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L'AUTRICHIENNE- The Rival Bride Archetype

A Typical Marchen Rival BrideNot long after this adventure the king and queen sent their beloved son on an embassy to a neighbouringcountry to seek a bride from amongst the seven princesses. The most beautiful of

all was, of course, the onechosen [...] 'I can't stay here all day,' said the princess, crossly, when Grethari told her of the plight they were in.Not that he felt so very much in love with her, for during the voyage she had shown him several times how vain andbad tempered she was; but as aprince and a bridegroom, he could not, of course,bear to think that any slight had been putupon her.During the long pause the princess sat in the beautiful golden coach, her blue velvet mantle powdered withsilver bees drawn closely round her, so that not even the tip of her nose couldbe seen.It was, perhaps, fortunate that the princess was too busy with her clothes and h

er jewels during this period topay much heed to Grethari, so that by the time the wedding day came round he hadalmost forgotten how

cross and rude she had been on the journey.The princess was in high good humour, feeling that all eyes were upon her, and bowed and smiledright and left. Taking the prince's hand, she sailed proudly down the room, where the guests were alreadyassembled, to her place at the head of the table by the side of the bridegroom.

(Unusual Mercy For This Rival Bride[...] and in the end it was settled that half the kingdom must be given to the despised princess, insteadof a husband. She sailed back at once to her country, where she was soon betrothed to a young noble, whom,in reality, she liked much better than Grethari.) [...]but the bride is unwilling, for all her blue eyes and her golden hair! Andshe keeps by her side acup of poison, and declares that she will swallow it rather than become his wife.

[...]her own daughter was ugly and stupid.[...]as her own daughter was still unmarried, and was likely to remain so,because she was so ill-tempered and stupid that no one wanted her.[...]

Folklorists on the Rival BrideIn fairy tales there is a naturally recurring theme of a false bride taking theplace of the true bride. The false bride isoften referred to as the Black Bride [...] However, the reality of the expectations of these relationships is often overwhelming- evenoppressive- and enters the Black Bride. She is hideous. A shrew who is completely self-centered. [...][...] such a evil, foul woman [...] In The Black Bride and the White Bride (Grimm v.)[...]the Black Bride killed.Do we really want to sacrifice our Selves to our children and husbands? If we did, there would be no Black Bride.Terrible passion: Each time she must go back to Maleen, the bride gets angrier and the threats are harsher.I have sprained my foot: There is no sympathy for the second bride because she lies. Laziness coupled with deceit was a

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combination that ran counter to the values inscribed on so many tales gathered in the collection (Tatar 119).It is possible that the second bride is a Black Bride figure. Joan Gould believes that the intruding Black Bride isaggressive, dynamic, mercenary (often for necessary reason) on fire with jealousy, self centered, and self reliant (194).Steven Swann points out that the person who replaces the heroine seems to be something of a second self with whom theheroine is in conflict (30).[...]the false bride's greed draws her to agree, and so loses the bridegroom [...][...]he is about to be married to another woman; the true wife bargains with the

false one, exchanging the three giftsfor three nights in the same room as her husband. On the first two nights the husband sleeps, drugged by the rival bride,while the heroine pleads for recognition.[...]the alienation of enchantment, symbolized in the person of the rival bride[...][...]in most AT 425 variants it is the mother of the rival bride.

Pervivence of ArchetypeShakespeare had previously embodied the epitome of a black bride and christenedthis creation Diana in AWTEW.Antoinette has traits of Diana, Othello, and those common to both characters (fatherlessness, for instance).

Traits of the black bride in fairytale and literature (*:Antoinette fulfils):BACKSTORY, FAMILY BACKGROUND-fatherless, spoiled by widowed mother and fiancee of convenience*PERSONALITY-vain*-hedonistic, aesthete, greedy*-haughty*-impatient, rash, impulsive, aggressive*-lazy (coupled with other sins)*-moody, quick-tempered*BEYOND THE LITERAL TALE-symbolizes/personifies alienation*-usually punished (the play stops when Louis XVII is born, so this is not shown)

QuestionsHow does Marie Antoinette prove a Rival Bride figure? Select scenes where thesetraits of the stock character are shown.