Jean Francois Champollion

Describe the values, traits, qualities of Jean Francois Champollion.

Jean Francois Champollion, even as a kid, was very interested in learning different languages especially Coptic. He was really a very determined person and also very perseverant. He never stops trying—no matter what turns out or whatever happens—and he never quit. An example is that he never gave up on deciphering the hieroglyphics even though he was arrested for 6 years just to prevent him from deciphering the ancient text. Also, he has this sort of self-confidence that made him stand up for what he believes in without any hesitation. A perfect instance was that when no one believed that hieroglyphics aren’t just mere symbols but it produces sound like reading the alphabet. He has this kind of admirable trait that whatever he likes or believes in, he sticks to it and doesn’t change his mind because of the masses instead, he would prove to them that his ideas are reasonable and even possibly correct. He is very persistent and humble. He never steps on anyone just to get what he wants, he plays fair. He is a perfect model for the masses, the jack-of-all-traits.

What motives led Champollion to crack the code of the Rosetta stone?

Champollion was determined to crack the code simply because he wanted revenge on the British or as he said in the movie “those English barbarians”. I believe that he is quite mad at the British for possessing the Rosetta stone which the French troops found. Just because they defeated the French and colonized Egypt, doesn’t mean that they can acquire it. I also think that he wants to prove to the British that the French is still better than them even though they had beaten them at war. Another thing is that he believed that he had the skills and the knowledge to do it that he was willing to try.

What were the hardships experienced by Champollion?

What aided him to move on?The main problem of Jean Francois Champollion and Thomas Young, who were determined to decipher the hieroglyphics, was that no one really knew what the hieroglyphics actually were. They know that there are 3 parts of the stone and only the language of the ancient Greek were the ones that they can understand. Champollion strongly believed that the hieroglyphics are actually words that are expressed in symbols, they can produce sound. Another problem was that Champollion was arrested for 6 years. Thomas Young was the one who ordered to do so. There, he still studied the hieroglyphics. His brother and his friend aided him to move on. His brother gave him financial support to enroll at a university in Paris to study oriental languages. There, he made a friend who is also interested in deciphering and learning about hieroglyphics. He helped him in deciphering the hieroglyphics through providing him needed information essential in deciphering the hieroglyphics. Also, even though his professor himself didn’t have faith in him and the priest of the Christian church wouldn’t want him to accomplish the deciphering, he still believed in himself.

How did he bring glory to France?

Jean Francois Champollion brought glory to France through successfully deciphering the hieroglyphics. This also proves that he had beaten the British experts, specifically Thomas Young, in cracking the code and unraveling the mystery message of the ancient text in the Rosetta stone. Champollion proved that the hieroglyphics can be read with sounds. He proved that hieroglyphic texts were paraphrases and not just simple translations. He proved it in front of the people who didn’t believe that he could do it—except for two, his brother and his friend—and also in front of his competitor, Thomas Young. He, with confidence and humility, proved his “theories” are correct. Thomas Young himself congratulated him afterwards, accepted his defeat which means that the French won over the British.

What are the advantages of England over Champollion?

First of all, Jean Francois Champollion isn’t the only one who is trying to decipher the Rosetta stone but also some of the British experts and scholars. They had a great advantage over Champollion for they possess the Rosetta stone itself. Champollion only had to study only the copy of it but the British studied the stone itself. The British were the ones who took hold of the stone and studied the writing inscribed on the stone.

What are the different approaches of Jean Francois Champollion and Thomas Young in deciphering the hieroglyphics?

Jean Francois Champollion took the hieroglyphics as words expressed in symbols. He believed that they can be read and they can produce sound. He used his knowledge and superb mastery of ancient languages—specifically Coptic language—and other foreign languages in deciphering the hieroglyphics. On the other hand, Thomas Young used his mathematical skills in deciphering the ancient text. However, he made one big crucial mistake was that he failed to recognize that the text are paraphrases and not just simple translations unlike Champollion.