Question: Background information: Upon his return to France from exile on Elba, Napoleon gave this speech to the people of France. Citizens, I am deeply touched by your demonstrations. Your hopes will be fulfilled; the nation’s cause will triumph once more. You are right to call me your Father; I live only for the honour and for the happiness of France. —Napoleon Bonaparte, March 6, 1815 According to this passage, why has Napoleon returned from exile?
Answer:
As Napoleon cited from his exile on Elba, he saw his leadership as a way of addressing both the needs of the people and their aspirations. This is impressively reflected in his manner of speaking, “Your dreams will come through; France victory can’t be stopped” or his way of addressing the citizens, “I exist solely for the sake of France honor and happiness” demonstrates that his aim was to heal and reconstruct France, not to gain back the Europe or power he had temporarily gained.
Moreover, when he referred to the citizens as “their Father” it was a clear gesture indicating that he considered himself a father who has to look after his under-aged children’s welfare and thus the people of France, thus reinforcing the idea that the purpose of his return was to serve the French Nation. As a result, the passage very much implies that Napoleon’s main objective after he returned from exile was to make France a country the people wanted to live in
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