French 80 Midterm 2 – Anatomy of Paris

French 80 Midterm 2 – Anatomy of Paris

Instructor: Professor N. Paige
Institution: UC Berkeley
Exam Date: October 29, 2025

Section 1 – Haussmann’s Paris and Urban Change

  • Baron Haussmann was appointed by Napoleon III to oversee the reconstruction of Paris.

    • Goals of reconstruction:

    • Improve traffic flow

    • Enhance sanitation

    • Establish military control

    • Facilitate profitable real-estate development

  • The demolition of the Carousel area near the Louvre marked the initiation of Haussmannization.

  • An estimated 350,000 residents were displaced due to this transformation, leading to a city characterized by a blend of old medieval streets and modern boulevards.

Key Terms:

  • Haussmannization: The modernization process of Paris that involved the creation of boulevards and the establishment of uniform architecture.

  • Boulevard: A broad avenue that replaced medieval streets in Paris.

  • Expropriation: The act of government seizing land for the purpose of redevelopment.

  • Ile de la Cité: A central island in Paris that underwent significant transformation.

  • Charles Marville: A photographer known for documenting the old parts of Paris.

Themes:

  • Progress versus Control: The tension between modern advancements and the regulation of urban life.

  • Health and Order versus Memory and Community: The conflict between creating a sanitary, orderly environment and preserving historical memory and community bonds.

  • Critics, such as Victor Hugo and Fournel, expressed concerns about the moral and historical losses incurred during modernization.

Section 2 – Baudelaire and Modern Life

  • “The Swan”:

    • Set against the backdrop of the demolished Carousel district.

    • The swan is a symbol representing exile, nostalgia, and human displacement reflecting the sadness of urban redevelopment.

    • Quote: “Old Paris is no more”—this statement encapsulates the trauma inflicted by urban transformation.

  • “The Eyes of the Poor”:

    • This poem highlights class divisions within society.

    • The gaze of a poor family in a café reveals social inequalities and sets a tone of emotional disconnection between the narrator and their companion.

  • “To a Woman Passing By”:

    • Explores transient encounters made possible by Haussmann’s boulevards.

    • The cityscape fosters opportunities for anonymous desire and fleeting beauty.

  • “Let’s Beat Up the Poor”:

    • A work that serves as satire on reform and charitable efforts.

    • Baudelaire critiques the hypocrisy present in both idealistic views and conservative approaches.

Key Themes:

  • Exile

  • Alienation

  • Ephemerality

  • Anonymity

  • Empathy

  • Class division

Section 3 – Victor Hugo and the Sewers

  • The sewer systems of Old Paris consisted of narrow passages and relied on “night men” to empty latrines.

  • Haussmann’s introduction of a new sewer system was efficient yet involved the erasure of historical aspects of the city.

  • Hugo identified the “mistake” relating to the modern sewers as their tendency to repress historical memories.

  • He conceived of sewers as moral and historical spaces, which serve as repositories for social conscience.

  • The concept of waste symbolizes the marginalized factions of society.

    • Hugo contends that society should not discard but instead recycle waste, thereby reintegrating its excluded classes back into the social fabric.

Key Terms:

  • Cloaca: A Latin term denoting a sewage system.

  • Repression: The act of concealing undesirable elements from society.

  • Catacombs: Underground ossuaries located beneath Paris.

Section 4 – Zola’s The Kill (La Curée)

  • Set within the context of Paris during 1860-61, under the rule of Napoleon III, Zola's The Kill examines moral decay and artificiality.

  • The Saccard family personifies speculative greed as well as the parvenu elite.

Themes:

  • Nature vs. Artificiality:

    • Urban parks are overly manicured and decorative while conservatories have an exotic, overheated, and unnatural atmosphere.

    • Zola juxtaposes the artificial growth against a backdrop of declining moral values.

  • Architecture:

    • The term “Bastard style” is used to describe architecture that combines various influences, symbolizing excess and imitation.

  • Gender and Desire:

    • Male-controlled urban planning intersects with female-coded pleasures and spending, leading to a blurred line leading to corruption.

    • The incest between Renée and Maxime embodies the decay of both natural and moral values.

  • Money and Morality:

    • In Zola’s narrative, gold and flesh become indistinguishable.

    • Desire is equated with speculation.

    • Saccard dreams of a representation of Paris encapsulated in glass, symbolizing a vision of total control over the urban environment.

Key Terms:

  • Parvenu: An individual of newly acquired wealth.

  • Speculation: Investing in projects that promise high returns often with the element of risk involved.

  • Conservatory: A space for growing plants, typically tropical or exotic in nature.

  • Bastard style: An architectural style characterized by its eclectic mixture of designs and influences.

Section 5 – The Paris Commune (1871)

  • A revolt ensued in Paris following the defeat in the Franco-Prussian War against the Versailles government.

  • The Paris Commune lasted for 73 days, from March to May 1871.

  • Key reforms enacted during the Commune included:

    • Rent amnesty for tenants.

    • Establishment of secular schools.

    • Return of pawned possessions to their owners.

    • Increased activism among women.

  • The Commune was ultimately crushed by military forces and, in its aftermath, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica was erected as a symbol of repentance.

Themes:

  • The political and moral collapse of the Second Empire resonates through Zola’s depiction of social corruption during this period.

Section 6 – Monuments and Meaning

Monument

Represents

Era

Opéra Garnier

Pleasure, luxury, Empire

Second Empire

Sacré-Cœur

Faith, tradition, monarchy

Post-Commune

Eiffel Tower

Industry, progress, Republic

1889

  • Eiffel Tower:

    • Constructed for the 1889 World Fair.

    • Height: 300 meters; Construction utilized 2.5 million rivets; it was originally painted red.

    • Supporters interpreted the tower as a symbol of progress, while opponents criticized it for representing greed and mechanical ugliness.

    • The Eiffel Tower replaces religion with a burgeoning faith in science and capitalism.

  • Triad of Monuments:

    • Opéra Garnier represents spectacle and pleasure.

    • Sacré-Cœur embodies faith.

    • Eiffel Tower symbolizes modern progress.

Section 7 – Connections

  • Haussmann: Emphasizes order and profit through urban development.

  • Baudelaire: Explores themes of exile and fleeting emotion in the context of urban life.

  • Hugo: Views sewers as representations of moral conscience within the city.

  • Zola: Investigates the tension between nature and desire, portraying it as increasingly artificial.

  • Commune: Acts as a revolt birthed from the consequences of underlying moral decay.

  • Monuments: Offer competing visions concerning faith, art, and the concept of progress in society.

Section 8 – Essay Guide (Zola)

  • Prompt: What has occurred to “nature” in Haussmann’s Paris, and how does Zola correlate it with themes of sexuality and money?

  • Thesis Statement: In The Kill, Zola presents nature as transformed into an artificial construct, reflecting the corruptions pervasive in modern society.

Outline:

  1. Haussmann’s urban planning as a form of mechanical control over the landscape.

  2. The conservatory metaphorically embodies unnatural heat and desires.

  3. The interchangeability between money and sex as commodities further illustrates corruption.

  4. Characters Saccard and Renée exemplify themes of excess and societal decay.

  5. Overall, Zola illustrates how progress effectively undermines both natural and moral life within Parisian society.

Section 9 – Practice Multiple Choice

  1. Who was responsible for the rebuilding of Paris under Napoleon III? (Haussmann)

  2. What do the swan symbols in Baudelaire’s “The Swan”? (Exile and nostalgia)

  3. What critique is offered in “The Eyes of the Poor”? (Social class indifference)

  4. What does Hugo consider the “mistake” regarding the sewers? (They conceal historical memory)

  5. What is represented by the conservatory according to Zola? (Artificial desire and unnatural growth)

  6. How is “bastard style” defined? (Architecture reflecting Second Empire excess)

  7. How does Zola portray the relationship between money and sex in The Kill? (As commodified desires)

  8. What does the Commune represent in terms of historical events? (A 1871 socialist revolt lasting 73 days)

  9. What does the Sacré-Cœur monument stand for? (Faith and reaction)

  10. What does the Eiffel Tower symbolize? (Progress and modernity)