Individual as political symbol : Warren Hastings and Marie Antoinette in the writings of Edmund Burke.

Although Edmund Burke's political writings have exerted a considerable influence on English, European, and American thought, critics and historians over the last two hundred years have debated the exact nature of Burke's contributions. In the 1950s, however, a group of scholars including Russell Kirk and Peter Stanlis convincingly demonstrated that Burke's writings and speeches are consistent expressions of his belief in the natural law. One of the major implications of this belief is his awareness of the necessity of public virtue, especially among the rulers of civilized nations. But while Burke is primarily a political thinker, he possesses a considerable literary talent, which he exercises throughout his writings; and it is through an awareness of Burke's use of such literary devices as symbol, allusion, and imagery that one can resolve problems in his work that lie outside the realm of political analysis. Two such problems--Burke's motivation in his prosecution of Warren Hastings and the purpose of his idealized portrait of Marie Antoinette in The Reflections on the Revolution in France--become more easily resolved when, through a close reading of the texts, one understands that for Burke both of these figures symbolize specific political principles. Burke depicts Warren Hastings' symbolic importance first of all by stressing that the prosecution is a trial not so much of an individual but of the political principles which he embodies. Moreover, by Burke's frequent allusions to scripture and religious ideas, he places his description of Hastings' crimes against a backdrop of Christian morality, thereby heightening by contrast the vicious nature of Hastings' rule. By comparing Hastings to an evil character in one of Christ's parables and by associating the destruction which resulted from his rule with mankind's loss of Eden, Burke characterizes Hastings as the very embodiment of political evil. In his portrait of Marie Antoinette, on the other hand, Burke depicts, with a skillful use of imagery, a symbol of political virtue. Burke describes her, for example, as suffused with the light which elsewhere in the book he employs as a metaphor for goodness and wisdom, thereby associating the queen with all that is virtuous in the French state. Furthermore, by describing an attack on her person by the French Revolutionaries in terms of a rape, Burke reinforces the feeling of virtue threatened. In addition, through his use of the motif of sight and vision, Burke establishes for himself the authoritative voice of one whose political insight allows him clearly to see the evil nature of the French Revolution and the virtuous character of Marie Antoinette.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

1987

Author dc:creator

• Slimp, Stephen.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Barcus, James E., 1938-

• Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797 -- Criticism and interpretation.
• Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797. Reflections on the Revolution in France.
• Marie Antoinette, Queen, consort of Louis XVI, King of France, 1755-1793.
• Hastings, Warren, 1732-1818.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14486

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14486