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Marie Antoinette

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About this listen

Marie Antoinette's dramatic life-story continues to arouse mixed emotions. To many people, she is still 'la reine mechante', whose extravagance and frivolity helped to bring down the French monarchy; her indifference to popular suffering epitomised by the (apocryphal) words: 'let them eat cake'. Others are equally passionate in her defence: to them, she is a victim of misogyny.

In this biography Antonia Fraser examines her influence over the king, Louis XVI, the accusations and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts which enhanced French cultural life, her imprisonment, the death threats made against her, rumours of lesbian affairs, her trial (during which her young son was forced to testify to sexual abuse by his mother) and her eventual execution by guillotine in 1793.

©2002 Antonia Fraser (P)2014 Audible, Inc. 18th Century Europe France Historical Modern Politicians Politics & Activism Royalty Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Inspiring Funny French Revolution Middle Ages
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Marie Antoinette a much maligned woman, treated with compassion by Antonia Fraser and given voice by Eleanor Bron. Sent from her family in her early teens Marie Antoinette is left to find her own way around the closed French court. She goes from much loved queen to reviled traitor who faces the " justice " of a revolutionary court and an appointment with the guillotine. A good listen, all be it very long, which will set straight any and all beliefs about Queen Marie Antoinette.

Blamed for everything but guilty of nothing.

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Finished. A good story and a good portrait of Louis and Antoinette. Again another example of what the mob can do. Pity they did not focus on the issue rather than the personalities.

A little light on history and continuity of story

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An empathic look at Marie Antoinette and her husband. Even though the ending is known, the build-up to her execution was still sad.

Worth a listen

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A lot of research and collating of information has gone into this comprehensive account of the life this ill-fated queen. It's an engrossing story particularly the second half of the book when her life is so inextricably part of the French Revolution. In many ways it's a sad story of a young girl destined from birth to be a pawn in international relations with little choice in her life. Her demonization whipped up in the minds of the public by scurrilous pamphlets promulgating rumours and lies reminds one that falsehoods 'going viral' is not just a feature of modern society and social media. The French court of Louis 16th in many ways contributed to their own demise by outrageous extravagance and cronyism: behaviour rather air-brushed out of the biography by the author. While It was understandable why ordinary French people wanted to be rid of the Monarchy it's regrettable that it led to such savagery and so many deaths. There's no doubt that Marie Antoinette became a scapegoat and, for all her faults, didn't deserve the humiliating way she was treated at the end nor the travesty of her 'trial' . The latter a dark stain on the reputation of the leaders of the revolution.
I thought Eleanor Bron an excellent narrator of this long recording.

Monumental biography

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The skilful research behind the narrative is fabulous . The delivery spellbinding. Everyone should know the real story of this much maligned Queen

Enlightening

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