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La Robe à la Française et la Robe l’Odalisque: wearing women’s clothing in The Rose of Versailles
The androgynous heroine of Ikeda Ryoko’s manga The Rose of Versailles (1972‐73), Oscar Françoise de Jarjayes, is usually depicted in masculine, specifically military, attire. The sixth daughter of an important military colonel during the reign of Louis XV and Louis XVI, Oscar is raised as a son and follows her father into the military. Oscar is only ever depicted in one dress, known as the robe l’odalisque ‐ a gown that is adopted at a pivotal moment of character development. It is while wearing this dress, which Ikeda intended to serve as a wedding dress, that Oscar comes to terms with her unrequited love for Marie Antoinette’s lover, Count Axel von Fersen. In doing so, Oscar places more importance on her allegiance to France than to romance. This article investigates the complicated gender and social politics that are symbolized by the choice to wear women’s clothing in The Rose of Versailles.
History
Publication title
Studies in Costume & PerformanceVolume
6Article number
19Number
19Pagination
29-47ISSN
2052-4021Department/School
School of HumanitiesPublisher
Intellect Ltd.Place of publication
UKRepository Status
- Restricted