@erzsi:
Well I always knew that both movies about MA were not realistic at all, but I thought the docudrama did quite well - the best so far -, yes it missed out on much and shows her in a good light but so did all books I read on her so far, which is not much, but I will go reading the books you suggested and see if I have to change my thoughts about her.
Well sadly its not really the case for the docudrama.... :S Cause as said, they still represented the so silly rumor of the phimosis of the king which never existed, eg. Well the books i read didn´t. There are some books where you just have to read...you know, some people can´t read correctly and just read what they want to read. I don´t say you do..it was just an example...
But in the book of Joan Haslip eg. you can find a lot of parts where its very clear that MA wasn´t this soo sweet angel. Also the dairies of Mme. Campan aren´t really trustfull. Cause the Madame loves to add her person dramatically way/view of a lot of tghings. And wanted to make the world believe in her points of MA. No matte if they were true or not. Maybe there is also to find surely some true elements, yes, but if you don´t now both sides MA+Louis and of other people around them to compare, its hard to figure out what is right. Like Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, she wrote in her dairy, that she was so amazed about MA skin...that she was talking in front of the queen etc, but after or "behind her back" and in privat, she wasn´t so founded of the queen. It was just a job she really need for her family, she queen wasn´t so gret in her opinion and also not really beautiful...:S The court overact MA a lot cause of her rank.... Cause i remember that her skin wasn´t the best after the pox, the scars she got were it seems "so bad" that Maria Theresia wanted to powder MA´s faces to cover it up.
And thanks, its nice that you will give a try for the books.
But I must agree she was not that much of a Queen - she cared too much for her own pleasure etc -, but I do think she simply did not know better and that is why she didn't do much for the people.
Yes sadly thats true. And thats a point a good queen should do... Not only care about her look or fashion and own well. And well as its for me more bad "excuse" for her behavior.
Cause as said she had her mother for the best example of a good ruler. And even if MA missed a lot of a good edjucation for her postion of the Daphine de France, the empress teached her her also in her letter to do the best/right and her sorrows which MA liked to overflow. Eg:::
>>> Indeed, she had recommended MA to behave in France like a Frenchwoman, but doesn´t mean with that, that she should not emulate the french habits. The mother in Vienna
came something bad to her ears, she clung on the hope, through exhortation, to be able to turn away the worst one. One hear, "that You bought bracelets for 250.000Livre, for this reason of her gainings disheveled and made debt." In the newspapers is " now only the speech of horse running, games of chance, and stayed awake all nights."
Not to last: Excursions with Count de Artois have done more grief to me, as i forsee the consequences. In the long run this hunt for the pleasure will damage her health and her call.If you let drift yourself, I foresee big misfortune for you."One day you will recognise it, but then it will be too late.I wish not to survive this misfortune. "
>>>Sie hatte MA zwar empfohlen, sich in France wie eine Französin zu benehmen, hatte damit aber nicht gemeint, das sie französische Unsitten nacheifern sollte. Der Mutter in Wien kam schlimmes zu Ohren sie klammerte sich an die Hoffnung, durch Mahrnrufe, das schlimmste abwenden zu können. Man höre, "das Sie Armbänder für 250.000Livre gekauft, zu diesem Zweck Ihrer Einkünfte derangiert und Schulden gemacht haben." In den Zeitungen sei "jetzt nur noch von Pferderrennen, Hasardspiele, und Durchwachten Nächten die Rede." Nicht zu Letzt: "Ausflüge mit Count de Artois haben mir um so mehr Kummer gemacht, als ich die Konsequenzen vorraus sehe. Auf die Dauer wird diese Jagd nach dem Vergnügen ihre Gesundheit und ihrem Ruf schaden. Wenn Sie sich treiben lassen, sehe ich großes Unglück für Sie voraus. "Eines Tages werden Sie es erkennen, aber dann wird es zu spät sein. Ich wünsche nicht dieses Unglück zu überleben."
From the Book "Maria Theresia-The great Habsburgerin-Franz Herre
