“Bastille taken”: Proverbs, sayings, jokes about the main fortress of France

On July 14, 1789, the Parisian crowd took storm to the fortress-prison of the Bastille. This event echoed around the world and forever changed the course of history. But along with the revolution, the Bastille gave birth to a whole layer of culture – enduring expressions, proverbs, sayings and countless jokes that are still alive today. From school anecdotes to philosophical quotes – the image of the Bastille is deeply rooted in the language, becoming a symbol not only of freedom, but also of the people’s humor.

“Take the Bastille”: The main phraseological expression of the revolution

The most famous enduring expression associated with the Bastille is undoubtedly “take the Bastille”. In the literal sense, it means the storming of the fortress on July 14, 1789, but in a figurative sense, it symbolizes victory over oppression, the destruction of the old order and the triumph of freedom. As historians write, “its fall symbolized the end of the old world”. This phrase has become a byword for any decisive action against injustice.

In literature, we encounter it in the most diverse contexts. For example, in one of the quotes from Russian classics, we read: “It is good if there is a tribune whose voice will guide the ranks – the order of human nature, if there is a common goal – a fortress that needs to be taken, the Bastille that needs to be destroyed. – The Bastille has been taken. The revolution has won”. Here the Bastille serves as a metaphor for any tyranny that the people must crush.

The name “Bastille” itself (from the French bastille – fortress) is also noteworthy, which has become a generic term for a prison or place of confinement in many languages. For example, in English slang, the word “bastille” was used as a general term for a prison, and its shortened form “steel” was a favorite expression among the lower classes. In a figurative sense, “sitting in the Bastille” meant being in confinement, and “breaking out of the Bastille” meant gaining freedom.

“The Bastille Day has passed in vain”: A catchphrase from “Love and Pigeons”

Perhaps the most famous phrase about the Bastille in the post-Soviet space came not from history books, but from cinema. In the film by Vladimir Menchov “Love and Pigeons” (1984), the character played by Sergey Yursky – Uncle Mitya – pulls out a torn calendar and sighs despondently: “I didn’t drink, I didn’t drink! Although there is a reason – the Bastille Day has passed in vain!”

This remark has become a real aphorism. Thousands of people joke about the French national holiday just like that – as an occasion to drink that was missed. The phrase “the Bastille Day has passed in vain” has long gone beyond the boundaries of the film and turned into an enduring expression denoting a missed opportunity for a celebration or a feast. Sometimes it is cited ironically, sometimes – with a light nostalgia for those times when even historical events became a reason for national humor.

By the way, the tradition of linking the Bastille with drinking is not accidental. After the destruction of the fortress, a plaque with the inscription “Here they dance, and everything will be fine” (ici l’on danse, ah ça ira, ah ça ira!) was installed on its site. So Uncle Mitya, not knowing it himself, continued the centuries-old tradition – turning the symbol of tyranny into a place for joy.

“Rotten Bastille” and other literary expressions

In Russian classics, the Bastille is also not left without attention. In Mikhail Bulgakov’s play “The Cabala of Swallows”, the hero exclaims: “Accept, the rotten Bastille!” This expression sounds like a curse or a call to judgment – the image of a raw, dark fortress that is ready to吞噬 the next victim. It emphasizes the sinister reputation of the Bastille as a place where people disappeared without trial and investigation.

Interestingly, the expression “Lettre de cachet” – “letter with a seal” has been preserved in the language. This was a royal decree that allowed confining a person in the Bastille without trial, by the personal order of the monarch. The phrase itself has become a symbol of tyranny and lawlessness, and in a figurative sense denotes any unjust order or decision.

Folk proverbs and sayings

The Bastille has left not only serious, but also ironic traces in the folk memory. For example, there is a humorous proverb: “Don’t swear off from Morodunt and the Bastille” – a hint that anyone can end up in prison, even the most distinguished person. And in the circle of fans of Alexander Dumas’s work, there is another sharp remark: “Measure seven times, fortify Belle-Île once” – a parody of the famous saying, where instead of “cut” the name of another fortress, related to the plots about the Musketeers, is used.

Of course, there are many idioms related to the Revolution and July 14 in France. For example, the phrase “Les carottes sont cuites” (“the carrots are cooked”) means that the matter is done and there is no turning back – just like after the taking of the Bastille. And the motto “Liberty. Equality. Fraternity” has become not just a slogan, but a catchphrase cited all over the world.

School anecdotes: who took the Bastille?

The most popular joke about the Bastille is undoubtedly the classic school anecdote. The teacher asks the student: “Who took the Bastille?” He honestly answers: “I didn’t take!” Then – a chain reaction: the teacher is angry, the principal is confused, the director is desperate. This anecdote lives in dozens of variations. In one of them, Vovochka explains: “I don’t know, I didn’t take!” and his father adds: “I don’t know, took or not took, but didn’t bring home”.

Another popular dialogue:

— Why did you get a failing grade, son? — For the Bastille, dad! — What is that? — A fortress like that. — How many degrees? — I don’t know, they took it by storm. — So strong, you know!

These jokes are funny precisely because of their absurdity: the child takes the historical event for theft, and the fortress for an alcoholic drink. They show how far the people’s imagination can go from historical truth, turning a great event into an occasion for innocent laughter.

In the English-speaking world, there are also its own puns. For example: “Why does the French Revolution resemble Prohibition? Because they both got rid of the Bourbons!” (Bourbon – both a dynasty and whiskey). Or: “Have you heard the joke about Bastille Day? It’s just a riot!” (play on words: riot – riot, but also joy).

Foreign humor: puns and puns

You can find hundreds of jokes about the Bastille on the internet, built on wordplay. Here are some examples from English-language sites:

• “Why did the baguette go to a party? Because it wanted to “rise” for the occasion” (rise – and rise, and approach).
• “Bastille Day without cheese – it’s not brie-llievable!” (un-brie-lievable – incredible).
• “What was the favorite dish of the French Revolution? The liberty éclair!” (liberty éclair – wordplay with éclair and liberty).
• “Why do French bakers bake extra bread on Bastille Day? Because they know that everyone is going to “storm” their bakery!”

And there is also the famous pickup line: “Hey, girl, are you the French Revolution? Because I always imagine you without pants” (sans-culottes – literally “without pants”, so they were called revolutionaries). The sharpness, of course, is on the edge of bad taste, but it perfectly illustrates how a historical image can become a reason for flirting.

Bastille as a meme: from history to internet culture

Today the image of the Bastille lives not only in anecdotes, but also in internet memes. The phrase “the Bastille Day has passed in vain” has become one of the most cited movie quotes in the Runet. It is used when you want to joke about a missed celebration or a failed party. And in the English-speaking part of social networks, there are pictures with captions like “Bastille Day: the one holiday where storming something is actually encouraged” (“Bastille Day: the only holiday where storming something is actually encouraged”).

Memes and jokes about the Bastille are not just entertainment. They show how an historical event, separated from us by centuries, continues to live in language and culture. We laugh at the Bastille because it no longer scares us, but inspires – to freedom, to a celebration, and even to a good joke.

Conclusion

The Bastille has long been destroyed, but its image lives in thousands of expressions, proverbs and jokes. From serious phraseological expressions like “take the Bastille” to absurd school anecdotes, from philosophical quotes of classics to internet memes – the fortress that once symbolized tyranny has become today a symbol of the people’s wit. And perhaps this is the best victory of the revolution: even the darkest symbol can be turned into an occasion for a smile.

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