#Napoleon in the Mirror of History

[empirearchives]

The concept of ‘legitimacy’ as a matter of sovereignty first enters English discourse as a response to Napoleon

Excerpt from British Radicals and 'Legitimacy': Napoleon in the Mirror of History by Stuart Semmel

———

The introduction of ‘legitimacy’ into British political discourse seems to have been directly connected to the peculiar case of Napoleon. His superficial similarity to a king, in the wake of France’s republican experiment, made it necessary to distinguish him from other monarchs by dwelling on the quality he lacked, that of hereditary descent from a line of kings. Perhaps the earliest appearance of the new usage came in 1801, when the True Briton newspaper contrasted the ‘obtrusive upstart’ Napoleon with France’s ‘legitimate Monarchs’. The adjective occurred frequently in discussions of Napoleon (an 1803 broad-side, for example, called on the French to remove Bonaparte from ‘his usurped station . . . and hail the return of their legitimate prince’). The ultra-loyalist journalist Lewis Goldsmith employed the word frequently — as when he bemoaned Napoleon’s placing members of his own ‘bastard family on the thrones of ancient legitimate monarchs’. Goldsmith, in accusing the entire Bonaparte clan of bastardy, was not claiming that every member had been born out of wedlock. The new meaning rather accused Napoleon and his siblings of having been born outside of dynasty. Even as we chart the emergence of the new usage, however, Goldsmith’s language should remind us that the older meaning lurked underneath the surface (as it perhaps still lurks). The double meaning was present in contemporaries’ minds, as occasional wordplay suggested — not least because it was a common loyalist tactic to question the purity of Napoleon’s mother, and thus Napoleon's paternity. . .

As far as its critics were concerned, the virtue now trumpeted by continental dynasts amounted to nothing less than the ‘old doctrine of Divine Right, new-vamped up’, as the radical journalist William Hazlitt put it. ‘Legitimacy’ seemed an anachronism to Hazlitt, a ‘mock-doctrine’ dug up by ‘resurrection-men’. Thomas Babington Macaulay, in a similar spirit, would write in 1825 of ‘the doctrine of Divine Right’ having ‘come back to us, like a thief from transportation, under the alias of Legitimacy’. To those who worried about the strength of the executive, the new term ‘legitimacy’ seemed a bare-faced admission of a plot, on the Stuart model, against British liberties. Necessity had often been invoked, during the French wars, to justify infringements on traditional freedoms. Many now shared Hazlitt’s foreboding, expressed as news of Napoleon’s 1814 fall reached Britain, that ‘The restoration of the Bourbons in France will be the re-establishment of the principles of the Stuarts in this country’.

[giantkillerjack]

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO IS BLACK.

HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE BLACK. 10 MINUTES OF RESEARCH WILL TELL YOU HE IS WRITTEN BY A BLACK MAN AND BASED ON THAT MAN'S BLACK FATHER.

SO HOW IS THERE NOT EVEN ONE SCREEN ADAPTATION WITH A BLACK COUNT?!?!?

IT IS 2023. THE MEDIUM OF FILM IS 128 YEARS OLD. I HOPE THE NEXT PERSON TO GREENLIGHT A WHITE EDMOND DANTES IS FRAMED FOR TREASON

[goldammerchen]

putting this here and leaving for the time being again fr

mid show but with potential = passionate fandom (or shows with too many characters so nobody is explored super in deep)

The Draw of the Hetalia Fandom (and Why You Can Never Leave)

From the perspective of a fan of (technically) twelve years or so.

Something occurred to me a while back, and I wanted to share it to get other people's thoughts. I'll try to add funny pictures and gifs to break up the wall of text so it won't be as exhausting to read.

I made a post the other day about how the Hetalia fandom always draws you back in. This was, of course, based on the joke about how you can never really leave the Hetalia fandom. A joke you can find virtually everywhere you look in fan spaces online.

But this begs the question. Why? Why can't you ever truly leave the Hetalia fandom? What is it about this fandom that consistently draws you back in?

And note that people don't talk about Hetalia itself, but rather its fandom. You could stop watching the show or reading the comics for years, but the fandom is what won't fully leave you be.

(The Hetalia fandom every time you check to see if it's dead yet).

One answer I've heard has to do with the phenomenon known as Associative Memory, where you can learn and remember the relationship between unrelated items.

For example, you watch Hetalia, a series about the countries of the world personified as anime characters. These characters have their own personalities, traits, quirks, etc. And the more you watch the show and get into the fandom, the more you start to associate these things with one another.

For instance, someone can say the word Italy, and I'll start thinking about Feliciano Vargas. Or someone could say the name Matthew Williams, and I automatically associate that with Canada. Or I could see bushy eyebrows and immediately start thinking of APH England. Heck, someone starts talking about Vikings and my thoughts almost always go to the Viking Trio of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. I could go on, but you get the idea.

And there's also the fact that we live in a world full of the countries that the show has personified characters of, which would in turn likely remind you of Hetalia.

But there's something more here going on. I've thought about it for a long while, and I think I've realized one of the biggest reasons why you can't fully leave the fandom.

It's because of how versatile the characters of the series can be in fan content. Allow me to explain.

(Me preparing to explain to everyone the epiphany that came to me one dark, stormy night).

Hetalia is a series with literally no plot. Like, zero. Some episodes may impact each other, but the overall series is episodic in nature. The only episodes you'd have to watch in order would be the ones going over the miniature love story between Chibitalia and HRE. And then there's the sequence of episodes going over the Industrial Revolution in season seven, and then the sequence of episodes explaining the relationship between Czechia and Slovakia. But that's it. And the Industrial Revolution and Czechia and Slovakia episodes aired in the latter seasons, long after the fandom was already very big and well established.

The episodes are largely adaptations from the original webcomic and thus are all a bunch of skits haphazardly thrown together. So I'll reiterate what I said earlier; there is no real, canonical plot to Hetalia. There are canon events and facts about canon characters, but seeing as the show is largely skits, they aren't tied down to any real narrative.

(The Hetalia fandom whenever they're given a piece of canon they don't like).

This leaves a lot of room for headcanons. Which leads to fans sharing their headcanons online. And when headcanons get super popular, they become fanon. And when a piece of fanon gets super popular, where it finds itself getting mingled with fanart, fanfiction, and even fan theories, you'll have people who start to confuse it with actual canon. There's really a lot to be said for the wild fanon of Hetalia, but I'll get to that another day. I need to turn the focus back onto the characters themselves.

I'm just gonna put it out there. The Hetalia characters are largely one-note. This isn't to say there isn't some depth to a few of the characters, but these characters are largely the epitome of "what you see is what you get." Especially in the early days of the series. The characters all have a set of straightforward, basic character traits, with their interpersonal relationships often being displayed in a very simplistic manner.

For example, Italy is a pasta-loving coward who's a massive flirt. Germany is strict and authoritative with a no-nonsense attitude. Japan is quiet and soft-spoken, only speaking up when he feels the need. America is a bombastic dork with a hero complex. England is an arrogant stick in the mud. France is a hopeless romantic who flirts with anything that has a pulse.

(Me taking a moment to pause and push away the cringy middle school memories of me shamelessly fangirling in class).

And as I said, their relationships are typically portrayed as simplistic as well. Italy annoys Germany, but Germany doesn't want to get rid of him because he's one of his only friends. England and France hate each other. America is that hyper-extroverted friend trying to get his introverted friend, Japan, out of his shell. Switzerland and Lichtenstein have a sweet sibling dynamic. And Prussia and Austria are portrayed as old friends who like to antagonize one another.

Because of the way the characters and their interpersonal relationships are written, this also lends them open to a lot of headcanons and eventual fanon. Not to mention that most of the characters have canon, human names. So if you want to use these characters in a fanfiction, particularly one where you don't want to depict them as countries (which is most fanfics), you have names at the ready that you can use.

And because of the simple way the characters are written, you can potentially write or portray these characters however you want in fanwork without too many people complaining that someone "isn't in character." There is so much room for your own interpretations of the characters. As long as you keep some of their basic personality traits from the series intact, you can portray the characters however you want. Especially because there's no real canonical storyline to drag them down. Because of the lack of canon storyline, you don't have to worry about fanworks being canon-compliant, canon-divergent, or canon-adjacent.

(Fanfic writers when they realize canon cannot stop them from creating whatever they want).

Do you want to portray Romano as the notorious mafia boss, Lovino Vargas, in the 1930s? Go ahead. As long as you can keep some of his cowardly and stubborn nature intact, you can do what you want with little trouble.

Do you want to portray England as the infamous pirate, Arthur Kirkland, in the 17th century? As long as you maintain his disdain for France, have at it!

Do you want to write a college AU with all of the characters present? As long as you keep in mind their personalities and have a basic understanding of their interpersonal relationships, have fun!

Now you're probably sitting there thinking, "Big deal, people can create all kinds of fanwork, regardless of what its content is, or what property it's for. What makes the Hetalia fandom so special?"

It's special because, since Hetalia is a series with almost zero canonical storylines, and the characters are portrayed in such a simplistic way, both of which lend their way to boatloads of headcanons and fanon, as well as small scraps of canon information that we can choose to either ignore or elaborate like crazy on...

Hetalia is a freaking goldmine for creating all kinds of fan content.

(Hetalians when creating the 2p! variations of the characters, probably).

So much fan content is out there. From creepypastas, to Hetaoni, Dreamtalia, the 2p! characters, historically accurate AU's, school AU's, and so, so much more. All because the canon is just loose enough to allow all kinds of fan content to be created and not seem too far off from the series or characters.

And that fan content ends up being way, way more fun than the actual series itself! Don't get me wrong, I still love the show, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't (or currently don't) have a freaking blast every time I engage with fan content. The creativity is insane, and the fanon is even more fun and entertaining.

The reason you cannot fully leave the Hetalia fandom isn't just because of Associative Memory, but because of the immense amount of fan content and fanon where, because of the nature of the series, you can do, write, draw, and create whatever you want. You can project onto these characters and their stories and interpret them to your own personal tastes. And you know what? That's a heck of a lot of fun.

And there you go, that's my two cents.

[psychicreadsgirl]

Pick a Novel: Keywords/prominent themes in your life

Pick the novel that draws your attention the most. If you can't decide between two, then look at the 2 readings. This is a general reading, so not everything will apply. Please take what resonates and leave what doesn't behind!

#1

Keywords: love, lust, passion, fun, temperament, cafe, sweet, bicycle, pen, books, music, loyalty, winter, sofa, furniture, thoughts, light, intuition, soulmate, art, obsidian, cake, carbonated water, skincare, socks, cooking

Celebrities/Public Figures: Audrey Hepburn, Min Yoongi, IU, Claude Monet, Angela Merkel, Andrew Carnegie, John Johnson, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Howard Schultz, Sam Walton, Amancio Ortega, Queen Elizabeth I, Jane Austen, Jennie Kim

Countries: Italy, Canada, South Africa, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Greece, Madagascar, Qatar, Sweden, Zambia, Taiwan, Solomon Islands

Numbers: 11, 1, 5, 9, 80, 888, 6

Brands: Hermes, Tiffany, Apple, Instagram, Taobao, Lamborghini, Deloitte, Microsoft, Chopard, Givenchy, Patek Phillipe, Chloe, Alaia, Kraft,

Kpop songs: Young Forever by BTS, Shine by PENTAGON, Me Gustas Tu by GFRIEND, Run to You by DJ DOC, Love Lee by AKMU, Deja vu by TXT, Back Down by P1Harmony, Love shot by EXO

#2

Keywords: economy, job loss, new opportunities, play, drama, anger, frustration, lost, compass, computers, battery, feet, head, brain, summer, pearl, avocado, junk food, fried chicken, challenge, frugal

Celebrities/Public Figures: Grace Kelly, Billie Eilish, Keanu Reeves, Rosé, Jung Hoseok, Salma Hayek, Pablo Picasso, Princess Diana, Thomas Edison, Sergey Brin, Mary I, William Shakespeare, Lee Nayeon

Countries: New Zealand, USA, Maldives, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Lithuania, Nepal, Portugal, Poland, Lebanon, Mali, Netherlands

Numbers: 4, 99, 101, 33, 13, 14, 0

Brands: Masion Margiela, Amazon, facebook, Shein, PWC, Missoni, Moschino Couture, Toyota, citi bank, Chaumet, Polene, Pizza Hut,

Kpop songs: Love Dive by IVE, Shangri-la by VIXX, Sweety by Clazziquai, I NEED U by BTS, The Chaser by Infinite, Magnetic by ILLIT, My House by 2PM, ICY by ITZY

#3

Keywords: tales, gossip, lies, funny, movies, theatre, cell phone, cool, kpop, magenta, ancient, history, claws, cats, tiger, fall, jealousy, games, aquamarine, lemons, makeup, pencil, groceries

Celebrities/Public Figures: Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Morgan Freeman, Kim Seokjin, Jang Wonyoung, Matt Damon, Napoleon Bonaparte, Shinzo Abe, Steve Jobs, Voltaire, Kim Jisoo,

Countries: Ethiopia, France, Russia, Ireland, Argentina, Afghanistan, Libya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Pakistan, Morocco, Malta, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Iraq,

Numbers: 2, 7, 69, 25, 55, 79, 1182

Brands: Saint Laurent, miumiu, Starbucks, Mercedez-Benz, Nestle, Oracle, Tod's, Bulgari, Rolex, KFC, SUBWAY, Carrefour, Kellog's

Kpop songs: Supernova by aespa, Maestro by seventeen, Not by the moon by GOT7, Alone by Sistar, Hip by MAMAMOO, Good Day by IU, Bite Me by ENHYPEN, Work by ATEEZ, The Feels by TWICE

#4

Keywords: foreign, spicy, peppery, rice, no, objection, resistance, control, storms, thunderstorms, shower, tension, crush, pop, paper, mango, legs, fragrance, emerald, clothing rack, tomatoes, defeat,

Celebrities/Public Figures: Judy Garland, Margot Robbie, G-Dragon, Jeon Jungkook, Pharrell Williams, Emmanuel Macron, Bill Clinton, King Charles, Warren Buffet, Cleopatra, Kim Mingyu

Countries: South Korea, Philippines, Scotland, Spain, Albania, Guatemala, Malaysia, Iran, Romania, Honduras, Georgia, Croatia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Gambia, Guinea

Numbers: 31, 75, 412, 43, 486, 640

Brands: Chanel, Prada, Bentley, Gucci, Samsung, Disney, BMW, Hyundai, cisco, Van Cleefs & Arpels, Dior, Loro Piana, Shake Shack

Kpop songs: Gee by SNSD, If you by BIGBANG, Antifragile by LE SSERAFIM, Up and Down by EXID, OMG by NewJeans, Lion by (G)I-DLE, Hello by TREASURE,

#5

Keywords: death, mystery, mirror, reflection, shadow, black, grey, white, funeral, video, sprint, pool, gym, streets, metro, subway, chocolate, broken, knees, moon, ruby, surgery, teeth, race

Celebrities/Public Figures: Marilyn Monroe, Barack Obama, Kate Winslet, Kim Taehyung, Aamir Khan, Marie Antoinette, Elon Musk, Robert F Kennedy, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Edward VIII, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln, Park Bogum,

Countries: North Korea, China, Vietnam, Brazil, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Germany, India, Israel, Laos, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Mongolia

Numbers: 3, 97, 17, 19, 52, 98

Brands: Ralph Lauren, Celine, Ferrari, Huawei, Uber, intel, UPS, Calvin Klein, Piaget, Guerlain, Berluti, Pepsi, Cadbury

Kpop songs: Shut down by Blackpink, Seven by Jeon Jungkook, God's Menu by Stray Kids, Love Love Love by Epik High, Very Nice by SEVENTEEN, Birthday by Jeon Somi, Psycho by Red Velvet,

#6

Keywords: travel, toxic, break away, departure, memory, dreams, truth, unveil, diary, journal, coffee, jacket, shoes, hands, social media, news, competition, autumn, diamonds, electricity, TV, cheat, fashion

Celebrities/Public Figures: Jane Birkin, Kim Jiwon, Gigi Hadid, Charlize Theron, Park Jimin, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Maximilien Robespierre, Bill Gates, Queen Elizabeth II, Vladimir Putin, Henry Ford, James Joyce, Lalisa Manobal

Countries: Japan, Australia, Mexico, Iceland, Finland, Eritrea, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Bolivia, Botswana, Bahamas,

Numbers: 8, 646, 152, 37, 49, 22

Brands: Louis Vuitton, Lexus, Tesla, Fendi, Walmart, Nike, Siemens, Google, Cartier, Burberry, Ferragamo, Burger King, Unilever

Kpop songs: ROCKSTAR by LISA, Cherry bomb by NCT 127, Move by Taemin, Dramarama by MONSTA X, Love Scenario by iKON, Get a Guitar by RIIZE, Replay by SHINee, Candy Sugar Pop by ASTRO, Mr. Simple by Super Junior

[multific]

Date Nights

Vincent de Gramont x Reader

Warning: sexual innuendos

Summary: It wasn't very often that he took you out on dates, it did happen occasionally, and you always enjoyed every second of it.

"You know, when you asked me to come shopping with you, this is not what I expected, but I'm not complaining," you said as you sipped on your champagne as Vincent appeared wearing another three-piece suit.

The shop closed as all of the assistants are with you.

When Vincent asked you to go shopping with him, you assumed you were going to buy dresses for yourself, but when he brought you into the shop he gets his suits made, you were delighted.

First, he had a gorgeous all-grey suit on, then a beautiful black and now, he was standing in front of you, in black pants and a red top. He looked stunning.

"Oh, now that is just perfection." you said as he turned a full circle. "Your ass looks really good in that." you hummed as he looked at you through the mirror.

Now you knew how much he liked when you pointed out certain parts of him which you enjoyed. 

Since it was usually him complimenting you not the other way around.

But you weren't lying, he looked stunning.

He ended up getting everything and soon, you found yourself in a nice little restaurant for lunch.

You really enjoyed dates like these.

Simple shopping and food. There was just something about how comfortable you were around him every time silence fell upon both of you.

After lunch, you two went to the Louvre, Vincent had a fascination for paintings and so did you.

You spent good minutes looking at all the paintings, as if it was the first time you saw them, when in fact it wasn't.

"All this history, all this beauty and yet, you are the most beautiful." he said, not looking at you but rather at The Coronation of Napoleon. "When we first met, I often came here to clear my head, I looked at all the marble all the paintings and yet, all I could think about was you. How beautiful you are and how nothing in here could ever compare." he finally looked at you and you smiled at him. "All I could think about was the imperfections of the paintings or the statues because, in my eyes, you are perfection."

"You hold me to a very high standard, Vincent. I will grow old and imperfect while the paintings and statues will stay as they are."

"You will never be imperfect."

"Thank you, Vincent, but truly, you don't have to say all of this. Your guards will hear you. You cannot let them think that the high and mighty Marquis has feelings!" you giggled as he pulled you to stand in front of him, looking at the Mona Lisa. He towered behind you as you let out a sigh. "I still prefer Van Gogh or Dali. But I won't deny the beauty of this. You are a work of art yourself, Vincent. Especially when you are naked." it was meant as teasing, but you knew he took it seriously which you were also okay with.

"I wish I could paint like this. I could paint you and put it in my office." he said as his hands tightened around you.

"For some reason I find that to be both flattering and unsettling. You should get a Monet instead of me. I'm not some 18th century Queen." you looked up at him as he moved both of you to the next painting.

Liberty Leading the People.

"You are my Queen though." you nearly laughed at his cheezy comment.

"Should I get a painting of me for you birthday? One for you office and then one for home, a nude one?"

"If you stand in front of any other person naked, I will have to kill them after the painting is done. No one else is allowed to see you but me."

"I'm okay with that."

"Then I will leave it up for you." he smiled, not looking at you. "See? She is leading the people, a representation of freedom and power. The power the people took back and yet all I can think about is how powerless she is compared to you."

"You are in love." you said watching her on the canvas.

"That I am."

"And I am in love."

"That you are. We are in love."

You hummed.

"I love date nights."

"Who said this is the end?"

"Oh? What else do you have in mind?"

"Dinner and then we drive home, have sex in the car then barely make it into my apartment, have sex against the front door, scare my poor housekeeper, then have sex in our room."

"Now that's a plan! Can we have Italian for dinner? You know I love pasta."

"Of course, if I can come inside you later, Mon Amour."

"Of course." you finally turned around in his arms as you smiled at him, his eyes watching you as you reached up, one hand behind his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

Oh yes, you loved date nights.

More Vincent

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Vincent Taglist: @l4venderia​​

~Masterlist~

ˇAO3ˇ

DO NOT STEAL, PLAGIARISE, REPOST OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORKS  

[hiddenincommand]

Hats and Helmets – Crowning Symbols of Power

There is no piece of attire more symbolic of authority and rank than the hat or helmet. These are not mere accessories—they are crowns of command, banners of dominance that sit atop the head of an Alpha male. In military tradition, ceremonial attire, or formal occasions, hats and helmets transcend function to become markers of hierarchy and unyielding authority.

For the Alpha, the choice of headgear is deliberate. Whether it is an officer’s peaked cap, a riding helmet, or a ceremonial bicorne, the Alpha selects a crown that proclaims his superiority, asserts his status, and demands deference from all who stand before him.

Historical Legacy of Headgear

Throughout history, headgear has been inseparable from power. Kings wore crowns, warriors donned helmets, and military leaders wore hats adorned with insignia, each element designed to project authority. From the feathered plumes of Napoleonic generals to the gleaming helmets of cavalry officers, these symbols were not only markers of rank but tools to instill awe, inspire loyalty, and enforce submission.

For the Alpha male, this tradition is not merely a relic of the past—it is a tool to be wielded. His hat or helmet does not just sit on his head; it dominates the space around him, serving as a visual reminder of his command.

The Components of Alpha Headgear

The Alpha’s choice of hat or helmet is not arbitrary; every detail is selected to enhance his commanding presence and reinforce his authority.

1. The Peaked Cap: Mastery and Precision

• The sharp lines of a peaked cap mirror the Alpha’s discipline and attention to detail. Its visor shades his piercing gaze, adding an element of mystery and menace.

• Adorned with gold braiding or insignia, the cap broadcasts his rank and achievements, leaving no doubt as to his superiority.

2. The Riding Helmet: Control and Elegance

• A leather riding helmet combines functionality with refinement. It signifies mastery not only over a horse but over all forms of control and discipline.

• Its streamlined design amplifies the Alpha’s aura of precision and readiness for action.

3. The Ceremonial Hat: Authority Embodied

• A bicorne or ceremonial hat, often associated with historical military leaders, speaks to the Alpha’s connection to tradition and timeless power.

• Worn with high-ranking uniforms, it completes the image of an unassailable commander.

4. The Combat Helmet: Prepared for Domination

• While less formal, a combat helmet reflects the Alpha’s readiness to enforce his authority through strength and action. It is a practical crown for a practical king, one who commands respect in the harshest conditions.

The Symbolism of Hats and Helmets

A hat or helmet is more than fabric, leather, or metal—it is a psychological weapon. For those beneath the Alpha, it is a reminder of his dominance, a symbol of the weight they must bear under his command. For the Alpha, it is a manifestation of his unyielding belief in his own superiority.

• Height and Command: The raised crown of a hat or the imposing bulk of a helmet adds height, creating a physical representation of the Alpha’s dominance over those around him.

• Visibility of Rank: The decorations, insignias, and embellishments on the headgear communicate the Alpha’s rank and accomplishments, ensuring that all who see him immediately recognize his status.

• Framing the Face: Hats and helmets draw attention to the Alpha’s face, highlighting his piercing gaze, chiseled jawline, and expressions of control and authority.

Rituals of Donning the Crown

For the Alpha, placing the hat or helmet upon his head is not a casual act—it is a ritual of dominance, a deliberate assertion of his role as leader and master. The very act of adjusting the brim, tilting the visor, or tightening the chinstrap becomes an unspoken declaration of power.

• Before Inspection: The Alpha adjusts his hat with precision, signaling that he is prepared to exert control over all he surveys.

• During Ceremonies: As the Alpha lifts his hat in salute or tilts it slightly in acknowledgment, he reinforces his connection to tradition and the hierarchy he commands.

• On the Battlefield: The Alpha’s helmet is not just protection—it is a crown of war, symbolizing his readiness to lead through strength and discipline.

Psychological Mastery Through Headgear

The Alpha’s headgear does not merely project authority; it commands submission. The sight of his hat or helmet can inspire awe, instill fear, and enforce discipline without the need for words.

• Subordinates’ Reaction: For those beneath him, the Alpha’s hat or helmet is a constant reminder of their place in the hierarchy. It compels obedience and discourages dissent.

• Opponents’ Intimidation: For those who dare to oppose him, the gleam of his insignia or the shadow of his brim is a warning—a sign of the authority they face and the futility of resistance.

• Commanding Presence: Even in silence, the Alpha’s headgear speaks volumes, asserting his dominance through sheer symbolism.

Sir Cedric’s Reflection

“My hat is not mere fabric, nor my helmet mere steel. They are crowns—not bestowed by others but claimed by my nature. When I place my cap upon my head, it is not to shield from the sun or cold. It is to proclaim that I am the master, the commander, the Alpha. My insignia speaks where words are unnecessary, my visor shades the gaze that strips defiance from those who dare meet it.

When you see my hat, understand this: it is not decoration. It is declaration. It announces to the world that I command, I control, I conquer. And should you doubt it, know that beneath this crown lies the unyielding will of a ruler who does not ask—but takes.”

The Alpha’s Crown

For the Alpha, the hat or helmet is not an accessory—it is an extension of his power, a tool of domination, and a crown of his unassailable authority. Through this single piece of attire, the Alpha leaves an indelible mark on all who witness his presence, a mark that reminds them of their place beneath his command.

[terriblesoup]

Political Themes in Classic Literature

Alright, let’s dive into political themes in classic literature. For anyone who thinks old books are just dust-covered stacks of antiquated language, you are dead wrong. Let’s just take a step back and remember that some of the most impactful political ideas in history didn’t come from debates in dull government buildings—they came from books. Yes, literature! Think of classic novels as political soap operas, only with more existential crises and a lot fewer commercial breaks.

The political puppet show:

So, what do politics and classic literature have in common? Quite a lot, actually. Literature doesn’t just entertain; it holds up a mirror to society and shows us how messed up (or wonderful) things are. Whether it’s criticizing an oppressive regime, showing the chaos of revolution, or examining the moral dilemmas faced by those in power, classic literature doesn’t ( and literature in general should never) shy away from political themes.

One of the most intriguing things about classic literature is how authors use characters and plots to critique the political systems of their time. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, we see the rise of a totalitarian regime, but with... animals. Yes, pigs. Orwell is talking about the Russian Revolution and the dangers of unchecked power. The pigs, who start out with lofty ideals of equality, end up becoming as corrupt and oppressive as the humans they replaced. The message? Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely (a fancy way of saying that rulers, no matter how noble they start, can easily lose their way).

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. Yes, it's not a novel, but it’s a key text in understanding political revolutions. Marx and Engels argued that class struggle would eventually lead to a proletarian revolution, where the working class would overthrow the bourgeoisie. While not a story in the traditional sense, its influence on revolutions around the world (hello, Russia, China, Cuba!) makes it an essential part of political literature.

When Chaos Reigns: The Politics of Revolutions:

Nothing gets the political waters flowing like a good old-fashioned revolution. Literature has long been a tool for expressing the chaos, confusion, and sometimes the sheer absurdity of these moments in history. Take 1984 by Orwell—again... This time, we’re in a world where Big Brother is always watching, and privacy is a thing of the past. Orwell’s vision of a totalitarian regime controlled by surveillance, propaganda, and fear was a warning about the dangers of political overreach. Fast-forward to today, and you’ll find that his bleak vision feels eerily close to the reality of modern surveillance states.

In The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, we see the French Revolution through the eyes of characters who are caught up in the violence and turmoil. Dickens shows us how the revolution, meant to bring about liberty and equality, quickly devolves into chaos and bloodshed. People who were once oppressed now become the oppressors. It's the classic "be careful what you wish for" scenario—and it’s not just in the French Revolution. Many revolutions, whether political, social, or even technological, have shown us how easily things can spiral out of control when the old systems are overturned without a clear plan for what comes next.

Russian literature is a goldmine for political themes that dig deep into societal struggles, personal turmoil, and the larger forces that shape history.

Take War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, for example. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, this epic novel isn’t just about battlefield drama—it’s about the political and social upheaval (violent or sudden change) that these wars bring. Through his huge cast of characters, Tolstoy critiques the Russian aristocracy, showing us how disconnected the wealthy and powerful are from the suffering of ordinary people. As young men are shipped off to fight wars they don’t fully understand, Tolstoy paints a picture of a society that is as chaotic as the battles it’s embroiled in. The violence and chaos of war seem almost tame compared to the political and social systems that allow such events to unfold. It’s a sobering reminder of the divide between the political power held by a few and the lives of the many.

Then there’s Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, which takes us to a different kind of chaos—the moral and philosophical kind. In this novel, Dostoevsky explores the dangers of ideology, faith, and authority, which in many ways are just as politically charged as any revolution. As his characters wrestle with questions of belief, power, and their own place in the world, the novel digs into the political tensions within Russian society and religion. The political impact of The Brothers Karamazov was so strong that the Russian government kept a watchful eye on Dostoevsky himself, fearing that his questioning of church and state could stir up trouble among the masses. This book isn't just a deep philosophical meditation; it's a warning about the consequences of unchecked authority and the destructive power of ideology.

In One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez critiques the political systems of Latin America, focusing on the cyclical nature of revolution and power. The corrupt political systems in the town of Macondo reflect the repeated failures of revolution, where every new regime promises change but ultimately falls into the same patterns of oppression and violence. The novel shows how revolutionary ideals can quickly turn into systems of corruption, highlighting the disillusionment many felt with political leaders who fail to deliver true change.

Morality and Ethics in Politics: the good, the bad, and the politician.

In the world of politics, morality is like that pesky little voice in your head saying, "Hey, maybe don't do that thing." Ethics are the rules you kind of wish everyone followed, but let’s face it, not everyone does. Now, throw these into the mix of political decisions and you get moral dilemmas, the ultimate "What would you do?" situations. And when you throw characters into this, suddenly, you’ve got a drama that’s better than any reality TV show.

In Les Misérables, Victor Hugo presents the story of Jean Valjean, who, after stealing bread to feed his family, faces a lifetime of punishment under a rigid legal system (basically for breathing <3). His internal conflict highlights the tension between legal justice and moral justice. As Valjean navigates his path toward redemption, Hugo critiques the harshness of the justice system and the ethical responsibility of individuals within a corrupt society.

Similarly, 1984 by George Orwell delves into the ethical struggles of Winston Smith as he navigates a totalitarian regime where the very concept of truth is manipulated. Winston's journey, filled with the desire for freedom and individuality, demonstrates the cost of rebellion in a society that controls every aspect of its citizens' lives. His moral battle—whether to remain loyal to his beliefs or submit to the Party's lies—serves as a haunting commentary on the oppressive nature of unchecked political power and the moral corruption it brings. In such works, the characters’ ethical decisions become not just personal, but political, reflecting broader questions about justice, freedom, and the consequences of betrayal.(There are so many books I could talk about rn I-)

Impact on Political Movements: how did these books affect real life revolutions:

In the case of Les Misérables, the themes of social injustice and the failure of the French government resonated deeply with the working-class revolutionaries of the 19th century. The novel’s portrayal of the barricades and uprisings, even though ultimately unsuccessful, inspired a generation of revolutionaries who sought to topple the entrenched social and political systems. Hugo’s work became an emblem of resistance, one that resonated not only in France but across Europe during times of political unrest.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, similarly, had a profound effect on the political landscape of the United States. Its depiction of the inhumanity of slavery galvanized the abolitionist movement, forcing many Americans to confront the moral implications of the system. Stowe's vivid portrayal of the brutal realities of slavery made it impossible for the North to remain indifferent to the plight of the enslaved, playing a crucial role in building support for the abolitionist cause. The book became a symbol of resistance and solidarity, one that ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Universal relevance: Politics doesn't have an expiration date.

The political themes in classic literature touch on things like justice, freedom, and equality. These aren’t just problems from the past; they’re timeless issues...

In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck explores the plight of migrant workers during the Great Depression, but its message about the exploitation of the poor is just as applicable to contemporary struggles against economic inequality (The exploitation of the poor doesn’t have an expiration date either, and it’s still something we’re fighting against in the modern world.).

Similarly, the themes in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, though rooted in the social hierarchies of early 19th-century England, speak to universal themes of class, marriage, and individual agency. Austen critiques the limitations placed on women by society, calling attention to the ways in which economic power and social status restrict personal freedom. These concerns remain relevant today, as women continue to fight for gender equality and the right to autonomy in many parts of the world.

Why Does This Matter?

Okay, so we’ve explored how literature critiques political systems, critiques leaders, and explores the chaos of revolution. But why does all this matter to us today? Here’s the kicker: these books and their political themes still resonate. They’re not just dusty old novels you read in high school and promptly forget. They’ve got real-world implications.

Take a look around. What’s happening in the world today? Struggling to find decent healthcare? Check. Big corporations running the show? Check. Politicians who say one thing and do another? Double-check. We’re still grappling with the same political issues that have been explored in classic literature for centuries. Maybe we haven't had a Les Misérables-type revolution (yet), but we’ve certainly seen protests, uprisings, and calls for social justice echoing across the globe, just like in the pages of those old books.

And it gets worse...

Don’t think that the digital age has made these themes less important. If anything, social media and the internet have amplified the political issues that these classic books explored. Think about how politicians now use platforms like Twitter or Instagram to manipulate public opinion or deflect criticism. It’s almost like reading 1984 all over again, with the new-age "doublethink" of social media where truth is constantly bent and twisted. In a world of 24/7 news cycles, “alternative facts,” and fake news, it’s hard not to see the parallels with Orwell’s Big Brother.

Classic literature is not just for those who enjoy long-winded prose and tragic endings. It’s a treasure trove of political insight. From critiques of power to depictions of revolutionary chaos, these stories show us the triumphs and failures of human societies. They remind us that the fight for justice, fairness, and equality is far from over. So next time you crack open a classic novel, remember: it’s more than just a story—it’s a blueprint for understanding the political world we live in today.

The books mentioned and more if you're interested:

.Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

. 1984 by George Orwell

. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

. Animal Farm by George Orwell

. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

These are some links to more articles about this subject or close to it if you wanna read more about what we already see in real life lol:

[black-rabbit-razumikhin]

Raz Reads Les Mis (XIX)

Marius - The Grandfather and the Grandson

So Gillenormand is a royalist

Which if the Waterloo chapter is anything to go by, is not the greatest thing to be in this book

But if the opening chapter (do we remember bishop Charlie?) has anything to say, then being a revolutionary is not great either

(Do we call them revolutionaries or republicans?)

But Gillenormand goes to taverns often, the sort of taverns whose drinking songs are all about how bad Napoleon is

Agreed, but certainly not for the same reasons

This is important because Gillenormand's daughter marries Pontmercy

The Pontmercy from the Waterloo chapter

Who is certainly no royalist

But he's a modest man and wears a scar from a sabre across his face and looks after flowers in his little garden

And he has a son called Marius

The Marius that this part of the book is named for

Pontmercy the father gives Marius to the custody of Gillenourmand because Gillenourmand can furnish Marius with a better inheritance

The catch? Pontmercy can never speak to his son for as long as he lives

Marius grows up believing his father hates him because he's never made contact with him

And Marius is 18 now? Somewhere around there I think

A letter arrives

Pontmercy is dying and wants to see Marius

Between the few hours that Marius delays his visit, Pontmercy dies, leaving only a letter to Marius to do good by Thernadier

Thernadier, the person who pickpocketed a dying Pontmercy and who hurt my poor, lovely Cosette

After his father's death and after a character-building visit to a church, Marius comes to learn how much his father loved him and how his lack of visits were due to impossibility not disinterest

He looks at the history of the French libertarian struggle, of Waterloo and of Napoleon

His royalist upbringing has been shattered

He adds to his name the title of 'Baron'

And prints out 100 cards to announce this

But he has nobody to give the cards to

There is some scene about him having a cousin named Theodule whom he has never met and who is a favourite of a mutual relative

Theodule's biggest gripe with life is the fact that he wasn't named Alfred

Pick your battles I suppose

But this anti-royalist sentiment that Marius now holds is not doing well for his family life

"A baron and a bourgious cannot remain under the same roof"

Marius goes packing

Nobody told me that Waterloo chapter actually mattered to the story! I thought it was set dressing! Suspense building! Adding to the atmosphere! And now I find out it matters? There is also something to be said about the sadness of the missed connections of parents forced to give up their children. I can't help but think that the relationship between Marius and his father mirrors that of Fantine and Cosette. Where the parent gives up their child for what they assume will be a better life and yearn for them and that longing can't be realised. And only too late does the child learn how much the parent loved them. Tragic familial love is something I never considered in stories, but it has been something this book has done really well.

Side question, but did Hugo enjoy writing Les Mis? Reading this sounds like he's excited and he's passionate about the story, but I can't tell if that's how French literature just sounds (I felt the same thing reading Dumas) or if he's actually having the time of his life going through this story.

[nitrateglow]

Thoughts on Napoleon (2023)

Saw the Napoleon movie last night and was pretty disappointed. It was my most anticipated film this year and wow... maybe the 4-hour cut is better? Because this movie just felt psychologically shallow and overly compressed. 2 1/2 hours just isn't enough time to cover three decades of history.

Not that this film is good history. I cringed at Ridley Scott's pathetic defense of his historical inaccuracies: "You weren't there, I wasn't there, stfu, I can do whatever I want." Did anyone tell Ridley about this thing called primary sources? Or historical records? Or biographies and history books? Like, THAT'S HOW WE KNOW ABOUT HISTORICAL EVENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Like, I was prepared for basic inaccuracies when I saw how they depicted Marie Antoinette's execution in the trailer (no shorn hair, not in white). But man... they really oversimplify the French Revolution and never go into why Napoleon is such a fascinating historical figure, both revered and despised, with an incredibly complicated legacy.

Agnes Poirer's review has a great passage which sums up my frustration with the film as a Napoleon biopic:

"[Ridley Scott] even seems ignorant of the fact that there are two men in Napoleon: there is Bonaparte, a hero of the French Revolution who gave France and Europe institutions of the Enlightenment era that still exist today, and who liberated Jewish communities from their European ghettos; and there is Napoleon, the hero turned weary authoritarian ruler, whose military campaigns drained a whole nation of its youth and wealth. Beyond facts, Scott’s great historical deficiency is to ignore the politics; instead giving us Napoleon’s tactics on the battlefield as a mirror to his sex life. It’s inept, crass and boring."

There's often the sentiment that historically inaccurate movies can be forgiven somewhat if they make for compelling drama. The problem with Napoleon is that the real history IS compelling drama and Scott's film is just shallow spectacle with the occasional goofy gag masquerading as satire. The filmmakers seem to be going for dark comedy, but the approach only sporadically works because much of the humor falls flat (I saw this in an almost full theater and the comedy scenes mostly played to dead silence-- I felt secondhand embarrassment for the actors at times). The humor just consists of Napoleon being awkward or shouting meme-able things ("DESTINY HAS BROUGHT ME THIS LAMB CHOP!" *tries to start food fight*). Yeah, The Death of Stalin it is not.

Joaquin Phoenix's performance is also one-note and static-- his Napoleon never seems to age, visually or inwardly, and he never captures the man's famous charisma, so I never bought that any army would possess an ounce of loyalty to him. Vanessa Kirby fares better as the alluring and tragic Josephine, but even her performance felt compromised and choppy-- probably due to this being whittled down from the 4-hour cut.

Aside from Phoenix's Grumpy Cat face Napoleon and Kirby's Josephine, none of the other characters leave much of an impression, good or bad. Historical figures flit in and out of the story, barely making more than uninteresting cameos. I felt like I was watching a clipshow for a miniseries, not a self-contained movie. If you don't know the basic outline of the history being depicted, I can only imagine how confusing this movie must be.

Ugh, this was just so disappointing! I was never bored while watching it, but I just left the theater empty. The more I think about it, the less I like it.

[lahilden]

The Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is located in Versailles, France. The royal château served as the seat of French political power. The palace was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII and enlarged into a royal palace by Louis XIV. The château went through many expansion phases. The second phase in 1678-1715 saw two enormous wings added. Although the cost was extraordinary, it was decided the château should serve as a showcase for France. All the materials that went into construction and décor were manufactured in France. One of the most costly elements was the silver furniture and silver balustrade used by King Louis XIV for the grand apartments. The palace has a long history, with the royal family forced to leave Paris during the French Revolution. When the monarchy fell, Versailles Palace fell into ruin, and most of the furniture was sold. In 1810, Napoleon began restoration work, which continued under Louis XVIII in 1820, but it wasn’t until King Louis-Philippe that true efforts began. The Fifth Republic made further restorations in the 1950s and promoted the château as a museum. In 2003, a new restoration initiative began. The palace boasts 700 rooms, 67 staircases, and 1,250 fireplaces. The original façade, red brick with cut stone embellishments, has been preserved. The eastern side of the palace has a U-shaped layout with secondary wings and a black and white marble courtyard. Throughout its history, there have been five chapels on the site, the current one built in the Baroque style by King Louis XVI. The castle is also known for its Hall of Mirrors. This gallery is 230 feet long and holds 17 arcaded mirrors, while the ceiling is painted with 30 scenes from Louis XIV’s reign. The Royal Opera was completed in 1770. The castle has many opulent apartments, from the king’s private rooms to the staterooms. The palace gardens boast water fountains and an orangery. #PalaceOfVersailles #castles #palaces #museum #France #Versailles #history

[grandoldmovies]

A Real-Life Barefoot Contessa

Well, what can I say. She's fabulous.

The Fabulous She I refer to above is the Contessa di Castiglione, who, were she living today, would be making millions on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and a gazillion other social media platforms. Being that she lived during the 19th century (1837-99), the Contessa had to settle for the reproductive mass media tool of her time—Photography. It was a medium with which she became familiar and whose function, beyond that of utility, she grasped profoundly. But not as a mere recorder of reality. No, for her it was an instrument of fantasy: Of role-play and the projection of a kind of imaginative truth—the truth of the Inner Self. That Being we see not in the mirror or in the eyes of others, but in our minds. The Self not known to mundane existence but as the most personal, intimate, and rarefied form of Art.

Over the course of some thirty-odd years, the Contessa had about 700 photographs taken of herself, in all sorts of costumes, in all sorts of poses, in all sorts of moods. She would wear her most extravagant gowns, she would stage herself in tableaux taken from history, theater, literature, and from her own life; she would present her bodily parts (mainly bare feet and legs) as brazenly fetishized objects; and she would frequently be seen gazing—at the camera, towards the distance, and at herself, reflected in hand mirrors and pier glasses. She fashioned herself as a self-image within another self-image, a self-referential, self-knowing portrait of who and what she was—a creator of herself as an Object of Art.

Our Contessa did have an interesting, pre-photography history. Born Virginia Oldoini Rapallini to minor Italian nobility, she was wedded, not of her choice, at age 17 to the some-12-years-older Count Castiglione, a union that produced one son and much unhappiness for an ill-matched pair. But when, at the urging of a diplomatic cousin, the Contessa arrived, in 1856, at the court of Emperor Napoleon III, to argue for the cause of Italian unification, she came into her own. Beautiful (extremely), witty, willful, and daring, the Contessa quickly slipped between the Emperor's sheets, while titillating the French aristocracy with her flamboyance, her outrageous fashions, and, even then, her complete self-absorption. You could call her the Kardashian of her time, except the Contessa was (and is) way too cool; no vulgar Kardash of today has one tittle of the Contessa's elegance, style, taste, and her utter sense of being—Fabulous.

Such Fabulousness, however, then as now, had a price. In a matter of months, the Contessa's affair with the emperor had fizzled, her husband had separated from her, and various scandals (mainly to do with her dramatic costuming, or presumed lack thereof) sent her packing from the Court. Within a few years, she had retired to a solitary anonymity in the Parisian suburbs. Although she continued to correspond with influential friends and lovers, she was soon forgotten by a world she had once dazzled.

But it was then she began her real vocation: To have herself—her life, career, legend, her imagined Being—inscribed in the most sophisticated recording medium of her era. With her reproduced images being sent to family, lovers, and friends, it was thus the myth of the Contessa was born—leaving to posterity, in nearly 700 photographic images, her tribute to the Self, a paean to Narcissism, as complete, obsessive, and solipsistic a voyage of Self-Creation as can be imagined. For which we can all be grateful.

Even when the lady had passed on, to that great photographic studio in the sky, recording media was still obsessed with the Contessa. The 20th century has taken advantage of her legend and allure to construct several films around her life, two of which I have seen. Both these films—La Contessa Castiglione of 1942, and The Contessa's Secret (also known as La Contessa di Castiglione) of 1954—follow her pre-photographic activities at the French court and her relationship with Napoleon III, while also touching on the cause of Italian unification (the putative reason for her Imperial seduction). Not that the Contessa lacks for other company; in each film a dashing young beau makes sure she's never at a loss during her down times. Another kind of Unification comes to the fore here.

I can't say how accurate either film is about history or biography, as each one (made in Europe) is dubbed in non-subtitled Italian, a language I don't know. I suspect, however, that for each History is merely an armature, a tailor's dummy (almost literally) to display the Contessa's stunning costumes, hair styles, jewelry, and fabled beauty. What the films lack in concrete Risorgiomento history is more than made up in their imaginative recreations of Risorgiomento fashions, style, and manners, an emphasis filtered, I sense, through a box-office consciousness of where audience interest will lie.

Such interest is foregrounded in the two actresses who portray the Contessa—Doris Duranti in 1942, Yvonne de Carlo in 1954. Both are amazingly beautiful women (which, no doubt, would have pleased the real Contessa), yet each one in her film is different in her look, performance, and image. They're almost reverse copies of each other: The slender Duranti is as pale as a Wili, with the delicacy of antique lace and the brittleness of an embroidery needle; whereas the fleshy de Carlo is dark, round, and energetic, an endearing touch of middle-classness in her style. The performances may not be the same, yet each one individually satisfies a fantasy of High Romance: If Duranti is a drooping lily, too frail and exquisite for everyday mucking-about, de Carlo is fiery, eager, sincere, an American-Canadian housewife's ideal of aristocratic passion, adventure, and glamour.

Is either portrayal anywhere like the real Contessa? I suspect not. Each performance arises from a 20th-century notion of Romance as portrayed in the Woman's Film genre—in which Life is a serial melodrama, a self-absorbed Theater of Emotion enacting scenes of Love, Passion, Despair, Renunciation, and Transcendence. Neither film touches on the Contessa's later career as a self-acting photographic model, yet curiously, each film does refer to Acting. In the 1942 film the Contessa is seen posing in what look like tableaux staged for the amusement of the French court; in the 1954 version she's seen attending elaborate theatrical performances. Artifice, as well as Art, is never far from the glittering boundaries of the Contessa's imaged self.

I'm guessing such scenes were inserted as commentary on the dramatic situations within each film. Yet, from another perspective, they can also be (foreshadowing) critiques of the Contessa's later photographic obsession, in which she depicted herself in scenes of what can be called a private Theater of the Mind: Portraying herself as gay, solemn, seductive, pensive, flirtatious, and, perhaps most alluringly—as detached; a distant object whose cool, blank gaze at the camera (and spectator) seduces us by its very remoteness. Gazing ourselves at these self-acted scenes, we might ask—how much of what we see is the actual Contessa, and how much is what we project onto her? Is the Contessa acting out self-fantasies for her own secret pleasure? Or is she 'acting,' as did Duranti and de Carlo, for a possible public, to view and witness her images, which become in turn embedded in our own fantasies of who this fabulous being is?

I've no doubt were she alive today, the Contessa would be making videos of herself on YouTube, home movies, as it were; creating, once again, a self-image for her admirers, aided by the marvelous additions of motion, color, and sound. What would they look like? What facets of this complex, complicated personality would be on view? Would they be bold, opinionated, spontaneous? Would she be commenting on current events, or indulging in gossip, or handing out beauty tips for self-improvement of the masses? Or would they be like her photos—silent, mysterious, teasing, contemplative, self-absorbed; indeed, self-enchanted with her changing, changeable, yet somehow always unchanging Self? We can only fantasize ourselves as to what they would be. As well as to what we would, within our own minds—see.

You can view more photographic images of the Contessa here. I've also written more on the Contessa di Castiglione, and the two films on her life, here at my Grand Old Movies blog. Because someone so Fabulous deserves to be written more about.

[empirearchives]

First French Empire era travel mirror. Monogram of Caroline Bonaparte.

(Christie’s)

[xxsycamore]

𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗯𝗼𝘆!𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐨𝐧 😼🐾

Art by me!

► What if Napoleon was a catboy? Nyapoleon, if you will? Well here are some headcanons...! I originally wrote these a loong time ago but lost motivation, promised myself to post them for cat's day (02/22). Hope you enjoy! If when you're done reading those some other headcanon comes to mind...I'd be more than happy to see... 👉👈

Napoleon Bonaparte x MC • rating: G • wordcount: 1,015 • masterlist

What if Napoleon rose from the dead, not ONLY as a demi-vampire…but also as a demi-cat catboy, as well?

Aside from the pointy fangs in his mouth, Napoleon finds additional inhuman traits on his new body…

A svelte, tar-black tail, fur short and velvety to the touch, curls in the form of a question mark as he stares at the mirror - similarly, a pair of cat ears point sharply upwards in attention.

What were you expecting, of course Catboy Napo has little tuffs of white hair at the tips of his ears! It matches his hairstyle!

Touching them in curiosity with half-folded fist, Napoleon inspects them as they give a small twitch. This is new…

He thinks it's just that. Just like how his bloodthirst hasn't kicked in, hence him being a demi-vampire, maybe his cat traits are, too, just for decoration. Wrong!

There is a rumor among the mansion residents that his eyes appear to "glow" in the dark, reflecting light just as any cat's can do…

Why do you think he loves the garret so much? The little room situated in the attic is perfect for him: the alcove is a high spot with limited room, big enough just for him to curl up and have a nap there.

The reason why he sleeps in so late is because he loves the quiet hours of the night when even the merriest of the residents go to sleep.

He feels more energetic during the night, which works perfectly with him as he frequently takes gigs as a bodyguard at balls around Paris.

Comte's mansion is full of expensive decorations and antics with rich history just like himself, if not older than him. It's a shame when he accidentally knocked off an ornate vase once, breaking it into dozens of pieces. Who placed it so close to the edge of the table, anyway? And worse: why did it feel good to knock it off?

Having acquired a tail, Napoleon is suddenly provided with extra balance that comes in handy in his sparring sessions. That makes him a tough opponent for Jean, but it's also making his fellow soldier less warry of hurting him.

Cats love horses, Napo loves horses.

The mansion's oh-so-thoughtful butler, Sebastian, has a whole section of his diary dedicated to Napoleon's catboy-ness, frequently sharing the little things he learns about the former emperor with the man himself, ready to help him in his journey of exploring his new body. One of the pages begins with, "Today Monsieur Napoleon hissed at me as I tried to wake him up."

He actually comes to you if you minou-minou-minou at him! (french for ps-ps-ps)

His favorite food is crepes, right? Why? Because it often has whipped cream in it? His diet suddenly involves a lot of dairy products among other foods that would suit a feline's palate.

The course of his days changes as a girl enters through the door, all the way from the 21st century. Being made her personal bodyguard led to an adventure involving lots of both bickering and laugher… and love.

MC's scream fills the entire mansion one morning as she finds a catboy curled up at the feet of her bed. A freshly slapped-across-the-face, tail-between-his-legs Napoleon pouts, ears flopping on his sidies. "Your bed shouldn't be so comfortable if you don't want me sleeping in it, Nunuche."

With MC's arrival , Napoleon's world is turned upside down yet again. Having come to terms with his new body only somewhat, falling inlove with a human girl reminded him of how unhuman he was now. Fortunately, love turned out stronger than even his stubbornness, and despite, ermmm, certain events that took place soon after, it all turned out good for them in the end.

That same sequence of events saw him becoming a full-fledged lesser vampire… but what about his other nature?

His instincts unfurled tenfold. Sharper senses now see him recognizing MC's steps with crazy accuracy, enough to tell when she returns home from her shopping trips… in addition, he's ready to welcome her at the door with remarkable speed as well, as result of his body being flexible and sturdy.

It's a show of affection towards the person you love if you suddenly want to nuzzle against them! It totally has nothing to do with being a catboy, and that's totally not Napoleon being in denial.

And MC doesn't find it odd or anything, oh no. She's lucky to have such a cute chaton all to herself, she wonders what would happen if she gives him some pets…?

Purring. Purring happens.

The first time it's devastating for Napoleon. He's flushed silly at the bizarre low sound escaping his throat uncontrollably. It's embarrassing. He doesn't know how to stop it, and worse of all, he wants more. He feels fully at ease when she pets him, when he's in her company, when he receives her love… if he could play cool and save his skipping heartbeat to himself up until now, from hereon there is evidence of his being utterly down bad for MC.

He obediently lays his head on her lap for more pets. Just experimentally, until he has this purring business figured out. She finds it adorable: he loves making her happy; it feels good; he starts to give in… soon he's cheeky about it.

"I only purr like that for you, Nunuche… you make me feel so comfortable. Don't stop. Let me lay on your lap all afternoon."

Sunbaths? Sunbaths. He knows a spot. *takes MC to that one field*

Just a lot of napping on her, everywhere, even during her chores…

Cue MC having a lot of those "help I can't stand up ever again, nope" moments

To sum it up: Napoleon as a catboy is loving, sleepy, curious, slick and flexible, cheeky and wanting to be pet constantly, purring loudly… What is there not to love?

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @ale-teodora @kimi00twin @otomelady @privilegedpancake @g-kleran    @pumpumnnnp @thesirenwashere @ravenarld @kimmy-banana @devonares @animeworldsposts @randomanimatedhusbandoseeker @galaxyprison @sadshaxk @starshards26 @pro-cat-stination @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @keen19thcenturygoatsstudent @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @canaria-blackwell @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @aquagirl1978 ​ @ikemenlover24 @violettduchess @mcofthemansion @tiny-wooden-robot @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @cilokgoang Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[boywithskull]

any film/book/tv recs?

ooh thanks for the ask! Honestly I consume media across all genres, so I'm not sure if there's a specific vibe you're after, so I'll just list a couple of different things I really enjoy:

books:

all of Donna Tartt's books obviously :) TGF and TLF are my favourites, but TSH is of course a classic

Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (referenced in TGF and is the most beautiful prose work I've ever read, no joke)

Illuminations by Arthur Rimbaud

Orlando by Virginia Woolf (incredibly funny but very heartfelt and is a beautiful reflection on humanity, time, youth, and identity)

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (can't believe I only read that for the first time this year)

Max by Avi Duckor-Jones (written by a New Zealand author and is a wonderful coming-of-age story featuring themes of sexuality, family, art, and indigenous NZ culture)

Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo by Christiane F. (English title: Zoo Station) - memoir concerning the crisis of teen heroin use in West Berlin in the 70's. Big TW for many topics, so please look them up if you're thinking of reading it

Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim (many TW's also apply, but it's a beautiful novel)

Boy Swallows Universe and Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton - Australian contemporary litfic, the first is semi-autobiographical, and the latter features a young woman protagonist and centres topics of female homelessness and domestic violence against women

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever (perfect for fans of The Secret History)

The Inseparables by Simone de Beauvoir (only recently discovered a few years ago, and is semi-autobiographical account of her and her best friend's friendship growing up)

movies:

Let the Right One In (2008) - Swedish, fantastic vampire film

Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - hilarious, cult classic, what else is there to say?

Running on Empty (1988) - very gentle, I love River Phoenix

Dating Amber (2020) - funny and heartwarming comedy, with mlm/wlw solidarity and friendship at its heart

Thelma & Louise (1991) - such a rollercoaster, with amazing women as the leads, good focus on friendship, purpose, and self-actualisation

The Lost Boys (1987) - iconic, summer vibes are amazing, love me some campy 80's films, the Walk This Way hazing scene lives in my head rent-free

My Flesh and Blood (2003) - a documentary film about a woman named Susan who fosters a group of children, many of whom have disabilities or terminal illness. I love the way it was filmed and how it portrayed the realities of the situation, neither glamorising it or revelling in misery.

Mysterious Skin (2004) - adaption of the book I mentioned before. HUGE tw for sexual abuse/pedophilia. It's extremely respectful of the issues at hand, and is overall a beautiful work of art with incredible performances

tv:

honestly I haven't been watching many TV shows recently, but my favourites are:

NBC Hannibal

Twin Peaks

Gravity Falls

Druck (Skam Germany)

there are others but for some reason I can't think of any sorry :((((

[thekingofwinterblog]

Maybe this is just a flight of fancy - but your post about Kuma just made me think about how One Piece just abandoned it's more dialectical, for a lack of a better word, direction - instead of a tyrant being somebody who in the irony of history leads to revolutionary change, ala Napoleon, Nobunga, Cromwell or even Ghenghis Khann - he instead must be just a martyr - and not a Jesus, because a Jesus turns tables over and is not allways "nice", but just a caricature of some "Nietschean" "slave morality".

This can just be seen with how Luffy more and more turns from the amoral (not imoral) free spirit that never wants to be a hero and just liberates the world by his self consiousnes dominating the stagnatn oppresion, into a generic saviour, destined by literal prophecies that are fulfilled to the T, and not just by the end of history more abstractly - like hell somebody noticed how "the will of D" was basically overshadowed with the Nika stuff - from smiling because you are content and know that history will redeem everything, to just smiling because it is the magic system in a very boring and surface level way...

So yeah, even if my ideas may sound strange I'll finish that I agree - Kuma was kinda changed from a charachter that was introguing into one that may be more sympathic but ultimately less interesting - a mirror to the Gorosei, who were a human yet poignat critique of real politiks turning people into monster, who go against their compasion, that did destroy Ohara even thought they didnt want to out of a twisted "duty", into the saturday morning literal demons that call people "insects" - and as the devil that tortures souls in hell isn't really evil, so isn't an anti-semitic caricature that has a paralyzing stare - as "evil" as King Geedorah or Godzilla, just a rubber monster, not the evil in all our hearts...

Eh, i agree with some, disagree with some of the other things.

One thing i do disagree with, is the idea that the gorosei being pure evil is a problem. It's not, it's only a problem if all of them are the exact same in personality as Saturn.

The problem with Saturn is not the fact that he's pure evil, and like the rest of the celestial dragons he has a god complex, it's that he's boring.

He's just an evil asshole, who is pure evil, and frankly, his actual main purpose seems to be introducing the magic system that his side has hoarded for themselves, so that we'll have had a taste of it by the time the final conflict takes place.

The problem with Saturn is that there isnt much to him. What glimpses we see from the rest of his circle is that the rest of the gorosei have actual real opinions on the world that is in some part based on good intentions, or at least an appeal to the greater good. By contrast Saturn is just a Celestial Dragon with actual power behind him. no more, no less.

and there are ways to make that sort of characters compelling.

the youtuber Lowart, during his retrospective on the archie sonic comic breaks down pretty well how the Brotherhood of guardians from that franchise are quite frankly assholes... but it's the most extreme member of this extreme group, Locke, who is the most compelling character of the bunch, speciffically because he has been molded by his groups century's long ideology into becoming who he is. the logical end result, of a long line of extremism, who believes that the ends justify the means at any cost... and then explores how this completely ruined his, his wife's and his sons lives.

By contrast saturn is just an asshole, who does assholish things, because he is an asshole.

also as for him being an antisemetic charicature, his devil fruit is clearly a gyuki-oni, a demonic, bovine spider monster from japanese legends.

They really do look like that. they have been a part of Japanese folklore LONG before they even knew jews existed.

By sharp contrast, to saturn, while Imu hasnt been fleshed out in full yet, it's very clear that the monarch of the world has a much more distinct personality, with hopes, dreams, and has very distinct reasons to hate the people he/she does... but you also get the sense that Imu is a very lonely individual, who despite hard words, very clearly misses Lili, and seems to see Vivi as some form of getting to do things over again.

In other words, an actual character, as opposed to Saturn's Im fucking evil guys! look at me! im EVIL!!!

No in terms of good and evil, the larger problem is that the world government's opposition has lost as lot of their greyness as the story went on.

Dragon was a man who's actions was portrayed as a lot more grey than Kuma, a man who didnt mind his son becoming a pirate so long as he actually went out to see how the world was for himself, who talked nonchelantly with his subordinate about having brutually toppled a regime in a coup in their quest to destroy the world government.

There was a sense that he was on the right side of this war... but that he had no problems with shedding blood to get the war done.

Now this trait hasnt exactly been removed, but the way the manga portrays Dragon and his faction's actions has. Now rather than a bloody conflict with lots of intentional civil wars, post time skip it's portrayed more by relatively bloodless coups that doesnt kill that many people.

just look at kuma's flashback, where the king of sorbet was removed twice, and came back a third time, all because dragon didnt have him executed the first time.

The fact is, Oda did not need to make this conflict one of black and white, and it didnt have to become that, even as we saw the true, irredeemable evil at the WG's top.

I think the single biggest showcase of what a bad idea this was, is that Oda could have used the revolutionary army's raid on mariejois as a massacre, where they freed the slave, but also put as many world nobles to the sword as possible. as it is, it makes no sense for them not to do so while at the heart of their enemy's homebase, other than that this would have made them look very, very brutal.

and yeah, im not a fan of nika, or how it overshadows The Will of D.

The powerset of gear 5 is actually great, but It did not need some grandiose backstory that connects Luffy directly with the previous great figure.

I disagree though that luffy himself has become some savior hero. On the contrary, luffy's main storyline post timeskip is how he keeps dedicating himself to assassination plots against his political rivals, on his way to become pirate king.

That is the actions of a pirate, not a hero.

The problem is the fact that due to Nika, now he is entangled to become the next joy boy, not due to his own, personal qualities, but instead due to the devil fruit he ate... which is so much less compelling, and in turn makes Whitebeard denouncing Blackbeard as not able to suceed roger despite his name, as much less compelling.

[diatr1bes]

⠀⠀⠀ ◜   ♱   :    ⁱᶠ    𝔤𝔬𝔡    is    a    𝙵𝚁𝙰𝚄𝙳,    𝗮    𝗺𝗮𝗻    is    𝘢    𝘥𝘰𝘨    then    i'm    a    𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓    𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐄

◜   ♱   :    𝗗𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗘𝗥.

full name.   dante   theodore   kenway valmont. meaning.   enduring   \   a   gift   from   god   \   hill   of   the   vale. nickname.   dan   or   danny   (   absolutely   despises.   )   any   sort   of   reference   to   the   divine   comedy   (   also   hates.   ) mr. darcy age.   thirty2. dob.   october   twenty   -   sixth,   making   him   a   scorpio. pob.   redbridge,   london. pronouns.   he   /   him. residence.   previously   mayfair,   london   now   resides   in   manhattan   (   upper   east   ),   new   york.      education.   classics   (   history   of   art   )   &   law   at   cambridge.    occupation.   board   member   of   valmont   co.,   investor   &   entrepreneur/shareholder   of   a   few   start   -   ups   (   de   wolfe   record   label   &   oasis   reverie   art   gallery   ),   being   a   sneaky cunt.    orientation. bisexual, biromantic. hardly gives a shit.

◜   ♱   :    𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡.

height.   six   foot,   two   inches. clothing.   old   moneycore:   relaxed   tailored   slacks   and   handcrafted   sweaters.   wool   coats   and   the   occasional   washed   vintage   levi's   501s   with   black   loafers.   as   if   90's   richard   gere   &   hugh   grant   ​​​​​​​came   ​​​​​​​back   ​​​​​​​with   ​​​​​​​a   vengeance.          scent.   ​​​​​​​tom   ​​​​​​​ford's   oud   ​​​​​​​wood   ​​​​​​​eau   ​​​​​​​de   ​​​​​​​parfum,   ​​​​​​​mixed   ​​​​​​​with   ​​​​​​​the   asectic   ​​​​​​​bite   ​​​​​​​of   lingering   ​​​​​​​malboro   ​​​​​​​gold.   ​​​​​​​ noticable   features.   dimples   ​​​​​​​around   ​​​​​​​the   ​​​​​​​smile   when   ​​​​​​​he's   ​​​​​​​about   ​​​​​​​to   ​​​​​​​lie   ​​​​​​​through   ​​​​​​​his   ​​​​​​​teeth,   ​​​​​​​small   circular   ​​​​​​​burn   ​​​​​​​marks   ​​​​​​​around   ​​​​​​​his   hands   from   younger,   navy   blue   eyes   inherited   from   his   father.  motifs.    dogs,    blood's    thicker    than    water,    "    if    i    cannot    inspire    love    then    i    will    cause    fear    ",    black    coat    /    inherited    clothes    that's    slightly    too    big,    shattered    mirrors    shards    in    the    knuckles    &    flashing    lights    buzzing    in    the    ear,    paintings    overshadowed    on    walls,    revelations    in    the    static.      akin   to.   napoleon   usher   (   tfothof   ),   kendall   roy   &   nate   sofrelli   (   succession   ),   sebastian   (   cruel   intentions   ),   don   draper   (   madmen   ),   michael   bluth   (   arrested   development   )

◜   ♱   :    𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧.

you    only    live    twice,    or    so    you've    been    told.    a    young    blighter    in    middle    class    england,    another    product    of    a    single    mother    and    absent    father    fate.    hardly    destined    for    much    when    the    world    couldn't    give    less    than    a    supersilious    shit    about    you.    backed    into    a    corner    by    playground    bullies    far    taller,    you    get    mean    when    you    become    nervous.    come    home    from    school    with    sickly    purple    and    green    blossoming    around    the    eye,    a    prideful    grin    on    the    lips.    find    a    man    tailored    in    dark    green    waiting    in    the    kitchen,    bumming    a    burning    cigarette    with    your    mother    (    eyes    hardly    met,    why    aren't    they    met    ?    )    you're    told    to    pack    whatever's    necessary,    get    prepared    and    say    goodbye, dad's    here    to    take    you    home    with    an    opportunity    of    a    lifetime.   

the    first    of    four.    old    habits    don't    die    with    the    old    man,    they    fucking    repeat.    seen    as    revenues    before    bloodline,    his    hand    settles    above    your    bruised    eye    before    reshaping    you    entirely    and    it's    the    closest    thing    you'll    call    familial    affection.    leashed    with    a    ralph    lauren    tie    and    sent    off    to    the    best    school    bloodied    money    could    buy.    to    be    a    valmont    was    to    learn    how    to    kill;    not    with    a    fist    but    with    a    smile    ⎯    deceive    to    slip    the    knife    in    their    back    before    realisation    pours    out.     

call    it    american    cynicism:    it's    just    friendly    competition    held    between    siblings,    headlines    printed    with    your    father's    reserved    grimace    shared    to    the    press.    the    eldest    heads    off    to    cambridge,    studies    the    classics    of    art    and    readies    himself    with    a    degree    in    law    (    this    is    your    dream,    this    is    your    father's    aspiration.    )    life's    momentary,    legacy    is    eternal.    valmont    co.    is    an    artistic    empire    built    from    the    dying    love    of    vincent's    first    wife,    to    the    expansion    of    creative    endeavours.    publishing    houses,    film    companies,    record    labels    ⎯    all    intwined    into    the    valmont    name    like    poison    ivy.

pressure    throbs    at    the    fingertips,    the    golden    boy    wings    itch    at    your    back.    you've    learned    to    survive    on    this    hunger    for    so    long,    callously,    the    mind    reaches    for    something-    anything.    it's    a    fine    line    you    oscillate    on,    reveal    sharpened    canines    to    flashing    cameras    as    if    blood    and    coke    hadn't    soaked    in    earlier.    the    thrum    remains,    a    lingering    constant    that    gnaws    at    the    bloodline.    your    mother's    very    hues    staring    back    from    the    broken    mirror,    nothing    but    pity    that    falls    upon    the    burning    icarus.    that    is,    until    the    fiery    source    dies    out. 

four    raven    black    umbrellas    stand    and    watches    the    fall    of    a    king.    lowered    into    the    ground    six    feet    under,    the    final    curtain    call    of    vincent    valmont    and    all    it    took    was    a    heart    attack.    (    mundane,    ordinary, bleak:    everything    he    rescued    his    children    from.    )    all    that's    left    is    legacy,    reputation    in    the    palms    of    the    next    generation.    all    bets    are    off,    for    what    do    they    share    but    just    a    dead    man    and    a    last    name    they    had    to    earn.    for    dante,    an    absence    to    fill    is    all    he    ever    wanted,    the    very    opportunity    that    was    promised.

◜   ♱   :    𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦.

family.    vincent    valmont    (    father,    deceased    )    katherine    kenway    (    mother,    deceased    )    siblings    (    a    very    much    wc    !!    )    elliott    valmont    (    youngest    brother,    alive    ) habits.    smoking,    drinking,    substances,    (    mostly    coke,    occasional    downer    if    need    be.    ) tends to flex his hands nervously, terrible sleep pattern, collects books from op shops and stacks them on the floor ( a childhood habit ). connections.    friends   b   from    oxford    or    similar    social    circles    ),    one    night    stand    / fwbs    /    exes    /    pr    relationships,    fellow    creatives    (    those    signed    under    de    wolfe    records,    artists    with    work    in    oasis    reverie,    actors    working    on    one    of    films    he's    producing,    etc    ),    rivals,    frenemies,    bond    over    arts,    old    classmates,    enablers,    childhood    friends,    anything else !!