Jean-Paul Marat

Jean-Paul Marat[2†]

Jean-Paul Marat (1743–1793) was a key figure in the French Revolution, renowned for his radical journalism and political activism. Marat passionately defended the sans-culottes and voiced his radical views in various publications, notably L’Ami du peuple (The Friend of the People). Marat made significant contributions as a physician, political theorist, and scientist. His life ended abruptly when he was assassinated by Charlotte Corday, a Girondin conservative[1†][2†].

Early Years and Education

Jean-Paul Marat was born on May 24, 1743, in Boudry, near Neuchâtel, Switzerland[1†][2†]. He was the son of lower-middle-class parents[1†]. Of his early years, very little is known[1†]. He received his early education in the city of Neuchâtel[1†][3†].

Marat then moved to Paris and studied medicine without gaining any formal qualifications[1†][3†]. After moving to France, Jean-Paul Mara francized his surname as "Marat"[1†][3†]. He worked, informally, as a doctor after moving to London in 1765[1†][3†].

He acquired a medical education and for some years was a successful physician in both England and France[1†]. He also conducted scientific experiments in the fields of optics and electricity[1†]. His paper on electricity was honored by the Royal Academy of Rouen in 1783[1†]. At the same time, he built up a practice among upper-middle-class and aristocratic patients[1†].

In 1786, however, he gave up his medical practice and turned to journalism[1†][4†]. This marked the beginning of his political career, which would later see him become a leading figure in the French Revolution[1†][2†].

Career Development and Achievements

Jean-Paul Marat, after obscure years in France and other European countries, became a well-known doctor in London in the 1770s[1†]. He published a number of books on scientific and philosophical subjects[1†]. His early political works included The Chains of Slavery (1774), an attack on despotism addressed to British voters, in which he first expounded the notion of an “aristocratic,” or “court,” plot[1†].

Returning to the Continent in 1777, Marat was appointed physician to the personal guards of the comte d’Artois (later Charles X), youngest brother of Louis XVI of France[1†]. At this time he seemed mainly interested in making a reputation for himself as a successful scientist[1†]. He wrote articles and experimented with fire, electricity, and light[1†]. His paper on electricity was honored by the Royal Academy of Rouen in 1783[1†].

In 1783, he resigned from his medical post, probably intending to concentrate on his scientific career[1†]. In 1780 he published his Plan de législation criminelle (“Plan for Criminal Legislation”), which showed that he had already assimilated the ideas of such critics of the ancien régime as Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau[1†].

From 1789, as editor of the newspaper L’Ami du Peuple, he became an influential voice for radical measures against the aristocrats[1†][5†]. He criticized moderate revolutionary leaders and warned against the émigré nobility, then advocated the execution of counterrevolutionaries[1†][5†]. His journalism was known for its fierce tone and uncompromising stance toward the new leaders and institutions of the revolution[1†][2†].

Responsibility for the September massacres has been attributed to him, given his position of renown at the time, and a paper trail of decisions leading up to the massacres[1†][2†]. Others posit the collective mentality that made them possible resulted from circumstances and not from the will of any particular individual[1†][2†].

First Publication of His Main Works

Jean-Paul Marat was not only a political figure but also a prolific writer. His works spanned various fields, including philosophy, politics, and science[1†][2†].

• “A Philosophical Essay on Man” (1773): This work delved into the nature of man and society, reflecting Marat’s deep interest in philosophical and social issues[1†][2†].
• "The Chains of Slavery" (1774): This work was a vehement denunciation of royal despotism and a defense of the sovereignty of the people. It showcased Marat’s sympathy for the poor and downtrodden, a theme that remained consistent throughout his career[1†][2†][6†].
• “Physical Research on Electricity” (1782): This work demonstrated Marat’s scientific acumen and his ability to contribute to diverse fields[1†][7†].
• “Elementary Studies of Optics” (1784): This work demonstrated Marat’s scientific acumen and his ability to contribute to diverse fields[1†][7†].
• “L’Ami du peuple” (The Friend of the People), periodical: Through this publication, Marat became an unofficial link with the radical Jacobin group that came to power after June 1793. His journalism was known for its fierce tone and uncompromising stance toward the new leaders and institutions of the revolution[1†][2†].

Analysis and Evaluation

Jean-Paul Marat, despite his significant contributions to the French Revolution, remains a controversial figure in history[8†][9†]. His character and role during the French Revolution have been the subject of speculation from both his "blind admirers and passionate enemies"[8†][9†].

Marat’s writings, particularly his pamphlet “L’Ami du Peuple” (The Friend of the People), reveal his concrete beliefs[8†][9†]. His consistent call for bloodshed and his radical views have elicited absolute judgments from his contemporaries and revisionists[8†][9†]. Despite the controversy, Marat was venerated by the people, a sentiment that was validated after his assassination in July of 1793[8†][9†].

Historian Mona Ozouf notes that Marat stands out as unique, even amongst the colorful cast of characters found in the French Revolution[8†]. He has been described as a “streetcorner Caligula” by Chateaubriand, and a “functionary of ruin” by Victor Hugo[8†]. To his supporters, he was always a patriotic visionary, a true friend of the people. To his detractors, he was a pestilence, leaving murder and destruction in his wake[8†].

Marat’s influence extended beyond his lifetime. His assassination did not prevent the Reign of Terror but instead gave the Jacobins a martyr who they could use to advance their agenda[8†]. Following her execution four days after the assassination, Charlotte Corday, Marat’s assassin, also became a symbolic figure for those who resisted the Jacobin regime[8†].

Personal Life

Jean-Paul Marat was born in Boudry, modern-day Switzerland[10†]. He was the second child of Jean Mara, a converted Italian commendator, and Louise Cabrol, a French Huguenot[10†]. He had eight siblings[10†]. One of Marat’s brothers, David Mara (born 1756), was a professor at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum in the Russian Empire, where the famous poet, Alexander Pushkin, was his student[10†][11†].

While in his mid-teens, Marat left home to find opportunities[10†]. However, he knew that being an outsider, his chances were bleak[10†]. He acquired a medical education and for some years was a successful physician in both England and France[10†][12†]. He also conducted scientific experiments in the fields of optics and electricity[12†].

Marat was assassinated in his bath by Charlotte Corday, a young Girondin conservative[10†][1†]. Corday was executed four days later for his assassination, on 17 July 1793[10†][2†].

Conclusion and Legacy

Jean-Paul Marat’s life and work left a significant impact on the French Revolution[1†][2†]. His assassination in 1793 quickly became a symbol of the French Revolution for Jacobin supporters, who had seized power from the Girondins just weeks before[1†][13†]. The murder was immortalized through Jacques-Louis David’s painting The Death of Marat[1†][13†].

In death, Marat became an icon to the Montagnards faction of the Jacobins as well as the greater sans-culottes population, and a revolutionary martyr[1†][11†]. According to contemporary accounts, some even mourned him with a kind of prayer: "O heart of Jesus! O sacred heart of Marat"[1†][2†].

Marat’s journalism was known for its fierce tone and uncompromising stance toward the new leaders and institutions of the revolution[1†][2†]. His periodical L’Ami du peuple (The Friend of the People) made him an influential voice for radical measures against the aristocrats[1†][5†]. He criticized moderate revolutionary leaders and warned against the émigré nobility, then advocated the execution of counterrevolutionaries[1†][5†].

Despite the controversy surrounding his life and the circumstances of his death, Marat’s legacy as a radical voice during a time of great upheaval remains significant[1†][2†].

Key Information

• Also Known As: Jean-Paul Mara[1†][2†]
• Born: May 24, 1743, Boudry, near Neuchâtel, Switzerland[1†][2†]
• Died: July 13, 1793, Paris, France[1†][2†]
• Nationality: French[1†][2†]
• Occupation: Journalist, Politician, Physician, Scientist, Political Theorist[1†][2†]
• Notable Works: L’Ami du peuple (The Friend of the People)[1†][2†]
• Notable Achievements: A leader of the radical Montagnard faction during the French Revolution[1†][2†]. His journalism was known for its fierce tone and uncompromising stance toward the new leaders and institutions of the revolution[1†][2†].

References and Citations:

1. Britannica - Jean-Paul Marat: French politician, physician, and journalist [website] - link
2. Wikipedia (English) - Jean-Paul Marat [website] - link
3. Kiddle Encyclopedia - Jean-Paul Marat Facts for Kids [website] - link
4. Britannica Kids - Jean-Paul Marat [website] - link
5. Britannica - Jean-Paul Marat summary [website] - link
6. Encyclopedia.com - Marat, Jean Paul (1743–1793) [website] - link
7. Wikisource (English) - Jean-Paul Marat [website] - link
8. World History - Assassination of Marat [website] - link
9. Inquiries Journal - Reflecting on the Life of a Revolutionary: Jean-Paul Marat [website] - link
10. The Famous People - Jean [website] - link
11. New World Encyclopedia - Jean-Paul Marat [website] - link
12. Encyclopedia.com - Jean Paul Marat [website] - link
13. Britannica - What is Jean-Paul Marat’s legacy? [website] - link