites all over Europe because such an event had never happened
before, thus totally unexpected.
During the period of the
romantic poets, the fascination over Napoleon and his legacy was still at its
peak, with the man’s achievements being so diverse that they created a wide
array of myths that bred confusion concerning him. Romantic poets like Hugo,
for example, were extremely influenced by the Napoleonic myth especially when
one considers that he was born in the period under Napoleon’s rule. In
addition, Hugo’s father was a general under Napoleon and he taught his son to
have immense reverence and admiration for Napoleon; an admiration which Hugo
carried all his life and which he often compared to that of Napoleon III, whom
he considered to be a pale shadow of his glorious uncle. Among the most
enduring aspects of the Napoleonic legacy were the wars which he fought in
order to achieve a united Europe under French dominion. Where Louis XIV had
failed, Napoleon succeeded because he managed to bring most of Europe under
French rule and to spread the seed of the revolution over the borders of France
to other European nations. Because of his achievements, the period under
Napoleon’s rule was considered by the romantic poets to be the greatest in
French history since he had led the country not only to greatness but also to
almost uninterrupted peace and prosperity. The leadership ability of Napoleon
was often praised in French romantic poetry and this also played a role in the
further development of the Napoleonic myth to what it is in the current age. The
myth of Napoleon’s political genius was often stated through his actions after he
decided to get directly involved in the government of France. He made popular
political marriage to one of the most famous women in France at the time,
Josephine de Beauharnais, which further enhanced Napoleon’s image as the
national hero. A few years after this, Napoleon was able to gain power in
France, in the period which came to be known as the consulate. His political
genius then came into play as he had the constitution revised, making him the
most powerful man in the country, and with this new power, he was able to have
the authority to appoint all the people who were to occupy strategic positions.
With Napoleon’s rise to power, it can be said that while the French Revolution
officially came to an end, his actions showed that he was indeed a child of the
revolution. He swiftly reformed all the crucial sectors in the government,
making them more efficient than they had ever been before. Reforms were carried
out in such sectors as the economy, the judicial system, as well as the
education system.
Napoleon’s greatness was
further seen when he restored those basic freedoms which the French people had
been denied. One of these freedoms was the freedom of religion, which Napoleon
reinstated by inviting the Catholic Church back to France, but while this was
the case, however, he did not give the Church the absolute authority it once
had, and instead, its activities were placed under the supervision of the
state. Very few people in the history of France during the age of the romantic
poets had received the approval and admiration of the French people like had
Napoleon. The fact that he was extremely popular with the French public,
especially after the restoration of the empire under Napoleon III, the romantic
writers wrote a great deal, not only because they admired him themselves, but
also because of the fact that they were writing for an audience that was fairly
pro-Napoleon and was nostalgic for the days of greatness that he had made
possible for them. Even during the romantic age, there had been written many
books and accounts concerning Napoleon and these were read widely by the
learned elites in French society. The accounts of the life of Napoleon may have
played a significant role in the characterisation of this man in the poems
influenced by romanticism. The myths surrounding the life and achievements of
Napoleon had a great deal of influence on the poetry that was written during
the age of romanticism and this is because of the fact that they inspired the
works of the romantic writers, who wrote all that was positive concerning the
life of this man. In most of the works of the romantic writers, one will find
that there is heavy criticism of the rulers that came after Napoleon and these
were often compared unfavourably with him; this being in part a further
development concerning the Napoleonic myth.
Napoleon was among the
people who were most admired during the age of romanticism, not only as a
leader of men, but also as a man devoted to his family. This admiration does
not just stem from the fact that he is one of the greatest men to have ever
lived in France, but it also came from the way he conducted himself throughout
his life. For many French people, Napoleon was a unique man, who rose from
extremely humble origins and became the emperor of France at its most powerful
in history. His life was the subject of numerous literatures, with some writers
supporting his deeds while others have condemned them. Despite these
disagreements about Napoleon, one thing, which all writers agreed upon, was
that he was indeed an extraordinary man. Most romantic poets considered
Napoleon to have been one of the foremost, military general in world history.
Within a few years after becoming the French emperor, he had brought most of
continental Europe under his rule. Furthermore, he had created a unique system
of government, the like of which had never been seen in Europe. To the romantic
poets, the achievements of this man were far superior to those of his
successors, none of whom proved to be as capable as he had been. It can
therefore be said that the Napoleonic myth influenced romantic poets because it
also included the sense of nostalgia for the time of Napoleon, which was the
greatest in French history.
