Mesmerism And The Enlightenmen
In his book, "t in France", Robert Dranton attempts to explain the mentality of the pre-Revolution Frenchman. He uses th etheory and expansions of Franz Anton Mesmer. In his noble effort, Dranton explains the frantic nature of the educated Frenchman at this time and since he has chosena specific "eye" to see through, his intention is satisfied. He also shows how the radical branches of mesmerism carried on long after the revolution and affected the thinking of many great men and women, such as Victor Hugo and Henri de Balzac. Dranton uses excerpts from the changes in the theory itself and the changes of the format in which it was used.
One of the characteristics of the primcipals of ...
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diseases, and all other troubles, could be cured. He likened his "animal electricity" or "animal magnatism" to that of gravity, fire, light and electricity, The system of complex theories put forth by Mesmer could be discussed at great lengths and, in time, they were. His and many other "scientific discoveries" were all the rage in the salons of pre-Revolution Parisian society. The Enlightenment brought about a surge in scientific interest and since the fluids than man intellectuals believed in were invisible it left "every philosopher at the liberty to make it whatever he please[d] (16)".
At the beginning of Mesmer's career there was an explosion of scientific interest. Experiments in hot air balloons, flying and even walking on water were no longer considered ridiculous. Not only that, anyone who decided to attemt these feats could, if they went about it the right way, easily stir up support and money from wealthy members of society. It has been said that one can ...
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and when he arrived in PAris he had a highly esteemed "staff": Adrien Duport, a member of Parliment, the Marquis de Chastellux, a prominent solider, Nicholas Bergasse, a powerful speaker and founder of the Parisian Society of Harmony, and Guillaume Kornmann, a wealthy banker from Strasbourg. Each one helped in Mesmer's baths and had diplomas which bond them to secrecy about their trraining(75). They, and every member of Mesmer's society had to go through elaborate training explaining the three basic principals, "God, matter and movement(77)". It may seem odd to see God placed so highly because the Enlighten ment often seemed to be a rejection of God as an explination. Onthe ...
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"Mesmerism And The Enlightenmen." Essayworld.com. February 14, 2004. Accessed November 28, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Mesmerism-And-The-Enlightenmen/3033.
"Mesmerism And The Enlightenmen." Essayworld.com. February 14, 2004. Accessed November 28, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Mesmerism-And-The-Enlightenmen/3033.
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