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Primary sourceDocument1791

Repentir de Madame de Gouges

Olympe de Gouges · 1791

A 1791 placard written by Olympe de Gouges responding to the king's flight to Varennes, revealing her shifting political views.

A personal and political text written by Olympe de Gouges defending herself amid revolutionary turmoil.

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Source: Internet Archive

About this source

What it is

This is a 1791 printed placard or pamphlet written by Olympe de Gouges, responding to the political crisis following King Louis XVI's flight to Varennes. It is held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Why it matters

This text shows Olympe de Gouges wrestling publicly with accusations about her political loyalties, admitting to being called 'aristocrate' while defending her patriotism. It reveals the intense pressures and shifting alliances revolutionary figures faced as events moved quickly.

Look closer

  • Why does she address accusations against her so directly in this text?
  • What does her emotional, personal tone suggest about the dangers of being misunderstood politically during the Revolution?
  • How does this text show the instability of political identity during this period?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Olympe de Gouges on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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