Tea at Trianon: Taking Marriage Seriously

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, May 9, 2011

Taking Marriage Seriously

Mary Kochan discusses what can be learned from the royal wedding.

Just as human beings do not create themselves, they do not create marriage. Marriage is an estate given to man by his Creator and human beings stand under the judgment of God regarding how seriously they take it. There was no mincing of words on that score and everything attending the ceremony underscored the sacred nature of the proceedings. The couple did not use the wedding to showcase their hobbies or any other frivolity. They married in a sacred place, the most opulent and venerable space available to them given their station in life. Their wedding was presided over by the highest ranking clerics available to them. And the ceremony was accompanied by beautiful sacred music, some traditional and some composed especially to mark the occasion – but composed, as was their own prayer, in accord with the religious tradition they both inherited and assented to, screwed deeply into the sacred history of that heritage and thus timeless. Timeless the music, timeless the readings, timeless the prayers, and even the dress, for it is by such timelessness that we celebrate what is transcendent....

Woman...is a gift to man in a special way, something for him to “unwrap” and treasure. Hence the handing over of her by her father; hence the veil; hence the virginal white of the gown. And here come the cynics to remind us that they have lived together already for four years. Yes, but they did not on that account forgo the ceremonial giving and rightly so, for while the gift may have been opened illegitimately before, the giving here was still real – some things are honored even in the breach and you could see it in her eyes. They no longer live a lie, but William has in the old, but so true, terminology, “made an honest woman of her” — they tell the truth now, to each other and the world. The woman is given to the man and the world should pause and ponder. (Read entire article.)

Julygirl said...: To me marriage symbolizes human love, God's love, and our union with God in Heaven. As with many things we humans touch, it can become tanished, but it still shows our hope and trust in God's perfect plan for us in sharing in his creative process.

I thought the Royal Marriage was uplifting in the otherwise often tawdry fare presented to us as entertainment.

Only a cynical person would find fault and be critical.; May 9, 2011 at 10:31:00 AM EDT
J.K. Baltzersen said...: Thank you, madam, for this post.

I did not watch the wedding, as I am not much of a royal watcher, but I think it is great, and I particularly like the fact that republican "promises" to ruin the wedding were not successfully fulfilled -- in addition to the fact that this wedding pokes at modernism's rejection of marriage as "only a piece of paper" etc. (or do I have a too negative perspective?)

I also think Prince William has better sense in his choice of consort than certain other royals.

All this being said, I would have preferred a non-morganatic marriage.

BTW, today sixty years ago, another marriage of another great royal house took place. I have marked it at my blog.; May 10, 2011 at 3:11:00 AM EDT
Dymphna said...: I hope that Prince William turns out to be a better spouse than his father, aunt, great aunt and uncle were.; May 10, 2011 at 9:29:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: I know, he has hardly been given any good examples of faithful marriage.; May 10, 2011 at 9:32:00 AM EDT