Jules Michelet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jules Michelet
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| Born | 21 August 1798 Paris, France
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| Died | 9 February 1874 (aged 75) Hyères, France
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| Alma mater | University of Paris |
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| Era | Modern philosophy
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| Region | Western philosophy
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| School | Anti-clericalism Freethought Republicanism |
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Main interests
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French history |
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Influences
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Influenced
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Jules Michelet (born August 21, 1798 – died February 9, 1874) was a famous French historian and writer. He is best known for his huge work, Histoire de France (History of France). This book tells the story of France from its earliest days up to the French Revolution. Many people see Michelet as one of the people who helped create modern historiography, which is the study of how history is written.
Michelet was inspired by an Italian thinker named Giambattista Vico. Vico believed that the everyday lives and customs of people were important in shaping history. This was a new idea, as many historians before focused only on kings and military leaders. Michelet also liked Vico's idea of "corsi e ricorsi." This means history often repeats itself in cycles, with societies rising and falling over time.
In his Histoire de France, Michelet was the first historian to use and define the word "Renaissance" in French. He used it to describe a special period in Europe's cultural history. He saw the Renaissance as a "rebirth" that broke away from the Middle Ages. It created a new way of understanding humanity and its place in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jules Michelet's father owned a printing business, and Jules often helped him. He was a very bright student and went to the famous Lycée Charlemagne in Paris. In 1821, he passed his university exams. Soon after, he became a history professor at Collège Rollin.
In 1824, he married Pauline Rousseau. This was a good time for scholars in France, and Michelet had powerful friends who supported his work. Even though he was interested in politics, he was mostly a writer and a history researcher. He believed in republicanism, which means he thought a country should be run by its citizens, not a king. He also had his own ideas about "free-thought," which meant thinking for himself.
Between 1825 and 1827, he wrote several history textbooks and summaries. In 1827, he became a teacher at the École normale supérieure. Four years later, in 1831, he published Introduction à l'histoire universelle. This book showed his unique writing style. It was very imaginative and powerful, though some people found his ideas a bit too visionary.
Working as a Historian
In 1830, Michelet got a job at the French Record Office. This allowed him to study many old documents. He also became a deputy professor at the university. Soon after, he started his most important work, the Histoire de France. This huge project would take him 30 years to finish.
He also wrote other important books. These included works about Giambattista Vico, Martin Luther, and the history of French law. In 1838, Michelet became a history professor at the Collège de France. He and his friend Edgar Quinet spoke out strongly against the Jesuits, a religious group. Their lectures became very popular because they challenged traditional ideas.
Michelet's first wife died in 1839. He published his Histoire romaine (Roman History) that year. He also wrote Du prêtre, de la femme et de la famille (About the Priest, the Woman, and the Family) and Le peuple (The People). These books showed his unique beliefs. He mixed feelings, ideas about community, and strong opposition to the power of priests.
When the 1848 revolution happened in France, Michelet did not try to become a politician. Instead, he focused even more on his writing. He continued his great history and also wrote an enthusiastic Histoire de la Révolution française (History of the French Revolution).
In 1849, at age 51, he married his second wife, Athénaïs Michelet. She was 23 and a writer herself, especially about nature. She had been a teacher and had written to Michelet for years because she admired his ideas. They worked together on his books. He said she helped him a lot, even though she wasn't officially credited in his works.
Exploring New Topics
After Napoleon III took power in 1851, Michelet lost his job at the Record Office. He refused to support the new government. This made him even more passionate about republican ideas. His new wife, Athénaïs, also shared his republican views and inspired him.
While he continued his main history project, he also wrote many other interesting books. Some were deeper looks into parts of his history. Others were like companion books. One of the first was Les Femmes de la Révolution (Women of the Revolution) in 1854.
His wife, Athénaïs, introduced him to the topic of natural history. This led him to write L'Oiseau (The Bird) in 1856. This book was very successful. He wrote about nature not just scientifically, but with his deep belief that everything in nature is connected.
He then wrote L'Amour (Love) in 1859, which became very popular. This was followed by La Femme (Woman) in 1860. The famous artist Vincent van Gogh even quoted a line from La Femme on one of his drawings. The quote was: "How can there be on earth a woman alone?"
Other books in this series included La Mer (The Sea) in 1861. In 1862, he published La Sorcière (The Witch). This book was based on a historical event. It showed all of Michelet's unique writing style, making it feel like a very vivid dream.
Later books included Bible de l'humanité (Bible of Humanity) in 1864, which was a history of religions. La Montagne (The Mountain) came out in 1868. His last small book published during his life was Nos fils (Our Sons) in 1869. It was about education.
His Masterpiece: Histoire de France
Finally, in 1867, Michelet finished his life's greatest work, Histoire de France. In the usual edition, it fills nineteen volumes! It covers French history from early times, through the Middle Ages, the Hundred Years' War, and the rise of royal power. It also covers the 16th and 17th centuries, and the 18th century up to the French Revolution.
Michelet strongly disliked the Middle Ages. He saw the end of this period as a huge, positive change. He tried to show how the lively Renaissance could grow out of what he saw as the old, unchanging medieval culture.
Key Ideas in Michelet's Work
Michelet often wrote about certain ideas throughout his books. He explored themes like good and evil, and also "paired" themes. For example, he often wrote about "grace" (which he linked to women) and "justice" (which he linked to men). He also used ideas of "union" and "unity" when discussing national history and natural history.
He often saw history as a struggle. He believed it was a "war of man against nature, spirit against matter, freedom against fate." For him, history was simply the story of this never-ending fight.
Later Life and Legacy
Michelet was strongly against the rule of Napoleon III. When Napoleon III's government fell in 1870, and France was defeated by Prussia, Michelet was inspired again. He wrote letters and pamphlets. He also wanted to write a Histoire du XIXe siècle (History of the 19th Century). However, he only managed to write up to the Battle of Waterloo before he died.
He passed away from a heart attack in Hyères on February 9, 1874. He was first buried there. But his wife asked for his body to be moved. On May 16, 1876, he was reburied in Le Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. A monument was built there in his honor in 1893.
Before he died, Michelet gave all the rights to his books and papers to his wife, Athénaïs. He knew how much she had helped him, especially in his later years. Athénaïs won a court case to keep these rights. She later published several books about her husband and his family, using his journals and notes.
Athénaïs then passed on this literary legacy to Gabriel Monod, a historian. Some historians have noted that Michelet's work and legacy have sometimes downplayed Athénaïs's important contributions.
Images for kids
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Portrait of Jules Michelet painted by Thomas Couture, around 1865
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Photograph of Jules Michelet, late in his career
See also
In Spanish: Jules Michelet para niños
