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Marie Antoinette: Letter to Her Mother 1773

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HIS 101—Fall 2012 Name: Rachel Wang
Worksheet for Document Analysis Analysis #: 1

Document Title: Marie Antoinette: Letter to Her Mother 1773
Author: Marie Antoinette
Date Written: September 10, 2012
Location: Paris

1. How would you describe what this document is? What was its purpose? What function did it serve?

Marie Antoinette, as a letter, wrote this piece of literature to her mother. It was written in 1773, and since Marie was born in 1755, this would make her the age of 18, or the prime of her youth. The letter shows the excitement of a young queen-to-be showing her appreciation…first, of the letters that she received from her …show more content…

This only thing I would be able to conclude is that she is either (A) still learning many new characteristics about her husband or (B) this is a side of dauphin that she never sees or perhaps is not in his nature to behave.

4. Who was the intended audience? What evidence does the document provide of who the audience is? What is the main point (or the “take away”) that the author wants to convey to his/her audience?

It can be easily said that the intended audience for this letter was to Marie Antoinette’s mother, Maria Theresa the empress of Austria. Marie states several times throughout the letter of her many thanks to her mother for the reciprocating letters. The excitement in Marie’s tone is evident that she is astonished, despite the chaotic excitement upon their arrival, the amount of order there is. Marie is overjoyed that despite the hardships that the peasants faced, such as taxes, they remain loyal to her and her husband Louis, and show their affection with cheering and excitement. In response to the love that they received, Marie makes a point to tell her mother that the dauphin and herself wished the citizens not to be harmed despite the fact that they were unable to move for hours from the sheer masses of people who gathered upon their arrival.

5. What does

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