By Antonia FraserThe first Bastille Day or Fete de la Federation was held on July 14, 1790 as a celebration of the unity of the French national during the French Revolution. The aim of this celebration, one year after the storming of the Bastille, was to symbolize peace. sadly, the following years brought great upheaval to the French nation as the revolution descended into the Reign of Terror and many French people, most notably royals, lost their lives.
This well-researched and sympathetic biography by a well-respected writer really opened my eyes to the fascinating world of Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. While she admittedly was a big spender, Marie was sympathetic and eager to please the French people, her husband, and her mother (Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress). Marrying the Dauphin (the future Louis XVI) at the tender age of 16, she worked hard to master the French language and was initially adored by the French people. Yet she became the scapegoat for the poor people's problems and her husband, a gentle man, was also caught up in the revolution and general paranoia. Before her own death by guillotine in 1793, Marie also suffered the loss (by illness) of two of her four children, of her husband (by execution), and she herself gave a brave and impressive defense, although her fate had already been sealed.
No comments:
Post a Comment