I have an observational question about Marie Antoinette.?

Question

No, I didn't see an advance screening of the film. Here's my observation about her:

It seemed as if she cared about raping the French treasury dry by buying boxes of shoes, tons of jewelry, and other things she can get her hands on. However, in her last days, it seems as if she really didn't want to hurt the French people.

If she actually took the time to go into the French slums and villages to walk a mile in these peoples' shoes, do you think she would've changed her lifestyle?

And, for the record, she DID NOT say "let them eat cake." That is an urban legend.

My question is this? Do you agree or disagree? I'm not really too sure about my opinion because I haven't read about her; I've only seen a couple of A&E biopics.

Answer 1

When Marie Antoine married the future Louis XVI she was 15. She was the very sheltered daughter of the Empress of Austria. Suddenly she was thrust into a very prominent position in the most sophisticated court in Europe.

Her husband was unable to consummate their marriage because of a physical deformity and therefore she was very frustrated. This went on for 7 years until finally he had an operation.

The French royal family was ruled by court ritual which would have prevented her from walking through the French slums (which would have been extremely dangerous).

With all this frustration she did what many teenagers would do. She shopped.
After she became a mother, she moderated her spending, but by this time her reputation had been ruined. In addition, many of her enemies at court spread nasty rumors about her (many of them not true) which further destroyed her repution.

Answer 2

She comes off as materialistic because she was young (18 or 19) when she married Louis XVI and had ALWAYS been used to privilege. The reason, I think, that she's still viewed as this flighty girl is because she was Austrian and Austria was a traditional enemy of France up until just prior to her marriage. She was also really into fashion, which was amazing for her image at first because people wanted to be like her but in time it became too expensive for the regular citizens to be like her. For those two reasons the French of her time vilified her and since the Revolution is held to be a watershed for history her image remains negative. Unfortunately for her, by the time she took the throne the French monarchy was already in decline and the country was in terrible debt. So she really was in the wrong place at the wrong time (as mentioned!)

Answer 3

I agree!

Marie Antoinette was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was not a bad person, but she did live in a bubble all her life.

The french at this time were very headstrong. Antoinette did say "let them eat cake," but she didn't mean cake as we know it. This cake was a type of bread that the French wouldn't eat. Keep in mind that this is during the Little Ice Age. The French were farming wheat that just died because of the climate. They also wouldn't eat potatoes like the Irish because potatoes were "the devil's food." Thus, there was a shortage of food, and that created revolts.

Answer 4

I think she just lived such a sheltered life she was totally unaware of the sufferring of the masses. This is like when Paris Hilton was on "The Simple Life" and did not even know about Walmarts.

From what I have read she actually seems like an intelligent and decent person. I think if she had been aware of everything she would have felt differently.

Answer 5

I do not know what style it was once, Abby - seeing that King Alfred had burned the article past realization. I let you know, those ancient nobles carry not anything however challenge to the sector of muffins! I like carrot cake.

Answer 6

who cares