Marie-Antoinette

1391 Words3 Pages

Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna, later known as Marie-Antoinette, was born on 02 November 1755. At 13 years of age, Marie was sent to France to begin her relationship with the Dauphin of France, Louis XVI. In 1770, at the age of 15, she and the Louis XVI were married in Vienna, then taking the throne in 1774. Marie-Antoinette was a young, beautiful, elegant, and graceful queen whose fashion influenced the women of France. She was very proud of where she originated, Hapsburg, and she was very proud of how she presented herself. Marie-Antoinette was a young woman who was never given an opportunity to be young. She married young, took over as the queen of France at a young age, and therefore she still had much growing up to do. The queen had a lifestyle that the people of France frowned upon, which was probably due to her lack of maturity.

Marie-Antoinette had everything a girl could every want, but she was unhappy with her relationship with her husband and missed her family. Marie was the complete opposite of her husband, which made their relationship hard to endure. Marie was a girl who enjoyed arts, fashion, dance, and the nightlife of France. Meanwhile, her husband preferred hunting, clocks, and working in his workshop. The king, Louis VXI, at first enjoyed the sight of his wife, but felt uncomfortable and it took seven years for Marie-Antoinette and her husband to consummate their marriage. During those seven years Marie took criticism from not only the people of France, over her lack of responsibilities as a wife, but also her family constantly insisted that she try. The people of France also criticized her for taking her so long to birth an heir to the throne. However, the people of France did not know that Louis X...

... middle of paper ...

...ked Queen." Eighteenth Century: Theory and Interpretation (Texas Tech University Press) 44, no. 2/3 (2003): 233-255. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu (accessed September 22, 2010).

Fraser, Antoina. Marie Antoinette: The Journey. New York: N.A. Talese/Doubleday, 2001.

Hsia, R. Po-Chia, Lynn Hunt, Thomas R. Martin, Barbara H. Rosenwein, and Bonnie G. Smith. The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures, Volume II: Since 1500. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008.

Kaiser, Thomas. "From the Austrian Committee to the Foreign Plot: Marie-Antoinette, Austrophobia, and the Terror." French Historical Studies 26, no. 4 (2003): 579. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu (accessed September 22, 2010).

None, None. "The Birth of Marie Antoinette." History Today 55, no. 11 (2005): N/A. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/ (accessed October 18, 2010).

Open Document