The Gods Are Athirst

by Jacques-Anatole-Françoi Thibault

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Summary

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Key Highlights: "The Gods Are Athirst," originally published as Les dieux ont soif in 1912 and translated into English in 1913, is a historical satire novel set during the French Revolution, specifically between 1793 and 1794. The narrative unfolds in the vibrant yet chaotic city of Paris, focusing on the life and transformations of a young painter named Évariste Gamelin, among other intriguing characters. Through a blend of satire and historical drama, the novel explores themes of justice, fanaticism, and the tumultuous nature of revolutionary fervor.

Main Characters

Évariste Gamelin: An aspiring young artist who resides with his mother and grapples with revolutionary ideals.

Maurice Brotteaux: A former nobleman and craftsman of puppets, who is cynical and skeptical of the revolution.

Madame Gamelin: The supportive mother of Évariste.

Madame de Rochemaure: The widow of a royal procurer, with ambitions to navigate political waters for personal gain.

Jean Blaise: A print seller and the father of Elodie.

Elodie: Jean Blaise's daughter, who captures Évariste's affections.

Pere Longuemare: A Barnabite monk, falsely accused of theft.

Jacques Maubel: A young aristocrat, wrongly implicated by Évariste.

Julie Gamelin: Évariste’s sister, entangled in the revolutionary chaos.

Athenais: A kind-hearted prostitute, supportive of Brotteaux.

Marat and Robespierre: Influential figures of the revolution.

Henry: A dragoon with ties to several characters.

Philippe Desmahis: An engraver, embodying post-revolution normalcy.

The Narrative Journey

Évariste Gamelin, while not particularly gifted in the arts, was a student of Jacques David and lived in a modest abode with his mother. His standout work, a painting of Orestes and Electra, gained some attention, though many considered it a veiled self-portrait. As the French Revolution gathered momentum, Évariste became zealously involved with the Jacobins, believing their triumph would herald a new dawn for France.

Among his acquaintances was Maurice Brotteaux, residing in the same building. A man of noble descent, Brotteaux had turned to crafting puppets to survive. While Évariste was driven by idealism, Brotteaux remained skeptical of the revolution, seeing it as a product of misguided trust in humanity's virtue.

Évariste's revolutionary fervor extended to his personal projects, such as redesigning playing cards to symbolize revolutionary values. Yet, his ideas found little support among his fellow Jacobins. His romantic pursuits intertwined with his political life, as he courted Elodie, the print seller's daughter. Despite her past, when Évariste learned of her former lover, he chose to forgive, attributing her past to political naivety rather than personal failing.

Revolutionary Zeal and Disillusionment

A vivid episode at a breadline highlighted the volatile atmosphere: a woman falsely accused Pere Longuemare, a monk, of theft. The crowd, quick to judgement, revealed the tension and paranoia of the times. Brotteaux, witnessing the chaotic scene, discerned the crowd's eagerness to accuse without cause, while Évariste viewed it as a testament to their zeal for justice.

Madame de Rochemaure, a widow seeking to leverage revolutionary chaos for financial gain, sought connections with influential revolutionaries like Marat and Robespierre. Although her ambitions ended with Marat's assassination, she successfully secured Évariste a role as a juror on the Grand Tribunal, a body responsible for adjudicating political crimes.

Évariste's initial days as a juror were marked by a fiery commitment to justice. However, as the tribunal's processes turned more ruthless, he applauded the swifter, albeit unjust, methods of delivering verdicts without trials. His transformation reflected the broader societal shift toward indiscriminate violence.

Personal Tragedies and Political Betrayals

Évariste's personal life was not untouched by the revolution's brutality. His sister Julie, having returned from England, saw her lover executed. Even their...

(This entire section contains 943 words.)

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mother’s pleas could not sway Évariste, who remained steadfast in his support for the tribunal’s harsh measures.

Driven by jealousy and suspicion, Évariste fixated on discovering the identity of Elodie's past lover, suspecting an innocent Jacques Maubel. Despite lacking evidence, Évariste’s sense of betrayal led him to condemn Maubel to execution. Ironically, Elodie's true past lover was Henry, who had climbed the social ranks, leaving Évariste's misguided vengeance unfulfilled.

The Fall of Ideals

As the tribunal’s cruelty escalated, it ensnared Brotteaux, Pere Longuemare, and Madame de Rochemaure, among others. Convicted en masse, they faced execution without trial. Évariste, engulfed in the system he once believed in, did nothing to stop the injustices.

Eventually, the tide turned against the tribunal itself. Robespierre, attempting reforms, was toppled, and soon, the tribunal members faced the wrath of the very public they served. Their fall was swift, and Évariste, once a symbol of revolutionary fervor, met his end amidst the chaos he had helped propagate.

Reflections on Revolution

In the aftermath, Paris emerged from the turmoil into a semblance of peace. Elodie, adapting to the new reality, became the partner of Philippe Desmahis, a calm and apolitical engraver. Together, they epitomized survival beyond ideology, thriving in a world weary of constant upheaval.

Critical Insights

Anatole France, writing in an era marked by dramatic societal changes, employed his sharp wit and insight to critique human nature and revolution. While his narrative in "The Gods Are Athirst" centers on the youthful Évariste Gamelin, it is Brotteaux, the cynic, who embodies France's philosophical views. Through the novel, France scrutinizes the naive idealism of Gamelin against Brotteaux’s skepticism, offering a nuanced portrayal of the complex human motives driving the revolution.

France’s work is less about condemning the revolution itself and more about illustrating the timeless follies of humanity. His critique is nuanced, allowing readers to draw parallels between past and present, and challenging them to recognize the cyclical nature of human behavior. Like the short story “The Procurator of Judea,” "The Gods Are Athirst" invites reflection on historical patterns, urging a better understanding of human nature to avoid repeating past mistakes.

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