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The Life and Death of an Ideal
Paperback
PhilosophyFrench HistoryGeneral World History
ISBN13: 9781025799131
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 404
Weight: 1.24
Height: 0.83 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Life and Death of an Ideal is a sweeping and profound examination of the Classical Ideal that defined French culture and politics during its most influential era. Written by the noted scholar Albert Guérard, this work explores the rise, dominance, and eventual transformation of the intellectual and social spirit that characterized France from the Renaissance through the 18th century. Guérard focuses on the 17th century as the peak of this cultural phenomenon, where the values of order, logic, and majesty were integrated into every facet of life, from the arts to the monarchy.
The book provides a comprehensive analysis of how the classical spirit manifested under the reign of Louis XIV and how it shaped the national identity. Guérard traces the evolution of this philosophy, illustrating its origins in humanism and its eventual decline as the forces of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution began to challenge the rigid structures of the old world. By examining the lifecycle of this cultural movement, The Life and Death of an Ideal offers readers a nuanced understanding of the historical forces that propelled France to the forefront of European civilization. This study remains an essential resource for those interested in the history of ideas, European literature, and the cultural foundations of modern France.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
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