Tyranny of the honour. Usage of duel in France of the early 19th century

Generally considered as a survival from the Ancient Regime, the duel is in fact a typical feature of French society in the early nineteenth century. Far from pitting an end to it, the Revolution, by refusing to give it a legal status, puts it within everyone's reach. Formerly a ritual in high society, it then reaches a large fraction of urban classes due to the mobilization of millions of men during the Revolution and the Empire wars and it becomes a common practice among young males who find in it a means of identification. The duel reveals the social tensions and the mental blocks which then affect the French society undermined by unstable social positions and the fear of decline. It also constitutes a political weapon which is used as much in parliament as in street demonstrations. As it is founded on masculine ethics, the duel fits into a pattern of talk and behaviour taking place in the public space of the street the cabaret, or the parliament and contributes to the definition of the male condition.