The Saxe-Coburg, desd. of Prince Ferdinand and Antonia Kohary

[grandduchessella]

I don't know--wouldn't it have been more romantic if Leopold had been a willing participant?  :-/

Otherwise, I know what you mean--it has a long tradition from Romeo and Juliet to all the movies and stories regarding Mayerling.

[bluetoria]

Otherwise, I know what you mean--it has a long tradition from Romeo and Juliet to all the movies and stories regarding Mayerling.

Yes, thank you!    That's exactly what I meant! Romeo & Juliet, Cleopatra, Mayerling etc. It's not the reality it's the ROMANCE.
Thanks

[Marlene]

"However! Since I started it...I was only considering it in the light of a romantic story - & as I said the reality isn't quite the same as a dream.

More to the point...THANK YOU for your information about Leopold.

[/quote]

We have very different views of romance.  Throwing acid on someone or shooting one's partner and then killing's oneself does bring romantic sounds to me ..  My husband died five years ago - a heart attack at the age of 50 -- and we had a wonderful marriage, and we had romance ...  Mayerling ain't romantic to me ...

[Marlene]

We have very different views of romance.  Throwing acid on someone or shooting one's partner and then killing's oneself does bring romantic sounds to me ..  My husband died five years ago - a heart attack at the age of 50 -- and we had a wonderful marriage, and we had romance ...  Mayerling ain't romantic to me ...[/quote]


Should be does not bring romantic sounds to me.

[bluetoria]

I am very sorry about your husband; you must miss him very much.

Perhaps we should agree to disagree about the romance. My views about the romance in the suicide are partly based on quite a different experience altogether. We all deal with things in our own way, hey?

[Marlene]

I am very sorry about your husband; you must miss him very much.

Perhaps we should agree to disagree about the romance. My views about the romance in the suicide are partly based on quite a different experience altogether. We all deal with things in our own way, hey?

Yes, I do miss him very much, and it is not easy rebuilding a life.  Our marriage was romantic but also based on Christian love -- a suicide pact is not really about love.

[Marlene]

No  just the WPost article "Immediately after attacking him, the girl, who had entreated in vain to provide for her welfare, committed suicide in his presence."

And the NYTimes 10-24-1915 :Woman attacks prince.
"It is stated that the woman committed suicide by shooting."

[grandduchessella]

I think bluetoria is really just referring to the long literary and historical tradition of joint suicide having a romantic connotation (like Romeo & Juliet--Shakespeare probably did much to advance this idea). I myself don't find it very romantic but I understand what she's trying to say. The Leopold situation doesn't fit because a) acid throwing--ghastly! b) it's murder not suicide  I think there's a certain appeal to writers when 2 people jointly decide to end their lives rather than be apart, etc...

I used to see your signature line about being a widow on the other newsgroups and I am very sorry for your loss. My father died suddenly of a heart attack 9 years ago and my mother misses him every day (as do we all). I faced being a 25 year old widow with a toddler when my husband was in the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996 and it was about the worst feeling I've had.  

[bluetoria]

I totally, utterly, unconditionally, outrightly wholeheartedly, entirely withdraw all my previously expressed views about the romance of suicide previously posted! And I'm sorry if I caused anyone any offence.

[bluetoria]

Thank you!   I do think perhaps people can be offended & I suppose when people on sites like this know so little about each other, we have to be careful...so, sorry! (What's happened to the Pope...I haven't heard that?)

( And yes I WAS talking about the romantic tradition)

[bluetoria]

I've just noticed!! I've become a god...right at the moment when I was thinking of Cleopatra:
"I have immortal longings in me!"  

[Eurohistory]

I totally, utterly, unconditionally, outrightly wholeheartedly, entirely withdraw all my previously expressed views about the romance of suicide previously posted! And I'm sorry if I caused anyone any offence.

Let me give my two pence' worth...you are entitled to your opinion and views...point blank, plain and simple.  What may be a painful memory to me, may not be so for someone else. No one has a monopoly on loss and we  have all lost someone dear...it is painful, a pity and a terrible thing to experience, but you should not compromise your opinion to suit the rest of us.

Arturo Beéche

[Marlene]

"I used to see your signature line about being a widow on the other newsgroups and I am very sorry for your loss. My father died suddenly of a heart attack 9 years ago and my mother misses him every day (as do we all). I faced being a 25 year old widow with a toddler when my husband was in the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996 and it was about the worst feeling I've had.  [/quote]


Thank you .. and my heart goes out all of our military families.  A member of our church just suffered a great loss.  His Marine group was ambushed last week, and most of the men were killed.  Mike, whose wife is pregnant, happened to be in a military hospital in Baghdad with strep throat,  now suffers through the emotions of loss, guilt, and knowing that he is alive, but most of his buddies are now dead or seriously wounded.

This is totally OT.  Bill was the last of my family, and I have to make decisions without support from a family unit.  

[Marlene]

I totally, utterly, unconditionally, outrightly wholeheartedly, entirely withdraw all my previously expressed views about the romance of suicide previously posted! And I'm sorry if I caused anyone any offence.

Blue .. no offense was taken  nor offence  

[grandduchessella]

 Thank you .. and my heart goes out all of our military families.  A member of our church just suffered a great loss.  His Marine group was ambushed last week, and most of the men were killed.  Mike, whose wife is pregnant, happened to be in a military hospital in Baghdad with strep throat,  now suffers through the emotions of loss, guilt, and knowing that he is alive, but most of his buddies are now dead or seriously wounded.This is totally OT.  Bill was the last of my family, and I have to make decisions without support from a family unit.  

How horrid for him. It's got to be rough with the loss of friends but yet relieved that he wasn't there. And his wife--what stress to go through when your pregnant. I pray everyday for military families stationed everywhere. My heart just goes out to them.

bluetoria--the Pope was hospitalized with influenza but it seems like it could be more serious than that--especially with his already poor condition.

Art--you are right. If we couldn't talk about things that involved loss we'd never be able to talk about NAOTMAA at all!

As to the original topic, I'm still just horrified that she'd throw acid on the poor fellow! How they could even start to treat that when it's still so difficult with today's technology is beyond me. And that his mother was seemingly indifferent?! The children of Leopold II were seriously messed up it seems.