Okay, this is a question for those who really know their French history (no amateur guesses, please!) Would a noble wedding really end with the couple in the bed and a bunch of people waiting right outside until the deed is done??? And then check for blood?
If so, man, I imagine performance anxiety was common. I wonder what they would do if the man couldn't perform.
This was a common practice among most nobles to confirm that a marriage had in fact been consummated. In France, it was also the custom for nobles to be present at the birth of any royal child to confirm that the princess or queen did in fact give birth to the child. Marie Antoinette found it humiliating after giving birth to her first born. For the remainder of her pregnancies she refused to allow anyone in the room, unless if they had to be there (doctor, midwife, close family, etc).
From what I have read, what they showed was rather restrained compared to some instances where people would actually sit right next to the couple's bed giving running commentary and performance tips like it was a spectator sport!
why would there have been performance anxiety? it was a whole different era - undressing in front others was normal and modesty was not the norm to those people. such things were simply a part of their way of life
Exactly. Even if men back then had no modesty regarding sex, it must have been stressful to be pretty much told "Perform, or else." How do you say "limp" in French?