Marilyn Yalom, who discusses this passage in her book on women's memories of the Revolution, thinks this memoir - along with many others from the period - draws on various kinds of literary tropes. This is probably not so deliberate as Charlotte's assertion in her memoirs about fainting and waking up in prison. She's referring more to the exchange with the lorgnette and the ring, but who knows? Of course, it's certainly very topical to have a reference to breast-feeding in there. I suppose it's probably some of each (rose-colored glasses and Le Bas's own real actions), but I don't recall reading about such an episode anywhere in Rousseau...
Does anyone else get the suspicion that Élisabeth and Robespierre might have bonded so closely because they had something in common? *lol* I hadn't thought of that, but you may have a point there.
if Élisabeth and others thought Robespierre had some understanding with Éléonore, how does Mme Duplay's comments about getting Éléonore married off before Élisabeth fit in? Does she still see Éléonore as eligible at this point, or is she trying to protect her youngest daughter for getting embrolied in political turmoil? It's hard to say. I always thought she was including Éléonore on a technicality, with everyone invovled aware that she's not really suggesting Le Bas should marry her, so it doesn't sound like she's saying "please take Victoire off my hands." But it could be construed as evidence that Robespierre and Éléonore did not yet have an understanding at this point, or at least not a public one. It could even be seen as another fairytale trope - the happily ever after (or in this case, for less than a year -_-;) goes to the youngest of three sisters.
Alternatively, Mme Duplay could be less concerned about marrying off her elder daughters than she is in testing Le Bas; after all, how likely is it that anyone who really loved Élisabeth would agree to transfer his affections to a different person on a mere suggestion? I mean, what better way to get him to wax eloquent about his reasons for wanting to marry Élisabeth in particular?
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-08-04 03:56 pm (UTC)Does anyone else get the suspicion that Élisabeth and Robespierre might have bonded so closely because they had something in common?
*lol* I hadn't thought of that, but you may have a point there.
if Élisabeth and others thought Robespierre had some understanding with Éléonore, how does Mme Duplay's comments about getting Éléonore married off before Élisabeth fit in? Does she still see Éléonore as eligible at this point, or is she trying to protect her youngest daughter for getting embrolied in political turmoil?
It's hard to say. I always thought she was including Éléonore on a technicality, with everyone invovled aware that she's not really suggesting Le Bas should marry her, so it doesn't sound like she's saying "please take Victoire off my hands." But it could be construed as evidence that Robespierre and Éléonore did not yet have an understanding at this point, or at least not a public one. It could even be seen as another fairytale trope - the happily ever after (or in this case, for less than a year -_-;) goes to the youngest of three sisters.
Alternatively, Mme Duplay could be less concerned about marrying off her elder daughters than she is in testing Le Bas; after all, how likely is it that anyone who really loved Élisabeth would agree to transfer his affections to a different person on a mere suggestion? I mean, what better way to get him to wax eloquent about his reasons for wanting to marry Élisabeth in particular?