From the book
The Gods Are Athirst
Anatole France · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Meaning
Related words and phrases.
Exagéré literally suggests excess; in these political scenes it is an accusatory category for excessive revolutionary militancy. Henry’s extravagant violence makes his sincerity suspect, rather than simply proving that he is committed to a fixed party. Chapter XIX places “exagérés” beside “enragés” among later prisoners. The paired labels record shifts in who becomes vulnerable; neither should automatically be mapped to a stable modern party membership.
Places to read
- Chapter XI, paragraph 19Frenchcomme un exagéré: as an extremist. Rochemaure fears that Henry’s political reputation will compromise her.
- Chapter XIX, paragraph 28Frenchd'"exagérés" et d'"enragés": ultras and Enragés. The narrator names much of the newly replaced prison population.