Cultural Depictions Of Napoleon I Of France
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Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
,
Emperor of the French Emperor of the French ( French: ''Empereur des Français'') was the title of the monarch and supreme ruler of the First and the Second French Empires. Details A title and office used by the House of Bonaparte starting when Napoleon was procl ...
, has become a worldwide
cultural icon A cultural icon is a person or an artifact that is identified by members of a culture as representative of that culture. The process of identification is subjective, and "icons" are judged by the extent to which they can be seen as an authentic ...
generally associated with tactical brilliance, ambition and
political power In social science and politics, power is the social production of an effect that determines the capacities, actions, beliefs, or conduct of actors. Power does not exclusively refer to the threat or use of force (coercion) by one actor against ...
. His distinctive features and costume have made him a very recognizable figure in popular culture. He has been portrayed in many works of fiction, his depiction varying greatly with the author's perception of the historical character. On the one hand, Napoleon has become a worldwide cultural icon who symbolizes military genius and political power. For example, in the 1927 film ''
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
'', young general Bonaparte is portrayed as a heroic visionary. On the other hand, he has often been reduced to a
stock character A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a fictional character in a work of art such as a novel, play, or a film whom audiences recognize from frequent recurrences in a particular literary tradition. There is a wide range of st ...
and has frequently been depicted as a short and "petty tyrant", sometimes comically so.


Literature, Theatre, and Film

Napoleon plays an indirect, yet important, part in
Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...
' novel ''
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
''. The novel starts in 1815 with Napoleon exiled on the island of Elba. Here we learn that he hands a letter to the protagonist Edmond Dantes to give to one of his chief (fictional) supporters in Paris - Nortier De Villefort, the president of a Bonapartist club. Dantes is unaware that Villefort is an agent of the exiled Emperor and that the letter Napoleon handed him contained instructions and plans about Napoleon's planned return to Paris. Dantes's rivals include Gérard De Villefort, the opportunistic son of Nortier (who is a royalist), who uses the letter to frame Dantes and have him imprisoned in the Chateau d'If until he escapes after 14 years and seeks vengeance upon those who wronged him. Napoleon features prominently in the
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''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' '' Past Doctor Adventure'' ''
World Game World Game, sometimes called the World Peace Game, is an educational simulation developed by Buckminster Fuller in 1961 to help create solutions to overpopulation and the uneven distribution of global resources. This alternative to war games uses ...
'', in which the
Second Doctor The Second Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Patrick Troughton. While the Troughton era of ''Doctor Who'' is well-remembered by fans an ...
must avert a plot to change history so that Napoleon is victorious. In an alternate timeline created by the assassination of the
Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...
prior to Waterloo, Napoleon is persuaded to march on to Russia after the victory of Waterloo, but he dies shortly afterwards, his empire having become so overextended that the various countries collapse back into the separate nations they were before, thus degenerating into a state of perpetual warfare. (This situation is made worse due to the intervention of the Doctor's old enemies the Players). In 2013, Applied Mechanics produced ''Vainglorious'', an epic, 26-actor immersive performance with Mary Tuomanen portraying Napoleon. Depictions of Napoleon in literature include: *Stanley from ''
A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of person ...
'' invokes the Napoleonic Code while speaking with Blanche. *The pig in ''
Animal Farm ''Animal Farm'' is a beast fable, in the form of satirical allegorical novella, by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. It tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to crea ...
'' who wrests control of Jones's farm from the other animals and becomes a tyrant is named
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
. *Julien Sorel from ''
The Red and the Black ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' (; meaning ''The Red and the Black'') is a historical psychological novel in two volumes by Stendhal, published in 1830. It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing t ...
'' by
Stendhal Marie-Henri Beyle (; 23 January 1783 – 23 March 1842), better known by his pen name Stendhal (, ; ), was a 19th-century French writer. Best known for the novels ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' (''The Red and the Black'', 1830) and ''La Chartreuse de P ...
has to hide a portrait of Napoleon. *''Vengeance Is Mine'' (1899) by
Andrew Balfour Sir Andrew Balfour (21 March 1873 – 30 January 1931) was a Scottish Medical Officer who specialised in tropical medicine. Balfour spent twelve years in Khartoum, Sudan and was the Medical Officer of Health in the city. As well as writing m ...
is a novel revolving around Napoleon's exploits during the
Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...
and the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...
.Daniel D. McGarry, Sarah Harriman White, ''Historical Fiction Guide: Annotated Chronological, Geographical, and Topical List of Five Thousand Selected Historical Novels''. Scarecrow Press, New York, 1963 (p.255-270) *Moreton Hall's novel ''General George'' (1903) focuses on the
Pichegru Conspiracy The Pichegru Conspiracy, otherwise known as the Cadoudal Affair was a conspiracy involving royalists Jean-Charles Pichegru and Georges Cadoudal who wished to overthrow Napoleon Bonaparte's military regime. They were apprehended and sentenced to ...
plot to assassinate Napoleon. *''The Thunderer'' (1927) by L. Adams Beck (writing as "E. Barrington") is a historical novel revolving around the romance between Napoleon and Joséphine. *''
St Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...
'' (1936) by
R. C. Sherriff Robert Cedric Sherriff, FSA, FRSL (6 June 1896 – 13 November 1975) was an English writer best known for his play '' Journey's End'', which was based on his experiences as an army officer in the First World War. He wrote several plays, many nov ...
*''So Great A Man'' (1937) by "David Pilgrim" (a pseudonym for
John Palmer John Palmer may refer to: People Politicians * John Palmer (fl. 1377–1394), English politician * Sir John Palmer, 5th Baronet (1735–1817), British politician * John Palmer (1785–1840), U.S. congressman from New York * John Palmer (1842–19 ...
and
Hilary Saint George Saunders Hilary Aidan Saint George Saunders MC (14 January 1898 – 16 December 1951) was a British author, born in Clifton near Bristol. Early life He was the son of G.W. St George Saunders of Brighton and was educated at Windlesham House School, Dow ...
) depicts Napoleon's life in the years 1808–1809. *In Thomas B. Costain's
historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...
''The Last Love'' (1963), a dying Napoleon, banished to
St Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...
, tells his story to his lone companion, a girl who acts as his English translator. *Napoleon is an important character in
Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...
's ''
War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...
'', where considerable space is devoted to Tolstoy's interpretation of his historical role. He consequently also appears in the adaptations and films of this novel, listed in the following section. *Napoleon appears briefly in the first section of
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
's ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'', and is extensively referenced in later sections. * Noel B. Gerson's novel ''Emperor's Ladies'' (1959) focuses on Napoleon's marriage to
Marie Louise of Austria french: Marie-Louise-Léopoldine-Françoise-Thérèse-Josèphe-Lucie it, Maria Luigia Leopoldina Francesca Teresa Giuseppa Lucia , house = Habsburg-Lorraine , father = Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor , mother = Maria Theresa of ...
. *
Bernard Cornwell Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English-American author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also written ''The Saxon ...
's novel ''
Sharpe's Devil ''Sharpe's Devil'' is the twenty-second -- and, to date, final -- historical novelin the Sharpe (novel series), Richard Sharpe series written by Bernard Cornwell and published in 1992. The story is set in 1820, with Sharpe and Harper en route t ...
'' features a meeting between Napoleon, and the fictional Richard Sharpe. *He is featured in the
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
''
Eikou no Napoleon – Eroica is a manga by Riyoko Ikeda that is the official sequel to ''The Rose of Versailles''. It tells the story of Napoleon's empire, including the Thermidorian Reaction, the Italian Campaign, the Egyptian Campaign, the Battle of the Nile, the co ...
'', written by the manga artist
Riyoko Ikeda is a Japanese manga artist and singer. She is included in the Year 24 Group, by some, although her status as one of them has been debated due to a focus more on epic stories than the internal psychology of those mangaka. She was one of the most ...
. *
C. S. Forester Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966), known by his pen name Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12-book Horatio Hornblower series depicting a Roya ...
's '' Hornblower'' series of novels are mostly set during the Napoleonic Wars, in particular book 9 of the series, Commodore Hornblower focusing on the French invasion of Russia and the subsequent defence of
Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...
from the period of 1812 onwards, and book 10
Lord Hornblower ''Lord Hornblower'' (published 1946) is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester. Hornblower, a Knight of the Bath, is tasked with suppressing a mutiny on board a Royal Navy ship. He succeeds, and with reinforcements captures Le Hav ...
dealing with events in France up to the defeat of Napoleon by
Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
at Waterloo. *Napoleon is a main character in
Ruth McKenney Ruth Marguerite McKenney (November 18, 1911 – July 25, 1972) was an American author and journalist, best remembered for ''My Sister Eileen'', a memoir of her experiences growing up in Ohio and moving to Greenwich Village with her sister Eileen ...
's novel ''Mirage'' (1956), set during the Campaign of Egypt. *Napoleon is one of the two main characters in
Simon Scarrow Simon Scarrow (born 3 October 1962) is a British author. Scarrow completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia after working at the Inland Revenue, and then went into teaching as a lecturer, firstly at East Norfolk Sixth Form C ...
's The Revolution Quartet, which details Napoleon's life from his birth to his defeat at the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...
alongside that of Arthur Wellesley's. *In an Archie comic story featuring
Jughead Jones Forsythe Pendleton "Jughead" Jones III is one of the fictional characters created by Bob Montana and John L. Goldwater in Archie Comics who first appeared in the first Archie story, from ''Pep Comics'' #22 (December 1941). He is the drummer of th ...
, he is inadvertently transported by ambulance to a mental hospital. At first he protests, but relents upon hearing how well the patients are fed. When a nurse asks for his name, he replies "Napoleon Bonaparte." A later update changed this to him saying "You know who I am, Sonic! I am the genius,
Dr. Robotnik Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main antagonist of Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Eggman was created and designed by Naoto Ohshima as part of many design choices for Sega's new mascot. After the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, Oh ...
!" *
H. Beam Piper Henry Beam Piper (March 23, 1904 – ) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alt ...
's short story ''
He Walked Around the Horses "He Walked Around the Horses" is a science fiction short story by American writer H. Beam Piper. It is initially based on the true story of diplomat Benjamin Bathurst, who mysteriously disappeared in 1809. It was first published in the April 1948 ...
'' features a parallel universe in which both the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
and the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
were suppressed. Consequently, Napoleon does not rise to power and the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
never take place. In 1809, he is described by a British general named
Sir Arthur Wellesley Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...
as being a Colonel of Artillery in the
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
and a brilliant tactician whose loyalty to the
French monarchy France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the first ...
has never been questioned. *The collection '' If, or History Rewritten'' assembles numerous
alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
essays written in the first four decades of the 20th century. Napoleon has varying roles in many of them. *
Elvira Woodruff Elvira Woodruff (born June 19, 1951) is an American children's writerMarch 15th, 2008Kirkus Review of 'Fearless' Accessed June 15, 2014, "...Woodruff spins a labored but engrossing tale around a lighthouse, its builder and a cataclysmic storm—all ...
's ''Dear Napoleon, I Know You're Dead, But ...'' (
Holiday House A holiday cottage, holiday home, vacation home, or vacation property is accommodation used for holiday vacations, corporate travel, and temporary housing often for less than 30 days. Such properties are typically small homes, such as cottage ...
, 1992), illus. Noah and Jess Woodruff is a novel about a boy who writes letters to Napoleon. *
Harry Turtledove Harry Norman Turtledove (born June 14, 1949) is an American author who is best known for his work in the genres of alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery fiction. He is a student of history and completed ...
's ''Alternate Generals'' anthology series have at least two stories based on the idea of Napoleon
emigrating Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...
during the Terror. In volume 1's "The Last Crusader" by Bill Fawcett, he joined the Church and became a Cardinal in Rome; by the early 1810s he is a spiritual leader of the Allies who seek to overthrow the French Republic. In volume 2's "Empire" by William Sanders, he formed an independent Empire based in
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
; with his lieutenants
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
and
Davy Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of Re ...
he fights a valiant but doomed war against the British, vaguely analogous to the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. *Napoleon is a character in ''Treason's Tide'' by Robert Wilton, published in February 2013 by Corvus, an imprint of
Atlantic Books Atlantic Books is an independent British publishing house, with its headquarters in Ormond House in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is perhaps best known for publishing Aravind Adiga's debut novel ''The White Tiger'', which rece ...
; it is set during the summer of 1805. This novel was originally issued in June 2011 as ''The Emperor's Gold''. *In the
alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
novel ''Napoleon in America'' (2014) by Shannon Selin, Napoleon escapes from
St. Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...
and winds up in the United States in 1821. *In J.W. Clennett's alternate history
graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
, ''The Diemenois'', Napoleon fakes his death and flees to the town of Baudin, West Van Diemen, a fictional French colony on
Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 before it became a sepa ...
. *The fantasy novel " Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke takes place partially during the Napoleonic Wars, and features Jonathan Strange fighting in Spain, and also plaguing Napoleon with nightmares. Lord Wellington also plays a large part in this novel. * Javier Sierra's novel ''La Pirámide Inmortal'' deals with an apocryphal story about Napoleon spending a whole night in the
Great Pyramid of Giza The Great Pyramid of Giza is the biggest Egyptian pyramid and the tomb of Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu. Built in the early 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years, the pyramid is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, ...
* Mary "Jacky" Faber, in the ''Bloody Jack'' series of novels, meets Napoleon in ''
My Bonny Light Horseman ''My Bonny Light Horseman'' is the sixth novel in L. A. Meyer's series ''Bloody Jack''. The series begins with '' Bloody Jack'', '' Curse of the Blue Tattoo'', '' Under the Jolly Roger'', ''In the Belly of the Bloodhound'', ''Mississippi Jack' ...
'', having infiltrated Napoleon's armies as a British spy. *Napoleon appears as a minor character in the
Grimm Grimm may refer to: People * Grimm (surname) * Brothers Grimm, German linguists ** Jacob Grimm (1785–1863), German philologist, jurist and mythologist ** Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), German author, the younger of the Brothers Grimm * Christian ...
novel ''The Icy Touch''. * In ''The Queen's Fortune: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty that Outlived the Empire'' (2020), by
Allison Pataki Allison Pataki (born November 25, 1984) is an American author and journalist. Her five historical novels are ''The Traitor's Wife: The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold and the Plan to Betray America'', ''The Accidental Empress'', ''Sisi, Empress on ...
, Napoleon plays a prominent role in the story of Napoleon's first fiancée,
Désirée Clary Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary ( sv, Eugenia Bernhardina Desideria; 8 November 1777 – 17 December 1860) was Queen of Sweden and Norway from 5 February 1818 to 8 March 1844 as the wife of King Charles XIV John. Charles John was a former Fre ...
. *In the
alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
comic ''Grandville'' (2009-2014) by
Bryan Talbot Bryan Talbot (born 24 February 1952) is a British comics artist and writer, best known as the creator of ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright'' and its sequel '' Heart of Empire'', as well as the ''Grandville'' series of books. He collaborated ...
, It is set in a world in which France won the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
and invaded Britain, and in which the world is populated mostly by
anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
animals. Britain eventually regained its independence after a long campaign of civil disobedience and anarchist bombings, the Bonaparte Dynasty ruled the empire until Emperor Napoleon XII was killed by Detective Inspector Archibald LeBrock of
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
when he discovered the Emperor was part of a conspiracy to reconquer Britain in order to steal its oil. In film: * ''
The Swan A swan is a bird of the genus ''Cygnus'' (true swans) or ''Coscoroba'' (coscoroba swans). Swan, swans, or The Swan may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film and television * ''The Swan'' (1925 film), a 1925 silent film * ''The Swa ...
'': Beatrix is mortified to find Napoléon's name on Nicolas's blackboard; Nicolas later proposes a toast to Napoléon.


Computer and video games

*The campaigns of Napoleon have been depicted in the sixth installment of the ''
Total War Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combata ...
'' series, '' Napoleon: Total War''. Players have a chance to follow Napoleon's Italian, Egyptian or Russian campaigns. *Napoleon is featured on
Assassin's Creed Unity ''Assassin's Creed Unity'' is an Action-adventure game, action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released in November 2014 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and in December 2020 ...
as a supporting character. He also appears as the main antagonist in its downloadable content mission, Dead Kings. *Napoleon is a frequently used leader representing the French civilization in the
Civilization A civilization (or civilisation) is any complex society characterized by the development of a state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (namely, a writing system). Ci ...
series. *Napoleon appears in ''
Scribblenauts ''Scribblenauts'' is a series of action puzzle video games primarily developed by 5th Cell. The series is owned and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The first game in the series was titled '' Scribblenauts'' and was first rel ...
'' and its sequels as something the player can summon. *The first expansion pack to ''
Europa Universalis III ''Europa Universalis III'' is a grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in January 2007, and was later ported to OS X by Virtual Progra ...
'', Napoleon's Ambition, bears his name and expands the game to cover his whole reign. *The game '' Mount & Blade: Warband'' features an expansion pack called "Napoleonic Wars" where the player can compete online as a soldier from one of many countries involved in the Napoleonic Wars. *Napoleon appears in the mobile game
Fate/Grand Order is a free-to-play Japanese mobile game, developed by Lasengle (formerly Delightworks) using Unity, and published by Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The game is based on Type-Moon's ''Fate/stay night'' franchise, and ...
as an Archer-class servant. *Napoleon is a Real-time Strategy game that was released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance. *Napoleon appears in the mobile visual novel game "Ikemen Vampire" by Cybird as one of the dateable characters. *Napoleon is featured in the 2018
Role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
The Council as a supporting character.


Culinary

*
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
-based food brokerage and import firm The Napoleon Company

*Beef Napoleon *Bigarreau Napoleon
cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...
*Bonaparte's Ribs, an early 19th-century English
lollipop A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are availa ...
*Eggplant Napoleon * Napoléons


Film, radio and television


Film

*''
The Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Seventh C ...
'' (1913), played by
Ernest Batley Ernest George Batley (East London, 1874-Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the l ...
*''
Napoléon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
'' (1927), played by
Albert Dieudonné Albert Dieudonné (26 November 1889 – 19 March 1976) was a French actor, screenwriter, film director and novelist. Biography Dieudonné was born in Paris, France, and made his acting debut in silent film in 1908 for ''The Assassination of the ...
*''
Napoleon at Saint Helena ''Napoleon at Saint Helena'' (german: Napoleon auf Sankt Helena) is a 1929 German silent historical film directed by Lupu Pick and starring Werner Krauss, Hanna Ralph, and Albert Bassermann. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin with lo ...
'' (1929), played by
Werner Krauss Werner Johannes Krauss (''Krauß'' in German; 23 June 1884 – 20 October 1959) was a German stage and film actor. Krauss dominated the German stage of the early 20th century. However, his participation in the antisemitic propaganda film ''Jud S ...
*''
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
'' (1934), played by Paul Irving *''
It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite (Claudette Colbert) tries ...
'' (1934): Ellie says to her father "I hope you're not comparing yourself to Napoleon. He was a strategist. Your idea of strategy is to use a lead pipe." *'' Invitation to the Waltz'' (1935), played by
Esme Percy Saville Esmé Percy (8 August 1887 – 17 June 1957) was an English actor who specialized in the plays of G.B. Shaw and appeared in 40 films between 1930 and 1956. He was born in London and died in Brighton. Partial filmography * ''Murder ...
*''
Hearts Divided ''Hearts Divided'' is a 1936 American musical film about the real-life marriage between American Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, Elizabeth 'Betsy' Patterson and Jérôme Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I of France, Napoleon. It stars Marion Davies ...
'' (1936), played by
Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. After his American film debut as Dr. Jack Griffin in ''The Invisible Man'' (1933), he appeared in such highly regarded films as '' ...
*'' A Royal Divorce'' (1938), played by
Pierre Blanchar Pierre Blanchar (30 June 1892 – 21 November 1963) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1922 and 1961. Blanchar was married to actress Marthe Vinot, with whom he had a daughter, actress Dominique Blanchar. He playe ...
*''
Conquest Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms. Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...
'' (1938), played by
Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...
*''
The Fire Devil ''The Fire Devil'' (German: ''Der Feuerteufel'') is a 1940 German historical adventure film directed by and starring Luis Trenker. It also featured Judith Holzmeister, Bertl Schultes and Hilde von Stolz. The title is sometimes translated as ''The A ...
'' (1940), played by
Erich Ponto Erich Johannes Bruno Ponto (14 December 1884 – 14 February 1957) was a German film and stage actor. Career Erich Ponto was born in Lübeck as the son of a merchant. After his family had moved to Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, he attended the gymnasium ...
*'' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942), played by
Herbert Lom Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru (11 September 1917 – 27 September 2012), known professionally as Herbert Lom (), was a Czech-British actor who moved to the United Kingdom in 1939. In a career lasting more than 60 ye ...
*''
Kutuzov Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov ( rus, Князь Михаи́л Илларио́нович Голени́щев-Куту́зов, Knyaz' Mikhaíl Illariónovich Goleníshchev-Kutúzov; german: Mikhail Illarion Golenishchev-Kut ...
'' (1943), played by Semyon Mezhinsky *'' Kolberg'' (1945), played by Charles Schauten *''
Napoleone Napoleone is an Italian male given name. St. Napoleone of Alexandria, alternatively rendered as ''Neopulus'', ''Neopolus'', ''Neopolis'' or ''Neópolo'', whose feast day is August 15, was martyred during the early fourth century during the Diocleti ...
'' (1951), played by
Renato Rascel Renato Rascel (), stage name of Renato Ranucci (; 27 April 1912 – 2 January 1991), was an Italian film actor and singer. He appeared in 50 films between 1942 and 1972. He represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960 with the s ...
*''
Scaramouche Scaramouche () or Scaramouch (; from Italian Scaramuccia , literally "little skirmisher") is a stock clown character of the 16th-century commedia dell'arte (comic theatrical arts of Italian literature). The role combined characteristics of the ...
'' (1952), played by Aram Katcher (uncredited) *'' Désirée'' (1954), played by
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
.
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...
was impressed by Brando's interpretation of Napoleon, praising on ''
The Dick Cavett Show ''The Dick Cavett Show'' was the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including: * ABC daytime, (March 4, 1968–January 24, 1969) originally titled ''This Morning'' * ABC prime time, Tuesdays, We ...
'' that, " t I think, was immeasurably the best ever Napoleon ..I have ever seen. Simply marvelous, simply because of his own particular quality of being so easy, so easily bringing a sense of genius to a character who was a genius." *''
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
'' (1955), played by
Daniel Gélin Daniel Yves Alfred Gélin (19 May 1921 – 29 November 2002) was a French film and television actor. Early life Gélin was born in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, the son of Yvonne (née Le Méner) and Alfred Ernest Joseph Gélin. When he was ten, ...
and
Raymond Pellegrin Raymond Pellegrin (1 January 1925 – 14 October 2007) was a French actor. Born in Nice, Pellegrin made his screen debut in the 1945 French feature '' Naïs''. He was also famous in France for dubbing Jean Marais for the voice of Fantômas ...
*''
Napoleon Bunny-Part ''Napoleon Bunny-Part'' is a 1956 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng. The shot was released on June 16, 1956, and stars Bugs Bunny. In this film, Bugs Bunny's opponent is Napoleon. Bugs disguise himself as Empress ...
'' (1956): Napoléon (voiced by
Mel Blanc Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for comedy ra ...
) matches wits with
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the '' Looney Tunes'' and '' ...
*''
War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...
'' (1956), played by Herbert Lom *''
The Story of Mankind ''The Story of Mankind'' is a book written and illustrated by Dutch-American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon. It was published in 1921. In 1922, it was awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children ...
'' (1957), played by
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...
*''
Austerlitz Austerlitz may refer to: History * Battle of Austerlitz, an 1805 victory by the French Grand Army of Napoleon Bonaparte Places * Austerlitz, German name for Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic, which gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz a ...
'' (1960), played by Pierre Mondy *''
War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...
'' (1968), played by
Vladislav Strzhelchik Vladislav Ignatievich Strzhelchik (russian: Владисла́в Игна́тьевич Стрже́льчик) (1921–1995) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1974). Biography Vladislav Strzhelchik born in Petrograd ( ...
*'' Waterloo'' (1970), played by
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...
*''
Eagle in a Cage ''Eagle in a Cage'' is an Anglo-American historical drama film, produced in 1972. Plot summary After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and surrender to the British Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte is delivered into exile and imprisonment on St. Hele ...
'' (1972), played by
Kenneth Haigh Kenneth William Michael Haigh (25 March 1931 – 4 February 2018) was an English actor. He first came to public recognition for playing the role of Jimmy Porter in the play ''Look Back in Anger'' in 1956 opposite Mary Ure in London's West End ...
*''
Love and Death ''Love and Death'' is a 1975 American comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. It is a satire on Russian literature starring Allen and Diane Keaton as Boris and Sonja, Russians living during the Napoleonic Era who engage in mock-serious ...
'' (1975), played by
James Tolkan James Stewart Tolkan (born June 20, 1931) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Mr. Strickland in ''Back to the Future'' (1985) and ''Back to the Future Part II'' (1989), and as Marshall Strickland in '' Back to the Future Part ...
*''
The Loves and Times of Scaramouche ''The Loves and Times of Scaramouche'' (Italian: ''Le avventure e gli amori di Scaramouche'') is a 1976 comedy film directed by Enzo G. Castellari. Plot Along with his sidekick Whistle (Giancarlo Prete), Scaramouche (Michael Sarrazin) unwittingly ...
'' (1976), played by
Aldo Maccione Aldo Maccione (born 27 November 1935) is an Italian film actor and singer who is a member of the Italian comedy rock band Brutos. He has appeared in more than 50 films since 1964. He was born in Turin, Italy. Filmography * '' La Grande maffia ...
*''
Time Bandits ''Time Bandits'' is a 1981 British fantasy adventure film co-written, produced, and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Peter Vaughan and ...
'' (1981), played by
Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor who was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to theatre and film. Beginning his career on the British stage as a standout member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, ...
*'' Adieu Bonaparte'' (1985), played by
Patrice Chéreau Patrice Chéreau (; 2 November 1944 – 7 October 2013) was a French opera and theatre director, filmmaker, actor and producer. In France he is best known for his work for the theatre, internationally for his films '' La Reine Margot'' and ...
*'' Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story'' (1987), played by
Armand Assante Armand Anthony Assante Jr. (; born October 4, 1949) is an American actor. He played mobster John Gotti in the 1996 HBO television film '' Gotti'', Odysseus in the 1997 mini-series adaptation of Homer's ''The Odyssey'', Nietzsche in ''When Niet ...
*''
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure ''Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'' is a 1989 American science fiction film, science fiction comedy film directed by Stephen Herek and written by Chris Matheson (screenwriter), Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. The first installment of the Bill & T ...
'' (1989), played by
Terry Camilleri Terrance Camilleri (born 7 November 1949) is a Maltese-born Australian actor who has performed actively in both the United Kingdom and United States. He is best recognized for portraying Emperor Napoleon I in the blockbuster comedy film ''Bill ...
*''
The Emperor's New Clothes "The Emperor's New Clothes" ( da, Kejserens nye klæder ) is a literary folktale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, about a vain emperor who gets exposed before his subjects. The tale has been translated into over 100 languages.A ...
'' (2001), played by Ian Holm *''
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
'' (2002), played by
Alex Norton Alexander Hugh Norton (born 27 January 1950) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as DCI Matt Burke in the STV detective drama series ''Taggart'', Eric Baird in BBC Two sitcom '' Two Doors Down'', DCS Wallace in ''Extremely Dangerous' ...
*'' Monsieur N.'' (2003), played by
Philippe Torreton Philippe Torreton (born 13 October 1965) is a French actor. Life and career Born in Rouen, to a teacher mother, and filling station attendant father, Torreton grew up in a suburb of the city. A student at the lycée Val de Seine de Grand-Quevil ...
*''
Napoleon and Me ''Napoleon and Me'' ( it, N (Io e Napoleone), french: Napoléon (et moi), es, N. Napeleón y yo) is a 2006 Italian-French-Spanish historical comedy-drama directed by Paolo Virzì. It is loosely based on the novel ''N.'' by Ernesto Ferrero. Plot ...
'' (2006), played by
Daniel Auteuil Daniel Auteuil (; born 24 January 1950) is a French actor and director who has appeared in a wide range of film genres, including period dramas, romantic comedies, and crime thrillers. In 1996 he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Fest ...
*'' Napóleon'' (2007), played by Tom Burke *'' Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'' (2009), played by
Alain Chabat Alain Chabat (; born 24 November 1958) is a French actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, producer and television presenter. He was originally known for his work in the comedy group Les Nuls, including as the co-writer and lead actor of ''La C ...
*'' Minions'' (2015): one of the Minions' former masters was Napoléon *''
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
'' (2023), played by
Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (; né Bottom; born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. He is known for playing dark and unconventional characters in independent films. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academ ...


Radio

* ''His Father's Sword'' (
BBC Regional Programme The BBC Regional Programme was a radio service which was on the air from 9 March 1930 – replacing a number of earlier BBC local stations between 1922 and 1924 – until 1 September 1939 when it was subsumed into the Home Service, two days be ...
, 1937), portrayed by
Terence De Marney Terence Arthur De Marney (1 March 190825 May 1971) was a British film, stage, radio and television actor, as well as theatre director and writer. Career Actor The son of Violet Eileen Concanen and Arthur De Marney, and the grandson of n ...
* ''The Dynasts'' (three-part series) (
BBC Home Service The BBC Home Service was a national and regional radio station that broadcast from 1939 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 4. History 1922–1939: Interwar period Between the early 1920s and the outbreak of World War II, the BBC ...
, 1943), portrayed by
Malcolm Keen Malcolm Keen (8 August 1887 – 30 January 1970) was an English actor of stage, film and television. He was sometimes credited as Malcolm Keane.BBC Third Programme The BBC Third Programme was a national radio station produced and broadcast from 1946 until 1967, when it was replaced by Radio 3. It first went on the air on 29 September 1946 and quickly became one of the leading cultural and intellectual f ...
, 1951), portrayed by Robert Harris * ''The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel'': "The Vicomte De Villier is to be Executed" and "New Recruits are Needed by the League" (
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
, 1952–53), actor unknown at this time. He is also prominently mentioned in the episode "The Ghosts of Martin's Folly". * ''
Children's Hour ''Children's Hour'', initially ''The Children's Hour'', was the BBC's principal recreational service for children (as distinct from "Broadcasts to Schools") which began during the period when radio was the only medium of broadcasting. ''Childre ...
'': "The House of the Pelican" (six-part serial) (BBC Home Service, 1954), portrayed by Robert Harris * ''England's Harrowing'' (two-part series) (BBC Third Programme, 1960), portrayed by
Malcolm Keen Malcolm Keen (8 August 1887 – 30 January 1970) was an English actor of stage, film and television. He was sometimes credited as Malcolm Keane.Malcolm Keen Malcolm Keen (8 August 1887 – 30 January 1970) was an English actor of stage, film and television. He was sometimes credited as Malcolm Keane.Marius Goring Marius Re Goring, (23 May 191230 September 1998) was a British stage and screen actor. He is best remembered for the four films he made with Powell & Pressburger, particularly as Conductor 71 in '' A Matter of Life and Death'' and as Julian Cr ...
* ''Five Morning Comedies'': "Keep Your Hands Off My War" (BBC Radio 4, 1970), portrayed by
Clive Swift Clive Walter Swift (9 February 1936 – 1 February 2019) was an English actor and songwriter. A classically trained actor, his stage work included performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, but he was best known to television viewers for ...
* ''The Dynasts'' (seven-part series) (BBC Home Service, 1970), portrayed by
Maurice Denham William Maurice Denham OBE (23 December 1909 – 24 July 2002) was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 films and television programmes in his long career. Family Denham was born on 23 December 1909 in Beckenham, Kent, the son ...
* ''St. Helena'' (BBC Radio 4, 1972), portrayed by
Lee Montague Lee Montague (born Leonard Goldberg; 16 October 1927) is an English actor noted for his roles in film and television, usually playing tough guys. Montague was a student of the Old Vic School. Montague's film credits include ''The Camp on Bloo ...
* ''Midweek Theatre'': "Eagle and Spider" (BBC Radio 4, 1973), portrayed by
Cyril Shaps Cyril Leonard Shaps (13 October 1923 – 1 January 2003) was an English actor of radio, television and film, with a career spanning over seven decades. Early radio Shaps was born in the East End of London to Polish-Jewish parents; his father ...
* ''The Day of Destiny'' (BBC Radio 4, 1974), portrayed by Barry Foster * ''Napoleon Aboard HMS Bellerophon'' (BBC Radio 4, 1975), portrayed by
Cyril Shaps Cyril Leonard Shaps (13 October 1923 – 1 January 2003) was an English actor of radio, television and film, with a career spanning over seven decades. Early radio Shaps was born in the East End of London to Polish-Jewish parents; his father ...
* ''Vanity Fair'' (ten-part serial) (BBC Radio 4, 1978), portrayed by
Harold Kasket Harold Kasket (26 July 1926 – 20 January 2002) was an English actor in theatre, films and later television from the 1940s. Kasket usually played Arabs or mainland European types in many films and TV programmes such as ''Maigret'', ''The Saint ...
* ''
The Man of Destiny ''The Man of Destiny'' is an 1897 play by George Bernard Shaw, set in Italy during the early career of Napoleon. It was published as a part of ''Plays Pleasant'', which also included '' Arms and the Man'', '' Candida'' and '' You Never Can Tell. ...
'' (BBC Radio 4, 1981), portrayed by
David Suchet Sir David Courtney Suchet''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' ( ; born 2 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work on British stage and television. He portrayed Edward Teller in the television serial '' Oppenh ...
* ''
Thirty-Minute Theatre ''Thirty-Minute Theatre'' was a British anthology drama series of short plays shown on BBC Television between 1965 and 1973, which was used in part at least as a training ground for new writers, on account of its short running length, and which t ...
'': "Shaggy Sokolov" (BBC Radio 3, 1984), portrayed by
Michael Graham Cox Michael Graham Cox (6 January 1938 – 30 April 1995) was an English actor. Career Born at Wolverhampton, and educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School, Cox moved to London after graduating in Music with German from Bristol University in ...
* ''Betsy and Napoleon'' (BBC Radio 4, 2005), portrayed by
Alex Jennings Alex Jennings (born 10 May 1957) is an English actor of the stage and screen, who worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. For his work on the London stage, Jennings received three Olivier Awards, winning for ...
* ''Napoleon Rising'' (BBC Radio 3, 2012), portrayed by
Toby Jones Tobias Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. Jones made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama ''Orlando'' in 1992. He ...
*
Tsar
' - "Alexander I: Into the Woods" (BBC Radio 4, 2017), portrayed by Charlie Anson * ''Billy Ruffian'' (BBC Radio 4, 2018), portrayed by
Adrian Scarborough Adrian Philip Scarborough (born 10 May 1968) is an English actor. He has appeared in films including ''The Madness of King George'' (1994), ''Gosford Park'' (2001), ''Vera Drake'' (2004), ''The History Boys'' (2006), ''The King's Speech'' (2010 ...


Television

* ''Amoureuse Joséphine'' (France, 1974), played by
Pierre Arditi Pierre Arditi (born 1 December 1944) is a French actor. He is the brother of French actress Catherine Arditi. Life and career Born in Paris, his father was the painter Georges Arditi, from Marseille of Jewish descent, and his mother Yvonne L ...
* ''
Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typic ...
'': "Samantha's French Pastry", Uncle Arthur tries to conjure up a French Pastry, but instead conjures up Napoleon Bonaparte, played by
Henry Gibson Henry Gibson (born James Bateman; September 21, 1935 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor and poet. His best-known roles include his time as a cast member of the TV sketch-comedy series ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 1968 to 19 ...
. * '' Blackadder: Back & Forth'' (1999), played by
Simon Russell Beale Sir Simon Russell Beale (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He is known for his appearances in film, television and theatre, and work on radio, on audiobooks and as a narrator. For his services to drama, he was knighted by Queen Elizabe ...
* ''
Clone High ''Clone High'' (occasionally referred to in the United States as ''Clone High USA'') is an adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bill Lawrence. The show centers on a high school populated by the clo ...
'': Napoléon is a recurring character; Abe Lincoln claims he has a
Napoleon complex The "Napoleon complex", known informally as small man syndrome, is a syndrome normally attributed to people of small stature. It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, such as lying about earnings, and carries the ...
. * ''
Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
'': "
A Soldier's Farewell "A Soldier's Farewell" is the third episode of the fifth series of the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 20 October 1972. Synopsis Mainwaring is depressed: his men are falling short of his expectations, ...
", a soldier (
Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 36 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad' ...
) dreams he is Napoléon at the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...
* ''
DC's Legends of Tomorrow ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American time travel superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer, who are also executive producers alon ...
'': Season 5, Episode 5 "A Head of her Time" Napoléon is played by Kazz Leskard * ''
Deadliest Warrior ''Deadliest Warrior'' is an American television program in which information on historical or modern warriors and their weapons are used to determine which of them is the "deadliest" based upon tests performed during each episode. The show was c ...
'' featured Napoleon in their third season, squaring up against the first American president
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
. Washington was the victor. * ''
Fairly OddBaby After a year long hiatus in 2007, ''The Fairly OddParents'' returned for a sixth season to contain 20 episodes, which aired from February 18, 2008 to August 12, 2009. The season had one movie, ''Fairly OddBaby''. This was the first season of the sh ...
'': Jorgen Von Strangle proposes the name "Napoléon" for Poof The Baby * ''How the Brigadier Won His Medals'' (1954), played by
Booth Colman Booth Colman (March 8, 1923 – December 15, 2014) was an American film, television and stage actor. In his later years he played older authority figures, such as doctors and lawyers. Colman appeared in films since 1952, when he debuted (uncredi ...
* ''
Histeria! ''Histeria!'' is an American animated series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Unlike other animated series produced by Warner Bros. in the 1990s, ''Histeria!'' was an explicitly educational program created to me ...
'': Napoléon is a recurring character who speaks like
Hervé Villechaize Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize (; April 23, 1943 – September 4, 1993) was a French actor and painter. He is best known for his role as the evil henchman Nick Nack in the 1974 James Bond film '' The Man with the Golden Gun'', and his role as Mr ...
* ''
I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually marrie ...
'': "My Master, Napoleon's Buddy", Jeannie sends Tony back in time to advise Napoleon (played by Aram Katcher), who suspects Tony of being a spy and plans to execute him *''Jack of All Trades (TV series), Jack of All Trades'': Napoléon is a recurring character, played by Verne Troyer * ''Joséphine ou la comédie des ambitions'' (France, 1979), played by Daniel Mesguich * ''Napoléon'' (2000): 4-part documentary series narrated by David McCullough * ''Napoléon et l'Europe'' (France, 1991), played by Jean-François Stévenin * ''Napoléon: la Campagne de Russie'' (France, 2015), played by Marc Duret * ''Napoléon (miniseries), Napoléon'' (2002), played by Christian Clavier * ''Napoléon & Joséphine: A Love Story'' (1987), played by
Armand Assante Armand Anthony Assante Jr. (; born October 4, 1949) is an American actor. He played mobster John Gotti in the 1996 HBO television film '' Gotti'', Odysseus in the 1997 mini-series adaptation of Homer's ''The Odyssey'', Nietzsche in ''When Niet ...
* ''Napoleon and Love'' (UK, 1974), played by
Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor who was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to theatre and film. Beginning his career on the British stage as a standout member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, ...
* ''Robot Chicken'': "Napoléon Bonamite", character is a cross between Bonaparte and Napoleon Dynamite * ''The Love Story of Napoleon'' (1953), played by James Mason * ''Time Squad'': "Napoléon the Conquered", Napoléon is forced to take care of the house after Joséphine takes up fine arts * ''War and Peace (1972 TV series), War and Peace'' (UK, 1972), played by David Swift (actor), David Swift * ''War and Peace (2007 miniseries), War and Peace'' (France/Italy, 2007), played by Scali Delpeyrat * ''Horrible Histories (2009 TV series), Horrible Histories'' (UK, 2009 - 2015), played by Jim Howick * ''War & Peace (2016 TV series), War and Peace'' (UK, 2016), played by Mathieu Kassovitz * ''Yu-Gi-Oh! GX'': Jéan-Louis Bonaparte is based on the cliché of Napoléon See also
Napoléon Bonaparte (Character) on IMDb


Places


Geography

* Many Avenues, Boulevards, Bridges, Monuments, and Streets in Europe are named for Napoleon. *Bonaparte, Iowa *Fort Napoléon, les Saintes *Napoleon, Indiana *Napoleon, Michigan *Napoleon, Missouri *Napoleon, Ohio *Napoleonville, Louisiana *Route Napoléon


Hospitality

* Hotel Napoleon, Hôtel Napoléon * Napoleon House, opened by Nicholas Girod as a plot to provide refuge for the exiled Napoleon. * Restaurants throughout the world are named for Napoleon.


Military

* Fort Napoléon des Saintes * Fort Napoleon, Ostend * French battleship Napoléon * Napoléon-class ship of the line * Operation Napoleon/Saline


Music

* During the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, a nursery rhyme warned children that Bonaparte ravenously ate naughty people. *Napoleon was the topic of many Sea shanty, Sea Shanties following his death, most notably the song ''Boney was a Warrior'' *Ludwig van Beethoven had originally conceived of dedicating his Symphony No. 3 (Beethoven), Third Symphony to Consul Napoleon Bonaparte. Beethoven admired the ideals of the French Revolution, and Napoleon as their embodiment. According to Beethoven's pupil, F. Ries, when Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor in May 1804, Beethoven became disgusted and went to the table where the completed score lay. He took hold of the title-page and tore it up in rage. *The Ani DiFranco song "Napoleon" satirizes the desire to continuously "conquer"; more specifically musicians who sign with big labels, thus employing "an army of suits" in order to "make a killing" rather than just "make a living". *The Bob Dylan song "On the Road Again (Bob Dylan song), On the Road Again" from his 1965 album ''Bringing It All Back Home'' references Napoleon: "Your mama she's hidin' inside the icebox/Your daddy walks in wearin' a Napoleon Bonaparte mask". *Another Bob Dylan song, "Like a Rolling Stone", from his seminal album ''Highway 61 Revisited'' references Napoleon: "You used to be so amused/At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used" *The Kinks song "Powerman" from their 1970 album ''Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One'' references Napoleon: "People tried to conquer the world; Napoleon and Genghis Khan, Hitler tried and Mussolini too". *The Bee Gees song "Walking Back to Waterloo" from their 1971 album ''Trafalgar (album), Trafalgar'' references Napoleon: "I wish there was another year, another time/When people sang and poems rhymed/My name could be Napoleon". *Swedish Pop group ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 with the song "Waterloo (ABBA song), Waterloo", which uses the battle as a metaphor for a person surrendering to love similar to how Napoleon surrendered at Waterloo. *The Al Stewart song "The Palace of Versailles", from his 1978 album ''Time Passages'', is filled with references and allusions to the French Revolution. One line specifically references Napoleon: "Bonaparte is coming/With his army from the south". *The Charlie Sexton song "Impressed" references Napoléon and Josephine (from ''Pictures for Pleasure'') *The Mark Knopfler song "Done with Bonaparte" from his 1996 album ''Golden Heart'' is sung from the viewpoint of a soldier in Napoléon's army. The song recalls the soldier's many battles serving in Napoleon's Grande Armée. *The Tori Amos song "Josephine" from her 1999 album ''To Venus and Back'' is sung from the viewpoint of Napoléon during his unsuccessful French invasion of Russia (1812), invasion of Russia. *Iced Earth released the song "Waterloo" on their album ''The Glorious Burden'', which details Napoleon's defeat at the Battle Of Waterloo. *Bright Eyes (band), Bright Eyes recorded a song called "Napoleon's Hat" for ''Lagniappe (album), Lagniappe'', an album released by Saddle Creek Records to raise funds for the Red Cross' Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. *The song "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay is loosely based on Napoleon's reign. *An episode of ''Epic Rap Battles of History'' is a rap battle between Napoleon Bonaparte and Napoleon Dynamite. *Bonaparte (band), Bonaparte is the stage name of German-Swiss singer/producer Tobias Jundt.


Other

*Automotive: Bugatti Royale Coupé Napoléon *Ornithology: Bonaparte's parakeet *Toys: Napoleonic toys


Recurring themes and stereotypes in popular culture


Napoleon's height

British propaganda of the time depicted Napoleon as of smaller than average height and the image of him as a small man persists in modern Britain. Confusion has sometimes arisen because of different values for the French inch (''pouce'') of the time (2.7 cm) and for the Imperial unit, Imperial inch (2.54 cm).; he has been cited as being from , which made him the height of the average French male at that time, and up to tall, which is above average for the period Royal Navy Rear Admiral Frederick Lewis Maitland, who had daily contact with Napoleon on his ship for twenty-three days in 1815, states in his memoirs that he was about . Some historians believe that the reason for the mistake about his size at death came from use of an obsolete French yardstick. Napoleon was a champion of the metric system (introduced in France in 1799) and had no use for the old yardsticks. It is more likely that he was , the height he was measured at on St. Helena (a British island), since he would have most likely been measured with an English yardstick rather than a yardstick of the Old French Regime. Napoleon's nickname of ''le petit caporal'' has added to the confusion, as some non-Francophones have mistakenly interpreted ''petit'' by its literal meaning of "small". In fact, it is an affectionate term reflecting on his camaraderie with ordinary soldiers. Napoleon also surrounded himself with the soldiers of his Old Guard (France), elite guard, required to be 1.83 m (6 ft) or taller, making him look smaller in comparison. Napoleon's name has been lent to the
Napoleon complex The "Napoleon complex", known informally as small man syndrome, is a syndrome normally attributed to people of small stature. It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, such as lying about earnings, and carries the ...
, a colloquial term describing an alleged type of inferiority complex which is said to affect some people who are physically short. The term is used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives.


The Napoleon Delusion

Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the most famous individuals in the Western world. As delusional patients sometimes believe themselves to be an important or Grandiosity, grandiose figure (see delusion), a patient claiming to be Napoleon has been a common stereotype in popular culture for delusions of this nature. *In the 1922 film ''Mixed Nuts (1922 film), Mixed Nuts'', Stan Laurel plays a book salesman whose only volume for sale is a biography of Napoleon. When the character receives a blow to the head, he comes to believe that he is Napoleon and is subsequently admitted to a mental institution. This cliché has itself been parody, parodied: *In the
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the '' Looney Tunes'' and '' ...
film ''
Napoleon Bunny-Part ''Napoleon Bunny-Part'' is a 1956 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng. The shot was released on June 16, 1956, and stars Bugs Bunny. In this film, Bugs Bunny's opponent is Napoleon. Bugs disguise himself as Empress ...
'', the actual Napoleon is dragged away by psychiatric attendants, who believe he is delusional. *The song They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! was recorded by Jerry Samuels billed as Napoleon XIV. Some other versions of the song were made with lyrics referencing the Napoleon delusion (such as a Spanish version entitled "Soy Napoleon") or with the artist's name referencing a fictitious emperor. *In ''
The Emperor's New Clothes "The Emperor's New Clothes" ( da, Kejserens nye klæder ) is a literary folktale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, about a vain emperor who gets exposed before his subjects. The tale has been translated into over 100 languages.A ...
'',
Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor who was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to theatre and film. Beginning his career on the British stage as a standout member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, ...
plays Napoleon who stumbles into the grounds of an psychiatric hospital, asylum and finds himself surrounded by other "Napoleons" - he cannot reveal his identity for fear of being grouped with the deluded.French, Philip (''The Observer'').
The Emperor's New Clothes
, ''The Guardian'', 02-04-2004. Retrieved 07-19-2006. Holm also played a less-than-serious Napoleon in the 1981 film ''
Time Bandits ''Time Bandits'' is a 1981 British fantasy adventure film co-written, produced, and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Peter Vaughan and ...
''. *The Discworld novel ''Making Money'' features a character who believes himself to be Lord Vetinari, imitating Vetinari's mannerisms and entertaining delusions of grandeur. It is later revealed that the local hospital has an entire ward for people with the same delusion, where they engage in competitions to determine who is the "real" Vetinari. *In an episode of cult 1960s British TV sci-fi show ''The Prisoner'' called "The Girl Who Was Death", which unusually for the series was a light-hearted comedy tale parodying the spy thriller genre, the villain Dr. Schnipps (Kenneth Griffith) believed that he was Napoleon and acted accordingly, at one point asking the protagonist Number Six (Patrick McGoohan), "You're not the Duke of Wellington, are you?" *In the first episode of season 2 of ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' titled "Return of the Shredder" (1988), Scientist and Inventor, Baxter Stockman is seen in a jail cell with a man in Napoleonic garb spouting off dialogue in a French accent. *In an episode of ''Night Court'', Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson) is placed in a jail cell along with a number of 'mentally disturbed' inmates all dressed as Napoleon. His court defense attorney (played by Markie Post) sees him and exclaims "Oh sir. They put you in with the little generals". *The award-winning video game ''Psychonauts'' features a mental patient, Fred Bonaparte, locked in an obsessive mind-game with his distant ancestor Napoleon, who is fighting for his mind. *In the ''Futurama'' episode "Insane in the Mainframe", Bender pretends to be a banjo playing Napoleon in order to stay in a robot asylum.


See also

* Napoleon legacy and memory


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Napoleon 01 Of France, Cultural Depictions Of Cultural depictions of Napoleon, Works about Napoleon,