Marie Antoinette The Portrait Of An Average Woman

Marie Antoinette

Life at the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette has long captivated readers, drawn by accounts of the intrigues and pageantry that came to such a sudden and unexpected end. Stefan Zweig's Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman is a dramatic account of the guillotine's most famous victim, from the time when as a fourteen-year-old she took Versailles by storm, to her frustrations with her aloof husband, her passionate love affair with the Swedish Count von Fersen, and ultimately to the chaos of the French Revolution and the savagery of the Terror. An impassioned narrative, Zweig's biography focuses on the human emotions of the participants and victims of the French Revolution, making it both an engrossingly compelling read and a sweeping and informative history. "Certainly no one can arise unmoved from the reading of this powerful work." -- The New Republic "Excellent biography." -- The New York Times

Marie Antoinette

Stefan Zweig's Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman, first published in 1932, is one of the most compelling and psychologically nuanced biographies of the doomed French queen. Renowned for his ability to bring historical figures to life, Zweig offers an intimate and deeply human portrayal of Marie Antoinette, tracing her transformation from a carefree Austrian archduchess to the tragic symbol of the French Revolution. Unlike traditional biographies that focus solely on political events, Zweig's approach is psychological and novelistic, making the book as gripping as a work of fiction. He explores Marie Antoinette's emotional world, her initial naïveté and frivolity at the court of Versailles, her lavish lifestyle, and her slow awakening to the realities of her position as queen. As France plunges into revolutionary chaos, Zweig examines how Marie Antoinette evolves from a sheltered, pleasure-seeking woman into a figure of resilience and dignity in the face of her impending doom. Drawing from an extensive range of historical sources, Zweig vividly recreates the opulence of the Bourbon court, the growing unrest of the French people, and the dramatic downfall of the monarchy. He neither condemns nor glorifies Marie Antoinette, but instead presents her as a flawed, complex individual caught in the merciless tide of history. His narrative is filled with emotional depth, historical insight, and a keen understanding of human psychology, making this one of the most enduring biographies of the queen. This new edition preserves Zweig's masterful storytelling, offering readers a deeply immersive experience into one of history's most infamous lives. Whether you are drawn to royal history, the French Revolution, or simply a story of human strength and transformation, Marie Antoinette remains an essential and fascinating read.

Marie Antoinette