"Threshold of Terror"

Paper Summary:

In "Threshold of Terror: The Last Hours of the Monarchy in the French Revolution", Rodney Allen details the events that occurred during the crucial twenty-four hours between the 9th and 10th of August 1792, which led to the fall and execution of King Louis XVI of France. The paper shows that using previously unpublished eyewitness accounts, illustrations, direct quotations and paraphrases, Allen describes the final hours of this crucial collapse and examines its importance in eroding the ideals that had emerged after the fall of the Bastille in 1789. Through the use of intimate sources and documents, such as the personal accounts of the Swiss Guards who had tried to save the ill-fated King Louis XVI and the stories of individuals who had survived the "Reign of Terror", the author gives the reader a greater level of insight into the events and emotions that existed during the Revolution in France. The paper discusses how this provocative book offers a fascinating account of one of the most remarkable and important events in French and European history and, unlike many other books to be written on this subject, the author does not merely recount the political and social details. The paper shows that the difference between this book and many others is that Allen also deals with the human side of the events and describes the effects that this historical event had upon the individuals who were involved.

From the Paper:

"On several occasions Allen suggests that, even if the radicals among the revolutionaries had agreed to keep the monarchy as a part of the new system, it would merely have been in the role of a "puppet" with "no real control over local and regional authorities and no direct command over forces for maintaining public order" (2). The Terror occurred as a result of the new regime's resolution to destroy counter-revolutionary forces, to intimidate and deter opponents of the republic, and to reassure its supporters. The continued existence of a token monarch, with no influence over social or political control, would have had no power or authority to prevent or lessen the violence or executions that occurred during the Terror. Once again it is the author's personal values and political beliefs, rather than factual evidence, that lead him to his conclusions."

More papers on "Threshold of Terror":

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