Louise de la Valliere is the fourth out of five volumes by Alexandre Dumas, about the characters introduced in The Three Musketeers. In it, Louise, a lady-in-waiting at the French court, falls in love with, and becomes the mistress of, King Louis XIV, known as the Sun King. This breaks the heart of Raoul de Bragelonne, the foster-son of the musketeer Athos. Meanwhile duels are being fought, empires shaken and in some cases knocked down, fortunes are won and lost, political plots flourish and founder: in short, it's a Dumas novel.
An innocent adrift among intrigues
of love and politics, too easily led
by friends more worldly but no wiser. Leagues
beyond her station, Louis turned her head.
He was the Sun King; Louise was a candle
his to kindle, his to choose to quench.
Unfriendly tongues made love into a scandal
entertaining to the jaded French.
The youthful king had very little care
for consequences that weren't his to bear
or gossip of the gilded court, most cruel
to Queen and poor Louise, La Valliere
alike. Philanderer royale, beware!
Though young, you've no excuse to play the fool.
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Sunday, December 14, 2008
Louise de la Valliere
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7 comments:
Was he cruel or just making the best of a culture where marriage was for dynastic purposes of land, money and power while love was where you found it.
Lovely poem though.
Interesting Post. Well cone. Happy Manic Monday.
Alice -- I Was Born2Cree8
Woofenderful poem.
Reba @ Reba’s Run
This sounds like one of the sub-plots of Man in the Iron Mask - is that correct? Nicely done! Happy Monday!
Fascinating - I shall have to start reading more of Dumas! Sounds like quite the story and I did love The Three Musketeers.
Dumas was worldly despite romantic. That wicked and ravishing court of the Sun King will produce tales and films forever.
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