Danton's Death: Analysis of Major Characters
"Danton's Death" is a seminal work that explores the complexities of revolutionary politics through its major characters, primarily focusing on Georges Danton and his interactions with key figures like Maximilien Robespierre and Camille Desmoulins. Danton is portrayed as a passive yet multifaceted protagonist, embodying a weary nihilism that leads him to accept his fate rather than actively fight for his survival. His character evokes comparisons to Shakespeare's Hamlet, sharing traits of melancholy and introspection while displaying a vibrant wit that underscores his disillusionment with humanity.
In stark contrast stands Robespierre, Danton's political foe, characterized by his rigid dogmatism and moral absolutism. He embodies the darker, more fanatical side of revolutionary zeal, willing to purge any dissent as a betrayal of the cause. Saint-Just, Robespierre's deputy, further amplifies this extremist perspective, pushing for increasingly violent measures. Camille Desmoulins, Danton's loyal friend, represents a more humane and Epicurean approach, attempting to rally Danton against Robespierre's oppressive tactics. The character of Marion, a sympathetic prostitute, adds depth by offering a more personal, humanistic perspective in contrast to the political fervor of the male characters. Collectively, these characters illuminate the tensions and moral dilemmas inherent in the revolutionary landscape of their time.
Danton's Death: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Georg Büchner
First published: Dantons Tod, 1835 (English translation, 1927)
Genre: Play
Locale: Paris, France
Plot: Tragedy
Time: Spring, 1794
Georges Danton (zhohrzh dan-TOHN), the first passive protagonist in German drama. The author makes it amply clear that Danton might have avoided imprisonment and subsequent death by escaping the Jacobins in time. In contrast to the traditional tragic hero, who comes to see the world as ominous only when he realizes that his own doom is inevitable, Danton has no illusions about the world from the play's beginning and quietly wills his doom. Tantalizingly and ambiguously, the author never clarifies whether Danton's failure to save his life is a consequence of his weary worldview or a rationalization of a psychological paralysis or depression that precludes any meaningful action on his part. It is not clear whether Danton expects his refusal to flee to result in his arrest, or whether he actually believes his statement, thrice made, that the Committee of Public Safety would not dare arrest a prominent revolutionary leader like himself. By leaving these possibilities open, the playwright establishes both Danton's nihilism and boredom and his reckless nonchalance and laziness. Danton does show vitality and occasional bursts of energy, but they are focused not on purposeful deeds but on poetic evocations of his disillusionment with human nature and witty banter with his companions. His closest dramatic peer is Hamlet, with whom he shares melancholy, morbidity, sensuality, irony, verbal ingenuity, introspectiveness, and resignation to the world's nullity.
Robespierre (roh-behs-PYEHR), Danton's political antagonist and temperamental opponent. He is an ascetic, austere, humorless dogmatist, a fanatically rigid zealot in behalf of his program for revolutionary extremism. His self-righteous convictions cause him to regard anyone who disagrees with him as an enemy of the French people, to be vilified and executed. He chastises men for weaknesses he considers crimes, and he sees those who fail to follow him unreservedly as conspirators, subverters of the public weal. Called the Incorruptible, Robespierre feels he must destroy any sign of doubt in others until there is nothing left that might pollute revolutionary principles as he understands them. He is a psychopath who projects his vengeful, aggressive impulses in the political arena.
Saint-Just (sahn-ZHEWST), Robespierre's leading deputy and his only trusted confidant. Even more of a zealot than his chief, he urges Robespierre toward increasingly violent repressive measures.
Camille Desmoulins (kah-MEEL day-mew-LAN), Danton's closest friend. He tries to persuade him to lead a counterattack against Robespierre's faction. Like Danton, Desmoulins is Epicurean, witty, and warmly humane.
Marion (mahr-ee-AHN), a sympathetically drawn prostitute who is generous and open with her feelings. Her autobiographical monologue is noteworthy for its direct naturalness of language and worship of the body, in implied contrast to Robespierre's inflated rhetoric and refusal to admit any personal needs.