I had to laugh yesterday at how Fritz "never managed to cure Heinrich of his bile," to which I found myself replying, "Well, no, if you look at the things Fritz tried, those are not usually the things that cure people of bile, it's true."
So very true. But clearly, we're taking the wrong approach her. Fritz the ever chill and ever patient was being a model big brother, repeatedly steering Heinrich away from the wrong boyfriends, marrying him to a beauty and giving exemplary grief counselling to ensure Heinrich would not succumb to depression. He also makes certain Heinrich stays away from dangerous jobs, like King of Poland, and includes him in family gatherings when nephews come to visit. He is the very model of a Hohenzollern therapist!
Speaking of models: the FW and Gundling tale has made it to the screen as the only historical movie in which FW plays a prominent role that has nothing to do with his son whatsoever, Der König und sein Narr. (Haven't seen it, but the script is by one of the foremost GDR writers of the day, Ulrich Plenzdorf, and it has Götz George as FW.) Since chronology is character: I see Gundling died in April 1731, which means his abuse and Fritz' abuse did overlap. Since Gundling's started in 1713, that makes 28 years of it, which was Fritz' age when FW died. Now I would like to think that young Fritz might have felt some empathy for the poor guy, but I fear he probably saw him only as a ridiculous figure as well, and as a member of his father's hated tobbaco round, not as a fellow victim.
Anyway, depending on how much of FW's treatment of Gundling was known outside of Prussia: no wonder Émilie thought Voltaire shouldn't set foot in the country as long as FW was still alive!
Re: MacDonogh Reread II
So very true. But clearly, we're taking the wrong approach her. Fritz the ever chill and ever patient was being a model big brother, repeatedly steering Heinrich away from the wrong boyfriends, marrying him to a beauty and giving exemplary grief counselling to ensure Heinrich would not succumb to depression. He also makes certain Heinrich stays away from dangerous jobs, like King of Poland, and includes him in family gatherings when nephews come to visit. He is the very model of a Hohenzollern therapist!
Speaking of models: the FW and Gundling tale has made it to the screen as the only historical movie in which FW plays a prominent role that has nothing to do with his son whatsoever, Der König und sein Narr. (Haven't seen it, but the script is by one of the foremost GDR writers of the day, Ulrich Plenzdorf, and it has Götz George as FW.) Since chronology is character: I see Gundling died in April 1731, which means his abuse and Fritz' abuse did overlap. Since Gundling's started in 1713, that makes 28 years of it, which was Fritz' age when FW died. Now I would like to think that young Fritz might have felt some empathy for the poor guy, but I fear he probably saw him only as a ridiculous figure as well, and as a member of his father's hated tobbaco round, not as a fellow victim.
Anyway, depending on how much of FW's treatment of Gundling was known outside of Prussia: no wonder Émilie thought Voltaire shouldn't set foot in the country as long as FW was still alive!