Marie Antoinette

Zweig has written a very readable account of a person who was an unintentional instigator of the French Revolution. It portrays her as a pleasure seeking queen, who has little, if any, realization of the effects this has at the time. It also highlights the lack of feelings in her marriage to Louis. Once the revolution starts, it gives a good account of how the revolution progressed from a reasonable situation into the "terror". It also portrays Marie Antionette in a different light now that her situation is altered. His psychoanalysis of the major characters of those times seems very sound and helpful.

Stephan Zweig’s biography is difficult to better. I’ve read Antonia Fraser’s biography which was inspired by Zweig’s earlier work. The two accounts are comparable in detail but also very different. Zweig has examined extensive correspondence and other documents as his primary source. From that he’s attempted to portray the person behind the name and explore and explode some of the myths that abound about Marie Antoinette.Was she flighty, frivolous, uncaring, succumbing to the advances of numerous lovers? What was her relationship with Louis, her young inexperienced husband more interested in hunting and watchmaking? Who was plotting the downfall of the Ancien Regime and why? There’s so much detail in this book; nearly 600pp dense with information.Zweig’s narrative is accessible and the translation appears sympathetic. Bearing in mind this was first published nearly 100 years ago, it remains fresh and relevant. It’s a timeless story of love, hope, betrayal and death and one which changed the French monarchy forever. Zweig brings the period to life with detail about food, manners, people, dress and so much more. It’s vibrant and accessible and I’ve really enjoyed this account.

I've been fascinated with the life and works of Stefan Zweig since childhood. His books seemed mysterious and crystal clear at the same time, dense with meaning and emotion. I still remember being terrified with "Amok" and re-reading his captivating, profound biographies of Marie Antoinette, Mary Stuart, and Magellan... His heroes and heroines are not two-dimensional -- they are alive, they have feelings, motivations, fears and pains. His Marie Antoinette would never say "Let them eat cake." Because she would never have said so in the first place. For once, you'd be reading about a human being, not a mannequin for punching by the official post-revolutionary French propaganda. Also, this is a well-published book, and the English translation is quite good. Hope you enjoy it!

Well don't waste your time with the superficial biography of Marie Antionette by Antonia Fraser.This one is a much more accurate, objective and well rounded biography of Marie, her life and times.The author fully explains the folly, the faults and talents of Marie A.He provides a full and rich history of the times and context in which she lived, including historical events, social movements, political intriques and economic situation. Zweig does not lapse into absurd excuses for her behaviour, or the criminal activities of the French nobility, as does closet royalist A Fraser in her poor biography.Amazon's description of this book is not correct.The author bases his work on a very wide range of historical accounts, including Mercy (the Austrian Ambasador to France), Marie's mother (Maria Theresa - Empress of Austria) and her brother Joseph II of Austria in addition to many others.While Fraser tries to cover up the fact that Marie was in fact a French traitor, author Zweig here completely exposes it and makes no excuses. To save her own skin Marie actively sought the military invasion of France by Austria and gave secret French military plans to the enemy.Louis XV1 did the same.That's still a death sentence in many countries today let alone in the 1790's.Whatever we think of the French Revolutionary Court now they got the verdict right and a death sentence was the normal outcome then. But Zweig also rounds out the portrait by observing her many good qualities and how she appears to have finally learnt something in the end. Just 15 yrs to late of course :)

Uno de los libros más importantes de ensayo de Zweig. Lo he leído en dos etapas. No se lee de un tirón. La primera parte del libro hasta la Toma de la Bastilla es imprescindible para conocer al personaje pero se hace un poco repetitiva. La segunda se lee casi como una novela de intriga. El intento de fuga hasta Varennes es apasionante asi como los últimos meses de MA en prisión.