The difference between liberty and
tyranny during a revolution can often be hard to distinguish. I
believe this is because of the probability of the mob-mentality. The
revolutionary leaders can take down the old order, and in the same
belief of fighting the old ways commit atrocities that can be worse
than the old leaders ever attempted. You simply have to look at the current world news or thumb through a history book for evidence of this occurrence.
In Madame Tussaud, the author Michelle
Moran creates a riveting fictionalized biography of a woman whose
ambitions was to create her own financial well-being at a time when
most women sought a good marriage and family. She cleverly weaves
fiction with the true story of this famed wax sculptor; drawing you
deeper into the murky world of surviving in a city plagued by
starvation, blood thirsty mobs, politicians, and family tensions.
Moran isn't the first author I have
come across that has suggested a large part of the French Revolution
was the fact that the French monarchy, King Louis the XVI and Queen
Marie Antoinette were kept ignorant of the true state of finances of
the kingdom. While this book is a fictionalized biography, Moran has
stayed true to the events that occur in the book and sheds light on
what a family may have had to endure playing both sides of the
revolution.
This story grips you in its fist,
causing you to worry over Marie's fate; knowing that while she makes
it out alive, you also know that Marie is put through proverbial
hell. The character herself acknowledges in a moment of despair that
she traded her chance of love and safety for her wax salon and her
family. You find yourself amazed at how dedicated she was to her work
that she wouldn't leave it behind, not even for the man she loved
with her entire being. At the same time you marvel at her strength,
uncommon in the women at that time, you also wonder if she's
ridiculous for not taking the chance she had to flee to safety from a
city who was quickly becoming flooded by the blood of those who
started the revolution's movement years before.
Moran is excellent at showing a gritty
realistic revolution. When students learn about the French
Revolution, often they learn about how amazing it was that the poor
rose up against the greedy aristocracy and took control of the
nation. Many do not take the time nor are presented the picture of
how much death and fear the revolution struck into the people at the
heart of Paris. How the revolutionists cast down their leaders,
declaring them traitors and how they began a proverbial witch-hunt
for anyone that could be considered anti-revolutionist and those
related to anti-revolutionist. Friends were not safe from friends,
families turned on their own, neighbors betrayed neighbors; all of
out fear. Moran portraits this more clearly than any other author
I've read, albeit I've only read a handful of French Revolution era
novels. But what stayed with me was how she wrote the royal family,
she showed clearly the ignorance of the royal family that was
fostered by the nobles; Moran showed a Marie Antoinette a mother that
was torn by grief but had to play the part of a queen. She gave you
the feeling that you were torn between understanding the hungry
people of France as well as the blind ignorance and hopeful royal
family; just as Marie Grosholtz develops.
If you are a fan of fictional
biographies, French Revolution fiction, or just a fan of revolution
drama and politics this book should certainly be on your to read
list. The actions of the revolutionist may not be exactly what is
going on in parts of the world today, but the mob-mentality along
with the lengths these “revolutionaries” go to are along the same
lines. It is a terrifying idea that humans as a people still resort
to escalating violence because of being drunk with power and having a
following of people willing to do what is suggested so long as it is
said with enough passion.
“ 'It doesn't have to,' I tell him.
'You must simply learn the rules and obey.'
'Is that what liberty means?' he
asks earnestly.
The three of us are silent.
'No,' I say, 'That is what tyranny
means,' but I don't explain.”
Excerpt from Madame Tussad, p. 347
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