15. Marie Antoinette Believed Suffering Made Her Stronger
Despite all of the public scandals and outrage surrounding her time in the royal court, Marie Antoinette remained a poised, calm, and healthy individual throughout her reign as queen. She believed that the hardships that she faced — from having an entire country against her to being married as part of a peace treaty and having a chronically sick child — had given her the endurance and perseverance that she needed to fulfill her role, while also bringing her more into touch with the needs of her country’s people. Shortly after the French Revolution began while imprisoned, Marie Antoinette wrote a letter in which she claimed that suffering causes people to realize their true selves. Soon before she was beheaded, she wrote to her sister that she was calm and her conscience was clear.
After being touted as the national scapegoat by an eager public, Hillary Clinton probably shares the sentiments expressed by Marie Antoinette. In fact, after the email scandal, she declared that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. The challenges that she faced as a female politician undoubtedly increased her resolve to pave the way for other women to rise through the ranks and achieve their goals.
