How to Do Things with Oaths: Militancy and Loyalty in the French Revolutions
How to Do Things with Oaths: Militancy and Loyalty in the French Revolutions
Author(s): Francesco BuscemiSubject(s): History of ideas, Political history, Social history, 18th Century, History of Religion
Published by: Univerzita Karlova v Praze - Filozofická fakulta, Vydavatelství
Keywords: loyalty; oaths; emotions; revolution; France; political culture
Summary/Abstract: French Revolutionary oaths constituted one of the most common political practices during the revolutionary decade 1789-1799. They have drawn the attention of some of the most influential interpreters of the age of revolutions, who have tended to analyze their use in specific circumstances without considering the personal stakes these solemn promises implied. By looking at the social history of oathtaking and the emotional engagement embodied in its everyday practice, this article highlights how recourse to oaths gave meaning to revolutionary experiences and enabled the rise of a new conception of political loyalty.
Journal: Litteraria Pragensia: Studies in Literature and Culture
- Issue Year: 34/2024
- Issue No: 68
- Page Range: 10-27
- Page Count: 18
- Language: English
