Essay on Scarlet Pimpernel help: While the Scarlet Pimpernel is clearly the hero
While the Scarlet Pimpernel is clearly the hero of this story, he poses an ethical
dilemma. Historically, the French Revolutionaries sought to overthrow what was essentially a
feudal system in France prior to the late 1700’s. Under that system, many poor starved to
death, while the aristocrats lived in opulence. Although the revolutionaries’ indiscriminate
murder of the aristocrats by guillotine was brutal, far more poor serfs died over the centuries
serving cruel aristocratic families. This brings us to the Scarlet Pimpernel, a wealthy baron who
thwarted the laws set in place by the revolutionaries in order to save the lives of the rich
oppressors they sought to overthrow.
In a 3-4 page essay, address the following:
Is one ever justified in breaking rules/laws? If yes, what criteria determine when such
justification exists? Was the Scarlet Pimpernel justifiedin his behavior? Why or why
not? Use at least 10 short quotes from the text to support your answer.