Paris Woman of Choice - Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette became the Queen of France through her marriage to King Louis XVI. She symbolized extravagance and excess in the face of France’s economic turmoil, and is famously associated with the phrase “Let them eat cake.” Even though she made tremendous charitable efforts and was a patronage of the arts, she faced a lot of criticism for her lavish lifestyle. Her reign happened with the French Revolution, and she ended up meeting her demise at the guillotine in 1793. This left her legacy as a controversial figure in French history. 


Marie Antoinette’s contribution was important for a few reasons. It lies in her unknowing role as a symbol of excess and privilege during the French Revolution. As Queen of France, her crazy lifestyle as well as detachment from the suffering of the common people fueled resentment, which contributed to the revolution's momentum. Her actions sped up the monarchy’s downfall, which led to significant societal and political changes in France. She embodied the disconnect between the ruling class and the masses, and highlighted the need for social and political reforms. Although her influence was unintentional, it created a movement that ultimately transformed France, and inspired revolutions all around. 


In my opinion, I think Marie Antoinette’s commemoration is complicated. Some people view her as a tragic figure, but others see her as a symbol of elitism and extravagance. Places, streets, and statues in honor of her can be reminders of her historical significance, but also the excesses and inequalities of her era. Celebrating her achievements I think needs to be balanced with also acknowledging her role in worsening social tensions. I think commemoration should be a reflection on her legacy, both positive and negative sides to it, rather than glorification or vilification. 


TTYL. 

Sophie




Comments

  1. Sayler SchlosserMay 7, 2024 at 2:01 PM

    Hey Sophie! your blog talks about Marie Antoinette, who was a queen in France a long time ago. She was famous for being really rich and spending a lot of money when many people were poor. Because of this, some people got angry, and it helped start a big change in France called the French Revolution. I agree with your blog saying we should remember her in a way that shows both the good things she did and the problems she caused, so we can understand how things were back then.

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  2. Theresa BellMay 7, 2024 at 2:50 PM

    I love this Sophie -- there is so much complexity surrounding Antoinette! It's fascinating how she has become such an odd status symbol. We do think of the lavish, over-the-top luxury in association with "parisian living." It seems largely to stem from Antoinette's notoriety and influence, impacting Paris' status as a cultural capital. It's interesting to consider how she and her fellow nobles shaped the way we view France.

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  3. Hannah BryanMay 8, 2024 at 3:23 PM

    Hi Sophie! I've often been surprised by the flammability of human hair wigs. Your review of Marie Antoinette's status as a controversial figure seems informed and appropriate to the assigned format. I think that a step further into your research would require some looking into the way that press and slander pieces in particular played a role in instigating revolutionary sentiment among the French during the time of the revolution. There was a lot going on around that time, and a lot more was being said about Marie Antoinette than just that she lived an opulent lifestyle. People said some pretty crazy stuff. I think that this post could be really effectively used to respond to questions 1-3 of the gws final provided a little more research.

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