Ua strong woman, regardless of labels, who pursues freedom, always and in any case. It might seem like the beginning of a modern story, but it is that of Sissias told in the series The empressavailable from now on Netflix. Six episodes that highlight the vices and virtues of one of the sovereigns who have left a mark on history, often told by cinema and television.
The empressthe plot of the series
There series starts from first meeting between the Duchess of Bavaria Elisabeth Amalia Eugenia of Wittelsbach, known as Sissi (Devrim Lingnau), and the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant). An unexpected encounter, a real love at first sight, which overwhelms the young people and sweeps away the plans of their respective families.
In fact, no one had thought that the Duchess could impress the emperor, destined to marry his sister, Helena (Elisa Schlott). The wedding decision is reluctantly welcomed by bothArchduchess Sofia (Melika Foroutan), the mother of the emperor, both from the family of Sissi. However, Franz is categorical: “Either Elizabeth or none”.
In the face of such firmness, families can only accept that Sissi becomes the future empress of Austria. Once the marriage is celebrated, the woman must make her way inside the strict court. Mostly, she has to watch her back from her mother-in-law Sofia, who is watching her every move with the complicity of a large crowd of ladies-in-waiting.
Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant as Elizabeth “Sissi” and Francesco Giuseppe. (Netflix)
Sissi and Franz, crushed by the duties of the Court
Also, it has to contend with his brother-in-law Maximilian (Johannes Nussbaum), envious of his brother and thirsty for power, just like the mother. Among other things, the man suffers the charm of Sissi and does everything to conquer her. In this context, Elizabeth and Franz live their overwhelming love in the sunlightbut soon the work commitments take over.
The Habsburg Empire is threatened by enemy troops, especially the Russian ones, while in Vienna a sense of dissatisfaction is expanding, leading to protests against the emperor. To ignite the fuse, extreme poverty and precarious health conditions. So Franz has to practice the least damaging tactic e make the right alliances to prevent the Habsburg empire from being wiped out. Supported by his wife, he would like to avoid yet another conflict, but the circumstances are not favorable.
In turn, Elizabeth must choose her own, of alliances. Also, she goes to great lengths to show herself truly close to the people, but her austere protocols prevent her from acting as she would like. And, despite her best efforts, she will feel on her own skin the price to pay to fill the role of empress.
Melika Foroutan and Philip Froissant are Sofia and Franz. (Netflix)
Elisabeth, ante litteram feminist – Review
The empress highlights the personality of young Elizabeth. A girl used to living in the countryside, who loves horses and contact with nature. Despite her blue blood destined to cross with that of the imperial family, it is far from the rigidity of the palace, as well as from the rules to which women must comply.
In the first episodea moment before escaping the clutches of her mother, who wants to introduce her to a duke, he says to his sister Helena: “I want a man who can satisfy my soul”. It is immediately evident that bowing to the duties imposed by others is not part of his character, determined and strong-willed. A character that will try not to betray even when it is harnessed in the imperial rules and will scream loudly: “I want control of my life”.
Request that, at times, will be able to fulfill and that at others, however, will fall into oblivion. In any case, the empress is an ante litteram feminist. And in this power struggle with men, she is not alone. The other women of the series keep her company. First of all, Leontine (Almila Bagriacik)one of the ladies-in-waiting.
The empress and the other women, looking for an equality
Both try to rebel in a world of menaware that every gesture, every choice, every conquest will cost effort, sacrifices and compromises. Leontine is different from other ladieswho have no particular sympathy towards him. With Elisabeth, however, it is a meeting of souls. They recognize themselves in loneliness, in sadness, but above all in the battles for their own affirmation.
Then there is Sofia. The archduchess and Elisabeth are apparently distant, but both trapped in the ganglia of imperial protocols. For each of the two, court life is also a bearer of pain and, at times, in their gazes a glimmer of understanding makes its way that does not need words, but that struggles to make itself clear even in a simple gesture. The times for even intergenerational equality, however, are not ripe.
After all, the archduchess is so frightened by the idea of being overtaken by her young daughter-in-law, that at the moment of her engagement with Franz she declares: “What does not bend must be broken.” Blame the clash between old and new, which characterizes the whole series. On one side, Sissi and Franz: pure lovestronger than the demands of the kingdom; two young people overwhelmed by a feeling so strong that it overturns the rules.
Johannes Nussbaum as Maximilian. (Netflix)
The clash between old and new
On the other, the beliefs of the parents, clinging to an idea of empire that risks soon becoming anachronistic. Sissi then struggles with the tumultuous relationship with her parents. Self his mother Ludovika (Jördis Triebel) he accuses her of being the cause of all her ills, her father reproaches her for doing “always what you want. You never follow the rules and now you pay the price“.
In this context, in which women are considered to be the same as statuettes without a thought of their own and where the bulwarks of the monarchies begin to collapse one after another, a single voice rises to show support for the new advancing. That of Franz, who at the beginning of the marriage with Elisabeth, warns the mother. “The world is changing. Who knows if this family will do the same too, ”she says.
History then ran its course, but it is interesting to observe the effort of the Netflix serieswho in narrating the Habsburg empress does nothing but tell about the women who have made their way in the history of the worlddespite the high price they had to pay.
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