Cécile Berly Recasts Olympe de Gouges as a Philosopher of the Enlightenment in New Biography
Cécile Berly, a historian, has released a biography titled "Olympe de Gouges. L'autre Voltaire ?" through Éditions Passés Composés. The book was unveiled on 4 October 2026 at 07:00 by Pierre-Edouard Deldique. In her work, Berly portrays de Gouges, originally named Marie Gouze, as a self-taught individual who established her intellectual credibility through her writings. Among her contributions were plays and political speeches, notably criticizing the omission of women in the 1791 "Déclaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne." The biography also explores her activism against slavery and her efforts for civil harmony during the Revolution. Berly encourages a reevaluation of de Gouges's importance, aspiring for her recognition in the Panthéon. De Gouges met her end at the guillotine in 1793.
Key facts
- Cécile Berly published "Olympe de Gouges. L'autre Voltaire ?" with Éditions Passés Composés.
- The book was discussed in a radio magazine segment hosted by Pierre-Edouard Deldique, broadcast on 4 October 2026 at 07:00.
- Olympe de Gouges was born Marie Gouze and was an autodidact from the provinces.
- De Gouges wrote the "Déclaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne" in 1791, rewriting the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man.
- Berly presents the 1791 text as a philosophical critique of the Enlightenment's theoretical universality.
- The biography covers de Gouges's anti-slavery campaign, her defence of abandoned children and her search for civil peace during the Revolution.
- De Gouges was guillotined in 1793.
- Berly hopes de Gouges will one day enter the Panthéon.
- The programme's music included works by Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy and Claude Balbastre, plus readings and songs by Sophie Marceau and Femmouzes T.
Entities
Artists
- Olympe de Gouges
- Marie Gouze
- Cécile Berly
- Pierre-Edouard Deldique
- Voltaire
- Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy
- Nicolas Horvath
- Claude Balbastre
- Olivier Vernet
- Sophie Marceau
- Femmouzes T.
Institutions
- Éditions Passés Composés
- Panthéon
- RFI
Locations
- France
- Paris