Émile Souvestre: Breton, Christian, and Republican in Nineteenth Century France

Abstract

While scholars of French history tend to divide nineteenth century French intellectuals into two camps - anti-clerical leftwing Republican Revolutionaries versus rightwing Catholic traditionalists, Emile Souvestre represented a middle ground, and perhaps better represented the average French person as well. Souvestre, a prolific nineteenth century Breton writer, was a devout Christian and a Republican. This thesis explores the forces of regionalism, religion, and politics on Souvestre and his writings.