Abstract:
This thesis aspires to study the way in which Louis Sebastien Mercier used description in
Tableau de Paris to make commentary on issues of poverty, class division, and moral
corruption in the streets of the capital city. By judging the space around him, in particular
theatre performances, public spaces, and public spectacle Mercier brought to bear the
issues of social inequality, economic hardship, and class conflict that underpinned prerevolutionary
tensions. My research focuses particularly on visuality in theatre as well as
visuality in the public space. In this capacity this paper will contextualize Mercier’s
description of society and how it interacted with all forms of spectacle. It thus aims to
provide an aerial perspective that will situate Mercier in relation to the visual, showcasing
his attitude towards both the bourgeoisie and the tiers-état.
