French 16 Final

sarcasm

"punching down" at someone

Enlightenment PPT

-1700 to 1800 is the enlightenment -King Louis XIV died in 1715 -His nephew took over, who was a libertine (free thinker, devoid of most moral or sexual constraints) -Cyrano de Bergerac - play which introduced "panache" -Painting: "Reading Moliere" - significance is that they're reading Moliere because Moliere made fun of this part of society -Louis XIV had a large fear of going to hell because of his mistresses -castrato: castrated man who sings with a female voice because women weren't allowed to perform on stage -Bourgeoisie is the bourgeoise class (merchant class). A bourgeoise is someone of the class. -Middle class emerging because commerce is prospering due to increased infrastructure -books about science became popular -England became much closer to France as an ally -France was the first country to make bank notes -Coffee was gaining popularity, which was shipped from Arabia/Turkey -Enlightenment was spread through Cafe shops -Infancy means you accept everything and Enlightenment means you question everything -Baroque --> Classicism --> Rococo -enlightenment as a word is the process of learning -Le Conte says unenlightened person is like a child -use of reason to make an informed opinion -women were the largest readers -Means of enlightenment: cafes, encyclopedias, museums, grassroots movement -18th century was a century of media, we are a continuation of this -begin to see domestic life in both writings and paintings

Absolutism vs. despotism

-Absolutists had to follow divine laws and fundamental laws of the kingdom such as: women could not become queens -absolutists could still imprison people for no reason -despot does not obey any laws -despot could change his mind any day if he wanted to -despotism not stable because it is just a test of force and anyone could outforce them at any time -social relations of the seraglio: theres is a rivalry between members, they are in FEAR which is the principal bond between all members in despotism

Issue in Persian Letters that we did not get to discuss extensively in class

-Rica writes to Ibben on some of his encounters in Paris, how people in Paris have an overall happier mood than Persians do, stemming from the way in which they interact socially -French often meet up in coffee shops or salons just to talk, and this is how ideas of the enlightenment spread -Persians only interacted with their family for the most part and seldom interacted with people outside of this realm -French guy also noted that Persians grow up negative because they are raised by their slaves who are inherently negative people due to their condition

Rococo

-Rococo is more playful and interested in nature - Earthly beings, not as concerned with the erotic -Jean-Honore Fragonard: rococo painter who painted: "Happy Accidents of the Swing" (1767)

Rousseau

-Rousseau started the genre of autobiography -he kind of went crazy, wrote out against all of his friends for betraying him -he had paranoia and wrote a series of dialogues about the conversations that went on in his head -he was very good on either side of any argument because he had very good rhetoric -HIS STYLE: PARADOX -He was born a Protestant in Geneva, however, French count him as theirs because lived in Paris -Considered himself a Misanthrope -Important question: what is morality based on if you don't believe in a deity? -He became famous by entering a competition on if luxury was good or bad. He gave a paradoxical answer: was against the advancement of science and crafts -His second discourse was on inequality: what is inequality and what is private property? Private property is necessary even if it is bad in itself -all civilization is a bad thing compared to the natural state of things. this goes against Hobbes -Rousseau believed in the "Natural Man" who had limited desires -Emile: education of man starts at his birth

Philosophe

-Someone who uses reason to critique society / the institutions -once they arrive at their reasoning, they spread the word / published it -still certainly wits because wit is a weapon used to reach readers

Edict of Nantes

-The Edict of Nantes, signed in April 1598 by King Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France (also known as Huguenots) substantial rights in the nation, which was still considered essentially Catholic at the time. In the edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity.

Rousseau - The Social Contract

-The social contract begins existing when individuals realize they live in the duality of being an individual and being a citizen ---relates to Voltaire who thought that the pursuit of private vices leads to public benefit (maybe not Voltaire, but similar idea)

Story of the Troglodytes

-Troglodytes lived independently and all farmed for only their own food. -They lived this way until a plague broke out and a doctor came and fixed them. They refused to pay the doctor because they lived in this selfish way and egotistical way (representative of infancy, similar to how Emile said a child would be ammoral until the age of 12, only act in egotistical manner) -the plague broke out again and the doctor refused to come help them again, only two families survived -these two families happened to be lovers of virtue (high moral standards). Nature treated them well because of this and their society multiplied quickly -another nation heard of their prosperity and tried to go to war with the Troglodytes, but were repulsed by the Troglodytes willingness to spare their own lives for each other -when the society increased in number, they chose a leader who was believed to be the most virtuous, but this leader did not accept the position because he claimed that society needed no ruler except virtue Usbek preaches this virtue but certainly does not practice it

Voltaire - Philosophical Letters

-Voltaire was the son of a nobleman, part of the bourgeoisie -was exiled to England for 3 years, this is where he wrote the Philosophical Letters -he also wrote about Newton's physics (became famous by translating them) -he invested in stock, became wealthy -he moved to Switzerland because he was too much of a free thinker -loves to use satire, irony, sarcasm, humor, comedy, witticism -Pascal would be an opposite from Voltaire -comedy is anything intended to make reader laugh, created by exaggeration/contrast/understatement -Humor was very much an English phenomenon -Voltaire was not a deep philosopher, but very much a member of the enlightenment -His letters were not his main work, he was a lawyer, but his short novel was an instant hit -as middle class was advancing in wealth and power, they started reading for their own pleasure -he begins with universal discussion, the focuses on on England and their commerce -Pascal related to Voltaire by saying that out of the wretchedness/selfishness of men comes a well-ordered society -pursuit of private vices leads to public benefit LETTER ON ENGLISH COMMERCE -talks about the strength that England has acquired through its commerce -commerce allowed England to develop strong Navy -commerce allowed England to acquire all commodities needed through trade -Voltaire compliments the Scotsmen by calling them good warriors but would lose in a battle to England due to lack of resources -England had strong economy because of the high value people placed on having a good life -Empiricism was the basis of development of both England and science --Empiricism is a theory that states that knowledge comes primarily from the senses -criticized religion as a monolith (a large and impersonal political, corporate, or social structure regarded as intractably indivisible and uniform) -Noble ethos (the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations) despised mercantilism (Mercantilism was a type of national economic policy designed to maximize the trade of a nation and especially to maximize the accumulation of gold and silver) in England -Christian values declared money to be bad -Max Weber (German philosopher) played large role in the individual bettering their own life through capitalism -what hampered France's development: the class system because you could not be a merchant if you were born into nobility. Something he didn't mention: 300-400 thousand French Protestants fled France because Edict of Nantes was revoked -Voltaire admired religious tolerance -notes that Germans look down on the English because their sons are simply wealthy merchants, while Germans have nothing themselves except for title facades LETTER ON INOCULATION: -inoculation is vaccination -the method of spreading chickenpox to young ladies to preserve their beauty is discussed. -central themes: Voltaire is sarcastic towards nobility and titles -his view on women is that their role in life is established at their birth -Mary Montague was wife to an English man in Turkey, she spread the vaccine idea and Voltaire spoke highly of her -positive part of commercialization of young women: brought about inoculation, and universality of tenderness of mothers and motives of interest

What is the difference between reason and wit?

-Wit is a court-smart skill. Dueling in a civilized manner. Not particularly enlightened. Rehearsed wits are not real wits. -Reason in relation to enlightenment: implicit autonomy. Using your OWN observations to come to your OWN conclusions. If you really reason, you might prove to yourself that you are wrong

Montesquieu - Persian Letters

-became popular because 18th century had circulation of both goods and people -people moved around in France in 18th century due to public works done by absolute rulers -Montesquieu published anonymously to escape trouble from censorship, but people quickly found out -with travel began huge trend of orientalism -"La turquerie" was the French fad of "Eastern" fashion and dress --part of this trend was coffee: "Morning Coffee" painting -Chinoiserie: the imitation or evocation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art, furniture, and architecture, especially in the 18th century, part of the rococo -Persian Letters published in 1721 -Seraglio - Italian word for herem -Part of Arab influence was French translation of One Thousand and One Arabian Nights -1715: famous visit of Persian diplomats to court of Louis XIV -Important quote: "How can one be Persian?" , something naive that we ask ourselves when we meeter other people -Usbek: older, has herem -Rica: younger, more naive, more open to Western culture -Plot: Usbek leaves his home to travel because he had legal trouble in court, however the "official" reason for his traveling is to educate himself -Novel written in the form of letters, called an epistolary novel -Polyphonic narrative, meaning that there are many voices: this is a more subtle way of Montesquieu expressing his ideas because we don't know exactly what the author is trying to say, however, things can be repeated from different views -Similar to The Misanthrope, both describe people in witty ways in coversation -Women of the seraglio hate the head eunuch -there are three genders in this novel because of the eunuchs -Montesquieu promotes his agenda by comparing West and East and criticizing the West and the Christian religion because of how many civil wars there have been. -He presents these ideas through Rica, a Persian, to avoid censorship -Usbek asks why pork can't be eaten, is given a dumb story about how pigs were born from the excrement of elephants on Noah's Ark -Letter 22: King of France gained money by accepting money from merchants so they could buy an office / become nobility -Describes absolutism of King of France because people will believe anything that he says -Makes fun of catholic religion using the technique of defamiliarization, which makes common things look ridiculous: "three is one, bread is not bread" -three themes being developed: gender relations, enlightenment process, critiquing social practices, law vs. morality, idea of being an outsider -Rica practices enlightenment everywhere except for at home -satirical letters written by Rica are often playful and witty -Adultery doesn't happen in Persia, but happens in France -Debate on suicide in the book mirrors our debate on euthanasia -letter 52: comments of the empty facade of wit -wit, mind, and spirit are all the same word in French -Letter 49 globalizes the book by using Russia as an example about beating their wives shows affection (from Persian envoy who lives in Moscow) -Despotism: when you govern the whole country as if you were governing your own household, i.e. you are the unquestionable power. Different from absolutism because King of France had to follow the divine laws. Despots don't have to answer to anyone! -everything that is said about the "seraglio" is a characteristic of despotism -the women within the seraglio are enemies because they see each other as competition -Fatme's letter: theme of being free but not feeling free due to our passions. Her position is higher than the others. She is alienated because she was never allowed to develop another personality -Zachi seems more sensitive and claims that the others could not compete with her in sensibility -Black eunuch feels a lot of hatred -p.81 - "Must one expect everything from the power of reason, and nothing from the ease of habit?" -----this quote is similar to "Nature is but a first custom" from Pascal -Letters 12, 13, 14 - Story of the Troglodytes, fiction of the origins of society ----this story is a fable, meant to teach the characters something ----shows that brute force does not work. ----In the end the Troglodytes choose a king and he refuses because he is the elightened one and does not want society w/ a king because first law would no longer be a law of virtue, it would be a law of obedience -Usbek: he would have been an enlightened man, but the second half of his life prevents him. -Paris is representative of all of France in this book -Gender relations in the enlightenment were based on patriarchy -Around 40 letters in the book are about religion, they preach religious tolerance and conflict of religion that is pessimistic should be banned -other phenomena discussed: public opinion, periodicals, colonialism and slavery, dispute about population/technology advancement -Montesquieu was first to separate powers of executive and judicial, had an impact on our founding fathers -Rica writing fable to Usbek: it's for a French socialite who likes Persia and wants to read. She is a scholar. The story is by a woman named Zulema. -Style of claiming letters are real was a topos. This means it is hackneyed. It was a way to legitimize fiction for people who only found value in reality. Comparable to "based on a true story" from today -plot now: head eunuch dies and there is trouble in the seraglio. Two of the women had lovers, Roxane's lover fought eunuchs and died. Roxane then poisons eunuchs and herself. Rest of women killed themselves. This showed them denying Usbek's power. -theme of women lacking the attention that they need from men -Outcome of the plot: the miscommunication between the two groups is a literary device. Narsit did not open the letter that was for the chief eunuch because he is naive, unaware of problems in the seraglio -Last letter from Roxane uses language of political theory: "I have rewritten your laws to conform to those of nature." -Laws of human nature were used to change society in the enlightenment (Such as: sexual desire, preservation of life, right to individual freedom) -This is what Roxane is saying, she rewrote his laws for her sexuality, her happiness, and her life -Usbek's letter 147 shows that he is not on the way to enlightenment. -If we do not relate this story to our own enlightenment, then we are just as unenlightened as Usbek.

Similarities and differences between Montesquieu and Dr. Itard

Different: -Dr. Itard reasons with the child, Montesquieu advised against this -Dr. Itard started with the child much later than Montesquieu would have advised -Dr. Itard is very strict while Rousseau would let child enjoy himself more Similar: both agreed that child should know that tutor is stronger and is therefore the superior

Diderot's Encyclopedia

-crowning achievement of the enlightenment -critiques on things were built in -Full title: Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts -as project was advancing, so were the collaborators -when Diderot got approval for publishing the work, he raised money through selling subscriptions -he started writing in '48 and was incarcerated in '49 for a previous work that was seen as atheist -supposed to be 10 volumes long, ended up being way more -articles were very progressive and questioned things -Descartes used to say we could climb on shoulders of others, similar to this collaborative scientific project. (modernity vs. antiquity) -Descartes is written about in the encyclopedia -References to other things in the encyclopedia was a political tool because you could defame "religion", for example, without doing it under the "religion" section -Important in disproving religion, but also in teaching science and craft -many crafts were learned in secret societies and the techniques were therefore kept secret, for example, the free masons -two important parts of the encyclopedia: texts and plates (illustrations) -The Republic of Letters - knowledge from all advanced societies, mostly European -Men of Letters - study of social sciences, humanities -Civil society: all types of organizations that are not state directed -intertextuality: when a certain text appears in another text. Close to allusion, but makes less of an overt reference -sometimes references illuminate the subject, and sometimes they challenge the subject, which is showing us the art of reading critically -we should always read with some doubt and criticism while reading the humanities MEN OF LETTERS -someone who is a pioneer in art but also in science -relates to Pascal's idea of "geometric mind vs. humanistic mind" -Difference between 18th century Men of Letters and "grammarians": a grammarian is a man of knowledge, but specifically studied language -Men of Letters don't need to study all subject in depth, but put themselves in a position to learn all these subjects. -In France, people connect through their banter and wit

Montaigne: Of Cannibals

-from Montaigne: Essays -universalism vs. particularism -lived in 16th century and wrote essays from 1577- 1591, wrote Essays twice, second time was much longer -Montaigne wrote about himself - fascinating because very modern, it speaks to us as if he were out contemporary, minus the references to Greeks and Latins -he spoke Latin -He speaks about very intimate things about himself because he wants to present humans in their entirety -Style is chatty and conversational, whatever comes to mind -Begins cannibal paper with/ talk on Atlantis -He was the Mayor of Bordeaux and saw the civil war first hand, which made him retire -Gave title of Essays to his writing because it was an unplanned trial and error process, essays were considered to be not very formal -His justification for this style: he's reasoning through his thoughts, reflection on how he is always changing - not a finished treatise because the self is never finished -Universalism: the idea that the best life is universal, whatever that life may be -he speaks for particularism in the Essays paragraph that she gave us -Montaigne's witnesses are rough men, which are better than scholars who always put a "gloss" on everything. - he is giving his sources credibility -Montaigne did not want "cosmographers" - who are geographers/explorers, he wanted simple observations - what a topographer would provide -claims that there is nothing savage about the cannibals. Other civilizations were always called "savages" to Europeans -"it does not sadden me that we should note the horrible barbarity in a practice such as theirs: what does sadden men is that, while judging correctly of their wrong-doings, we should be so blind to our own" -Cannibals wonder why some people live on the streets while others live in castles and why so many people obey one tyrant -Montaigne's question to cannibals: what does the king get from being of high rank? Answer: only that he is valued by society, receives privilege of leading men into battle. -their captives would rather die than surrender -cannibals don't get material advantages from war, only go to war in order to show bravery/honor -universalism and particularism are not mutually exclusive

Francois Truffaut - The Wild Child

-kid found in the wild, captured by three hunters, taken to doctor to have his hearing/vision checked -put in school for deaf/mute, treated like an animal -goes to doctor, he begins by training him proper etiquette: how to eat/dress, etc. -at end Victor runs away and steals a chicken -Theme of education: shows him how to use the key, then lets him try, teaches him to put on clothes by himself by allowing him to become cold -Victor will stay limited because he has missed window of development -Malina adopted a girl from China when she was 3 and a half, taught her French and English. She learned very quickly, in 3 months. -How it relates to Enlightenment: the idea of "the noble savage" -He teaches him how to spell, which is contradictory because French spelling is so difficult -The fact that they chose to educate him at all is part of the Enlightenment -the man is a private tutor who is also experimenting as he teaches, very Rousseauian -The movie was unnerving to watch in the beginning: "man's sterile curiosity" ruins the boys natural happiness

Moliere

-no relationship is pure in moliere -Jean Jacques Cousteau wanted to be the Misanthrope, identified with Alceste -Alceste has the notion of love that you should give up all for lover -Celimene had a very social, loose view of love -Reader is unsure of the court affair that Alceste lost -Alceste's servant says he has to flee because he is being accused of writing a malicious book against the king

defamilarization

-priest in France are called dervishes: this is a way of making fun of them. Dervishes are men in Muslim religion who are much more devoted to religion (monk). They are seen as strange because of practices such as whirling -king and pope are called magicians

How does Usbek relate to the contradiction / paradox that Rousseau often uses?

Although Usbek discusses many different forms of government ranging from the anarchy of the early Troglodyte society to the problems of an old or ineffective ruler, he concludes that the best form of government is by a wise, just, fair, and virtuous king. He ignores this precept himself, abandoning his wives in Isfahan and telling his eunuch to punish them physically for their predictable responses to his long absence.

Social Bonds

Aristocracy, democracy - ruled by several, many, or all (republics) -Virtue for republics -Honor for monarchies -Fear for depsotism Monarchy - ruled by one but according to laws. Dominant social bond is honor. Despotism - what Persian and the seraglio represents. The dominant social bond is fear. -all these types of government are living organisms and evolve constantly into each other

What is "defamiliarization" and how/why was it used by Montesquieu?

Defamiliarization is the practice of making common things appear ridiculus by describing them in very literal terms. Montesquieu uses this to criticize aspects of western culture such as Catholicism and absolutism. For example, he pokes fun at the Eucharist by saying that a priest claims that his "bread is not bread." Montesquieu does this through the voice of Usbek in order to avoid censorship in speaking out against his state.

Immanuel Kant - What is Enlightenment?

His formula for the enlightenment: -Dare to know - "sapere aude" in Latin

What are cafes and how do they relate to orientalism and the enlightenment?

In the 18th century it was very fashionable for Europeans to travel East and adapt to the style of orientalism. This was called "la turquerie." With this came the introduction of coffee to western culture. Cafes opened up, where philosphes would discuss their ideas and socialize together.

Zulema's story about a seraglio that Rica sent to Usbek

Rica relates the story, told to him by a woman who knew the Koran extremely well, of a jealous husband named Ibrahim who killed his wife Anais for objecting to cruel treatment. Anais was received in a paradise where every possible pleasure was provided for her, including men who dedicated themselves to her pleasure. This is a replica of a male's fantasy. Seraglios were made fun of and criticized in the 18th century, but that does not mean that people were still interested in them. She commanded one to take the form of her husband, go to the seraglio, get rid of Ibrahim, and stay there until she recalled him. This he did, and he treated the women with so much more decency and courtesy that they preferred him over their real husband. However in order to keep the eunuchs from asserting the status quo even in Ibrahim's absence, because they had done so while the angelic servant carried Ibrahim two thousand miles away, he found it necessary to stay for three years. During this time he spent all Ibrahim's money and fathered a bunch of children with his wives. This missive contains a few subtle criticisms of John Law's economic reforms, but taken literally must have driven Usbek wild with jealous rage because it coincides with some trouble in his own seraglio. To an essayist who wishes to implicate Rica in the destruction of Usbek's seraglio, this letter is vital evidence because it contains a suggestion that Rica somehow knows what's going on even before Usbek does. As will be revealed in later letters, things are deteriorating there. It is now 1720 and the men have been gone nearly nine years. -Rica makes fun of the female and male version of paradise and of the male non-muslim interest in this paradise

Rousseau - The Social Contract

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT -Rousseau says you have the right to kill your actual enemies in battle, but if they surrender then they are no longer your enemy -The sovereign means that there is no will above the will of the whole. The ruler IS the ruled -By giving up your personal liberty, you are joining the the sovereign and benefitting from the whole -Because slavery exists, it must be that it is a right because someone gave the right of having them. But Rousseau says that this is just the FACT of things, but it is not a right to use force to have slaves -IMPORTANT: FACT vs. RIGHT -Aristotle: if you were born in slavery you were born for slavery -Rousseau: first right is freedom. Anyone born in slavery has the right to revolt -He only speaks of father of the family, not the mother, but father could be seen as representative of parental unit -Everyone at this time believed in power of the father/man, which was a blind spot of the Enlightenment -What is the social contract? --society is convention, which is the social contract -Enlightenment question: what is the ideal society? How/where did it start? No answer to this -Fact: human race belongs to 100 men. Right? No! -According to Rousseau, society forms once the sovereign is formed. -How we know who the sovereign is: the sovereign obeys nobody above them. Usually prints the money and commands the army -Before Society: there are families. They are good to each other. No relationship between families. They live isolated from each other. No wars. This is the natural state. -How do they become a people? The moment when everybody contracts with the sovereign which is themselves. It's an imaginary event. People go from man to citizen. Didn't lose anything because you are just obeying yourself as a sovereign -In order to arrive at the social contract, which is a perfect construct, and therefore imaginary, we need EDUCATION (connection to Emile) -Paradoxes: we could not speak of social contract if we have not gone through it, yet we have not yet achieved the social contract -Right of the Strongest: not actually a right because it is just the use of brute force and anyone can be stronger at anytime -"The problem is to find a form of association which will defend and protect with the whole common force the person and goods of each associate, and in which each, while uniting himself with all, may still obey himself alone, and remain as free as before. " This is the fundamental problem of which the Social Contract provides the solution.

MAIN THEME RELATION

The development of a human from infancy to enlightenment in relation to the development of a society from individualism to social contract

Rousseau - Emile

Themes: -sensory experience of a child, this is a main train of thought in the enlightenment: swerving men away from the feeling of morals/reason and towards the senses -largest interest in machines, mechanics, metaphors in 17th century, while 18th century had interest in biological sciences - focus placed on senses. -its not rational to try to save child from nature. Let nature either kill child or spare child (another paradox) -Do not use reason with child when they are young because children are governed by senses, not reason (this counters Locke) -Society teachers kids to be polite for the sake of politeness, but in reality they use this politeness to manipulate people -"Chief thing is to prevent anything from being done." -Main idea: that of a "negative education" - let kid follow his senses and nature until age 12 -Advised raising your kid on your own. This changed things because nobility often sent kids away to nurses -this was some of the first writing done about young children -Another thing that should not be affected too early: OBEY, COMMAND, DUTY, OBLIGATION -before Rousseau, the church educated young kids on morality, but Rousseau argues that these attempts were in vain because kids don't feel any real sense of morality until later in life. -Story at the end: Tutor lets Emile plant seeds in another gardener's area. Gardener takes out Emile's seeds. Now Emile understands morality because he has has experienced it, not just been told about it. "Don't do anything that you don't want done to you" -Sociable child who has been left to reason is no longer trying to learn, he is trying to refute you -parents should educate children by example because they know them best. If it cannot be parent, then it should be friend of parent, and after that it should be tutor -"Do not save time, but lose it." -This whole treatise created a scandal with Rousseau because he had 3 illegitimate children and gave them up for adoption, which was another contradiction of his -"Nature, we are told, is merely a habit." refers to Pascal. Rousseau contradicts this view with the example that a plant that is forced to grow horizontal will go back to vertical the first chance it gets -"God makes all things good, man meddles with them and they become evil" -child is ammoral until age 12. Neither moral or immoral. Completely egotistical -Teach children through experiences, not precepts

What is the significance of the quote: "How can one be Persian?" in relation to the enlightenment?

This quote is significant because it exemplifies someone who is unenlightened and therefore naive. They are unenlightened because they cannot fathom what it is like to live in a culture outside of their own, as this quote was said by a frenchman to Rica.

Virtue vs. honor

Virtue is self-inflicted and honor is how everyone around you sees you

satire

critiquing an institution or society - "punching up"

People who had power over an absolutist king

pope, mistresses, PRIEST HE CONFESSED TO IN ORDER TO BE ABSOLVED

irony

saying one thing and meaning the opposite