What is it about?
This article explores several examples of plays about Napoleon Bonaparte that were performed during the Second Empire, during the reign of his nephew, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. In particular, I look at the ways in which government censors modified these plays and how these changes altered the stories that were performed.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
These plays played an important role in reinforcing Napoleon III's power and legitimacy. They reveal much about how works of fiction can be used by those in power to manipulate public understanding of history and create a myth of national origins that has many gaps.
Perspectives
These plays about Napoleon are both propaganda and examples of government censorship. They reveal much about the power of the spoken word on the stage, and how authorities both feared theatrical performances and sought to exploit them to reinforce their power. They also show how dramatic performances often escaped these attempts to control their meaning.
Dr Janice Best
Acadia University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Power and Propaganda: Theatrical Representations of Napoleon Bonaparte During the Second Empire, Dix-Neuf, February 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/14787318.2017.1376392.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
