Proctor+Johnston

=Wikipage= -__//**The Story of the Scarlet Pimpernel**//__ The Scarlet Pimpernel is an adaptation of the play wriiten by Baroness Orczy. Orczy also wrote the novel version of the Scarlet Pimpernel, which was published almost two years after the play version hit the stages. The novel itself was written in 1905. The Scarlet Pimpernel follows the story of the a man known only as the Scarlet Pimpernel, who assists French aristocrats in escaping from France to avoid execution at the hands of Madame Guillotine. Once the French aristocrats reach England they are free from the French. [] __//**-The French Revolution**//__ Causes The Scarlet Pimpernel takes place in the year 1792 during the French Revolution. The French Revolution took place during 1789 and 1799. In the 1700s, the French still practiced feudalism, which gave the nobility and the clergymen privileges that were exclusive to only to themselves. The only ones who had to pay taxes at this time were the commoners. The First and Second Estates were made up of the nobles and clergy, and the commoners, such as bourgeoisie, peasants, and artisans made up the Third Estate of the Estates General. At this time the country was in a financial crisis. The king, Louis XIV, had spent money that he didn't have, and his successors and he didn't do anything to improve their financial standing, so in 1789 the country was bankrupt. The French became inspired by the ideas of Enlightenment writers such as Montesquieu, and by the success of the American Revolution. King Louis then called together the Estates General in 1789 to solve their financial problems. The Third Estate was against the system of the Estates General, so they formed the National Assembly in order to make a constitution. The discontent grew among the French commoners until finally, hungry Parisians, who suffered from bad harvest, burst out in anger and attacked the Bastille prison and released many political prisoners. This outburst started the French Revolution, and soon all of France was in a political frenzy. []

Timeline of Important Events May 5,1789- Louis XVI calls Estates General to meet at Versailles to approve new tax plan. June 17, 1789- The Third Estate declares themselves the National Assembly and creates the Tennis Court Oath. July 14, 1789- The people of Paris storm the Bastille and release political prisoners. August 4, 1789- The end of Feudalism and Serfdom. August 27, 1789- Declaration of the Rights of Man is issued. October 5, 1789- Paris women invade Versailles. 1790- Civil Constitution of Clergy is passed. 1791- Constitution if 1791 is instated. June 20, 1791- Louis XVI and his family attempt to escape from France, but are arrested. April 20, 1792- France declares war on Austria. September 1792- National Convention holds first meeting. January 21, 1973- Louis XVI sentenced to death by guillotine. August 1793- A draft is called for all able-bodied men to join army. September 1793 to July 1794- The Reign of Terror court sentences 20,000-40,000 people to death at the guillotine. July 27, 1794- The National Convention arrests Robespierre. July 28, 1794- Robespierre is beheaded. 1795- New Constitution is adopted. 1799- Directory fell, thus ending the French Revolution. [] __//**-The Guillotine**//__ The Guillotine was a major tool used by the implemented government after the overthrow of the French aristocrats. The guillotine, designed by Dr. Joseph Gulliotine, was actually meant to be used as a more humane execution device, which nowadays people consider absurd based on how brutal this method now seems. Victims were to lie down on a bench with their face and down and with their head positioned in between the uprights. Audiences would stand and watch as the quick blade would slice through the victim's neck. The execution would last only for about half a second. People began the debate the humanity of this method, because doctors began to bring up the notion that it could take up to 30 seconds for the victim to lose consciousness. The 88.2lb. blade would drop 88in. and slam into the neck of the victim with a power of 888lb. per square inch. [] __//**-The Bastille**//__ The Bastille was a stronghold created to protect the Paris from invasion after the French were defeated at Poitiers in 1356 during the 100 Year War with the English. The building of the Bastille started in 1370 and was later completed in 1382. The Bastille had walls were 4 meters wide and had eight towers that were 22 meters high. The Bastille was later converted into a prison by Richeieau. Most of the prisoners were enemies of the king sent by order of the king's seal. There were many infamous inmates such as Voltaire, Fouquet, and Sade. The prison had an awful reputation, but in reality there were few inmates and the prison conditions were better than most of the French prisons, however the Bastille became a symbol of arbitrariness of the monarchy. On July 14 1789, the Bastille was stormed by a crowd reinforced by a rebellious detachment of the National Guard. The few guards surrendered, the seven prisoners were freed, and the French Revolution had began. Two days after the crowds had captured the Bastille, orders were given to demolish the building. A marking in the Boulevard Henri IV shows where the building once stood. Some stones from the foundation are still visible in the Bastille subway station. [] During the 1700s, the fashion world was in almost a constant state of change. The men of this time wore full and long coats with long vests that were left open to reveal piles of ruffles and lace. They also wore breeches that were fitted and close to the knees, and, normally they wore a powdered wig and carried a sword. Their shoes were usually black, medium-heeled, and pointed with a large gold or silver buckle on it. The women's fashion was a little more "out there". They wore huge dresses that seemed to get taller and wider. Some gowns were six feet wide and needed whale boned cages to hold them up. Ladies would have to remove the arms of their chairs in order to sit. Hair styles were out of control. The ladies wore their wigs draped over wire cages and covered with feathers, pearls, and jewelry. Some women wore wigs with mini gardens or maritime scenes complete with models ships incorporated in their hair styles. Women wore high heels, along with rich brocades, embroidered silks and painted leathers. Large showy buckles topped them off along with metallic braid in silver and gold, which could be transferred from one shoe to the next. After the French Revolution, heels disappeared and expensive silks replaced with more affordable and practical leathers. [] __//**-Character Descriptions**//__ Percy Blakeney- The husband of Marguerite Blakeney. He is one of the richest, most fashionable men in England, but he is known as a dunce. He has a great build with broad shoulders and muscles, but this only adds to his reputation as a stupid stooge. However, this reputation is only a facade. He is really the Scarlet Pimpernel, the bravest, smartest man in France who aids the aristocrats in escaping France. Marguerite St. Just/Lady Blakeney- Marguerite was well known for her beauty, charisma, and intelligence while living as an actress in France, which is why it is such a surprise to all of England and France when she marries Sir Percy. Since he's known as a dunce, and she's a well known socialite, the general opinion was that she married down. When she discovers her husbands true identity, she realizes how smart and brave he truly is. Chauvelin- Chauvelin is the main antagonist in the novel. He is a French agent who has English diplomacy rights. He is England looking for the Pimpernel and members of his league in order to arrest them and have them executed. He asks Marguerite to assist her in learning the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel, but she declines. He then comes to her with a note written by her brother showing that her brother is in traitorous talks with Austria. He then blackmails her into helping him. He tells her that if she doesn't find out the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel, then her brother will be executed. [] __//**- Palace of Versailles**//__ The original residence was built from 1631 to 1634 and was used primarily as a hunting lodge and a private retreat for Louis XIII and his family. Under the guidance of Louis XIV, it was transformed into an immense and extravagant complex surrounded by stylized English and French gardens; every detail of its construction glorified the king. Declared the official royal residence in 1682 and the official residence of the court of France on May. 6 168, the Palace of Versailles was abandoned after the death of Louis XIV in 1715. In 1722, however, it returned to its status as royal residence. Further additions were made during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. Following the French Revolution of 1789, the complex was nearly destroyed; it was subsequently restored by Louis-Philippe, but its utility gradually decreased. By the 20th century, though it was occasionally used for plenary congresses of the French parliament or as housing for visiting heads of state, primary utility of the palace lay in tourism. [] __//**-Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen**//__ On August 26, 1789. the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was passed by the National Assembly. This presented to the world a summary of the ideals and principles of the Revolution, justified the destruction of a government based upon absolutism and privilege, and the establishment of a new regime based upon the inalienable rights of individuals, liberty, and political equality. The Declaration became the preamble to the Constitution of 1791. It has been referred to in almost every single revolutionary movement since 1789, and has been translated into nearly all major languages. It is the basis of the constitutional foundations of many countries, including France's Fifth Republic. By 1791, the Declaration had been transformed from a legislative document into a kind of political manifesto. No one assisted this process more than Tom Paine, whose __Rights of Man__ became one of the best-selling books in English history, and the bible of the working-class radicals. Paine reproduced the document, word for word, treating it as a sacred text that ushered in a new epoch of world history. The king was never in favor of the Declaration and he refused to endorse it because he thought its clauses were too ambiguous. He only sanctioned it under popular pressure on October 5th and 6th, 1791. Since then, it has been adopted by all kinds of political groups, and has been used both to justify revolution and also to suppress it.
 * __//-Fashion//__**

[] In September 1791, approximately two years after the __Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen__ was promulgated in France, Marie Gouze wrote the __Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen__. A self-educated butcher's daughter from the south of France, she wrote a number of pamphlets, plays, and speechesunder the name Olympe de Gouges. Her preamble was a call to arms to all women, including the queen of France, Marie-Antoinette. Calling on the Supreme Being for guidance, she lists seventeen rights of women and female citizens. Ending with a sample marriage contract designed to ensure more equitable treatment of women, the __Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen__ was never accepted or promulgated. [] Baroness Orczy was born Emmuska Magdalena Rosaila Maria Josefa Barbara Orczy, an aristocrat in Hungary to a baron and former countess. Initially she lived a life of luxury and prestige, as her father occupied a place in the court of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Her father, Baron Felix Orczy, was a minor composer. He presided over the family estate "Tarna Ors", where great composers like Wagner, Liszt, and Gounod used to visit. However, when the Baroness' father attempted to modernize his tenants' farming methods, a peasant revolt broke out and the family fled to Brussels, then Paris, and eventually to London. There, the Baroness studied at the West London Art School, where she fell in love with Montague Barstow. The two married in 1894 ended up being creative collaborators. They produced a translation if Hungarian folktales which went on to great success allowing Orczy to continue writing. Orczy's first novel, __The Emperor's Candlesticks__, was rejected for being too short, so she went back to smaller scale work in order to gain experience and confidence for her return to novels. In 1902 she published __The Emperor's Candlesticks__ in longer form. Soon after she wrote the Scarlet Pimpernel, which was also rejected. Orczy recast the tale in play form;it was a smash hit, allowing for the novel's successful publication in 1905. Orczy would go on to produce more than 20 Pimpernel sequels over the next 35 years, which came to define her legacy. But Orczy wrote a number of other stories, mostly involving espionage, police work, upper-class heroes, which were all recurrent themes in her work. After 1910, Orczy and her husband moved to Monaco where they lived until World War II. Her husband died in 1942, and Orczy moved to England where she wrote into her 80s. []
 * //__-Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen__//**
 * //__About the Author__//**