Why was Marie Antoinette a hated character by some?

Answer 1

1) she was Austrian and was therefore percieved to be a foreigner. This was especially a bad position for he after the Austrians and Prussians declared war on France in 1792

2) she was percieved as being out of touch with the common people in France. Although she likely never said it, the famous quote attibuted to her "let them eat cake," characterizes this sense of being out of touch. She was also percieved as living very lavishly at a time when France was suffering economically.

Answer 2

As others have said, the French at the time thought of her as an outsider and the nationalistic feelings of each country were very strong. However another factor was that her husband, Louis 16th, was a weak man. He was the grandson of Louis 14th, called the Sun King who took France to the height of its international influence and power. Which only means it declined afterwards.

Marie's husband was a poor decision-maker and usually waited until issues were beyond repair before making a desparate move. The country lost not just its power, but more importantly to the people, its economy and Louis 16th's funding of the American Revolution didn't help.

It was easy to blame Marie as she seemed so sophisticated and blase and was rumored to be having an affair. As a matter of fact the people were so eager to use her as a scapegoat that they even accused her of sleeping with her brother. Louis did pay for many of her frivolous things, but she did not set the policy. She certainly didn't do anything to interject and help, but she alone was not the cause of their financial problems.

Just like today, the media at the time played a big role and emotions came into play that were reactions to gossip and innuendo. This was exascerbated by those who were so enraged they decided to try to overthrow the monarchy - which was a HUGE thing to do, bigger than anything we can imagine in America. The people trying to overthrow the King were smart enough and calculating enough to use the media to influence the masses, and she was an easy target.

I'm not saying she was blameless. It's not like she was a big philanthropist or anything, but she alone was not responsible for the fall of the French country from its previous dominant position.

Answer 3

Many French people hated the queen for her Austrian blood and her formerly frivolous ways. She was rumored to have had numerous affairs. The most persistent rumor centered on Count Hans Axel Fersen, a Swedish diplomat. He was definitely one of the queen's favorites, but it is doubtful that they were lovers. Yet Marie Antoinette was reviled in pornographic songs, pictures and pamphlets. Someone even published a fake autobiography in which the queen supposedly confessed her sins, calling herself a prostitute. Marie Antoinette was also called Madame Deficit and blamed for the country's financial problems.

Answer 4

Good question. Although history paints a pretty poor picture of her, she was actually very nice, but she led a very protected and pampered life. She had no common sense would be one way of putting it. The famous quote about her saying "let them eat cake" is also taken out of context. When she learned from her "advisors" that the people were starving, She was being compassionate by saying that they could eat ( and here the problem starts, she did not know bread, she grew up eating a sweet treat of which I forget the name now) so in french it meant "the sweat treat" or something similar to that. Also, the peasants grew to hate the aristocacy and to them, she became a focal point for their hatred. ( there were many reasons this happened). In the end, they chopped off her head.

Answer 5

actually Antoinette was pretty much a scapegoat for everything that was wrong with France during her time.

For one she was Austrian, and France was having a war with Austria. Secondly the economic problems of France and seeing MA buy such lovely things made many commoners resent her. (She was a queen... she did get a lot of gifts from people as well)

Third was because she was a woman in revolutionary france. She was blamed for corrupting Louis XVI and making all his policies fail. Believe it or not, in the beginning of the revolution Louis XVI was actually still quite popular and supported.

Answer 6

Yes. I mean, they cut off her head. The French revolutionaries didn't like her because she was part of the aristocracy, which they were against on principal. Also, she was pretty stupid and bad at running a country. Her advisors once told her there was not enough bread for the peasants to heat, and her solutions was the famous phrase, "Then let them eat cake!"

Answer 7

The was living the same life style as queens of the past, but times had changed.
There was also a sustained campaign of pornographic vilification of her, instigated by the Duke of Orleans.

Answer 8

Jenn...Corn Bread has it exactly right. He deserves the 10!

Good one, Corn Bread!

I will say this, though...the "let them eat cake" is a false quote. Take a look at the site below...it explains it better than I can. Poor maligned Marie!

Answer 9

well there are various reasons, such as her austrian blood, frivilous spending, and not birthing a child within a yr of her marraige. i was intrigued by her story, ive watched the movie, (starring kristen dunst)which i recommend to get the just of her life. but not on accurate historical data. she also became most hated because she was isolated from the people as she lived lavishly, they were in poverty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette

Answer 10

well theres many reasons... some thought she was a whore...some thought she was a gold digger... some thought she was a terrible leader and wife... some thought she was just an ok person