#and darcy even more so

[croquettish]

The Burden of Being Henry + The Kiss Scene

I made this point in my Hans-falling-in-love post but it deserved its own because I'm still thinking about it, days later.

As this scene from KCD1 points out, Henry is the axle upon which the world turns. And he does not like that about being a video game protagonist. Nothing happens unless he makes it happen. He always has to initiate. This is a burden (and it is a burden) that is always on his shoulders.

I remember a post in the first Hansry comm (rip) that suggested that Henry looked the way he looked after Hans kissed him because Hans took away his agency, his ability to give or deny consent in that moment.

I don't read that scene that way at all (and not only because this game clearly sees some value in establishing consent in a romance scene). I've already talked quite a bit about why I think Henry reacts the way that he does and I've seen others write up wonderful posts about it as well, but:

A part of me is almost convinced that Henry was never going to make the first move. It's too risky. It could get his lord in lord in trouble. Hans has been cagey about reciprocating any of Henry's subtle romantic advances because he's been stuck in a quagmire of repression and fear.

So Hans made the decision for them both. Willingly took away the need for Henry to shoulder that burden (and the responsibility that would come with any consequences that could very well follow) and took it on himself. Equality is a huge theme for Hans in this game, and by taking the initiative, he "lowers himself" in a sense to Henry's level, removing any artifice and any protection that might have been granted to him had Henry kissed him first. Just this once, Henry didn't have to be the one to do it. Just this once, someone else made something happen in his life.

And I think that for Henry in particular, video game protagonist that he is, that is really, really beautiful.

[anghraine]

Speaking of the social context of P&P and Austen in general, and also just literature of that era, I'm always interested in how things like precisely formulated hierarchies of precedence and tables of ranked social classes interact with the more complex and nuanced details of class-based status and consequence on a pragmatic day-to-day level. I remembered reading a social historian discussing the pragmatics of class wrt eighteenth-century English life many years ago and finally tracked down the source:

"In spite of the number of people who got their living from manufacture or trade, fundamentally it was a society in which the ownership of land alone conveyed social prestige and full political rights. ... The apex of this society was the nobility. In the eyes of the Law only members of the House of Lords, the peerage in the strictest use of the word, were a class apart, enjoying special privileges and composing one of the estates of the realm. Their families were commoners: even the eldest sons of peers could sit in the House of Commons. It was therefore in the social rather than in the legal sense of the word that English society was a class society. Before the law all English people except the peers were in theory equal. Legal concept and social practice were, however, very different. When men spoke of the nobility, they meant the sons and daughters, the brothers and sisters, the uncles and aunts and cousins of the peers. They were an extremely influential and wealthy group.

"The peers and their near relations almost monopolized high political office. From these great families came the wealthiest Church dignitaries, the higher ranks in the army and navy. Many of them found a career in law; some even did not disdain the money to be made in trade. What gave this class its particular importance in the political life of the day was the way in which it was organized on a basis of family and connection ... in eighteenth-century politics men rarely acted as isolated individuals. A man came into Parliament supported by his friends and relations who expected, in return for this support, that he would further their interests to the extent of his parliamentary influence.

"Next in both political and social importance came the gentry. Again it is not easy to define exactly who were covered by this term. The Law knew nothing of gentle birth but Society recognized it. Like the nobility this group too was as a class closely connected with land. Indeed, the border line between the two classes is at times almost impossible to define ... Often these men are described as the squirearchy, this term being used to cover the major landowning families in every county who were not connected by birth with the aristocracy. Between them and the local nobility there was often considerable jealousy. The country gentleman considered himself well qualified to manage the affairs of his county without aristocratic interference.

"...The next great layer in society is perhaps best described the contemporary term 'the Middling Sort'. As with all eighteenth-century groups it is difficult to draw a clear line of demarcation between them and their social superiors and inferiors. No economic line is possible, for a man with no pretensions to gentility might well be more prosperous than many a small squire. There was even on the fringe between the two classes some overlapping of activities ... The ambitious upstart who bought an estate and spent his income as a gentleman, might be either cold-shouldered by his better-born neighbours or treated by them with a certain contemptuous politeness. If however his daughters were presentable and well dowered, and if his sons received the education considered suitable for gentlemen, the next generation would see the obliteration of whatever distinction still remained. The solid mass of the middling sort had however no such aspirations, or considered them beyond their reach.

"...This term [the poor] was widely used to designate the great mass of the manual workers. Within their ranks differences of income and of outlook were as varied as those that characterized the middle class. Once again the line of demarcation is hard to draw..."

—Dorothy Marshall, Eighteenth Century England (29-34)

(There's plenty more interesting information in the full chapter, especially regarding "the poor," and the chapter itself is contracted from a lengthier version published earlier.)

[stopper-my-heart]

Nothing like Heartstopper S2E8 removing some of Taylor Swift's "seven" lyrics just so that the singing can specifically come back in at "Or hide in the closet" while Isaac is processing difficult emotions related to the book he's reading (i.e., Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen).

Did I mention "Or hide in the closet" hits just as the camera focus finishes shifting away from Isaac?

This is fine

[lazyveran]

currently stewing an azula/katara political marriage au in the brain solely bc ik azula wld act a fool the whole time

[leviiackrman]

TEAM AVERAGE-JOE: Normality is Good

Hideko Sugawara, The Mascot: “Mum help… I’ve gone over the top again.”

Gigi Olalia, The Mother: “I’m cool because my 3 sons said I was so…”

Kaida Ishimoto, The Goth: “I’m socially awkward.. but still friendly!”

Tag list (ask to be added or removed): @carrionsflower @statichvm @risingsh0t @simonxriley @tommyarashikage @jacobseed @confidentandgood @unholymilf @florbelles @thedeadthree @shellibisshe @roofgeese @aezyrraesh @faerune @tekehu @jackiesarch @minaharkers @sergeiravenov @carlosoliveiraa @rosenfey @hexmaturgy @queennymeria @heroofpenamstan @tethrras @viktorgf @d-esmond @solasan @bigbywlf @delzinrowe @fenharel @imogenkol @auricfog

[andragoras-in-vanity]

im distraught, my rook has elgar'nans vallaslin.....

[darlenicy]

my bb girl i love her so much also why is her design so pretty?? Why does she have such long silky hair it's unnatural how beautiful this witch is 😭😭😭😭🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads / storygraph

Sheiné łénde

prequel to Elatsoe, following her grandmother as a teen in the 1970s

after a devastating flood and loss of family members & their traditional home, she works with her mother & their ghost dogs, tracking down missing people

when a local boy goes missing - and her mother, when trying to find him - strange fairy rings (not the usual, reliable ones used for transport) might be to blame, and she and her friends, brother, and lone (unreliable) grandfather have to try find them

friendship, family, ecology, no romance, ghost bugs :)

(title pronounciation: Sheh-ee-neh lehneh)

arc from netgalley, out 16 April 2024!

[bugbachelor]

In terms of fashion Stormy outfits seemed like something fitting for a rave party if that makes sense. Based off names and powers one would think she’d wear darker and dull colored clothes like grey but instead most of her clothes come in shades of reds, purples, and dark pinks.

Like you said she’s often the one dressed more feminine compared to the others. Almost a rarity for her to wear pants. Stormy does whatever she wants she has no commitment to the theme her hairstyle is enough. (I don’t blame her that hair take a lot of effort let her wear a cute crop top and miniskirt)

Icy always goes for light blue outfits fitting for someone who’s powers revolve around ice. My girl is completely committed to her theme I love that.

Darcy choice of clothing is the least standoutish. She actually has a wide range of clothing tho she mostly prefers anything purple on average. She’s often the one who prefers pants. I often like to say she could be a member of the Spice Girls

yeah that's the exact breakdown of it imo

rave party is actually a pretty good comparison, especially with the wraps and ribbons. but yeah, her powers might be storms but that doesn't mean she's making it her whole personality, the hair really IS enough. anon i'm laughing at the mental image of her just being done with her contribution to the team aesthetic after having to bother with her hair every day and deciding she has a free pass to do whatever she wants to with the rest of the style

which i mean yeah good for her. i definitely think it's much funnier that the Trix have real contradictions in their designs. like, if Stormy actually modeled her whole style after her power that would tell us absolutely nothing about her. but given that she's so dedicated to a personal style that completely clashes with her powers it actually does say a lot

either she Really doesn't like witch fashion and is dying on her summer vibe hill AND/OR she's just so stubborn she won't change her personal style for anything on principle. which are both equally strong characterization beats as well as kind of funny

and Icy really is committed isn't she. the thing is i don't think anyone would even call Icy out for rocking light blue to the witch convention because it just looks that good on her. it's the hair, would be kind of criminal if she didn't lean into it

actually curious as well that there's not more characters in universe that have hair That striking. because even with fantasy hair colours clearly being a thing, she's still the only one rocking hair that white. she'd really stand out in any crowd. insane if she Wouldn't lean into it, really, that's her Brand

and totally Darcy is the one who blends with crowds the best. which i actually really like since it clearly reflects her personality as well. the same way Stormy is stubborn and unwilling to compromise her style for whatever situation she's in, and Icy clearly embraces standing out in any crowd and even adds to it intentionally, Darcy is the best at adapting and blending into the background when she wants to

especially in the early seasons when she even uses that approach to fighting as well, disappearing and reappearing when and where she isn't expected. or just using her actual manipulation skills and acting

i just really like that they clearly put thought into their styles given how well they mirror their actual characterization. also love that they all have entirely different approaches to fashion, it makes them look sm more interesting as a group

[anghraine]

It's kind of fascinating to me that towards the end of P&P, Elizabeth has become protective of Darcy and either a) actively tries to insulate him from Situations or b) wishes that she could and gets stressed that she can't.

Darcy deeply loves her and is very ready to do whatever he can to secure her happiness, but narratively, I think the emphasis at the end is very much more on Elizabeth's protectiveness towards him.

It's like:

When Bingley and Darcy first come back to Hertfordshire, Darcy is very quiet and Elizabeth can barely bring herself to say anything—until Mrs Bennet insults Darcy. Then Elizabeth speaks up.

Mrs Bennet enlists Elizabeth to separate Darcy from Bingley with another insult to Darcy. Elizabeth finds this both convenient and enraging.

That day, Elizabeth decides to privately tell Mrs Bennet about her engagement to Darcy, specifically so that Darcy will be spared Mrs Bennet's first unfiltered response.

Elizabeth fiercely defends Darcy's character and love for her, as well as hers for him, to Mr Bennet. She not only says she loves Darcy but that it upsets her to hear Mr Bennet's criticisms of him.

Elizabeth is both relieved by Mrs Bennet's ecstatic reception of the engagement and a bit disappointed by how completely shallow she's being about it, and 100% sure she made the right call in keeping Darcy away.

Elizabeth defends Darcy against Darcy himself, repeatedly.

There's a period where Elizabeth seems to unwind and laugh, but this passes, especially after Charlotte and Mr Collins show up. Darcy manages to stay calm around Mr Collins (I think this is framed as a significant and admirable achievement for him), but Elizabeth does not like him being in a situation where he has to deal with Mr Collins in the first place.

Elizabeth tries to shield Darcy from being noticed by Mrs Phillips and Mrs Bennet, who do seem to make him pretty excruciatingly uncomfortable.

Ultimately, Elizabeth ends up trying to keep Darcy to herself or to shepherd him around to relatives he can handle more easily, and is so stressed at this point that she just wants to get married and escape to Pemberley.

After their marriage, things are actually great at Pemberley and in their married life, despite the occasional complication.

Lydia writes a congratulatory letter to Elizabeth, asking for Darcy to get Wickham a promotion unless Elizabeth would rather not bring it up with him. Elizabeth really does not want Darcy to have to deal with this and handles it by privately setting aside a Lydia fund out of her personal expenses. (IIRC, it's not clear if Darcy even knows about this.)

Elizabeth also is the driving force behind Darcy's reconciliation with Lady Catherine.

This could read as an unsettling, unbalanced dynamic and a very odd ending point for the arc of a woman like Elizabeth, but in the context of the overall novel, it doesn't feel that way. Or maybe I'd see it more that way if I interpreted Darcy (and for that matter, Elizabeth) + their arcs differently? But as it is, I do think that by this point in the story they are genuinely doing the best they can, independently and for each other, and they've both come a long way. They shine in different contexts and support each other as much as they can in the circumstances that do arise.

It seems very them, in terms of their temperament and abilities, that Elizabeth would put all this effort into shielding Darcy, while at the same time, Darcy completely cuts off Lady Catherine for insulting Elizabeth and only ever speaks to her again because Elizabeth wants him to.

[bennetsbonnet]

I think it's really interesting how perceptions of Pride and Prejudice and sentiments towards its various characters have changed over time. You can get a very good sense of such shifts from edition to edition, thanks to the blurb/cover art/introduction (or maybe this is how I justify the number of editions I own to myself...)

The oldest copy of Pride and Prejudice that I own is this edition from 1980:

And I think the notes on the dust jacket of this particular edition are very interesting:

The first paragraph contains a very sweet and relatable sentiment... but as for some of the character descriptions? They are certainly A Choice...

I do enjoy 'gorgeously intolerable' as a description of Lady Catherine... but not sure arch-snob quite fits Mr Collins? He definitely seeks the approval of one, but I don't think he understands himself what it takes to be a true snob. Would be a better description of Darcy though, than reducing him solely down to pride and Elizabeth to prejudice when they both exhibited each of those traits!

Also, to call Lydia a hoyden feels a bit... extreme...? Lydia is immature, yes, but I think that word has a certain (sexual) connotation that feels unfair to a fifteen year old who was preyed upon by a much older man(!!!) and I like to think we treat her a little more sympathetically now.

I do love this sentence, though, because I think it very succinctly puts into words what continues to draw us to Pride and Prejudice and ensures it hasn't been out of print for 212 years:

It is the people, however, who are timeless-they live, they have always lived, they will never really die.

[sezja]

oh it's so fucking stupid I love it

[titsthedamnseason]

now what the hell-

[aintitfierce]

u ever just want to make a huge post detailing Everything even tho you're trying so hard to keep some secrets about your OC and original lore.......................

[homoeroticvillain]

angie had a jane austen phase when she was younger, around 12 i think, which came as a surprise for most the people that knew her. but even now you can tell she has a certain fondness for the regency period, and she continues to read a lot of romance novels

[soupdreamer]

tao x elle (explodes)