Characterization help?

[toi-marguerite.livejournal.com]

Hey all!

I'm writing a NaNoWriMo novel that takes place from approximately 1788- 1799 and being the crazed fangirl that I am, I'm including as many Jacobins as I can get away with. I think I've got a good handle on Robespierre, since he's the main object of my obsession, but I do confess that I have nooooooooo idea at all how to characterize Saint- Just and Desmoulins. Aside from physical descriptions, I'm not quite sure what to do personality- wise to keep them as close to life as possible.

I would look at other historical fiction books as a guide, but then we get blood-thirsty-psycopathic-murderer!Saint- Just and dumb-as-a-rock!Desmoulins and I would rather avoid those since I've figured out that they're pretty much complete fabrications.

Thank you so much to anyone who can shed some light on the subject!

Comments

[emma1794.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I don't have as much knowledge of saint-just and camille as I would like; all my time has been taken up with Robespierre, just cos, obviously XDD

But have a flick through/read some of the chapters of Hilary mantel's A place of greater safety (it's a fantastically written book although I know maelicia doesn't approve XDD - I haven't yet got to any saint-just bits, so I don't know how incorrect her interpretation of him will be). It's great for characterisation of camille. Have fun, good luck. :P

[jesta-ariadne.livejournal.com]

Yay, I like that book too :) Specially the Camille bits. Saint-Just though doesn't appear for aaaages and is... maybe less developed as a character and more as a(n extremely effective) plot device ^^; (It all gets gloriously and depressingly dramatic towards the end-- just you wait!)