And that's where I think the rationalized sadism comes in. (Rationalized because I'm sure he really believed this was in Prussia's best interests as well as the immortal soul of his son; sadism because of things like being very emphatic with everyone at Küstrin that he wanted Fritz with a "broken heart.")
That's an excellent summary of what was likely going on in the King. I would also speculate on some internalized sexual hang-ups in that, let's face it, Friedrich Wilhelm was never happier than in male company and absolutely awkward and uncomfortable with women. (And not just when they were presented nude to him a la what August the Strong did in Dresden when FW and Fritz were visiting.) I would say "internalized homophobia" except that FW loathed heterosexual profligacy a la his father or August intensely as well, hence all those rants against mistresses (and he wasn't much happier with Fritz flirting with the Countess Orzelska in Dresden than he was with anything else, instead of going "yay, at least the boy shows heterosexual interest!). Otoh, all those children he and Sophia Charlotte had demonstrate that he wasn't impotent. So you have someone to whom any sexual outlet other than marriage is taboo, whose marriage has degenerated into constant emotional warfare, who might or might not feel drawn to men sexually as well as emotionally anyway - and I wouldn't be surprised that the sight of his son in love with anyone, especially (but not exclusively) a man, was just rubbing it in and additionally made him furious.
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Date: 2019-08-18 05:00 pm (UTC)That's an excellent summary of what was likely going on in the King. I would also speculate on some internalized sexual hang-ups in that, let's face it, Friedrich Wilhelm was never happier than in male company and absolutely awkward and uncomfortable with women. (And not just when they were presented nude to him a la what August the Strong did in Dresden when FW and Fritz were visiting.) I would say "internalized homophobia" except that FW loathed heterosexual profligacy a la his father or August intensely as well, hence all those rants against mistresses (and he wasn't much happier with Fritz flirting with the Countess Orzelska in Dresden than he was with anything else, instead of going "yay, at least the boy shows heterosexual interest!). Otoh, all those children he and Sophia Charlotte had demonstrate that he wasn't impotent. So you have someone to whom any sexual outlet other than marriage is taboo, whose marriage has degenerated into constant emotional warfare, who might or might not feel drawn to men sexually as well as emotionally anyway - and I wouldn't be surprised that the sight of his son in love with anyone, especially (but not exclusively) a man, was just rubbing it in and additionally made him furious.