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blackswaneuroparedux · 4 years ago

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Anonymous asked: You sound like a remarkable woman out of her time. Your posts suggest you are modern and feminine yet your cultured intelligence and cleverness seems from an earlier lost time. Would you prefer to be living in 18th Century Georgian England? One imagines you would fit right in as a heroine in Jane Austen’s Regency world of aristocratic manners and clever barbs over tea in the drawing room.

I had to smile to myself a little because the last thing I ever saw myself was a Jane Austen character. I certainly don’t see myself as heroine of Austen’s world. After all don’t most if not all of Austen’s literary heroines spend their time pathetically pining away for the socially aloof and yet heroically vulnerable gentlemen they profess to love, men who are usually too dense to know that these whining women have childish schoolgirl crushes on them? I know I’m going to angry mails now from pouting Austen fans but I have to speak my mind.

Like most people I do profess to liking a nice, cosy Jane Austen adaptation on television. The fabulous frocks, fans, feathers and finery soothe us with images of a gentler, well-mannered time when gentlemen in cravats and breeches wooed perfumed ladies across ballrooms and well-manicured lawns.

However the reality was not quite so lovely. It’s not that women - like Austen’s literary women - were caught up in the social constraints of their time but also I would get restless just sitting down all day to tea and gossip. I would sooner catch the first ship bound for India and have adventures in the Orient along the way. Tea with Mr Darcy in well stuffed breeches might not be enough for me but then again a well stocked library as most landed gentry homes had would make me reconsider.

I’m fortunate that within my family we have a wealth of diaries, correspondence, private papers, and other family heirlooms that go back a few centuries which we have scrupulously stored to hopefully pass onto future generations.

So when I can decipher some letters of my ancestors it gives me some insight into what life was like for them as men and women of their time. It’s not always easy to read as they loved to scribble in ink (now faded) in the margins on nearly every page of the books they read. And so the penmanship is stylish but minuscule and therefore sometimes hard to make out. The letters are somewhat more legible but it requires patience and perseverance to make sense of what they were writing about. It’s a wonderful way to flesh out the genealogical tree with titbits of personal anecdotes that could be perfunctory, mundane, scandalous, salacious, romantic, and even political.

I’ve read Jane Austen like every other girl at boarding school I imagine. I like her writings but I wouldn’t say my heart is in it to actually live through that time.

Life for Georgian women, even of high birth, was harsh enough in a time when men still held all the power and husbands could beat and even rape their wives. Noblewomen caught diseases passed on from their husband's prostitutes and were still subjected to confinement and the barbaric medical practice of bleeding when pregnant. Even their fashions and frippery provided cold comfort when their make-up poisoned them, unwashed dresses and undergarments stank and their fancy foods made their teeth rot and fall out.

The fact that women did survive and even thrive is a testament to their strength and fortitude which I find admirable.

I’m used to mud and sweat and even living rough because as ex-army officer I was trained to suck it up but it’s also in my nature because I love going rough when I hike or climb mountains or trek to other places off the beaten track. So I’m not squeamish so long as at the end of the day I can bathe or shower my aches away and I can put on a fresh change of clothing. However even I recoil in some horror when I consider that despite their elegant appearance, Georgian women carried a world of stench. While hands and faces would be washed daily, immersive bathing was considered bad for the health and was only indulged in occasionally.

The heavy gowns of the period would have caused the wearer to sweat profusely, with only perfumes such as rose water and orange blossom to mask the smell. The clothes themselves would also be pungent. Due to the huge amount of work involved in laundering, most households would have a maximum of one wash-day a month. Linen undergarments were changed as often as possible, but their "clean" smell would still be unappealing to us. Linen was often bleached in chamber lye, a kind of soap made from ashes and urine.

As if bodily odour was not bad enough, there was also the whiff of rotting teeth. A sugar-rich diet led to frequent tooth-decay in the upper classes. Cleansing tooth-powders had started to emerge but most of these featured "spirit of vitriol", known to us as sulphuric acid, and stripped teeth of their enamel. Often the best remedy for smelling teeth and bad breath was to chew herbs such as parsley. Where a tooth was past hope of redemption, it would be pulled with pliers or a tooth key, a claw that would fix to the teeth so it could be loosened in the jaw. To avoid a gummy smile, ladies of fashion sought false teeth made from ivory or porcelain but, where possible, they preferred to have "live" teeth in their dentures. Poor people were encouraged to sell healthy teeth for this purpose. While such a practice was unethical, it was better than the other method of sourcing human teeth: pillaging them battlefields and graveyards.

Georgian women were renowned for their snowy faces and dark eyebrows but achieving the fashionable skin tone could be extremely dangerous. White face powders were lead-based and some also featured vinegar and horse manure. Years of coating the entire face, shoulders and neck with such a mixture could lead to catastrophic consequences. Society beauty Maria Gunning died at the age of just 27, having spent her life addicted to cosmetics. Lead-poisoning could cause hair loss and tooth decay but ingeniously, these problems were elegantly adapted into the fashion and it became desirable to have a high forehead and pencil-thin eyebrows. If your own eyebrows failed you completely, you could always trap a mouse in the kitchen and use its fur to make a new artificial pair.

I usually wear my hair straight or tied up in a bun so I don’t fuss too much over my hair. This would certainly be out of place if I lived in Georgian times. Georgian ladies were the mistresses of big hair. They piled their frizzed and curled locks over pads or wires to create show pieces for the drawing room. Often their own hair was not sufficient and had to be supplemented by horse hair and false pieces. Styles from the 1760s were domed or egg-shaped, elongating into the pouf in the 1780s. But Georgiana, the infamous Duchess of Devonshire, had to take things a step further. She introduced the three-foot hair tower, ornamented with stuffed birds, waxed fruit and model ships. Following her example, women competed with one another to make the tallest headdress. Since these styles were costly and took hours to arrange, they were worn for several weeks. Ladies had to sleep sitting up and travel on the carriage floor to avoid spoiling their creations. With no combing possible, lice were inevitable so a special scratching rod was invented for irritated ladies to poke into their piled up hair.

It wasn’t any real fun being a woman and I often think Jane Austen is selling a false bill of goods in her books. You never see women in her novels deal with their menstrual problems. No one has proved for certain what they did, if anything, for sanitary hygiene. With no knickers to hold in strips of linen or rag, they were left to Mother Nature’s mercy. I can imagine that being a conversation stopper in the drawing room over tea with the vicar and his prissy wife. Their toilet habits were a little more civilised. When ladies at the royal court were caught short, they resorted to porcelain jugs much like a modern-day gravy boat. This contraption, called a bourdaloue, was stuffed up beneath the skirts and clenched beneath the thighs. Apparently it was quite normal for a lady to continue her conversation while urinating into the device! I think Jane Austen missed a trick by not having at least one scene with Elizabeth Bennet urinating under her skirts whilst trading clever barbs with Mr Darcy.

Speaking of which marriage was not a box of chocolates in the early 18th Century or indeed later in Austen’s day. Upon marriage, a lady and all her worldly goods would become property of her husband. It was therefore essential to guard a well-to-do bride’s interests with a legal marriage settlement before the ceremony took place. I read somewhere that Henrietta Hobart, later mistress to George II, had reason to be thankful for the settlement drawn up before her marriage to Charles Howard in 1706. It stipulated that two thirds of her dowry should be invested, with the interest at her sole disposal. Should Henrietta die, the funds were to pass to her children. This arrangement was to prove life-saving when her husband became an abusive gambling-addict and alcoholic.

Lower class women were known to take extreme measures to protect their future husbands from their own debts. "Smock weddings" were intended to show that the bride brought no clothes or property to the union, thus exempting each spouse from the other’s financial liabilities. The woman would be married wearing only her undergarment or smock – or sometimes nothing at all. Of course no marriage settlement, however generous, could save a woman from a violent husband and it remained legal for a man to rape or kidnap his wife. While excessive beating was frowned upon, whipping was considered a reasonable measure to discipline a wife. Even so, it would appear many men pushed their rights beyond the limit, for laws were later amended to say a man could only beat his wife with a stick "no thicker than his thumb".

Escaping an abusive marriage then was well-nigh impossible. Divorces were so expensive that they remained the privilege of the very rich. Even if a lady did have the money to appeal for divorce, she was by no means certain of success. She would have to prove both adultery and "life-threatening cruelty". And if she won her freedom, it would come with more than just a social cost - any children from the marriage would remain property of the husband. Certainly in my family - on my father’s English side of the family - they had their fair share of scandalous behaviour that didn’t reflect well to our 21st Century minds.

Certainly the Georgians were not sexless and they enjoyed their carnal pleasures but of course being aristocratic they never did things that would publicly expose them to scandal. I was reading one such letter of an ancestor who was writing to her older sister about how hard it was for her to conceive her first child - a son naturally - that her rakish husband first took to prostitutes in an era when such things were common and the risk of infection from sexually transmitted diseases was rife. And then later settled on one mistress whom he seriously gave thought to impregnate her. However the mistress was an actress and thus such a union was frowned upon in landed gentry circles and so he was shamed back to his high born wife and to ‘try harder by God’s Providence’. The duty of any aristocratic wife was to produce a healthy son and heir but if nature did not take its course, they could seek help and so these ancestors of mine did.

Like many other aristocratic couples with trouble conceiving children they sought out quacks who made promises to cure infertility. One such person was a Dr James Graham who had invented what he called ‘The Celestial Bed’ that guaranteed conception and unearthly sexual pleasure. The bed itself was electrified and stood on insulating glass legs. The mattress was stuffed with stallion hair to increase potency. Mirrored floors and music from a glass harmonica heightened the experience, while the air swirled with exotic perfumes. Having made love on this bizarre contraption, the couple were encouraged to take ice baths and have a firm massage. The lady would also be advised to douse her genitals with champagne.

It must have worked because the family line did not die out but flourished. It proves to me that champagne is the answer to almost every question in life. A woman’s travails were not over just because she was successfully pregnant. More hazards lay in her path. Despite advances in medicine, a shocking number of medieval practices remained in the Georgian birthing chamber. The long period of rest or "confinement" leading up to the birth was still enforced for wealthy women. The rooms would be kept dark and sweltering with the expectant mother wrapped up in fustian waistcoats and petticoats. As soon as she had given birth, the room was made even hotter, with the curtains round the bed pinned and even the keyhole in the door stopped to prevent a draft. When I lived in China I discovered this is what Chinese mothers did and still do to this day. So I wasn’t so surprised when I read such a practice happened in other cultures like my own.

Those more fortunate might find themselves in a birthing chair. This had a sloped back and a semi-circle cut from the seat, designed to let gravity aid nature. It was certainly a better option than staining expensive bedding and linen. With only female relatives and an unofficially trained midwife to help, many women and their babies died in childbed, as it was known. Even when male surgeons became involved in obstetrics toward the end of the century, treatments were woefully inadequate. I read in the correspondence of one of my female ancestors that she was frequently ‘bled’ during her pregnancy. Somehow she survived any risk of post-partum haemorrhage.

Even when a birth was successful without complication the wife/mother was not out of the woods just yet. In keeping with custom in landed gentry circles of the times, the new mother would not suckle their own babies. In keeping its custom this taks was given over to a wet nurse. In the case of one of my ancestors whose correspondence I read she got a village girl from the family estates to breast feed the baby. The reason for doing so was brutally simple. Firstly, it was to ensure that the lady could conceive again as soon as possible. And secondly, Wealthier women often had difficulty breastfeeding due to their tight corsets or stays. It was also believed that a child would grow up stronger and hardier with a country-woman’s milk.

But even when the baby sprog was weaned, it was common practice for it to be handed to foster-parents until it was old enough to run about and talk. Interestingly enough Jane Austen and her siblings were fostered by a cottager in Deane village, two miles from their family home.

So overall I’m no so sure I would be thrilled to be living in the Georgian and Regency era even if it meant challenging that scoundrel Mr Wickham to a sword duel (and kicking his arse), match making with Emma, or even missing out on the pleasure of taking tea with Mr Darcy.

Sorry Mr Darcy.

Of course I’m fascinated with history and one sometimes wonder what it might be like to live in a particular time. However it’s just a flight of the imagination because to paraphrase Sir Roger Scruton I prefer to live in “the pastness of the present” rather than the past itself. This is the difference between being an historically illiterate reactionary and being a true conservative.

Thanks for your question

#question #ask #regency #georgian england #living #women #femme #personal #family

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beatrice-otter · 5 years ago

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Longfic Recs, Part III

The Rich Are Always Respectable: Rosemary (13571 words) by Elizabeth Chapters: 9/9 Fandom: Pride and Prejudice Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Darcy/OFC, Georgiana/OMC, Bingley/Jane Characters: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, OFC, OMC Additional Tags: Angst, Alternate Universe - Canon Series: Part 1 of The Rich Are Always Respectable

Summary:

Without Lady Catherine's interference, a family catastrophe throws Darcy and Elizabeth down wildly different paths.

So We Meet at Last (758 words) by thisbluespirit Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Miss Marple - Agatha Christie,Dracula & Related Fandoms,Dracula (TV 1968) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Jane Marple, Count Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing, John Seward Additional Tags: Community: fan_flashworks, Crossover, Women Being Awesome, miss marple is awesome, The Author Regrets Nothing, Alternate Universe

Summary: Two genre legends meet. The outcome is inevitable. Someone really should have warned the Count never to trifle with fluffy old ladies. Hearts'-ease, by theficklepickle Henry V, AU, Henry/Montjoy. What infinite hearts'-ease must kings neglect That private men enjoy?

Whispers In Corners, by Esama. Harry Potter/Sherlock, AU, Harry/Mycroft. Everything started with a stumble - his new life in a new world as well as his surprisingly successful career as a medium. Realizations, by wishweaver. Harry Potter AU Harry returns to Privet Drive after 4th year and finds it...empty! What do you do when you can't go to your friends for help? Of Muggles and Magic, by Aurette Harry Potter Regency AU, Hermione/Snape A witch struggles to conform in a society that restricts her. A wizard thinks he has nothing to offer anyone but his duty and, ultimately, his life. Maria, by Judith Brocklehurst Mansfield Park futurefic, But the outstanding question for Mrs. Rushworth's connections was: where could she be placed? What could be done with a woman who, at twenty-two years old, had so disgraced her family, so alienated her friends, that no-one, except her doting Aunt Norris, wanted even to see her, let alone house her? Maria, now divorced, starts a new and independent life. Letters from a Smallville School Nurse, by Russell Saunders Superman, humor, outsider perspective, short All But Name, by Mirror And Image Star Wars, AU, Anakin and Obi-Wan, "You will be a Jedi, Anakin. I promise you. In all but name."

5 Times the Raptors Tried to Kill Miriam, and 1 Time They Didn’t (22937 words) by JulisCaesar Chapters: 6/6 Fandom:Jurassic Park (Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s) Additional Tags: Blood, Minor Character Death, Science, Like a lot of science, Dinosaurs, Period-Typical Homophobia, AIDS mention, Antisemitism, Asexual Character, medical shenanigans, I beat up the MC a lot ok

Summary: Miriam thought the job working for InGen sounded perfect. Tropical island, good pay, first dibs on publications… At least, she thought so until she found out that she was the only behaviorist on staff. Once the eggs hatched, it became all she could do to keep up–with the dinosaurs, the science, and her health.

Maggie Fitzgerald and the Saltwater Drip (79626 words) by antistar_e Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy Characters: Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson, Miles Morales, Harry Osborn Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies

Summary: Google politely tells her there are no poisonous spiders in Manhattan. Judging by her symptoms -- fever, superstrength, newfound desire to shove herself into small dark spaces, and sudden reputation as a masked vigilante -- Gwen would beg to differ. [Spider!Gwen AU.]

Enigma (11297 words) by Yahtzee Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom,X-Men - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier Characters: Erik Lehnsherr, Charles Xavier, Logan (X-Men), Mystique, Edie Lehnsherr, Original Female Character, Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost Additional Tags: Alternate Reality, Fix-It, Kink Meme, World War II

Summary: Written for the following prompt: Erik dies, or finds a reversey-time mutant, or a magical time travelling device, and wakes up in the past. This time, though, it's before he ever met Charles - in fact, it's before his mother died.

He can save his mother that one time (thanks to his mastery over powers carrying back), but what does Erik do after that? Does he stick around, or escape and run to find Charles again (and hope everything doesn't go wrong)?

Je vois ma vie en rose (79404 words) by lilacsigil Chapters: 10/10 Fandom:X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage Relationships: Erika Lehnsherr/Charlotte Xavier, Harriet McCoy/Raven (X-Men) Characters: Erika Lehnsherr, Charlotte Xavier, Harriet McCoy, Raven (X Men), Alex Summers, Amparo Muñoz, Angelo Salvadore, Sabrina Shaw, Emory Frost, Marcus MacTaggert, Azazel (X-Men), Jana Quested, Shannon Cassidy Additional Tags: Genderbending, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Big Bang Challenge

Summary: "Je vois la vie en rose" is a full-cast gender change. Canon male characters become female, and canon female characters become male or genderqueer. The only exceptions are real people and background military/government characters.

The CIA's Marcus MacTaggert attempts to recruit Doctor Charlotte Xavier and her sibling Raven to assist in the capture of suspected Communist Sabrina Shaw and her unusual associates. Thrilled at the thought finding of more mutants, Charlotte and Raven agree, but are soon put off by the CIA's misogynist attitude and decide to track down these other mutants by themselves. They do find more mutants, but not the ones they were expecting.

Charlotte starts to build a community of mutants but Raven finds that many of them can't even accept themselves, let alone someone who doesn't belong within familiar definitions of gender. Erika's determination to kill Shaw, Shaw's quest to recruit more mutants, and world-threatening political brinkmanship collide with deadly consequences: Charlotte, Raven and Erika must decide what kind of world it is that they want to create.

Unalienable (65554 words) by Basingstoke Chapters: 38/38 Fandom: Highlander (1986 1991 1994 2000 2007),X-Men (Movies),Highlander: The Series Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Duncan MacLeod/Methos, Jean Grey/Scott Summers, Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier, Jean-Paul Beaubier/Piotr Rasputin, Bobby Drake/Rogue, Remy LeBeau/Rogue Characters: Charles Xavier, Logan (X-Men), Duncan MacLeod, Methos, Scott Summers, Ororo Munroe, Rogue (X-Men), Piotr Rasputin, Tony Stark, Yuriko Oyama, Kenny (Highlander), Kurt Wagner, Jean-Paul Beaubier, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, Warren Worthington III, Grace Chandel, Arclight, Elektra Natchios, Connor MacLeod, Jubilation Lee, Artie, Joe Dawson, Kitty Pryde, Mirage, Bobby Drake Additional Tags: Crossover, Kid Fic, Decapitation, Medical Trauma Series: Part 26 of Author’s Favorites Summary: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

D'Ancanto (49868 words) by xenokattz Chapters: 8/8 Fandom:X-Men (Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Rogue (X-Men), Charlotte Jones, Remy LeBeau, Ororo Munroe, Logan (X-Men), Warren Worthington III Additional Tags: Cast of dozens, Samuel L Jackson-level strong language & also violence, GQBAMF in a line behind me bitches, Old enough to remember Charlotte Jones Series: Part 1 of D'Ancanto

Summary: Drugs. Multi-state gangs. Mutant-killing virus. Civil unrest. Plot to assassinate a racist senator. Just another Tuesday for Marie D'Ancanto, NYPD detective in the country's first Mutant Crimes Task Force.

If We Never Got This Second Chance (50419 words) by Pookaseraph Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Losers (2010),Marvel (Movies),Marvel Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Jake Jensen, The Losers - Character, The Avengers - Character Additional Tags: Romance, Time Travel, Surprise Family, Father-Son Relationship, Happy Ending, Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Alternate Universe - Canon, Character Death, Many Worlds Time Travel, Terrorism

Summary: When Tony and Steve’s son from the future, Jake Jensen, arrives at Avenger’s Tower, the two of them are forced to confront some hard truths: Tony that he might not actually become a horrible father, and Steve that he might not be able to set aside his discomfort with sharing a child with another man. When they both get a second chance at a first try at fatherhood, it’s up to the two of them to learn from their own future's past.

Freezer Burn (194186 words) by Domenika Marzione Chapters: 28/28 Fandom:The Avengers (2012),The Avengers - All Fandoms,Captain America,Captain America (Comics),Marvel Cinematic Universe,Captain America (Movies),The Avengers (Marvel Movies),The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Steve Rogers, Nick Fury, Tony Stark, Maria Hill, Bruce Banner, Peggy Carter, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Thor (Marvel), Pepper Potts, Red Skull, MODOK, Maya Hansen, Hydra Agents, The Wrecking Crew (Marvel) Additional Tags: sorta comicsverse sorta movieverse it's all getting jossed anyway right?, hail HYDRA, Steve Rogers as chorus girl and company-grade officer, Clint and Natasha think they're hilarious, Action/Adventure, Thor is an alien prince and not an idiot, Peggy Carter can still kick your ass, barf cannon, superhero foodies, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony's really not that bad at the business thing, Team, Team Dynamics Series: Part 2 of Freezer Burn

Summary: The adventures of Steve Rogers, defrosted soldier, who is missing time but not really all that lost. He's got a surprisingly broad knowledge of lettuces, a working grasp of modern technology, and may or may not be using both to mess with his teammates and save the world.

Exclusive (30833 words) by copperbadge Chapters: 3/3 Fandom:Marvel,The Avengers (2012) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Thor (Marvel), Pepper Potts Additional Tags: POV Outsider, News Media, Slice of Life, Interviews, Snipers Series: Part 1 of Magazineverse

Summary: Heroes In Manhattan: From Captain America's Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers.

I (created from fantasies) exist solely for you (62917 words) by Mizzy Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Avengers (2012),Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Don Blake, Thor (Marvel), Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Pepper Potts, Maria Hill, Phil Coulson, Nick Fury, Norman Osborn Additional Tags: Identity Porn, Alternate Universe, marvel-bang, Podfic Available, Comic book office au

Summary: Six years ago, without the Avengers Initiative there to save the day, scientist Dr. Eric Selvig sacrificed himself to save the world, the almighty demi-god Thor was lost to a terrible storm, and vigilante Iron Man – spotted with a nuclear weapon trying to take advantage of the situation – was forever labelled an enemy of SHIELD.

This is a comic book office AU, where Steve is defrosted a year too late, Thor has forgotten who he is, and no one knows Tony is Iron Man.

Also includes: office pranks, inappropriate post-it notes, and superheroes who like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.

Widow's Weeds (4333 words) by Mhalachai Fandom:The Avengers (2012) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark Additional Tags: Steve/Natasha friendship, It happened in a graveyard, Trust Series: Part 1 of A Widow's Tale

Summary: Their secrets have secrets. Steve's starting to figure this out.

Mountains, Molehills (1175 words) by lalaietha Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Lilo & Stitch (2002) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: David Kawena/Nani Pelekai Characters: Nani Pelekai, Lilo Pelekai, David Kawena, Jumba Jookiba, Pleakley

Summary: Technically, David doesn't live here, but that "technically" is starting to get real thin, and he knows it. Which is why he chokes a bit when Lilo puts her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands, and says, "Are you going to ask my sister to marry you, or what?"

Here, where the world is quiet (6408 words) by busaikko Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Remus Lupin/Severus Snape Characters: Remus Lupin, Severus Snape Additional Tags: Child Death, Character Death, Werewolves, Boarding School, Post-Canon, Zine Chocolate and Asphodel

Summary: After the war, Severus became head of the Scrimgeour Lycanthrope Academy. His mandate was simple: Provide them with Wolfsbane and daily occupation. Teach them as you see fit. Report any violent outbursts. Keep them away from regular people.

Dudley's Memories (11650 words) by Paganaidd Chapters: 5/5 Fandom:Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Dudley Dursley/Undisclosed Characters: Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Lily Luna Potter, James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, Dudley Dursley, Original Characters Additional Tags: Canon Compliant Series: Part 1 of Memories and Dreams Summary: Minerva needs help delivering another letter to #4 Privet Drive. At forty, Dudley is not at all what Harry expects. A long overdue conversation ensues. DH cannon compliant, but probably not the way you think. Prologue to "Snape's Memories".

You'll Get There in the End (It Just Takes a While) (33437 words) by seperis Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Star Trek (2009) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, Spock/Nyota Uhura Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock, Nyota Uhura, Leonard McCoy, Christopher Pike, Spock Prime Additional Tags: First Time, Pon Farr, Telepathy Series: Part 1 of The Reboot Series

Summary: "Spock. Just say 'I don't trust Starfleet not to mess up the only captain in the fleet who I can train up to my expectations and enjoys running into danger wearing a blindfold as much as I do'."

Qui Habitat (133190 words) by domarzione Chapters: 20/? Fandom:Stargate Atlantis,Stargate SG-1 Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: John Sheppard, Elizabeth Weir, Rodney McKay, Cameron Mitchell (SG-1), Jonas Quinn, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Steven Caldwell, Radek Zelenka, Evan Lorne, Original Characters Additional Tags: Apocalyptic, Alternate Universe - Dark, Ori, Religious Themes & References, Atlantis Alone, Action/Adventure, Alien Invasion, Colonialism Series: Part 2 of Qui Habitat

Summary: An SGA/SG-1 AU that spins off from the Ori arc that runs through Seasons Nine and Ten of SG-1 by changing one simple thing: the Ori don't lose. Earth is the last significant planet to fall in the Milky Way, but fall it does. Hard.

After Earth's fall, a large resistance movement was active, utilizing the Daedalus, the only surviving SGC carrier, as it's main instrument. Running raids in the Milky Way and bringing refugees and supplies to Atlantis, the Daedalus was the only lifeline between the two galaxies. Eventually her luck ran out and she was nearly destroyed by an Ori armada; after limping back to Atlantis, she is no longer flight-worthy and Atlantis is finally truly alone.

Over in Pegasus, Atlantis was first a long-distance witness and then a rear echelon for the escalating fight with the Ori over the Milky Way galaxy before becoming the final retreat for those who survived. Cut off from Earth and forced to revert to its (Season One) status as isolated outpost responsible for its own needs, Atlantis still has the responsibilities it has assumed in Pegasus -- defeating the Wraith and protecting those who can't help themselves -- while also awaiting the inevitable arrival of the Ori.

Rock Happy (141680 words) by ArwenLune Chapters: 31/31 Fandom: Generation Kill,Stargate Atlantis,Stargate SG-1 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Brad Colbert, Nate Fick, Laura Cadman, Evan Lorne, Sam Carter, John Sheppard, Teal'c (SG-1), OC: Darren Avery, OC: Dr Fournier, OC: Lee Brittner, OC: Will Meyers, Daniel Jackson, Dusty Mehra, Tony Espera, Timothy Bryan, Ray Person, Mike Wynn, Nathan Christopher, Gabriel Garza Additional Tags: Crossover, Whole lotta fuckin' swearing, You want to recruit me for WHAT?, I wanna be there when they tell Ray about the space vampires, Daily life on Atlantis, original characters of colour, Women Being Awesome, POV Outsider, Brad Colbert has adventures IN SPACE, Team, Marine Corps, Wordcount: Over 50.000, Wordcount: 100.000-150.000, Women in the Military Series: Part 3 of Rock Happy 'verse

Summary: "You want to recruit me for what? You want me to go where?"

Sgt. Brad Colbert has been on a lot of strange missions, but this promises to be his most out there yet: Atlantis

This is not a story about falling in love. This is a story about falling in team.

Out of Season (26987 words) by Elizabeth Culmer Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Shezan Tolkheera (OFC), Marigold Beaver (OFC), Axartha Tarkaan, Prince Rabadash, Ilgamuth Tarkaan, Hkreegah the Gull (OFC), the Tisroc, Ahoshta Tarkaan, Malindra Takhun (OFC), Peridan (Narnia), Susan Pevensie Additional Tags: Slavery, planned sacrifice of a sentient being (Talking Beast), Religion, Religious Themes & References, Worldbuilding, Canon Character of Color, once you create the rest of the world it has to count as much as your special country Mr. Lewis, POV Outsider, Calormen, Women Being Awesome, Female Protagonist, Narnia Fic Exchange 2011, Fictional Religion & Theology Series: Part 1 of Out of Season

Summary: In the fourteenth year of Rishti Tisroc's reign, a demon in the shape of a beaver is captured and brought to Tashbaan. Shezan Tolkheera, high priestess of the goddess Achadith, is given the responsibility of guarding the demon until its sacrifice at the Spring Festival. Complications ensue.

Carpetbaggers (119268 words) by cofax Chapters: 10/10 Fandom:Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Peter Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, OFC Series: Part 1 of Carpetbaggers

Summary: The day after Aslan left, taking the magic with him, just about everyone else left, too.

After the coronation festivities, the real work begins. During/post "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe".

Play It Again (63206 words) by metisket Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski & Laura Hale, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Scott McCall, Laura Hale, Sheriff Stilinski, Peter Hale, Allison Argent, Lydia Martin, Danny Mahealani, Erica Reyes, Isaac Lahey, Vernon Boyd, Talia Hale, Chris Argent, The Hale Family - Character, The Argent Family - Character, Alan Deaton Additional Tags: Pre-Slash, Magical Stiles Stilinski, derek's mad planning skillz, magical objects and their insufficient warning labels, laura's in charge, making the most of your afterlife, oh look here's a lower place, Alternate Universe, Dimension Travel Series: Part 1 of play it again

Summary: In which Stiles goes along with one of Derek’s plans and ends up in an alternate universe as a result. He should’ve known better. He did know better, actually, and that means he has no one to blame but himself.

“Laura wants to lure the kid in with food and kindness and make a pet of him, like a feral cat. Derek wants to have him arrested for stalking. They’re at an impasse. (And the rest of the family is staying emphatically out of it in a way that suggests bets have been placed.)”

Coming Undone (57618 words) by KouriArashi Chapters: 11/11 Fandom:Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall, Sheriff Stilinski, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Chris Argent, Lydia Martin, Gerard Argent Additional Tags: Stilinski feels, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, all the feels, Pack Dynamics, PTSD, Plot sneaks in, BAMF Stiles Stilinski, Mystery Series: Part 1 of The Sum of Its Parts

Summary: Stiles deals with the aftermath of being abducted by Peter Hale and left for dead. It's harder than he would have thought to accept his place in the pack when he's convinced that he's the 'weak one' and can't protect himself. Fortunately, Scott and Sheriff Stilinski are there to help, and to nag Derek until he helps, too.

Locked Inside the Facade (60245 words) by Dragonbat Chapters: 8/8 Fandom: Batman (Comics),Nightwing (Comics) ating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson Characters: Bruce Wayne, Renee Montoya, Crispus Allen, Jason Todd, Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, Thomas Elliot, Roman Sionis, Rachel Green, Romy Chandler, Michael Akins, Jim Gordon, Roy Harper, Grace Choi, Michael Holt, Helena Bertinelli, Connor Hawke, Dinah Lance Additional Tags: Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Tragedy, Angst Series: Part 1 of Locked-Verse

Summary: A sudden shock in Batman's life leads to his apprehension at the hands of the GCPD.

Victory Bonds (39617 words) by copperbadge Chapters: 6/6 Fandom:DCU Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane Characters: Clark Kent, Superman, Bruce Wayne, Batman, Alan Scott, Green Lantern, Lois Lane, Diana (Wonder Woman), Robin (DCU), Perry White, Lex Luthor Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, 1940s, Alternate Universe - 1940s, PostWar, Nazis, Daily Planet, Spies & Secret Agents

Summary: The year is 1947, and Daily Planet front-pagers Clark Kent and "Louis" Lane are about to get the story of their careers, courtesy of the fledgling Justice League: the enigmatic Superman, the spy-turned-vigilante codenamed Bat, intelligence agent and newly minted Green Lantern Alan Scott, and Ambassador Diana, Princess of Themyscira.

Some Friendlier Sky (124800 words) by Hammie, AMarguerite Chapters: 24/24 Fandom:Les Misérables - All Media Types,Les Misérables - Victor Hugo Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Courfeyrac/Cosette, Cosette/Courfeyrac, Joly/Musichetta Characters: Cosette, Courfeyrac, Valjean, Combeferre, Joly, Bossuet, Enjolras, Jehan, Feuilly, Marius, Toussaint, Bahorel, Bahorel's Laughing Mistress, Javert Additional Tags: Hijinks & Shenanigans, Romanticism, lots of musings on popular Romantic literature

Summary: Courfeyrac falls through the roof of no. 7 Rue de l'Homme Armé, taking down not only the ceiling, but the carefully built walls Valjean has constructed around himself and Cosette. Wacky hijinks ensue. Thanks to Hammie for beta-ing.

Poster Boy (8162 words) by Sarah1281 Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Les Misérables - All Media Types,Les Misérables - Victor Hugo Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Cosette/Enjolras Characters: Jean Valjean, Enjolras (Les Misérables), Euphrasie "Cosette" Fauchelevant Additional Tags: Crack Pairings, Happy Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Summary: Valjean knows that he must confess the truth of his past to his new son-in-law and he thought he had prepared himself for all possible reactions. He was mistaken, however. Enthusiastic condemnations of the old regime and praise for his 'revolutionary spirit' were not something he knew what to do with.

A Deeper Season (117605 words) by lightgetsin ,sahiya Chapters: 19/19 Fandom:Vorkosigan Saga - Bujold Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Gregor Vorbarra/Miles Naismith Vorkosigan Characters: Gregor Vorbarra, Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, Ivan Vorpatril, Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan, Aral Vorkosigan Additional Tags: First Time, Romance, Action/Adventure, a deeper season, Alternate Universe, Don't copy to another site Series: Part 5 of A Deeper Season

Summary: Take one Miles, a hapless cousin, Cetagandan social politics, a galactic conspiracy, a scientific discovery, a lot of firepower, and an unexpected declaration. Mix well and step back quickly.

The Long Road Home (95516 words) by Scribblesinink Chapters: 22/22 Fandom:Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003),Lord of the Rings (Novel) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Faramir, Aragorn, Boromir, OFC, OMC Additional Tags: Adventure, bookverse, movieverse, Future Fic, What-If, Alternate Universe, Boromir!Lives AU Series: Part 1 of Long Road Home (LotR)

Summary: Against all odds, Boromir survives Amon Hen. Ashamed and filled with remorse, he goes on a quest for redemption. Bound by his promise to a sick man, Faramir keeps the secret of his brother's survival. But as secrets are wont to do, the truth comes out eventually and Aragorn journeys north to bring Gondor's prodigal son home.

The Price of Freedom by Erin Lasgalen Lord of the Rings, Eowyn, post-series. AU/Adventure. In the aftermath of the War of the Ring, Eowyn comes to the painful realization that the wounds of the heart she still bears cannot be healed by going back to the cage, however gilded, however loving the master. Four years and hundreds of leagues later, her past is about to catch up with her in more ways than one.

Charmed Life (95300 words) by Fyre Chapters: 85/85 Fandom:Once Upon a Time (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Mr Gold/Mary Margaret Blanchard Characters: Rumpelstiltskin | Mr. Gold, Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard, Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Prince "Charming" James | David Nolan, Abigail | Kathryn Nolan, Henry Mills Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Complete Summary: When Regina toyed with the lives and memories of the people of Storybrooke, she was especially careful with the people who had been her bane in the the Enchanted Forest

Don't You Shake Alone (62189 words) by Dira Sudis Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Generation Kill Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Brad Colbert/Nate Fick Characters: Brad Colbert, Nate Fick, Ray Person Additional Tags: Kid Fic, Babies, Cuddling & Snuggling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, First Time

Summary: Nate looked exactly like Brad always pictured him: exhausted in the full life-in-a-combat-zone sense of the word. (Don't forget the sequel)

Performance In a Leading Role (156714 words) by Mad_Lori Chapters: 21/21 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Irene Adler, Harry Watson, Greg Lestrade, Sally Donovan, Molly Hooper Additional Tags: AU, Meta, Hollywood, Real Person Cameos, Romance, Show Business, Coming Out, Secret Relationship, Behind the Scenes Series: Part 1 of Performance in a Leading Role

Summary: Sherlock Holmes is an Oscar winner in the midst of a career slump. John Watson is an Everyman actor trapped in the rom-com ghetto. When they are cast as a gay couple in a new independent drama, will they surprise each other? Will their on-screen romance make its way into the real world?

#fanfiction #fanfic #fic rec

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mimicofmodes · 5 years ago

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Sanditon, episode 2 part ii

A better look at Charlotte’s dress, and also Mrs. Parker’s, which I never showed at the party. Some very nice details there; however, I want to rant about hair a little bit. Over the past few years (maybe since War and Peace?), it’s become conventional to give Regency women hairstyles that are unnecessarily intricate - instead of a bun with some curls in the front, they have kind of WWI-era dressed hair, with all of these individual curls carefully pulled up and into place around the crown of the head, like we see with Mrs. Parker here. (But full points for putting Charlotte’s up for the party.)

Charlotte goes around to apologize to Lady Denham for contradicting her the next day, hair down again. But, as her wonderful puff-sleeved spencer accentuates, she has got the very high-busted and high-waisted Regency silhouette!

Meanwhile, Lady Denham is dressed ... in a full-on robe à la française from 1770!? (Reminder: that is anywhere from 40 to 50 years before this is set.) Okay. Okay. Moving on, she takes Charlotte’s apology pretty well and seems very calmed down from the day before. She even takes Charlotte’s opinion that she was mean to Georgiana really well.

Georgiana, on the other hand, is attempting to run away. The public stage, unfortunately, costs six shillings, and she has no money until she gets to the bank in London. The coachman and the crowd taunt her and she flees, the whole time looking a huge contrast from the others in their drab-colored clothes and (anachronistically) close bonnets.

Sidney, Babington, and some other guy who’s been hanging around but whose name I never catch are smoking in a tavern and talking about Babington being into Esther. Aw! He’s so cute. Nameless guy, however, refers to her as a “saucy bitch” and it would honestly be considered ungentlemanly behavior in the period, even in that setting, for Babington and Sidney not to object to that, but they don’t. Nameless guy (I think his name is Crouch or something) then brings Charlotte into it in admiration, and then Georgiana, and like ... bandying about young women’s names in a public place was really Not Done, guys. Sidney doesn’t make a peep until Crouch makes a remark about how Georgiana would be in bed. Charlotte and Esther don’t deserve this treatment either, buddy.

Meanwhile, underscoring how dickish the assessments of them by the men are, Charlotte finds Georgiana standing at the edge of a cliff, crying; when Charlotte comes to help her, Georgiana collapses in her arms. Note that they are both wearing shades of purple! This links them together while still suiting their characters (Charlotte’s is pale, reflecting her limited experience and cheerful tendencies, with a plain straw bonnet; Georgiana’s is dark, reflecting her intensity, and her bonnet is a very fancy openwork one with a large, high brim). In the next scene where they talk, they get to “Christian-naming” each other.

More Crimson Peak stuff from the Denhams. I like that his coat is lined with red or hot pink. Esther is back in black.

Tom finds Sidney in the tavern and exposits a bit about how he needs his brother to work to bring people in, which Sidney protests that he is doing. You know, just saying, it would probably be more effective to charm wealthy families to come to Sanditon than to concentrate on two single dudes, just saying. Even Tom seems not quite to believe that this is the best he can do.

Stringer again! We like Stringer. After meeting him, Charlotte’s in such high spirits that she convinces Georgiana to take of their shoes and stockings and paddle, a far cry from standing on the cliff above contemplating suicide.

Mrs. Griffiths turns up, angry. She and the Beauforts are in duller/paler colors that contrast with Georgiana again.

Charlotte goes walking on the beach by herself, picking up shells and stones, and then ...

I hate this, as you can imagine! It feels like a self-homage to Davies’s Pride and Prejudice and the famous wet shirt scene, but GRITTY and REAL because men swam naked rather than in their shirts, plus “it’s the ‘10s now so you can go farther than you could in the ‘90s”. (The wet shirt scene was actually considered a fairly risqué addition to an Austen adaptation at the time, because standards for faithfulness to the text were much higher.) He’s topping himself. It also makes me think he’s going for Sidney/Charlotte, which I don’t really like, and playing it as a parallel to Elizabeth/Darcy just because they don’t get along, and I also don’t like it when people do that.

Charlotte runs away while Sidney looks around pensively. She is really having a time of it at Sanditon, dealing with people giving defensive handjobs in the park and now this. At least she has a new friend as of this episode!

#sanditon #austen #jane austen #1810s #19th century #regency #historical fashion #fashion history

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beatrice-otter · 2 years ago

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I also think that Elizabeth would be unprepared for being mistress of an estate as large as Pemberly. I headcanon that she knows a lot about entertaining (at least the organizing and meal planning and decorating and so on because Mrs. Bennet values it), but not necessarily the rest of the organizational stuff. And great households were very large, with a lot of moving parts, and I don’t know that a household the size of the Bennet household would prepare her for it even if her mother were wonderful at it.

Mrs. Reynolds probably spent years doing all of the planning and stuff that the mistress would normally do, Georgiana being too young until very recently. So she’s got a personal stake in how the household is run. And a new mistress of Pemberly is going to want to put her stamp on things. I picture Mrs. Reynolds as probably having two concerns. First, is the new mistress going to be worthy of both Mr. Darcy and the estate? Is she going to have good taste? Is she going to treat her servants as well as Mr. Darcy always has? Or is she going to want to turn it into the sort of uselessly ostentatious “look how much money we have” Rosings Park Mark II and be awful to work for? Second, on a personal level, how much of Mrs. Reynolds’ careful arrangements are going to be overturned? Some of them will, obviously, but is that gong to be a gentle or a harsh process?

There’s personal and professional concerns there on multiple levels. And Mrs. Reynolds can’t possibly have learned enough about Elizabeth in her few days visiting to know the answers to any of her questions, and Elizabeth wasn’t traveling with personal servants that Mrs. Reynolds might have been able to question to get a servant’s-eye-view.

I would think Mrs. Reynolds would be tentatively favorable (Miss Bennet was a pleasant person during her visit), but reserving judgment until she’d had time to see what the new Mrs. Darcy was like as a mistress. I think Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds would work well together, and in time would become quite an effective team, because Elizabeth values and honors the things that make Pemberly extraordinary, and she’s not going to treat the servants badly.

As for “how does Elizabeth deal with meeting her in her new role?” I don’t know that Elizabeth would think twice about it. Elizabeth is used to servants, she’s used to having a housekeeper, this is normal to her. And most people who are used to having servants don’t spend much time wondering what their servants think of them, because servants are supposed to be respectful and follow orders. Think of it like this: A person gets a tour of a large business from one of the mid-level managers who has no idea who they are, then later gets hired to a C-suite position in the business. How much time is the new executive going to spend thinking about “what does that manager think about me and is it going to be awkward?” Probably not a lot! They would expect that the manager would be professional and things would go smoothly, and what the manager thinks of the executive is irrelevant unless one of them is really out of line. And the greater class differences of Regency England would make this even more true.

I would imagine that when the new Mrs. Darcy arrived at Pemberly after the wedding, Mrs. Reynolds would offer congratulations and introduce her to the staff. Sometime shortly thereafter, they would have a meeting to go over how things are currently run at Pemberly and what changes Elizabeth would like to make. Elizabeth would probably admit she isn’t used to such a large household and would ask for advice, and would start out by mostly rubber-stamping Mrs. Reynolds’ decisions until she knew enough and was comfortable adjusting things to suit her own preferences. There would be a smooth transition of power at that point, with Mrs. Reynolds continuing on with the housekeeping duties and Elizabeth firmly in command.

What do you think is Mrs. Reynolds' reaction to learning that Elizabeth is going to be Mrs. Darcy? How does Elizabeth deal with meeting her in her new role?

In general, I do resist the trope that everyone in Darcy's world immediately adores Elizabeth, so I wouldn't assume Mrs Reynolds is immediately thrilled that Darcy is marrying Elizabeth specifically, whom she barely knows. But I imagine Mrs Reynolds is pleased that he's marrying a girl who seemed nice enough and that he'll likely be at home more.

I also imagine that Elizabeth's rather peculiar behavior at Pemberley suddenly clicks when Mrs Reynolds hears that Darcy is marrying her. I choose to believe she remembers asking the nice girl if Darcy was handsome and that Elizabeth decidedly agreed, and that she privately laughs a bit at that.

Afterwards, well, I don't see Elizabeth as schmaltzy or lacking dignity about it, but I do see her as a fairly demonstrative person and I think, after painfully concealing her feelings for months, that it'd be fairly obvious that she's in love with Darcy and likes Georgiana. So I think that, in addition to Elizabeth's genuinely charming personality, would go a long way with Mrs Reynolds.

I also feel like Mrs Bennet likely didn't do much to prepare her daughters for the reality of running a household (it's not like she seems particularly competent at it), much less a household like Pemberley, and that there's actually quite a bit about it that Elizabeth doesn't know. But, also, she's really eager to leave her girlhood behind and start a new life at Pemberley. So I imagine her as perfectly ready to learn what she needs to know from Mrs Reynolds, who I imagine would be quite patient with her, partly because she kind of has to be, partly because she's gratified by young Mrs Darcy's clear respect for her, and partly because she's relieved that Darcy chose reasonably well (not that she doubted it, but you never know with young men!).

I imagine Elizabeth as fairly assured of her value as she arrives at Pemberley, but also slightly self-conscious at encountering all these people for the first time as the actual mistress of Pemberley. She's the sort of person who very much prefers to laugh off insecurity, so I imagine that she's at her most personable and engaging when she meets her again. In my headcanon, Mrs Reynolds's "first" impression of her is quite positive—even if it's going to be a bit before she's convinced that anyone deserves Darcy.

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remcmbrances-a · 3 years ago

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“ i promise you’ve nothing to fear, ” she said with a knowing smile, patting the seat beside her. she did not know much of the girl -- who did, really? she was young and had, to caroline’s knowledge, so far spent the better part of her life rather shielded from society. but as the penvenens and the darcys were generally old acquaintances, caroline was determined to make things easier on the poor young lady. leaning in conspiratorially, she offered georgiana a sardonic look. “ truth be told, there are a few gentlemen worth avoiding at all costs, but i’ve no doubt a girl as clever as yourself can avoid them with aplomb. ”

@proseate liked for a poldark starter!

#proseate: georgiana darcy #ii. ｢ thread • caroline penvenen. ｣

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franz-katka · 6 years ago

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For send you a character: Darcy and Hareton

Darcy:

First impression:.I don’t 100% remember this part, but it was probably a mixture of intrigue and “wow this guy’s a bit of an asshole.”

Impression now: I will only ever see him as a socially awkward twat who has No Idea what he’s doing tbh. A true lawful dumbass.

Favorite moment: The first proposal, but only because his ass gets roasted like there’s no tomorrow. (Sorry dude.)

Idea for a story: Either an insight into his dynamic with Georgiana, or one exploring married life with Elizabeth, would be nice to read.

Unpopular opinion: ik I already said this before, but… I can only see him as socially awkward af… I really can’t see him all brooding/stereotypically masculine at all…

Favorite relationship: Obviously him and Elizabeth are the shit, but I also really like his dynamics with Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgiana, and Mr. Bingley. The latter three are also underrated and need more fan material.

Favorite headcanon: If socially awkward Darcy doesn’t count, then probably him just… Being a cat person but getting Elizabeth and Georgiana dogs because he can.

Hareton:

First impression:.I don’t 100% remember this part either, but iirc it was something like… Sympathy?? Like “aw this guy went through shit” vibes and all that.

Impression now: Compared to almost everyone else in the book, Hareton is a cinnamon roll and deserves appreciation… Also gotta love him for breaking that abusive cycle tbh.

Favorite moment: That part where he learns to read with Cathy II honestly makes my heart melt… Just a little bit at the very least…

Idea for a story: I actually wouldn’t mind reading a drabble focusing on his dynamic with Joseph - mainly because both characters tend to be off to the wayside and I wanna see what people can make up for them.

Unpopular opinion: He’s actually a favorite of mine. I don’t know exactly why at this point; I just found myself latching onto him and going from there. (To be fair though, this can be said for the second-gen kiddos overall.)

Favorite relationship: Him and Cathy II are valid af… His dynamics with Nelly, Heathcliff, and Joseph are pretty nice too though lmao, especially the latter two.

Favorite headcanon: god I remember making a LOT of headcanons for this guy, but the best one I can think of rn is him seeing wool as a sort of like… Comfort object of sorts?? Also him being close with his sheep/livestock.

#pride and prejudice #jane austen #wuthering heights #emily bronte #classic literature #classic lit #mr. darcy #hareton earnshaw #ask me stuff

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seventhwinterwolf · 6 years ago

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Children

All information regarding Rosalind’s heirs.

Standard disclaimer, I am not claiming to be an expert in biology and genetic traits aside from basic comprehension of Punnett squares and dominate vs recessive traits. It would be unrealistic if all of Rosalind’s children (did or did not) look exactly like her, however statistically that is probable though unlikely- not to mention boring. Yeah, yeah, the likely hood of twins is rare (there’s a weird amount in books from House Lannister)- I’m attributing it to the Old/New Gods.

This is in the process of being filled out more. Don’t worry. All of their face claims are of full grown people because who wants to look at a bunch of random babies. Also if you haven’t gathered, Rosalind and Trystane fuck a lot. Eventually she goes on moon tea, hot damn that’s a lot of children.

Tyrus, Winona, Elianna, Jaycen, Daymond, Irene, Serena, Robb

1. TYRUS LANNISTER ~ Heir of Casterly Rock

History: First born child of Rosalind in the year 299 AC in King’s Landing. His twin, Winona, was born shortly after him. Tyrus is the third son of Lord Tywin Lannister and is the lawful lord heir of Casterly Rock. He was named in part after his father (Tywin = TYrus / WINona) by also following the historical traditions of male heirs (Tytos, Tywin, Tywald, Tygett, Tyrek, etc). Upon arriving in Dorne, Tyrus is accepted as a ward of Prince Doran Martell. Later he will join his twin at Highgarden to train as a knight with Ser Loras and receive different lordship teachings. Tyrus remains loyal to Dorne and greatly appreciates his mentor- the ruling Prince.

Personality: nicknames the golden lion’s pride,

Appearance: Tyrus has fair skin with light golden blond hair and dark emerald green eyes. Tyrus’s face claim is Bradley James as ‘Arthur Pendragon’ from Merlin, gif made by user “srndptyjimin”.

2. WINONA LANNISTER ~ Princess of the Five Kingdoms

History: Second born child, first daughter, of Rosalind in the year 299 AC in King’s Landing. Her twin, Tyrus, was born a few minutes before her. Winona is the second daughter of Lord Tywin Lannister and is betrothed to Aegon Targaryen. She was named by Tywin (Tywin = TYrus / WINona) after Rosalind suggested Joanna- something her lord husband did not appreciate. After arriving in Dorne and being welcomed as a guest in Sunspear it is arranged for the young Lady Winona to travel to Highgarden to be a ward of Lady Margaery. In Rosalind’s mind, Winona most resembles her sister Sansa. She is another young girl who is the near perfect embodiment of a Lady- something that Rosalind realizes is what her own mother wanted her to be.

Personality: Winona is naturally shy and modest, despite becoming a beautiful young woman. Her reserved nature almost caused Aegon Targaryen to break their long standing engagement soon after they first met each other. // possible nicknames, beauty golden light,

Appearance: Winona has fair skin with dark golden blonde hair and light jade green eyes. Winona’s face claim is Eleanor Tomlinson as ‘Georgiana Darcy’ from Death Comes to Pemberley, gif made by user “elyzas-archive”.

3. ELIANNA MARTELL ~ Ruling Princess of Dorne

History: third born child, second daughter, of Rosalind in the year 302 AC in Sunspear. Elianna is named after both Rosalind’s and Trystane’s aunts, Lyanna and Elia, who both died during Robert’s Rebellion. Elianna is the first daughter of Prince Trystane Martell and is first inline for the ruling heir (will clarify later about Arianna and Quentyn, basically they are younger now) and is a Princess of Dorne. In Rosalind’s mind,

Personality: possible nicknames or titles, the winter viper,

Appearance: Elianna has tanned fair skin with unruly curls of fire red hair and warm sunlight brown eyes. Elianna’s face claim is Rachel Hurd-Wood as "Laura Richis’ in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, gif made by user “thegifs-queen”.

4. JAYCEN MARTELL ~ Prince of Dorne

History: Fourth born child, second son, of Rosalind in the year 303 AC in undecided location probably Sunspear. Jaycen (pronounced like Jason but with the added twist of ‘jay’, like the bird, and ‘cen’ like scent) is the first son of future ruling Prince Trystane Martell. He goes by Jace as a shorthand or nickname for informal occasions.

Personality:

Appearance: Jaycen has olive skin with wavy onyx black hair and light caramel brown eyes. Jaycen’s face claim is Santiago Cabrera as ‘Lancelot’ in Merlin, gif made by user “loveconstablecrabtree”.

5. DAYMOND MARTELL ~ Prince of Dorne

History: Fifth born child, third son, of Rosalind in the year 304 AC. Daymond is the second son of future ruling Prince Trystane Martell. He goes by Dany as a nickname, shorthand version of his full name, when not in formal company.

Personality:

Appearance: Dany has olive skin with straight obsidian black hair and dark rocky brown eyes. Daymond’s face claim is Osacar Isaac as 'Orestes’ in Agora, gif made by user “innueendo”.

6. IRENE MARTELL ~ Princess of Dorne

History: Sixth born child, third daughter of Rosalind in the year 305 AC at an undecided place. Irene is the second daughter of future ruling Prince Trystane Martell. Irene is particularly close with her cousins the Sand Snakes.

Personality:

Appearance: Irene has olive skin with wavy raven black hair and dark chocolate brown eyes. Irene’s face claim is Aiysha Hart as ‘Princess Ariadne’ in Atlantis, gif made by “sansadaynes”.

7. SERENA STARK ~ Heir of the North

History: Seventh born child, fourth daughter, to Rosalind in the year 306 AC. Serena is the third daughter of Prince Trystane Martell. While Serena is the lawful daughter of the Dornish Prince, she will not inherit Sunspear due to Rosalind and Trystane deciding to name her Stark and being declared the joint heir of Winterfell alongside her younger twin Robb II (fulfilling the command of Lord Tywin to King Robb years before at Rosalind’s first wedding). Serena was also born in Winterfell after the events of season eight.

Personality:

Appearance: - Serena has fair skin with straight chestnut brown hair and light sapphire blue eyes. While Serena shares a common face claim with Rosalind they are not identical (Ros more resembles Adelaide Kane as Queen Mary). Serena’s face claim is Anna Popplewell as ‘Susan Pevensie’ in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, gif by “daily-narnia”.

8. ROBB STARK II ~ Heir of the North

History: Eighth born child, fourth son, of Rosalind in the year 306 AC. Robb II is the third son of Prince Trystane Martell. While Robb II is the lawful son of the Dornish Prince, he will not inherit Sunspear due to Rosalind and Trystane deciding to name him Stark and being declared the joint heir of Winterfell alongside his older twin Serena (fulfilling the command of Lord Tywin to King Robb years before at Rosalind’s first wedding). Robb II was also born in Winterfell after the events of season eight.

Personality: nicknames, the grey wolf

Appearance: Robb II has fair skin with wavy russet brown hair and dark stormy grey eyes. No, he is not a copy paste version of King Robb nor is he that same Robb reincarnated. He resembles his uncle greatly but Robb II’s eyes are a different color and his hair is darker brown. Robb II face claim is Richard Madden as ‘Robb Stark’ in seasons one to three, gif made by user “drain-seeker”.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

The Power of Eight

Children of Winterfell: Robb, Rosalind, Theon, Jon, Sansa, Bran, Arya, and Rickon

Last Targaryen Children: Rhaegar, Shaena, Daeron, stillborn, Aegon, Jaehaerys, Viserys, and Daenerys

Rosalind’s Children: Tyrus, Winona, Elianna, Jaycen, Daymond, Irene, Serena, and Robb II

#got fanfic #got oc #got fanfiction #got original character #game of thrones #game of thrones fanfiction #house stark #house lannister #house stark oc #house martell #rosalind stark

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ao3feed-janeausten · 3 years ago

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Two Halves

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3poGBKg

by claryfrary

Fresh out of a relationship with one George Wickham II and nearing the end of her senior year of university, Elizabeth Bennet thinks life can't get any more hectic. And then her sister gets involved in a rich architect's horrendous family drama, her other sister gets engaged to her ex, and she somehow ends up dancing with Fitzwilliam Darcy at the wedding. Modern AU.

Words: 1418, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Underage

Categories: F/M

Characters: Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, George Wickham, Lydia Bennet, Mary Bennet, Catherine "Kitty" Bennet, Charles Bingley, Charlotte Lucas, Caroline Bingley, Louisa Hurst

Relationships: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley, Elizabeth Bennet/George Wickham, Lydia Bennet/George Wickham

Additional Tags: i am so sorry for what i'm about to do, enemies-to-lovers, sort of??, Modern AU

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3poGBKg

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #Jane Austen

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powerfulweak · 7 years ago

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Something I thought about today...

A Pride and Prejudice AU where Darcy married Caroline instead of Lizzie. Like, everything in the books happened and Darcy saved Lydia's virtue and Wickham is exposed as a cad. Darcy admitted the truth of his actions to Bingley and he and Jane reconnect. Darcy and Lizzie settle on friendly terms, but they never reconcile their feelings and he marries Caroline because, well, it makes sense.

Lizzie meanwhile is courted by Col. Fitzwilliam. She ends up marrying him and becoming part of Darcy's family anyway. A few years pass as normal. Jane and Bingley marry, everyone is happy, but then Waterloo happens and Fitzwilliam is killed in battle. Lizzie is left widowed with their unborn child. Not long after, maybe a month, Caroline dies in childbirth along with her and Darcy’s baby

Darcy is devastated, but more for the loss of his friend (because Caroline was his friend) than the loss of his wife

Bingley and Jane are genuinely shattered over the loss of a sister, and Jane, now pregnant with their third child, finds herself having fainting episodes (or some other suitable Regency-era ailment) from the stress. Lizzie, although pregnant herself and still in mourning, rushes to her sister's side to be with her.

They are all at Pemberly, dealing with their grief and Lizzie becomes everyone's rock, as she always has been. Her presence draws Darcy out of his isolation, which he finds himself falling into again, and her demeanor calms a harried Bingley, who is concerned that all of this will affect Jane and her pregnancy.

Lizzie is in a lot of pain, and while everyone realizes that she herself is in mourning (hello, black clothes), she is reassuring them she wants to take care of them… Until she goes into labour and the baby is breech

Lizzie loses her composure. She’s sobbing and begging everyone in the room to save her baby, she can't lose him too. Jane is on bedrest, Bingley is a mess. Darcy steps up and stays at her side. It's not the norm, at all. Men don't stay around during childbirth but Darcy is as fierce as a wolf, literally growling at anyone who looks at him side-eyed. (Col. Fitzwilliam doesn't have a first name in the books, so I'm taking Liberties)

Thomas Gregory Fitzwilliam II is born on a rainy night, healthy and crying. Darcy face is full of relief and joy until he looks back at Elizabeth to see her pale and her eyes rolling back in her head. She is losing a lot of blood and this time the servants actually do push Darcy out in spite of his shouts of "I am the Lord of this house!!!"

Darcy slumps on a bench in the hallway, completely numb. He has flashbacks of Caroline's death, but somehow this is worse... so much worse. He loved Caroline, they were so close, but… His feelings for her paled in comparison to what he feels, has always felt, for Lizzie... er, Mrs. Fitzwilliam.

He falls asleep waiting for new and is woken the next morning by Bingley shaking his shoulder. He lets him know that the bleeding has stopped, but Mrs. Fitzwilliam is sleeping

Darcy asks after the baby and Bingley leads him to the nursery where Little Thomas is swaddled in the nurse's arms.

The sight of the child triggers something in Darcy, something he can't explain tells him that this is his son. Not directly by blood of course, but he makes a promise that he will be there for this child as his father would've been. He will teach and rear the boy and make him into a proper gentleman. Fitzwilliam would've done the same for Darcy if the situations were reversed

When Lizzie wakes, Darcy is at her side, his eyes swollen and red from crying. She starts to panic that she lost the baby but Darcy quickly reassures her that he's fine and healthy. As soon as Lizzie sees her son for the first time, she starts to cry happy tears and says "He looks just like his father". Darcy's stomach drops because, oh yeah, this is his cousin’s widow (twice removed?) and she is in mourning... And so is he. So we get Lizzie and Darcy pining and bonding and taking care of Little Thomas.

Lizzie stays at Pemberly until Jane gives birth to her daughter (named Caroline, in memorial) and soon after Georgiana Darcy's engagement is announced and she stays on for the wedding. All of this time is intercut with long looks and pining and Darcy and Lizzie dancing around each other and feeling of impropriety, because now instead of their pride getting in the way, it's their concern over ruining themselves

Eventually, though, Lizzie must return to her own home. Luckily, It's not far from Pemberly. Darcy makes assurances that he will visit often... For Thomas' sake of course.

Lizzie’s mourning period ends shortly after her return home. Generally, Regency mourning periods were about one year, but Lizzie extended it because she didn't feel ready. Word soon spreads about this and now Lizzie is seen as a very eligible lady.

Fitzwilliam wasn't nearly as wealthy as Darcy, but he was the son of an Earl, and Lizzie was bequeathed quite a lot of money. Darcy can already detect the eager suitors sniffing around and he takes it on himself, under the pretense of "As Fitzwilliam's Cousin and Friend", to make sure no one takes advantage of Mrs. Fitzwilliam or the estate. Lizzie meanwhile is trying to not let her feelings be shown. Darcy is being kind for the sake of Fitzwilliam's memory and Little Thomas. That's all, just kindness

Then one day, there's a ball and a man by the of Mr. Thomas Bertram arrives (see what I did there?). Mr. Bertram had a roguish youth, but a serious health scare several years ago in addition to the death of his father put him on the straight and narrow as he took on the role of Baronet of Mansfield Park. He has been a bachelor for years, but, as the saying goes, he is in the possession of a great fortune, so he is now in want of a wife.

When Mrs. Elizabeth Fitzwilliam crosses his path, and Mr. Bertram is smitten. Lizzie herself is charmed by Bertram. He acknowledges his past and has a self deprecating sense of humor about himself; in truth, he reminds her much of Col. Fitzwilliam. It's not long before society is a twitter over the two of them. They seem so well-matched and everyone agrees that Little Thomas needs a father. An engagement is expected soon.

Darcy sees red. He can't believe this upstart (who is older than himself) has the nerve to approach a widow in mourning (she's not) and propose (he hasn't yet). He spends several nights ranting and raving to Bingley and Georgiana's husband David on the matter, bellowing and shouting enough to alert the whole house. And Bingley, bless his dumb ginger soul, says "If I didn't know better, Darcy, I'd say you were in love with Mrs. Fitzwilliam yourself.”

Darcy is left stunned, because words were finally put to his feelings. He's been in love with Lizzie... Mrs. Fitzwilliam for years now. He considers Little Thomas as close as his own son. He can't lose them.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bertram and Lizzie are talking. The conversation meanders, but when the topic of marriage is brought up, Lizzie can only admit that while she enjoys Mr. Bertram’s companionship a great deal, she loves another. Mr. Bertram gives her a soft smile and admits that companionship and friendship are all he wants in a marriage. His feelings about love and romance and ... intimacy don't align with what you generally find in books. He doesn't provide further information, but Lizzie fills in the blanks. She understands that their union would be one solely of companionable love, much like what her sister and Collins have (In this version, Collins marries Mary instead of Charlotte, for… reasons)

Lizzie says she'll consider it and give him an answer in a fortnight and Mr. Bertram agrees and departs.

Later that night, Darcy arrives in a huff at her home, banging on the door. The servants don't know what to make of the haggered-looking Lord of Pemberly, no jacket or waistcoat, shirt undone and fire in his eyes.

"I must speak to the lady of the house!" he demands. Lizzie rushes downstairs to see a dishevelled looking Darcy standing in her foyer. His speech mirrors pretty closely a combination of Darcy's first and second proposal, saying he can’t keep his feelings to himself and he must admit how deeply and ardently he loves her. He can't let another man swoop in and announce his intentions before he has a chance to share his own. He proclaims he knows he may never have a chance to be with her and Mr. Bertram may have already proposed but... he loves her, truly.

"Mrs. Fitzwilliam... L-Lizzie..."

Lizzie is speechless, breathless, and basically rushes into his arms. They hold each other tightly and Lizzie talks about how she's loved him for years, since a dance at ball in Netherfield. They stay there for a long while, holding each other, finally feeling the warmth of one another’s embrace.

(and Mr. Bertram is soooo understanding of everything. He get's it. "You should speak to my sister in law." he jokes)

#Pride and Prejudice #AU #Jane Austen #Because I love sadness turned to happy #please forgive any errors as far as regency medicine #I wrote this very fast in the group chat on Friday Night

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miss-jane-bennet · 8 years ago

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Looking on the Bright Side of Life with Jane

Jane Bennet always works to find the positive even in a negative situation.

For example, when Jane receives a second letter from Caroline Bingley, informing her they have no plan to return to Netherfield, and implying an affection between Mr Bingley and Georgiana Darcy, Jane resolves to understand the situation without placing blame:

“Beyond a doubt, they [the Bingley sisters] do wish him [Mr Bingley] to choose Miss Darcy, but this may be from better feelings than you are supposing. They have known her much longer than they have known me; no wonder if they love her better. But, whatever may be their own wishes, it is very unlikely they should have opposed their brother's. What sister would think herself at liberty to do it, unless there were something very objectionable? If they believed him attached to me, they would not try to part us; if he were so, they could not succeed. By supposing such an affection, you make every body acting unnaturally and wrong, and me most unhappy. Do not distress me by the idea. I am not ashamed of having been mistaken -- or, at least, it is slight, it is nothing in comparison of what I should feel in thinking ill of him or his sisters. Let me take it in the best light, in the light in which it may be understood.” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

And, when Lydia runs away with Mr Wickham, despite knowing the silliness of Lydia’s character and the truth of Mr Wickham’s past misdemeanours, Jane willingly maintains hope for the best outcome:

“So imprudent a match on both sides! - But I am willing to hope the best, and that his character has been misunderstood. Thoughtless and indiscreet I can easily believe him, but this step (and let us rejoice over it) marks nothing bad at heart. His choice is disinterested at least, for he must know my father can give her nothing.” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter IV

Indeed, Jane sees the best in everyone:

“You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

“To be candid without ostentation or design - to take the good of every body's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad - belongs to you alone.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

“You wish to think all the world respectable” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

“Jane... would willingly have gone through the world without believing that so much wickedness existed in the whole race of mankind, as was here collected in one individual.” - Volume II, Chapter XVII

She gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, offering all excuses, and judging the accused as ‘innocent until proven guilty’. An example of this may be found in Jane’s reaction to reports of Mr Darcy’s past mistreatment of Mr Wickham:

“Jane would have defended either or both, had they appeared to be wrong” - Volume I, Chapter XV

“They have both been deceived, I dare say, in some way or other, of which we can form no idea. Interested people have perhaps misrepresented each to the other. It is, in short, impossible for us to conjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them, without actual blame on either side.” - Jane Bennet. Volume I, Chapter XVII

“Miss Bennet was the only creature who could suppose there might be any extenuating circumstances in the case, unknown to the society of Hertfordshire; her mild and steady candour always pleaded for allowances, and urged the possibility of mistakes.” - Volume II, Chapter I

Another example is Jane’s reaction to Caroline’s false friendship:

“Four weeks passed away... She could no longer be blind to Miss Bingley's inattention. After waiting at home every morning for a fortnight, and inventing every evening a fresh excuse for her, the visitor did at last appear; but the shortness of her stay, and yet more, the alteration of her manner, would allow Jane to deceive herself no longer.” - Volume II, Chapter III

Jane pities people their wrongs, including Caroline:

“I pity [Caroline]... because she must feel that she has been acting wrong, and because I am very sure that anxiety for her brother is the cause of it... if she feels it, it will easily account for her behaviour to me; and so deservedly dear as he is to his sister, whatever anxiety she may feel on his behalf is natural and amiable.” - Jane Bennet. Volume, Chapter III

If individuals are alas proven guilty, she offers them redemption. For example, after learning of Mr Wickham’s past wrongs, she proffers that he may desire to redeem himself:

“He is now perhaps sorry for what he has done, and anxious to re-establish a character.” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter XVII

She believes even silly Lydia and wicked Mr Wickham may reform themselves in marriage:

“I hope and trust they will yet be happy. His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he is come to a right way of thinking. Their mutual affection will steady them; and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and live in so rational a manner, as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten.” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter VII

In honour of Jane, let me echo now some of her positive conclusions:

“Let me take it in the best light'' - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

“I will endeavour to banish every painful thought, and think only of what will make me happy” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter III.

#jane bennet #jane austen #pride and prejudice #pride and prejudice 1980 #pride and prejudice 2005 #pride and prejudice 1995 #mr wickham #George wickham #Lydia bennet #caroline bingley #looking on the bright side #positive #positivity #optimism

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