#vankeppel

[acrossthewavesoftime]

And sadly, this is an ongoing issue in historical fiction, many years after The Patriot. TURN: Washington's Spies, which is a great deal more recet, did the same thing with their depiction of General Sir Henry Clinton.

An solidly middle-aged man in uniform, there was apparently not much room to make him look what to some 21st century eyes might pass as "effeminate", so he receives an implied affair with the fashion-conscious hairdresser of Margaret Shippen and friends, Freddie.

I think I need not elaborate on why that doesn't sit right with me, even more so because the historical Clinton was nothing like this gregarious, unashamedly gay (both for handsome hairdressers and in the old-fashioned sense of the word) on-screen portrayal who occasionally oversees a British defeat in a badly-staged battle from afar; historically, the man had a spotless prior military record from the 7 Years' War, 11 biological children by 3 women (not counting his de facto adoptive son John), because of whom he repeatedly threatened to desert as he was homesick for them, and had difficulties socialising with others to the point he described himself as a "shy bitch" in his diary.

None of this information is particularly hard to find; Clinton has a thorough, if somewhat old, biography to his name that can be accessed digitally, and free of chage via archive.org.

As a non-American consuming American media set in this period, what irks me most is that the tactic of using these harmful stereotypes of the "effeminate" or even outright gay man as shorthand for lacking in moral values, strength and cleverness on the battlefield, persists, both because, to repeat myself here, these stereotypes are harmful and indicative of issues our modern-day society has with its image of men and masculinity, and because it's narratively unappealing.

"The bad guys are the bad guys because they shave and use perfume, and maybe also kiss other men!!1!!!" Just isn't a convincing antagonist or villain backstory for me. As an addition to this, yes to OP's point that this way of treating male characters also shines a light on modern-day misogyny.

Furthermore, it justs shows the need of US filmmakers to 'justify' the actions of the same set of male historical figures who verifiably weren't that great as people (or larger-than-life flawless altruistic freedom fighters) after all (think e. g. of slavery, to name but one important point here). Setting a British antagonist whose character is compelling while also displaying posittive traits against Washington and co., one might run the risk of 'devaluing' the Founding Fathers by setting up a character who would make for an equally appealing alternative to them.

TURN tried to work more into that direction with the sympathetic and kind British Major Edmund Hewlett, but failed by making him a) somewhat incompetent in military matters (as compared of course to Patriot characters of a similar rank) and b) a decidedly fictional character, when a great deal of his personality traits were actually lifted from the real life Lieutenant-Colonel John Graves Simcoe, whose name then in turn (hah) gets slapped on a comedically evil, and entirely fictional British arch-villain-type whose main goal in life is to be evil and sadistic, just because he can.

Ideally, filmmakers would at last be courageous and attempt more nuanced displays of the Revolutionary War, bidding adieu to the old "Good Guys vs. Bad Guys" narrative and attempt a more nuanced portrayal of the period and its people, who were no more than that; people. People who, as we all are, were not without fault and had their own reasons to participate; some out of ideological conviction, others for some sort of personal gain, and yet others because being the son of a second son and yet expected to keep up a certain living standard is hard, so you need to take up a job and make money somehow in order to raise your kids with the financial security you never had at their age because your own parents weren't exactly competent keeping the family money together; but the crucial thing is, all of these kinds of people existed, and existed on both sides. Nuance matters.

all the ladies love that I have so many thoughts on the vilification of male effeminacy in popular thought about the American Revolution

it's soooo sexy that those thoughts are half-formed because my research specialty is actually 19th-century social history (with focuses on women's, queer, and dress history)

I'm actually very hot for doing all of this, in fact

[acrossthewavesoftime]

First Lines Game

Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most  recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written less than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

Thank you for thinking of me, @sanguinarysanguinity! It's been a while, but I haven't forgotten you! :-) I had previously experienced some technical difficulties, but here we are at last! What I write is a bold mix of historical fiction interspersed with some fics in the classical sense, so there:

It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. A James Joyce-inspired beginning to my project on Mary Baddeley and Henry Clinton.

The bells of Dresden tolled in mourning for the loss of the Elector; they had not tolled a fortnight before, when his mistress had predeceased him. I haven't written much of it yet, but I am transfixed by the life of Wilhelmina Maria Frederica von Rochlitz, the illegitimate daughter of Johann Georg IV, elector of Saxony. She was named after her godparents William III and Mary II of England, and would lose her mother, father and godmother within the same year to the same illness, and be raised at the court of her uncle Augustus the Strong.

Die Schwüle eines beginnenden Sommertages hing schwer über der Mark, dem Wald, und dem Dorfe und angrenzenden Gut B--. This is a little project for a friend that I won't quite disclose yet. ;-)

In all Lochaber— perhaps in all the Western Highlands— there was no more bored or disgusted man this sixteenth of August than Mr. Keith Windham of St. George’s School for Boys, as he led a group of year elevens; and no more nervous or unhappy men than the students themselves. Probably the only real fic on the list; a modern re-telling of the first meeting between Keith and Ewen from The Flight of the Heron!

Grey, grey was the garden, and grey the meadow and woods behind it, all glazed in dull hoarfrost. He shivered in spite of the warming flames in the fireplace, and pulled his banyan tighter about him, but it was no use, the cold still would not leave him. This is the beginning of my Margaret and Samuel Graves-centric project revolving around British naval operations in North America in 1774- early 1776.

She examined her face in the mirror: the brightness of the candle knew no clemency in revealing her age to her; they had once said of her that she had her mother's eyes, but the rest were her father's features: how long were they dead, how long since the last time someone had told her so, that remark the young girl had loathed, and yet the old woman longed for? The beginning of a little experiment in the way of alternative history that was developed together with @vankeppel- what if there was a Stuart heir to the throne, and the Hannovarians did not end up ruling from 1714 on? Lots of family secrets, guilt, and political hijinks ensue.

Als er ein Kind gewesen war, hatte seine Mutter ihm oft vorgelesen oder Geschichten erzählt: er erinnerte sich, als sei es gestern gewesen, wie er auf seiner Mutter schoß sitzend um eine letzte Geschichte vor dem Zubettgehen gefleht hatte; sie wusste manch toll-dreistes Abendteuer zu erzählen, und nicht selten waren ihre Helden edle Prinzen-- und das war auch äußerst zutreffend, bedachte man, wie sein Vater erst am Vortage ihn fauchend seiner vermeintlich weibisch-verweichlichten, losen Sitten gescholten hatte. This sort of ties in with its predecessor and is a present for @nordleuchten; what if George IV was never the prince regent, but a measly German prince who suffers from a colourful bouquet of first world problems (lace cravat not ironed correctly! Gasp!) and, out of boredom, quits to go to sea-- with unforeseen consequences.

If there's anything you'd like to hear more about, feel free to ask! I'm tagging any and all writers who wish to participate!

[defensivelee]

a gift for... @vankeppel !! oh wow bestie i couldnt even TELL he was ur fav

anyway ilyyy silly you make me so happy <33

[redladydeath]

my sister in christ, you could not have chosen a funnier king of england to pan over during that line

@acrossthewavesoftime @defensivelee @vankeppel

[makarov-my-beloved]

@defensivelee @vankeppel A little doodle of your favorite Stuart king James II 💕

(Credit: Andrea De Santis on Unsplash)

[thee-joan-of-arc]

https://www.tumblr.com/vankeppel/741762026901307392?source=share

Neurodivergent? *thinks for a moment* Is that- *points to own chest, raising eyebrow* is that me?

[acrossthewavesoftime]

could we hear some about Fanny Howe for the ask?

So basically, this started out as a little thing for @vankeppel, loosely based on the life of Frances Howe, née Connolly, wife of Sir William Howe, whom those of you who're into later 18th century history, and the Ameriican Revolutionary War, will recognise.

While there surprisingly was a recent book on the Howes, and the women in their family in particular, Frances "Fanny" Howe, especially when compared to her formidable sister-in-law Caroline, who wielded a very real political influence, playing chess with Benjamin Franklin and attempting to avert the war her brothers later fought in, remains always remains a tad elusive. Unjustly so, if you ask me.

While we enjoy tales of the heroic, for some people, to love, and to be love, was the height of their ambition in life-- to live quietly, happily. Frances and William Howe certainly aspired to that-- however, a grand family name, a need for income, and a war got in the way.

Here's a little snippet of their courtship in Ireland, where Frances and William first met:

“Perhaps we need not meet in secrecy much longer,” he began, and took his hand in hers. “Fanny dear, no, Frances, Frances Conolly, there is a question— something important that I should like to ask you— Fanny, I—”

She leapt from her vantage point, which was not quite so high, and into the surprised William’s arms, so that, when her feet touched firm ground again, they stood in a close embrace.

“Is your tongue tied, William? There: let me pose the question for you, for is not that what one does for the one to whom one has pledged one’s heart and soul, to complete him? William Howe, will you have me for your wife?”

His eyes widened in shock at her boldness, yet there was also some measure of relief in his bewildered expression, that soon melted into one of greatest joy: “O Fanny! Fanny, I— nothing I would like so much as that, yes, yes— though you must take me for a coward now—”

“What a pack of nonsense,” she chided him, and put a finger to his lip to end his speech.

In truth, she was surprised at her own forwardness, yet joy and love had made her bolder than she should ever have supposed she could be. “My William is brave, and I will hear no slander of his character, from any man, including himself.”

“You are too generous in your judgement of his character,” he added lowly, his voice quite moved, and atremble with the tears that stood in his eyes. “I have a ring also.”

And from his pocket, he drew a little box lined in green velvet, in which sat a ring of a ruby flanked by diamonds. He had thought it exceeding pretty, and very well suited to adorn Fanny’s hand, for it matched well the gown in which he had first seen her, so he told her, his talk clearly meant to hide the shaking of his own fingers when he slipped the ring onto hers; her hands were trembling also.

“It is very beautiful,” she whispered, and observed the stones sparkle, her breath taken away by his generosity; that he should wish to gift her something so precious, he should not have—.

“William, how could I ever thank you for it?”

“I am thanked every day by knowing of your existence, the privilege of being allowed to love you.”

“And you cannot know how ardently I love you,” she replied, and put her forehead against his. “And I have nothing to give to you in return—”

“It is the custom that the gentleman should proffer a token of his affection to the lady, not vice versa,” added he to assuage her conscience.

“No, that shall not do, William: If I have something of yours, you must have something of mine.” She reached into her hair, but little coiffured, and found a ribbon which she took, and put in a bow around William’s wrist.

“Now we are even, and you are as much mine as I am yours.”

“I shall be ever yours, Fanny. Yours only.”

[acrossthewavesoftime]

You've seen Turn's Simcoe, now get ready for his historical counterpart:

(The family portrait I used, in the absence of one depicting the Simcoe family, is The Bridges Family by John Constable, 1804, Tate Gallery. It has at least the right number of children, albeit not in the same order of ages as the Simcoe family.)

barbie is my joker

[defensivelee]

random Mina doodles (some AU variations included) because the world is hers straight up I would die for this girl

(Mina belongs to @acrossthewavesoftime and @vankeppel)

[makarov-my-beloved]

@defensivelee @vankeppel @secundus-cinaedus Y'all are amazing I love you guyssssss 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[thenordroom]

Scandinavian apartment | styling by Vankeppel & photos by Ono

THENORDROOM.COM - INSTAGRAM - PINTEREST - FACEBOOK

[acrossthewavesoftime]

I find it quite funny that I have seen an American Revolutionary War themed poll in that vein that wasn't even half as humorous as OP's, consisting only of the options Tallmadge and André (...seriously, guys?).

Can identify the gentlemen in this poll and am aghast that the Repressed Spank Man has rallied a staggering 9% of voters behind him...

so, I got polls....

[rarelyseencephalopod]

Main for

- @vankeppel (history side blog and history related communications)

[acrossthewavesoftime]

20, 22 & 25 for the ask game, please! :)

Of course, my friend!

20. What’s something you learned this year?

I have learned a great deal of Irish! I am nowhere near fluency yet, but I am working on that!

22. Favorite place you visited this year?

This year, I visited a few beautiful places, some impressions of my trip to Dresden with a friend and the early 18th century Dutch tiling room in Schloss Caputh with its often naval, sometimes risqué motifs I'll show below:

25. Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one

As I write mostly historical fiction, I am not in the habit to create characters, though there is one, Willemina Stuart (1702-1781), the fictional daughter of Mary II and William III. What started out as a what-if game between @vankeppel and me to see how early modern European politics might have shifted had their been a (Protestant) Stuart heir to the English throne, has grown into a full-on character.

Willemina, named for her father (and, if you were to ask her, looking an inconvenient amount like him), manages to annoy Louis XIV as a young girl enough to almost start a war and becomes the monarch under whom these pesky colonials in North America gain independence; to say that her life is a full one, both politically and personally, would be an understatement.

[defensivelee]

Earls of Portland and Albemarle as nasty little sheep as requested by @vankeppel baa baa bitches

[acrossthewavesoftime]

Wine glass (I know we're talking about his "I'd like a report with my port"-Turn adaption, but hear me out)? More like baby bottle. Someone has to look after baby John while Mary Baddeley is cooking the books to his advantage.

Henry Clinton won’t have battle plans in hand but he will have a wine glass btw