Essay topic 3: The Great Cat Massacre and the politics of work: Paris 1730

Question: Can the story of a (possibly fictional) protest by disgruntled apprentices in mid
eighteenth-century Paris tell us much about the world of the mid eighteenth century?

History is merely a constructed collection stories of the past. Each of these stories is filled
with significant bias and painted in a specific way. But despite the jaded purposes or
elements of fabrication and fantasy that may be present in historical sources, they all have a
great purpose and use for revealing the realities of the worlds in which they originate.
Contat’s account of the Cat Massacre at the Rue Saint-Séverin in Paris during the late 1730s,
despite possibly riddled with fiction, can reveal a significant amount of information about
the world of the mid eighteenth century. This story, as analysed by Darnton, if fictional, can
still illuminate the emotions, motivations and desires of the individuals at the time, the
characters of Jerome and Léveillé1. As he displays and argues, the event itself, is extremely
useful for understanding the world in which it is derived from2. The actions of the individuals
involved in the massacre uncover significant revelations about the social climate during the
mid eighteenth century as they rebelled against the oppression and hypocrisy of their
masters. And thus, it is extremely valuable in exploring the world of the mid eighteenth
century. It further demonstrates the extreme tensions between the opposing working and
elite social classes in addition to other prevalent wider societal issues apparent in the time
period. Moreover, the event itself can be used as a case study to unveil the origins of the
French Revolution. The root issues which led to the French Revolution can be seen in the
struggle of these individuals as well as how they chose to rebel against their masters.
Further, the desires of the working class and the key concepts of the French Revolution are
also evident in this story through the core yearnings behind the drastic and violent actions
of Jerome and Léveillé3. Finally, this story also reveals the economic and political issues
which occurred at the time and how they impacted the individuals in the society. Thus, the
story of a potentially fictional protest by a few disgruntled apprentices in mid eighteenth
century Paris can tell us a significant amount of information about the world of the mid-
eighteenth century.

1
Darnton, Robert. “Workers Revolt: The Great Cat Massacre of the Rue Saint-Séverin” in The Great Cat
Massacre. New York: Basic Books, 2009.
2
ibid.
3
ibid.
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