L'Aiglon

"L'Aiglon" by Edmond Rostand is a play unfolding in six acts, created in the late 1800s, which centers on Napoleon Bonaparte's son, also known as the Duke of Reichstadt; the story is about figuring out who you are, what you leave behind, and trying to be fulfilled, with the main character battling his family's history as he dreams of independence and making his own choices in life. At the beginning of the story, we meet the Duke of Reichstadt talking with his mother, Maria Louisa, along with other people at their home near Vienna in 1830; the scene is full of energy, with people talking, music playing, and the tricky parts of being in the royal court; even though the Duke has all the fancy stuff that comes with being royalty, he really wants to get away from his father's fame and the limits that are put on him; as the people in the play joke around, but also have serious talks about being loyal and who they are; it's obvious that the Duke will have a hard time both inside himself and out in the world as he deals with what people expect from him because of his family.