Jeanne Barrois is a complex character from "Lady Oscar: The Rose of Versailles." She is the half-sister of Rosalie Lamorliere but grows up never knowing their true family connection. Driven by a desire for a luxurious life fitting her noble blood, Jeanne uses any means necessary to rise in Parisian society. Through a mix of cunning, crime, and scandal, she becomes notorious for her part in the infamous Necklace Affair. After a dramatic downfall and imprisonment, Jeanne's final days are filled with escape, deceit, and a fiery showdown. Her story differs between the original manga and the 1979 anime, each showing unique twists to her ultimate fate.
Jeanne is recognized for her beauty, which matches her noble heritage. She uses her looks to charm and manipulate others for her own gain.
Jeanne is strongly ambitious, always seeking a richer life.
She is manipulative and will do anything to get what she wants.
In the anime, her character also reveals a sense of emptiness, no matter how much money she earns.
Jeanne Barrois is the illegitimate daughter of Baron de Saint-Remy and Nicole La Morielle, a maid.
Raised not knowing her noble blood or her half-sister Rosalie Lamorliere, Jeanne believes she deserves a grander life.
She teams up with her husband Nicolas de La Motte, and they begin a series of schemes aiming for noble status.
Jeanne is very skilled at deception.
She is clever at manipulating people and situations to her advantage.
- Rosalie Lamorliere: Her half-sister, though neither knows this for most of their lives.
- Nicolas de La Motte: Her partner in crime and husband.
- Nicole d'Oriba: Used as a double for Marie Antoinette in the Necklace Affair.
- Archbishop Louis de Loirean: She manipulates his trust to further her schemes.
- Marie Antoinette: Claiming a scandalous relationship, Jeanne involves the Queen in her lies.
- Oscar François de Jarjayes: Jeanne falsely accuses her as part of her fabricated stories.
Rise Through Deceit
Jeanne starts her climb by becoming the adopted daughter of a noble family.
She skillfully uses the reputation of Archbishop Louis de Loirean, known for being friends with Marie Antoinette, to gain social standing.
The Necklace Affair
Jeanne and Nicolas de La Motte, her husband, create a scheme using Nicole d'Oriba, a lookalike of Marie Antoinette.
Jeanne fools Archbishop Louis de Loirean, leading to the famous Necklace Affair.
Trial and Punishment
Jeanne is eventually caught, facing judgment at court.
She is found guilty, receives a “V” brand for “thief” on both shoulders, and is sentenced to life in prison at Salpêtrière Prison.
Escape and Scandal
With unknown help, Jeanne manages to escape from prison.
She hides in the Saverne Abbey, writing several “memoirs” filled with lies and attacks on the royal family, publishing them to stir public anger.
Final Stand and Death
Jeanne and Nicolas take refuge in an estate at Saverne.
They set up explosives and try to resist arrest.
In a moment of chaos, Jeanne accidentally kills Nicolas and then tries to escape by jumping off a balcony, falling to her death.
Anime Ending
In the 1979 TV anime, Jeanne's escape is aided by Duke Philippe d'Orleans.
After her tell-all books are released, she is betrayed and her hideout is surrounded.
Realizing she cannot escape, she stabs Nicolas (who was about to strangle Oscar François de Jarjayes) and lights the fuse to the explosives.
She and Nicolas choose to end their lives together.
Unlike the manga, the anime gives Jeanne a sense of emptiness, and at the end, she agrees to die with Nicolas, saying, “I’m tired… I’ve had enough…”
- "I deserve a more luxurious life!"
- "Marie Antoinette and I were lovers."
- "I’m tired… I’ve had enough…"
- Jeanne is based on a real historical figure involved in the Necklace Affair.
- In both manga and anime, her life ends tragically, but the details change between versions.
- No one knows for sure who helped her escape from prison in history.
This article is about the character from "Lady Oscar: The Rose of Versailles." If you are looking for something else with a similar name, please see other articles.
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