Throwback Thursday- Elizabeth (1998)

Biopics, especially those revolving around those that are no longer with us are tricky. The  movie has to be entertaining, but it also has to be truthful to the history and to the person who is the subject of the biopic.

In 1998, Elizabeth, the biopic of Elizabeth I of England was released. Born in 1533, no one expected Elizabeth to one day become Queen Of England. Her father, Henry VIII, had her mother, Anne Boleyn, executed so he could marry wife number three, Jane Seymour.  The film focuses on Elizabeth’s early years on the throne and the bumpy path she would have to travel to become the beloved and respected Queen that we know her today to be.

Cate Blanchett is one the best performers of her generation for good reason. Elizabeth is one of her earliest introductions to the American film audience.  Her performance is nuanced, powerful and human.

I absolutely recommend it.

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She Wolves And The Warrior Queens Book Reviews

Women, we have been told, are supposed to be meek, mild and subservient to the men in their lives. But what happens when a woman becomes a ruler in her own right?

Elizabeth I Of England was not the first woman to lead the English people. But she is one of the most well known queens, especially of her period. Helen Castor’s 2012 book, She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth tells the stories of the Queens Of England who ruled before Elizabeth ascended to the throne. The profiles include Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou.

I liked this book. Each of these women were brought to life in full color. They had different reasons for ruling. Some were the children of aristocrats and royalty, others married into the title and a third were women who led England until their underage sons and heirs to the throne were of an age to rule. My only criticism of this book is that the chapters about Lady Jane Grey and Mary Tudor seem a bit rushed, but other than that, I recommend this book.

In 1990, Antonia Fraser published The Warrior Queens: The Legends and the Lives of the Women Who Have Led Their Nations in War. The women whom she writes about come from different time periods and different parts of the globe. She starts the book with Boudicca and moving forward through time, the book ends with three modern female leaders: Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher.  I liked this book. It is a history book that is not meant to be simply written and read for academic purposes. It is immensely readable.  I especially recommend this book for young women who are looking for female role models who have stepped into positions of power.

I recommend both.

 

Rate The Darcys

In 1813, Jane Austen introduced readers to Fitzwilliam Darcy, her most famous leading a man. In the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, he introduced as a proud, vain man who refuses to dance with the novel’s heroine, Elizabeth Bennet. She was, as he told his friend, Charles Bingley “not handsome enough to tempt me”. He would soon admit that she had fine eyes. While the reader was being slowly cued into the fact that Darcy was falling in love with Elizabeth, she is unaware of his feelings.  Elizabeth, like the reader also does not fall in love with Darcy, until she learns about the true character of the man.

There  have been multiple adaptations of Pride And Prejudice over the years. With that, there have been multiple actors who have stepped into the shoes of Mr. Darcy.

Honorable Mentions

Pride and Prejudice (1940)- Laurence Olivier

For it’s era, this movie is fine.  Laurence Olivier is one of the finest actors this world has ever seen.  But there are too many changes from page to screen for this movie to be on the top 5.

Pride and Prejudice 2003-Orlando Seale

This movie and this modern portrayal of Darcy is admirable. But it only touches the surface of Pride and Prejudice.

Bride and Prejudice-2004-Martin Henderson

This colorful colorful Bollywood adaptation transfers the story from Georgian era England to modern day India. A good adaptation, which continues on the themes of class, sex and money.

5. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012)-Daniel Vincent Gordh

A modern youtube adaptation, the audience is only told about Darcy until about half way through, until we finally meet him.  An enjoyable modern adaptation that is sure to bring in more Janeites for years to come.

4. Lost in Austen (2008)-Elliot Cowan

A what if story revolving around Amanda Price, who find herself trading places with Elizabeth Bennet. While Elizabeth enjoys modern life, Amanda becomes a character in Pride and Prejudice and must undo the changes that her presence creates. A funny, wink, wink, nudge nudge mini series that is unique among the Austen off shoots.

3. Death Comes Pemberley– 2013- Matthew Rhys

Based on the PD James novel, we meet Elizabeth and Darcy 6 years after the original novel ends. When a man is murdered on Darcy land, Darcy must step up to defend his family and his good name.

2. Pride and Prejudice 2005-Matthew Macfadyen

Darcy is presented in this adaptation as a man who knows his status in society, but also as a man who prefers a close circle of family and friends to a large room of strangers. He knows that he must marry well, but is not a fan of matchmaking mamas and their marriage hungry daughters.

1. Prejudice and Prejudice 1995/ Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)– Colin Firth

This was a given. Colin Firth will always been the favorite Mr. Darcy.

Who is your favorite Darcy

Unexpected, A Modern Pride And Prejudice Fanfiction

*-I adore Jane’s novels, but I cannot claim her characters as my own.

*-Please take a moment to review, I really appreciate them.

*-This fanfiction is a modern Pride and Prejudice fanfiction that was originally posted on fanfiction.net

 Unexpected

 She walked toward him, in between her parents, her white satin dress illuminating her beautiful body.

 He could feel his heart wanting to explode out of his chest; he didn’t think this day would ever come.

 Her dark eyes met his with a shy smile, his Elizabeth was never shy.

 The ceremony and the preceding party went by in a blink of an eye. Now he lay in their honeymoon suite, anticipating his first night as a married man.

 “Hello, Will” she entered the room, he felt as if his words had disappeared.

 “Are you going to just lay there or do you want to kiss me?”.

 Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her; she eagerly returned his kiss.

 Whatever was left of their clothes was quickly discarded.

 The next morning, he found her side of the bed empty and saw the light in the bathroom.

 “Lizzy” he called out.

 He was shocked when she finally left the bathroom.

 “Who were you referring to?” Standing in the doorway was not Elizabeth, but Caroline.

 “Did you honestly think she would ever return your love?”.

 Will woke up in a cold sweat, it was the third time this week he had the dream. He didn’t want to admit it in the beginning, but he was in love with Elizabeth Bennet.

He watched her play the piano with his cousin; she got on easily with Richard. The green eyed monster instantly found its way into his thoughts, what if she had found another man?

There was nothing else he could do, he had to propose.

He knocked on the door on the small house at Hunsford Parsonage where she was staying with her cousin, William Collins.

It was now or never, he told himself.

She opened the door and propriety be damned.

He kissed her.

Then he broke the kiss and burst out “Marry me!”.

Before she could respond, he continued “I am in love with you, from nearly the first moment we met. I have struggled against my feelings, but my struggles have only intensified my feelings. I beg of you, marry me and end my suffering”.

She looked at him for a moment, and he hoped that she would say yes.

“Uhm well, I am flattered, honestly I am and I am grateful. But to be honest, I never expected anything out of you and your opinion of me, as we both know, is not the greatest. I do apologize and I am flattered that you came all of this way, but I cannot marry you”.

“May I ask why?” his face became cold, angry and unyielding.

“Why, you ask?” she became as angry as his “You say you love me, you want to marry me and yet you insult me?”.

“I thought” he sneered “you would be grateful, after all a woman such as yourself, coming from the family that you come from, you might never have the opportunity again”.

“Speaking of family” she countered back “my sister is miserable because your friend broke her heart. He just left without saying anything and then the next time we hear from him, he’s in page six with his new supermodel girlfriend? Do you think I would honestly marry you, knowing that you took away Jane’s happiness? My sister means the world to me”.

“Your sister cared nothing for Charlie”.

“So you admit, you broke them up?”.

“It was what was best for him”.

“Speaking of his own best interests, in whose was it when you denied George the money your father promised him? Was it because he is the son of a servant or because you’re too cheap to give him what was promised”.

“What may I ask is your interest in him?”.

“He works two jobs; he spent a month on my couch before he could a find an apartment. He could have had a decent life; instead you deny him what should have been his. I am interested because he is my friend, I have seen what he has gone through, because of you!!!”.

“This is what you think of me?” there was no disguising the bitterness in his voice “I thank you for forcing the rose colored glasses from my eyes. What I have done might have been forgotten, had you be able to look beyond your pride and see that we might have had a decent future together. Do you think I would flatter you as other men would, with pretty words and pretty trinkets? I am not ashamed of my feelings, they were normal. Do you think, had we married, that I would enjoy your family?”.

Her anger had reached a breaking point, instead of punching him, as she long to do, she replied “You are wrong, William Darcy, if you think the pitiable excuse of a marriage proposal would have encouraged me to accept you. Maybe I would have, if you would have showed any concern or compassion for anyone beyond yourself”.

She saw the look in his eyes change, her remarks hit him hard.

“There is no way you could have proposed that could have made me accept”.

He was more than surprised; he was shocked that how violent her denial of his proposal was.

“From the moment we met, I knew you were the most arrogant, conceited selfish man I had ever laid eyes on. You look down on everyone you meet and refuse to consider even trying to get to know others before you judge them. I had only known you for a month when I knew you were the last man I would ever marry!!!”.

After a moment, his response was “I understand and I am sorry for the pain I have caused. Enjoy the rest of your day”

With that, he left Hunsford, determined to leave Rosings as soon as possible. Replaying what had just happened would do no good; his only hope was to move on with his life.

As he fingered the keys to his car, he found the box in his pocket that contained his mother’s engagement ring. It had been saved since her death, to be given to the woman who would become the next Mrs. Darcy.

Elizabeth Bennet would have been his first and only choice. But that was not meant to be. Hours later, he returned to his London townhouse. Pouring himself a glass of brandy and turning on the local news, he hoped that time and the brandy would heal his wounds and maybe if he was lucky, he would meet another woman who would say yes to his love and marriage proposal.

 

Confrontation- A Modern Pride and Prejudice Fanfiction

*-I do not own any of these characters beyond the Darcy and Bingley children.

*-Rated PG for language.

*-Please review

Confrontation

“That bitch, how dare she, in my home” Elizabeth’s rage was so great that she had to be bodily removed from the party and was not set down until she and Will were safe within the confines of their bedroom.

The comment had been partially heard by Elizabeth, but it was enough to break the mask of civility she had put up for the day. She had always disliked Caroline Bingley, but had tolerated her because she was Jane’s sister in law.  But that comment was the last straw.

Her husband remained silent.

“Dammit William, cant you see what she is doing?”.

“She is Charles’s sister, I cannot ask her to leave”.

Elizabeth did not know why, but she agreed that Caroline be invited to their home for the mutual 1^st birthday party of Anne Darcy and Fanny Bingley. She had promised herself that she would a proper hostess and not under any circumstances let Caroline get under her skin.

But she did, she would have tackled Caroline if Will had not dragged her away.

“She still believes the fantasy that you marry her, Will and somehow, Georgie will marry Charlie”.

“It’s been five years, Lizzy, I hardly think that after all of this time and two children, even Aunt Catherine has accepted us…”.

Of course, that had only come about after letting Will stand up for the both of them, Elizabeth had enough. She declared in no uncertain terms that until the day Catherine respected their marriage, their children would be off limits to her.  It was only after the death of Catherine’s only child, Anne, and the subsequent birth of their daughter Anne that Catherine began to thaw to the idea that her nephew was happy.

“Caroline has had eyes for you for years, only you have been too blind to see”.

“Did you think that I didn’t know that?”.

“Then why did you not tell her you were not interested?”.

“I don’t know why I didn’t say no back then. Please, I beg of you, hold out for a little longer, I will talk to Charlie”.

He could still see the fire in her eyes.

“For me, please Lizzy”.

“Fine, I will behave, but one more comment and she is out on her ass”.

“Thank you, can we return to the party?”.

“Yes, we can” Lizzy agreed.

“Are you ok?” Jane asked as Lizzy and Darcy returned to the party. Dear sweet Jane, who seemed to let nothing bother her, especially annoying her sister in law.

“Just peachy”.

“It’s my fault, Lizzy, I was the one who brought up the idea to invite her, she is family…”.

“No, that ok, I can deal with her, it’s only a few more hours”.

Then she turned around to see Darcy and Caroline talking. Without warning, Caroline attempted to kiss him. Any attempt or promises to control her temper disappeared.

Lizzy pulled Caroline away from Darcy and knocked her to the floor.

“Get your hands off my man, now”.

“We are just talking, weren’t we Darcy?”.

Before he could respond, Elizabeth nearly pounced on Caroline “I want you to listen to me and listen well, for I will not repeat myself. We are married; he is the man I love and the father of my children. Nothing you do or say will break up this marriage and if you attempt to do so, you will be sorry. Am I understood?”.

“Darcy, you must control her, she is like animal”.

“No Caroline, she is right. I have always tolerated you because your brother is my best friend, but I will not have you coming to my home and insulting my family. Elizabeth is my wife and will be until the day I die. I have never been attracted to you, nor will I ever be”.

“You cannot be serious, she is a….”.

“What is exactly do you think my sister is?” Caroline unexpectedly turned to face her sister in law.

“She is a…” suddenly the words disappeared.

“Whatever you accuse my sister of; I must be guilty of the same crime”.

“Charles?” Caroline turned around, looking for her brother.

He was about to respond, until a little voice broke the tension.

“Daddy, my shirt is dirty” Lizzy and Will’s four year old son, Bennet stood there, his shirt covered in chocolate ice cream.

Caroline looked at the boy, who was most certainly a Darcy, but he also has his mother’s striking eyes. Then she saw the pictures.

The pictures of their wedding, the pictures of their children. The pictures of the life together that would never be hers.

Elizabeth Bennet had won, she was Mrs. Darcy, wife, mother, lover to the man she would never be with.

“C’mon buddy, lets get you cleaned up” Taking his son by the hand, Will led him upstairs.

“If you excuse me, it appears I have worn out my welcome” she was determined to leave with her dignity in tact.

As she walked out, she took one last look. She had spent too many years hung up a man who she had finally realized had no interest in her. Maybe one day, she would find a man who would return her affection.

 

The End