(Left: Anne Boleyn by Holbein; right: Marie-Antoinette by d'Agoty)
So here are some comparisons I made between the French queen and the English one.
They were two women whose gracefulness and liveliness were acknowledged in their court. While Anne B. somewhat received an education in France (serving as a lady in waiting for the queen) that she brought back to England, Marie-Antoinette was "formed" to live in the French court. Both had then a very particular relationship with this country.
Marie-Antoinette was the new "thing" in the Versailles court, taking from her natal Austria, her freshness, her youth and her special beauty. To be honest, she matched the expectations of the French court as far as beauty standards were concerned. Blond, blue-eyed, lovely, very fair-skined, growing tall (though she was very petite at the beginning) etc.
On the contrary, Anne Boleyn was rather an exotique woman: she was dark-haired and brown-eyed and olive-skined when the Renaissance time actually favoured blond-haired women with very pale complexion. She was standing out in the English court. Plus her skills in French and dancing and fashion appealed to most men. They grew rapidly fond of her and this was how Henry VIII noticed her.
Both women animated their courts and while occupying the most powerful positions as women, they were much looked up at and admired. They were the centre of attention.
Their marriages revealed themselves unhappy at least, more for Anne Boleyn. She dealt with an unfaithful husband. H.VIII was capricious, hot-tempered, authoritarian. Their relationship became rather tumultuous after waiting several years before marrying and having sex together. AB knew how to keep her distance with the king in order to be elevated at a better position than a king's mistress. Poor Katherine of Aragon, dealing with a cheating husband and a rebellious lady-in-waiting. Sigh. When AB gave birth to a daughter instead of a son, the disappointment was huge but they expected for other children.
As for Marie-Antoinette, her marriage to Louis XVI gave her some mixed feelings at the beginning. First, his shyness and distance kind of hurt the princess but they grew to appreciate each other. They waited a long time before consumating their marriage and catching up for their fruitless honeymoon. Seven years passed before this happening and they needed eight years when a daughter was born, at last. This would, I think, help MA to consider her husband under a better light. Before he was able to make love with her, she called him the "poor man" in a letter which really stupefied and disgusted her mother. As she knew she gave birth to a daughter, on December 19th 1778, she could barely refrain her disappointment. But then, she and Louis XVI were much delighted to have a child at last, and to see they were fertile.
The two queens suffered gossips and rumours. People's tales really damaged their reputations. As for AB, she was unlucky to have married a versatile man who grew quickly tired of her. He couldn't stand her fits of anger and jealousy any longer and was starting to notice women much different from her. That was why sweet Jane Seymour caught his attention. Moreover, AB still didn't give him a male heir, which made them both so exasperated and unhappy. It also made her position more fragile. Because she probably started to feel her situation was crumbling, AB miscarried several times (and there may be some problems from Henry too). More and more people wanted her to be off.
Marie-Antoinette's popularity declined because she neglected the court as she sought intimacy and tranquillity with just a small society of friends around her. Furthermore, some old aristocracy disliked how she waved them away, making probably some old ladies jealous of her beauty and youth. Versailles was more deserted than it had been under Louis XV. Louis XVI who was still popular at the end of his reign could have prevented such a fall out between his wife and the people. Indeed, he should have been firmier as far as some of her leisures were concerned. And maybe put a halt to some of her expenses. Slanders, lies and bad gossips really ended up as the evil towards MA. But unlike Anne, Marie-Antoinette enjoyed having a faithful husband.
Both women spent their last days in prison, MA in the conciergerie, AB in the London tower.
(Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn)
(Kirsten Dunst as Marie-Antoinette)
Marie-Antoinette was executed when she was 38 years old, at least, 15 years after her marriage.
Anne was beheaded just 3 years after her marriage and coronation. From some reports, she might have been under 30.
No comments:
Post a Comment