Napoleon Bonaparte

3 credits · Undergraduate

The course examines Napoleonic historiography and focuses on selected representations of Napoleon that originated both during his life and after his death, and gained ascendancy at different points in time. The themes draw from a large repository of images and associations, and include: Napoleon as conqueror, as proto-fascist dictator, as the Little Corporal of the people, as heir of the French Revolution, as state builder, and as European visionary and unifier. The course offers an opportunity to develop analytical and critical skills, by discussing historiographical issues, such as the dynamic nature of historical representations the impact of circumstances in shaping historical representations, and the role of methods employed to examine the past in creating these representations. PREREQUISITES: HIST 1004X/Y recommended FORMATS: Lecture | Discussion