The Fishwives' March

[pyrrhiccomedy]

The Fishwives' March - France, Marie Antoinette.
The moment France turned against the monarchy and joined the mob during the French Revolution.
Genre: Drama.
1789. PG-13.

Just something short.

Click here to read this fic in Russian. Translation by dershternen.

Comments

[littleduchess]

I haven't read it yet- but let me be the first to say:

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMGMGOMGILOVEYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Comments like this always make me nervous, because I'm all "...I hope she says the same thing when she's done reading it. ._."

[littleduchess]

Well, if it didn't exceed my expectations that's only because I already know just how amazing you are at writing pieces that pack an amazing ammount of emotion, with the mot juste and beautiful poetry in your sentences

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I think it was mentioned in a lower comment but this is the ultimate Icarus story...

I said that! =D And then invading Russia was...flying a bit too close to the sun, you might say. =/

Also I totally fangirl Robespierre. I mean...I wouldn't have wanted to hang out with him? But I love, just...the drama of his life, you know? That--that arc he goes through, so comprehensible and gradual and then where is he going and no no no no...Othello is a really good comparison, actually, I'd never thought of that. And Desdemona is the ideals of the French Revolution, or maybe the people of France themselves.

I'm so glad you liked the story--thank you so much for your kind comments. =D

[mcelligots_pool]

There is never enough Revolution!France in this fandom.

"They want you, Madame Deficit, you Austrian whore," he cried after her, sagging back against the wall, "But even more than you--your Majesty, are you listening to them at last? They've come here for me!" Oh my god, I love you so much for writing this <3

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Thank you! Revolution!France is just...I mean...so fucked up. And amazing. And fucked up. And then amazing again.

[puella_nerdii]

-- dude, I just wrote about the Fishwives' March on my last Modern European Women's History exam. COINKYDINKS.

Fuck, I love France during this period. He's so off-balance and terrifying and frighteningly mercurial. The moment where he's laughing and crying at the same time -- yeah. *shivers* and now I have a yen for some really creepy and awful Revolution!fic. Lindeeeeeeeeeeen where are youuuuuuu

[pyrrhiccomedy]

WHY ISN'T THERE ANY CREEPY AND AWFUL FRENCH REVOLUTION!FIC? DDD= Or if there is, I fully have not found it! I love the French Revolution so much in that way you can love things that completely fucking terrify you, and I want to write about Marat and Robespierre and Corday and the cult of the Divine Being and the Terror and the rise of Napoleon and Napoleon oh my God and...

[puella_nerdii]

GOD I KNOW NAPOLEON. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw Napoleon!fic, and this saddens me immensely because I am such an Age-of-Sail junkie and SERIOUSLY GUYS THIS PERIOD IS HOT. IN THAT MORE-THAN-SLIGHTLY-DANGEROUS-AND-TERRIFYING WAY.
Also I would probably be happy forever if someone wrote Jena.
And Moscow, holy crapdamn you guys Moscow. Now that's what I call a breakup.

Anyway, I haven't found it, either, so I must conclude that people have, for whatever reason, not tackled it yet.
But they should.
(They have a course on the French Revolution at my university during the winter minimester, and I didn't take it but I stole my friend's notes and textbooks and it is utterly fascinating. And awful, of course, but FRANCE IS FUCKING CRAZY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN HE'LL TURN ON YOU AND HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TURNING INTO AND HE TOTALLY HAS A SCAR ON HIS NECK.)
...also: potential for Scarlet Pimpernel crossovers. :D The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of my favorite books ever and I adore the musical to pieces, too, and come on, can

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I maybe love the Revolution-->Napoleonic Wars more than--um, anything? In history, anyway? It's why I can't imagine treating France like a joke character. I mean, he throws the most savage, world-changing revolution in history, murders fucking everybody who disagrees with him, and--it's the fusion of that beauty and hideousness that I find so captivating about it, you know? I mean...I can't help but cheer for the French revolutionaries, despite all the horrors they commit, because this thing that France is doing is so monumental and breathtaking that you start to understand the Terror. Not just as an "oh, yes, well, I can see the sociological pressures that led to this development" thing, but--in a way that it's hard to say you wouldn't make the exact same choices. Democracy in Europe is that important, and if France is carrying out his revolution with a brutality undreamt-of in the United States, well, America didn't face war in all sides for daring to revolt, did he? He had help, most notably from France. France had no one

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I'm glad you liked it! =D

[byzantienne]

... oh hell yes.

The slide from one state to the other, both of which are equally true and have always been so.

Also the horror-film elements, I love it so much.

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Oh, God, this whole incident always felt like a horror movie to me. I mean, when the women stormed the castle and tore apart the guards and Marie is fleeing desperately through the dark twisty back passages of the palace and they're right behind her and oh God where are the children--real life has more drama than a movie ever could.

[byzantienne]

It's gorgeous like that.

Also it reminds me of Maenads, and --

ohshit I have fic in my head now and Puel is bribing me to write Revolutionbits anyway and.

You are inspiring!

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I was totally thinking of the Maenads I mean how can you not oh my God please please please write about the Revolution. Please.