The Great Cat Massacre by Robert Darnton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Great Cat Massacre by Robert Darnton - Essay Example The cat massacre served as a clever and afflictive attack on the print master and his wife. By killing the cats, the laborers get back at the master of the shop. The workers hated the cats because their masters love those animals and nurture them more than the workers. By first killing the mistress' beloved cat "la grise," the workers emblematically raped the bourgeoisie. It is a clear display of insult and threat as the workers assured her that no one would be capable of such a crime because they have too much respect for the house. Simultaneously, they caused the sovereign insult to their master-his wife being his most precious possession just as her cat was hers. The workers amused themselves with Lveill skillfully reenacting the horrible scene over and over during the following days. The mime was an atrocious and humiliating attack at the expense of the master's entire household. It provided entertainment for the men. It must be taken into account the unity of the workers against the masters. By executing the cats with such elaborate ceremony, they condemned master guilty-guilty of the unjust management of the shop towards apprentices. The cats were a representation of the masters, who were declared guilty of poor labor practices. In trying, confessing, and hanging a collection of half-dead cats, the workers meant to ridicule their master.