Versailles: I say revolt !
Visiting Versailles brought vivid imagery to my eyes. I was able to fully understand what France was like during the time leading up to the revolution. In reading a “Tale of Two Cities” and additional history, I can see both perspectives of the royal family and everyday people. Walking in the palace extends twelve miles totaling an entirety of 2,014 acres. My first thought was “ wow! This is huge. Does one family really need all this space?”. The palace is beautifully decorated, however, it is very flashy. It seems as if the Louis lineage had to make it known that they were wealthy. Almost every wall is decorated with massive religious paintings all from the Renaissance era. They are large and extravagant. I imagine it must’ve cost a pretty penny to get those works commissioned over the years. However, I did think it was a little ironic. For France to be heavily influenced by catholicism, one would think King Louis would’ve took into consideration the well being of his people. For Mark 12:31 states “ Love your neighbor as yourself”. Looking at many biblical references, there is no doubt the God loved all his people and saw no difference. One should treat others how they want to be treated.
King Louis XVI was entirely too flashy. His expansion of the gardens is ridiculous. As I was walking through some questions that popped through my head consisted of: Why is the garden so big? Did they have horses take them around? Were the children even allowed to play? Did they get lost? Learning more about the daily life of the nobility was also interesting. I often questioned how can one be so greedy but then I had to remind myself money can be the root of all evil. I particularly enjoyed visiting Marie Antionette’s quarters: Le Domaine De Trianon. I found it more realisitic and overall wholesome. King Louis XIV, knew what he was doing when he began constructing it for his mistress, Madame de Montespan. It indeed is a place of intimacy. I thought the cottages with surrounding lakes was very tasteful and an excellent place for children to grow up.
Reflecting on “ A Tale of Two Cities”, I understand the Reign of Terror and Storming of the Bastille. I empathize with the working class. Dickens’ use of audority sense as well the gory detailing makes sense. Marching up Versailles as a common person pleading for a simple necessity such as food, I would be truly disgusted with the King. How dare he raise taxes to pay for his lavish lifestyle? I would be livid and demand the guillotine as well. King Louis XVI didn’t even think about inviting the working class to an annual ball where he could show his appreciation for the people of France who work hard daily to keep him afloat. There were two characters that stood out to me as I continued my visit: Madame Defarge and the Marquis. The scene of the woman asking the Marquis for help with the burial of her dead husband and him snarking back basically saying no because he can’t help a dead man infuriates me. I feel that woman’s pain. The Marquis was no king but one could consider him apart of the nobility since he was an aristocrat. His character is the perfection depiction of those who suffer from the sin of greed. He does not care about the people he exploits, comparable to King Louis XVI.
I thought about Madame Defarge as well due to her rage. To learn what happened to her family only reminded me how the rich get away with so much. The Louis Lineage had their way for years. In thinking of all these things, I came to the conclusion that the French Revolution was successful because it was a radical progressive movement that did not care about bloodshed. The brutality enforced a change. Looking at modern movements, the Black Panther Party was mainly successful due to unity, radicalism, and forcefulness. Huey P. Newton, Angela Davis, and Bobby Seale knew in order to make a change one has to present confidence and muscle towards their oppressor. Another comparable example would be the 2021 storming of the Capitol building. Trump supporters were united in a goal and did not care about the consequences. They exuded superiority, confidence, and force. That is why they were successful other than the fact of their white privilege. Although beautiful Versailles to me is a memory of oppression, bloodshed, and rebirth.