I am a proud, and probably obnoxious, Anglophile. I love BBC and have watched countless Regency- era mini-series. I should probably be embarrassed, but I’m not. Pride and Prejudice is one of my all-time favorites. I’ve read the book, watched both BBC mini-series, and even the Kiera Knightly version, which after Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle’s six-episode arc, was very disappointing. But anyway, my favorite character in Pride and Prejudice, coming in just a few inches before Mr. Darcy, is Mr. Bennet. His wit and tendency for solitude juxtapose nicely off of Mrs. Bennet’s sillness and tendency to lean toward the frivolous. I love his pessimism, but also how he, at the same time, albeit begrudgingly, loves his family. These qualities are shared with Tonton Julian, who is a streak of practicality next to his very spiritual wife. The pair of them, after some deeper delving, are so similar to Mr and Mrs. Bennet, it almost caused me to squeal in happiness. But as that is unbecoming of a lady( Warning- I will probably be making even dorkier comments that this to follow), I’ve contained my excitement over this overlap and instead began a rant in Google Docs about why Tonton Julian is the best part of this story.
My Love, My Love takes from several different stories. Elements of Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella and, of course, The Little Mermaid, are sewn together seamlessly, but finding the edging of these stitches has be my favorite part about reading this book. I love Disney and finding allusions to well-known stories and lesser-known, but still familiar, fairy tales, scattered among the adaptation. But I was most overjoyed when I discovered this connection to Jane Austen, but it is fitting that she is involved; after all, she is the fairy godmother of happy-ending Regency romance. The first whisper of similarity came during the chapter one squabble between Tonton Julian and Mama Euralie. Mama Euralie sniffs the air and says, “it will rain soon. A day or so… a week at the most, oui. It’s on it’s way.” Tonton Julian is skeptical of Mama Euralie method of getting information. He counters quite quickly, and with some serious sass if I may say so myself. He asks her, “Is that your old bones talking? Or did Agwe come and whisper in your ear?” He jokes about her religion. It’s a little belittling toward Mama Euralie, but it is more teasing. “How much rain? How little?” he prods. She retorts, saying, “...You blaspheme. Have faith. The gods have never abandoned us.” Mama Euralie believes as much in her gods as Mrs. Bennett believed in marriage. Both men find their wives slightly ridiculous for doing so. I love their practicality and their wit. Even in a dumpy village or a small (Regency equivalent of) redneck city, both men exude a superiority of mind or at least their belief in their superiority of mind.
Tonton Julian also tells Desiree how the world is similar to Mr. Bennett's education of at least his eldest girls. Both are set in their positions and are unbothered by the permanency of their status, but both remind their favorite (or only) daughter about the ways of society- the real ones that are not sugar coated by their mothers. Tonton Julian tells Desiree that there are without question, poor people living in the grand hommes. He says, “If there were no poor, how do you think the rich would live?” Both recognize the often skewed and biased views of society and turn their criticisms into witty, rhetorical satire.
Both do love their family, though. Tonton Julian takes in Desiree, despite protesting about how there would be “another stomach to fill.” His responses to questions or demands are usually pragmatic, often satirical, but never the full truth. His outer layer is all sharp comments, but he’s more understanding that he lets on. After all, he is the one who works to convince Mama Euralie that Desiree should go to the city if she felt she must. He warned her that the journey might entail her death, but acquiesced, but only after stating that sixteen is the age of contrived bravery. He wants only the best for her, and though he loves her, does not want to force her to stay at home where she is so unhappy. He does this all amid teases toward his wife in the true Mr. Bennett fashion.
Tonton Julian is not as careless as he tries to appear to be. He teases his wife and questions her religion, but does not seek to destroy her faith or treat her badly because of it. His criticisms are in jest and his aloofness for show. He’s a good man, even Gabriel Beauxhomme thinks so. He traveled miles and risked his life to return a man who he didn’t know, that he knew would never respect him, to his home. He is teasing and critical, but begrudgingly loving and immensely more thoughtful than his, to some, sometimes brash comments make him appear to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment