Confronting a paradox : an historical analysis of the complex political claims of Parisian women of the third estate in revolutionary France 1785-1795

Abstract

This thesis explores the variances in political discourse, identity and understanding of citizenship amongst Parisian women of the Third Estate during the French Revolution. By exploring the divergences and cleavages that existed amongst women, this thesis critiques the representation of female experiences in much of the current scholarship, which tends to homogenize women’s experiences and thus lacks a more nuanced exploration of the topic. To achieve this goal, this thesis: establishes a general overview of the scholarship; explores the political landscape and involvement of women in the early revolutionary period; and examines two sets of cases studies with a focus on individual identity in chapter three and collective identity in chapter four. The former will focus on the individual political identities and theories of Olympe de Gouges and Marie-Jeanne Roland de la Platière, (Madame Roland) as influential figures in the Revolution, and with clear variances in their political thought. The latter will provide a case study of two groups, the Dames des Halles and Citoyennes Républicaines to underscore factionalism in identity politics as well as their different views on politics and citizenship. These two sets of case studies underscore the need to differentiate the types of active citizenship in future works exploring the involvement and participation of women during the French Revolution.