By doing this Meeting of the Minds project, I am learning much more about Maximilien Robespierre than I would have otherwise. Because of the fact that we must personify whatever historical person we chose, we must gain insight into this person, learning not only about their history and achievements, but their personal views and personality as well. I personally love how this is not just another research project, but an in-depth view of an important figure in Europe's history.
One of the things I have found by researching Maximilien Robespierre is that I am often surprised by the views and personality of this man. He was very complicated, extremely intelligent, and often contradictory. I realize that I could spend years upon years researching and studying Robespierre, and may never understand the complexities of his thought processes and persona.
One such example of Robespierre's complicatedness is his abrupt change in his view on the death penalty. As a young judge, he did very well until he was forced to hand out the death sentence to a criminal. He couldn't bring himself to do so, & he was force to resign. Yet, as we all know, during the French Revolution he initiated the Reign of Terror, where countless lives were lost to the guillotine because they didn't support the revolution. I find this very confusing, and I am making it my goal to find out what exactly changed him as I finish my research on him.
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