While Paris itself is mentioned only briefly when Henry is sent away, the spirit of Paris is ever-present in the story. The Swiss Peasant takes place as "the spirit of the French Revolution [is] awakening," and the revolutionary ideals of Louis are at the very heart of the tale. Not only do Louis' politics evoke the tumult in Paris, but the tone of the story is increasingly tense as class relations grow more contentious. Fanny mentions fretting over "the stirring and terrible events that took place at this time in France" and the increasing violence of a similar nature in Switzerland.