\"The Bastille Taken\": Idioms, Proverbs, Sayings, and Jokes About France's Main Fortress On July 14, 1789, the Parisian crowd stormed the fortress-prison of the Bastille. This event echoed throughout the world and forever changed the course of history. But along with the revolution, the Bastille gave birth to a whole layer of culture — idioms, proverbs, sayings, and countless jokes that still exist today. From school anecdotes to philosophical quotes — the image of the Bastille has firmly taken root in the language, becoming a symbol not only of freedom but also of the people's humor. \"Take the Bastille\": The Main Phraseologicalism of the Revolution The most famous idiom associated with the Bastille is undoubtedly \"take the Bastille.\" In its literal sense, it means the storming of the fortress on July 14, 1789, but in a metaphorical sense, it symbolizes victory over oppression, the collapse 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. We encounter it in literature in the most diverse contexts. For example, in one quote from Russian classics, we read: \"Well, if there is a tribune whose voice will lead 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 French bastille — fortress) deserves special attention. In many languages, it has become a byword for a prison or place of confinement. 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 metaphorical sense, \"sitting in the Bastille\" meant being in confinement, and \"bre ... Read more