Making Myth Podcast

Episode 24: Olympe de Gouges — Women's Rights, the French Revolution, and the Guillotine


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In 1791, French writer and feminist Olympe de Gouges published The Declaration of the Rights of Woman. She declared it was time for women to have equal rights and called them to demand a place in the National Assembly. The French Revolution saw France torn apart by turmoil and Olympe was right there, calling out the injustices needing to be fixed. 

Olympe wrote plays calling for the abolition of slavery and advocating for women's autonomy, rubbing elbows with the elite in the fashionable salons of Paris. She ignored the warnings of her friends when she began making powerful enemies. Revolutionary figures including Robespierre and Bourdon attacked her for being too outspoken. 

She met her end by the guillotine on November 3, 1793. As Revolutionary politicians attempted to erase her legacy, Olympe's voice prophetically echoed from her tomb. Today, she's remembered as one of the most radical feminists that called for reforms that weren't realized until 200 years after her death.

Come along with us as we explore Olympe's writings, life, and legacy through history and astrology!

                                                                Sources

Articles:

  • “French Revolution: History, Timeline, Causes, and Outcomes” by James Hardy (https://historycooperative.org/the-french-revolution/
  • “Olympe de Gouges” by René Viénet (https://www.quercy.net/olympe-de-gouges/#gsc.tab=0

Books:

  • Feminism's and Abolitionism's First Tragic Victim: Olympe de Gouges by Phillip Thomas Tucker, Ph.D. 
  • Women's Rights and the French Revolution by Sophie Mousset 

Digital Media:

  • "The Execution of Olympe de Gouges That Shook the French Revolution" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH0dLgSV7Qk) 
  • “History of Fashion Design: Late 18th Century ‘a la victime’ fashion” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP5SC5i6iA0
  • “Olympe de Gouges”, In Our Time, BBC Radio 4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0016hdj
  • “Olympe de Gouges”, Queens Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4L4oHB6EEmRtN2B5rQJxCR?si=Q0VWn-HiRiO2FFMn3nyzjQ
  • "Olympe de Gouges | The Woman History Tried to Erase" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1h1r0yK6DE) 

Primary Sources:

  • Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen by Olympe de Gouges 
  • Heroic action by a French woman or France saved by women by Olympe de Gouges 
  • Les Trois Urnes by Olympe de Gouges 
  • Olympe de Gouges to the Revolutionary Tribune by Olympe de Gouges 
  • Prognostic of Maximillen Robespierre, by an Amphibious Animal by Olympe de Gouges 
  • “The Trial of Olympe de Gouges”from Women in Revolutionary Paris, 1789-1795 
  • Une Patriote Persecutee a la Convention Nationale by Olympe de Gouges 

Websites:

  • Gouges, Olympe de (https://iep.utm.edu/gouges/
  • The Guillotine Headquarters  (https://guillotine.dk/) 
  • Olympe de Gouges: Timeline (https://olympedegouges.eu/timeline/

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Making Myth PodcastBy Olivia Doman & Amanda Jordan