A compelling and human look at marie antoinette s life. Nov 12, 2002 frances beleaguered queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was the subject of ridicule and curiosity even before her death. Jul, 2001 marie antoinette antonia fraser 499pp, weidenfeld. A letter from lady antonia fraser my dear reader, i had always hoped to write about marie antoinette one daya childhood heroine like my first subject, mary queen of scotsbut when i started my real journey of investigation five years ago, i must admit that i had no idea what a rich, fascinating story it would prove to be. Nov 12, 2002 frances iconic queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was alternately revered and reviled during her lifetime. In lady antonias corrective portrait, marie antoinette is a sympathetic and at times even philanthropic figure. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so. My chosen subtitle the journey refers of course at one level to the journey marie antoinette made from austria to france at the age of fourteen, when she married the heir to the french throne, the future louis xvi. Marie antoinette was of little use in the first endeavor. However, as fraser acknowledges in the book, there was no solid proof that the love. Erin 111720 i have always had a fascination with marie antoinette. Top 6 quotes from marie antoinette the journey free book notes. My concern, as the subtitle of the book indicates, has been to trace the twofold journey of the austrianborn french queen.
The marriage was intended to strengthen the austrianfrench alliance and produce sons to continue it. Constance, according to her son joseph weber, who later wrote his memoirs, was famed for her beautiful figure and an even greater beauty of soul. The tragic story of marieantoinettes favourite son right after and gained a much clearer and. How important was marie antoinettes childhood in austriahistorical enemy of francein influencing her career. The french queen who emerges from the pages of antonia frasers marie antoinette. Antonia fraser picked quite an interesting subject, when she wrote the historical biography, marie antoinette. Marie antoinette by antonia fraser books the guardian. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. Apr 01, 2007 the marie antoinette of the journey is sexually liberated fraser even has her using birth control and therefore made acceptable to the popular culture. For centuries since, she has been the object of debate, speculation, and the fascination so often accorded illustrious figures in history. The youngest daughter, fifteenth out of sixteen children, of austrian empress maria teresa and francis i, marie antoinette was sent on a literal journey by her mother from vienna to versailles with the expectation that she would further austrian interests at all times. Marie antoinettes scandalous secret letters to her.
Frances iconic queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was alternately revered and reviled during her lifetime. Some of the very good biography books are available on our site and waiting for you. In the past, antonia frasers bestselling histories and biographies have focused on people and events in her native england, from mary queen of scots to faith and. If you are a book reader and you like to read a lot then you are in the right place. Marie antoinette was a patron of the arts and a nature enthusiast. Above all, i have attempted, at least so far as is humanly possible, to tell marie antoinettes dramatic story without anticipating its terrible ending. Antoinette goes into mourning for her loss but spends all her time trying to better the situation for her children.
The marriage was intended to strengthen the austrianfrench. Should she have tried to influence louis xvi more or was she correct to let history take its own course. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately. Antonia fraser this biography examines marie antoinette s influence over the king, the accusations and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts, her imprisonment, the death threats, rumours of. The journey is a sympathetic figure, a wellmeaning yet flawed woman tragically caught up in political and social forces beyond her control. The journey began in vienna, where marie antoinette was just the youngest daughter of the empress marie therese. Sep 23, 2001 fraser can now justify her book s subtitle, the journey, which denotes marie antoinette s amazing transformation in her last four years from heedless playgirl to endlessly courageous, decisive.
Her father was the emperor of the holy roman empire. The tragic life of marie antoinette, rich in conflicting detail, remains a biographers challenge, and antonia frasers richly human yet evenhanded account is a readers delight. It was a pageturner for me up until about the last 50 pages or so and then i started to get anxious for my next read. The journey follows the life journey and what a journey it was.
It is the basis for the 2006 sofia coppola film marie antoinette. Marie antoinette, queen, consort of louis xvi, king of france, 17551793. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Frasers sizable new portrait avoids the saccharine romance of evelyne levers recent marie antoinette, balancing empathy for the pleasureloving queen with an. Her childhood is filled with instruction based on the probability that she is destined for a royal marriage to cement an alliance between countries and families. The journey is a sympathetic 2001 biography of archduchess marie antoinette, the queen of france 17741792 by antonia fraser. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read marie antoinette.
Thankfully, i read deborah cadburys book the lost king of france. Antoinette is the fifteenth child of the austrian king and queen. The introduction, discussion questions, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups reading of antonia frasers acclaimed biography marie antoinette. Thomas cromwell trilogy book 1 the wolf hall trilogy. Its not so good to be the queen the new york times. Frances beleaguered queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused. A resolute biographer and a kinder, gentler antoinette the. I dont know why it took me so long to pick up this book. The journey 9780385662871 by fraser, antonia and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The journey by antonia fraser, sofia coppolas marie antoinette is a powerful and sympathetic film of the tragic life of frances iconic and misunderstood eighteenthcentury queen. For your reference, we provided these marie antoinette the journey quotes with page numbers using the following version of the book. Shortly after midnight on june 20, 1791, a small group of people left the tuileries. Brilliantly written, a work of impeccable scholarship.
In this book, you will find information, tools and stories that shed light on other contributing factors of a spiritual and soul nature, which look like mental health symptoms on the surface but can be viewed as signs and signals of awakening, transformation and soul emergence. In 1770, marie antoinette, aged 14, wed the awkward 16yearold who in 1774 became louis xvi. It is a portrait which contradicts evidence, presented in the same book and in other biographies, about the beliefs, sentiments and lifestyle of the true marie antoinette. Assess the political role of marie antoinette in the years shortly before the french revolution. Marie antoinette the journey, random house llc, 2002 512 pages. T marie antoinette the journey free download slideshare. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately and with such authority as in antonia frasers newest work, marie antoinette.
Marie antoinette is probably the most famous and memorable lady in french history, bar none. She began life as the daughter of an austrian queen. Frasers sizable new portrait avoids the saccharine romance of evelyne levers recent marie antoinette, balancing empathy for. The book, which was relaunched to coincide with the release of the related film, has had considerable success. Married at the age of 14 to louis xvi an act of diplomacy between austria and france rather than a matter of the heart marie antoinette entered into a life at court marked by scandal, tragedy and violence, as political upheaval swept through france. Marie antoinette was put into the care of constance weber, wife of a magistrate. It has been translated into french and italian, been. The journey, published in 2001, also addresses their affair. Is philanthropy an essential part of the royal role. Famously known as the eighteenthcentury french queen whose excesses have become brilliantly written, a work of impeccable scholarship.
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