Edmund Burke - Reflections on the Revolution in France Essay Example
When one reads this excerpt from Burke’s Reflection of Revolution in France, it isn’t difficult to decipher what his thoughts are. He fiercely believes in the elegance and grace of a social order based on mutual respect and obedience to one’s duty. He begins by creating an illusion of the Queen to be, Marie Antoinette, glorious and splendid in her beauty and loveliness. He then speaks of a valiant courtier who, putting aside his own safety, would jeopardize his life to defend his queen. Or rather, ‘ten thousand swords’, all ready to fight for the monarchy that rules over them (Burke 1). What needs to be pointed out here is that Burke speaks of the chivalrous nature of these men, and of that fact that they seek no reward or personal gain. Instead of being led by individual profit motive, the courtiers find satisfaction just by fulfilling their role in the greater social order.
Burke felt that the age of selfless devotion to the monarchy and the chivalric code by which the people lived had given way to a new way of living - a meaningless economic consciousness in which actions were motivated by selfish needs only. He felt that once we reject moral imagination, there is nothing to keep us from returning to our primal selves, governed by animalistic instincts. Burke brings in the metaphor of ‘decent drapery of life’ as being ‘necessary to cover the defects of our naked, shivering nature’ - this introducing the subtle idea that a revolution in France could be compared to an act of rape (Burke 4).
If we considered his implications objectively, we could understand his metaphor of dress and undress - that the aristocratic and chivalric ways of life served as a wardrobe, to envelope and camouflage our deepest, darkest and most brutish natures. According to this theory, Burke’s choice of a metaphor of rape may have been appropriate - but mostly when the aspect of ‘clothing’ is considered. If we take into regard every other consequence and everything else that comes along
Burke felt that the age of selfless devotion to the monarchy and the chivalric code by which the people lived had given way to a new way of living - a meaningless economic consciousness in which actions were motivated by selfish needs only. He felt that once we reject moral imagination, there is nothing to keep us from returning to our primal selves, governed by animalistic instincts. Burke brings in the metaphor of ‘decent drapery of life’ as being ‘necessary to cover the defects of our naked, shivering nature’ - this introducing the subtle idea that a revolution in France could be compared to an act of rape (Burke 4).
If we considered his implications objectively, we could understand his metaphor of dress and undress - that the aristocratic and chivalric ways of life served as a wardrobe, to envelope and camouflage our deepest, darkest and most brutish natures. According to this theory, Burke’s choice of a metaphor of rape may have been appropriate - but mostly when the aspect of ‘clothing’ is considered. If we take into regard every other consequence and everything else that comes along