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| Evariste Galois - Vita Mathematica |
The Galois family had embraced revolutionary ideas from the very beginning of the revolution in 1789.
It took the French people a few weeks to realize that the King’s promise of a constitutional monarchy was only an expedient to trap them into believing that the main achievements of the Revolution would not be lost. Louis XVII was firmly convinced that he was king by divine right, and managed to concentrate power in the hands of the monarchy, leaving the people with practically no political representation.
On Galois school Lycee Louis-le-Grand - A period of study would increase their appetite for breakfast. The classrooms had no desks, but only steps which the students sat with their books and exercise books on their laps. Lighting was limited to one candle for every two pupils. Rats swarmed all over the floor and steps. The teacher’s wooden desk was on a high podium, rather like a pulpit for complete control over class discipline and attention. Food consisted of water and dry bread, eaten quickly and in silence. Punishment was being locked in a cell. They were tiny, damp, badly lit rooms. The “prisoner” was held there for a minimum of four days, and they were given a long Latin or Greek translation to do.
A report on Galois: His ambition, his frequent ostentatious originality, his bizarre character keep him isolated from his school fellows. Another report: There is nothing in his work except strange fantasies and negligence; He always does what he should not do. He gets worse every day; Absent minded and a chatterbox; bad conduct, aspires to be original. Another: He is under the spell of the excitement of mathematics. Therefore, in my opinion, his parents would be well advised to let him devote all his energies to this one subject. He is wasting his time here, and does nothing but irritate his teachers and force them to punish him continually.
His father was the source of a scandal (forged epigrams), and relinquished post and later commit suicide. Thus Galois was no longer able to attent Ecole Polytechnique.
Galois: Thus it would be right to say that a new academic subject has been established, whose popularity is growing. It consist of knowledge of the scientific likes and dislikes, of the various eccentricties and tempermament of individual examiners.
Galois began giving mathematic lessons. Evariste will hold an algebra course
Galois fell in love with Stephanie, Poterin-Dumotel’s daughter. Was she also in love with him? The only evidence exists with a copy of two letters Galois must have torn up in a moment of rage
Please let us put an end to this. I do not have the spirit to keep up such a correspondence but I shall try to find enough to converse with you and I did before anything happened. Here [] the [] has [] that owes you [] than to me and not think things that may not exist and will never exist.
I followed your advice and thought about [] what happened [] under any name this can be [] come about between us. Sir be sure that there would probably have been nothing more; you are mistaken and your regret is groundless. True friendship only exists between people of the same sex especially [] of friends [] sympathize in a void [] the absence of any feeling of this kind [] my trust [] but it has been badly hurt [] you have seen I was unhappy [] asked the reason; I answered that I had some disappointments; that others had been the cause of them. I though you would have taken it like any person before whom a word is uttered for these [???] The calmness of my ideas leaves me with the freedom to judge without much reflection the people I see usually; it is this that allows me to rarely regret being mistaken or being influenced by my view of them. I do not agree with you [] fee. more than to [] expect [] I thank you sincerely.
Galois asserts the difficulty
We can assert there is, in pure Analysis, no obscurer a subject and, maybe, no subject more isolated from all the rest.