4. Napoleon: The Myth
Dan Snow's History Hit
History Hit
4.7 • 13.7K Ratings
🗓️ 23 November 2023
⏱️ 44 minutes
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Summary
Napoleon has become more than a man. His name is a concept, a way of being, a psychological term- the 'Napoleon' complex. Napoleon began working on his legacy during his exile on St Helena in the last years of his life, his journal- memoir 'The Memorial of Saint Helena' was Napoleon's own personal and political testament and served as the founding text of the cult of Napoleon and the ideology of Bonapartism that grew after his death in 1821.
In the final episode of the series, Dan is joined by historian and biographer Lord Andrew Roberts to unpack the mythology of Napoleon. They delve into his final days, his lifetime achievements and failures and the commentary he gave throughout; the letters he wrote to rulers and lovers, the fiction he wrote, the political and military treaties he created and they try to answer the question- was he really a great man?
Produced by Mariana Des Forges, Freddy Chick and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Attention at all passengers. You can now book your train tickets on Uber and get 10% back in Uber credits to spend on your next train journey. |
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| 0:22.3 | This episode the podcast is sponsored by Ridley Scott's new action epic film Napoleon |
| 0:28.0 | starring Wachim Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby only in Cinemas November the 22nd. Why Napoleon and why now the big man? |
| 0:37.0 | In many respects he is one of the great curiosities in history. It's here at last folks. It's a sumptuous, wild fantastical |
| 0:47.8 | depiction of the life of Napoleon. This genius commander who won victories from Portugal to the pyramids and the gates of Moscow. |
| 0:56.0 | It's a truly awesome spectacle. |
| 0:59.0 | There are cavalry charges, there are one-line zingers, as a food fight, and the Royal Navy gets a strong cameo. |
| 1:08.1 | The movie tracks the kind of relentless journey of Napoleon Bonaparte to the pinnacle of power through the prism of his |
| 1:14.4 | addictive his volatile relationship with his one true love Josephine. You get the |
| 1:19.1 | politics, you get the romance, but against the backdrop of some of the most extraordinary battle |
| 1:24.1 | sequences I've ever seen film. |
| 1:25.9 | Do you feel incredibly lucky that you created these epic, epic films? |
| 1:30.8 | Every time? |
| 1:31.6 | Yeah. Every time. Every time. |
| 1:33.0 | And it's the first time I came to be out in the field and he said, who are all these people? |
| 1:38.1 | I said, this is all for you, Maine. |
| 1:39.5 | You go, yeah. |
| 1:40.7 | This movie is an event. |
| 1:42.3 | You're going to want to see it on the biggest screen possible. |
| 1:45.0 | Book tickets to see Napoleon in Cinemars and IMAX now. The Napoleon was dismayed when he learned that he wasn't going to be sent to America by the British as he'd hoped, |
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