American Socialite Characters - Napoleon: The Most Feared Person On Earth

In American Socialite, Betsy is thrilled at the thought of being married to a Bonaparte. The Bonaparte family, after all, is arguably the most prestigious family on earth. Not only are the Bonaparte's royalty, the most notable Bonaparte, Napoleon, is the single most powerful person on the planet. The man is a military genius - and a political genius, to boot. The fact that she is about to marry Napoleon's younger brother Jerome convinces Betsy that she's about to live a life beyond anything she could imagine. 

What Betsy learns all too soon is that Napoleon, despite whatever positive characteristics he may have, is not a nice guy. The same could well be said of Napoleon in real life. He may have been brilliant, but Napoleon was in the business of taking what wasn't his. He became the leader of France courtesy of a coup. As if that weren't enough, the man ended up conquering large swaths of Europe and beyond. What's more, Napoleon's will and craving for power, coupled with his obvious talents, meant that he always seemed to want more. The guy was indeed the most frightening person on earth. 

By the time Betsy - both in real life and in the pages of American Socialite - married Jerome, Napoleon had his eyes set on conquering England. He wasn't able to pull that stunt off, so he then set his sights on Russia. He wasn't able to pull that stunt off, either. Napoleon, however, was simply not a man to be deterred. After being sent by his enemies into exile, Napoleon escaped, returned to France, and set the world back into turmoil again. It wasn't until his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo that Napoleon was stopped once and for all. 

My portrayal of Napoleon in American Socialite probably can't be considered flattering, though I do try to be fair to the man. Ultimately, I think it's worth asking ourselves what it is about people like Napoleon that allow them to become the menaces they inevitably do. Perhaps it's the promise they exude, the belief that those who join them can somehow partake of a truly special moment in time. Or perhaps it's just a desire to be a part of a winning movement (look no further than those sports fans who suddenly start adoring a recently successful team).

One thing that's certain is Betsy, both in the historical record and in American Socialite, is enthralled with what Napoleon represents. I've presented her in my novel as a person so overwhelmed by her personal desire and ambition that she's blind to all other matters (just like Napoleon). Bad choices, however, can lead to personal growth. The question in American Socialite is whether or not Betsy will allow herself that growth. 

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