Unruly Women of Paris: Images of the Commune

by Gay L. Gullickson

In this vividly written and amply illustrated book, Gay L. Gullickson analyzes the representations of women who were part of the insurrection known as the Paris Commune. The uprising and its bloody suppression by the French army is still one of the most hotly debated episodes in modern history. Especially controversial was the role played by women, whose prominent place among the Communards shocked many commentators and spawned the legend of the pétroleuses, women who were accused of burning the city during the battle that ended the Commune. In the midst of the turmoil that shook Paris, the media distinguished women for their cruelty and rage. The Paris-Journal , for example, "Madness seems to possess them; one sees them, their hair down like furies, throwing boiling oil, furniture, paving stones, on the soldiers." Gullickson explores the significance of the images created by journalists, memoirists, and political commentators, and elaborated by latter-day historians and political thinkers. The pétroleuse is the most notorious figure to emerge from the Commune, but the literature depicts the Communardes in other guises, the innocent victim, the scandalous orator, the Amazon warrior, and the ministering angel, among others. Gullickson argues that these caricatures played an important role in conveying and evoking moral condemnation of the Commune. More important, they reveal the gender conceptualizations that structured, limited, and assigned meaning to women as political actors for the balance of the nineteenth and well into the twentieth century.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, European History, France

304 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1996

Reviews

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit lengthy, but definitely a fun/passionate application of gender theory in one of European history’s more interesting episodes. I kind of wish there was a bit more of a delving into Commune life (women or no) outside of the warfare and initial formation. I understand her point is that it was primarily a violent war between Paris and Versailles, but the thoroughness of the rest of the account makes a lack of the quotidian seem like an odd exclusion.


Best parts were anything with Louise Michel, though all the primary sources were quite entertaining. Great illustrations too, very cool book.

[Paulm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very entertaining but pretty friggin thorough look into the Commune and the art that ended it. If you like political cartoons, it doesn't get much better....except for Visualizing the Nation and The Eternal Paddy of course.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The female representations were as unruly as the women and the revolution they represented.” pg. 228