Royal Bodies
Royal Bodies
The monarchy is just a puddle full of wealthy people whose only concern is to dress nicely and smile politely the public. But is that really the case? And is that how Hilary Mantel sees it?
The excerpt is from a speech held by the famous English writer, Hilary Mantel. She gave the speech at a lecture in the British museum in 2013.
Hilary Mantel talks about the “Royal Bodies” and the monarchy as she sees it.
At a former convention she was asked to name a famous person to whom of which she would present with a book. Hilary Mantel chose Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. She wanted to give Kate Middleton a book called “Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette wore to the revolution.”
The way the population and the book portraits Marie Antoinette is very similar to the way Hilary Mantel describes Kate on page 1, line 17. “Kate is becoming a jointed doll… ” And on page 1-2, line 43-48. “… A perfect plastic smile and the spindles of her limbs hand turned and gloss-varnished”. If we look at Marie Antoinette and consider her dire circumstances, she somehow always managed to have retained command over her self-presentation.
Marie Antoinette's control over her image through the simulation of autonomy is what she was known for. Rather than get on with the job as a wife, she acted like a king's maîtresse-en-titre instead.
But is that was Hilary Mantel sees in Kate? As one there is “all body and no soul: no soul, no sense, no sensitivity”. Page 1, line 38-39.
A woman with the vestigial features of a fashion plate and no original identity?
Hilary Mantel writes about Kate Middleton as being a well mannered, polite and nicely brought up young lady. That is before she joined the royal family off course.
When she joined the Royal family she turned in to a different woman. She describes her on page 2, line 58-60, “… her eyes are dead and she wears the strained smile of a woman who really wants to tell the painter to bugger off”.
The monarchy is just a puddle full of wealthy people whose only concern is to dress nicely and smile politely the public. But is that really the case? And is that how Hilary Mantel sees it?
The excerpt is from a speech held by the famous English writer, Hilary Mantel. She gave the speech at a lecture in the British museum in 2013.
Hilary Mantel talks about the “Royal Bodies” and the monarchy as she sees it.
At a former convention she was asked to name a famous person to whom of which she would present with a book. Hilary Mantel chose Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. She wanted to give Kate Middleton a book called “Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette wore to the revolution.”
The way the population and the book portraits Marie Antoinette is very similar to the way Hilary Mantel describes Kate on page 1, line 17. “Kate is becoming a jointed doll… ” And on page 1-2, line 43-48. “… A perfect plastic smile and the spindles of her limbs hand turned and gloss-varnished”. If we look at Marie Antoinette and consider her dire circumstances, she somehow always managed to have retained command over her self-presentation.
Marie Antoinette's control over her image through the simulation of autonomy is what she was known for. Rather than get on with the job as a wife, she acted like a king's maîtresse-en-titre instead.
But is that was Hilary Mantel sees in Kate? As one there is “all body and no soul: no soul, no sense, no sensitivity”. Page 1, line 38-39.
A woman with the vestigial features of a fashion plate and no original identity?
Hilary Mantel writes about Kate Middleton as being a well mannered, polite and nicely brought up young lady. That is before she joined the royal family off course.
When she joined the Royal family she turned in to a different woman. She describes her on page 2, line 58-60, “… her eyes are dead and she wears the strained smile of a woman who really wants to tell the painter to bugger off”.