#robert dashwood

[curiousb]

The Dashwood Family Album: Volume XXIII

When Death comes for the pragmatic Elinor, she greets him with calm acceptance.

After all, she is going to be reunited with her beloved Edward.

Robert and Lulu are far less composed about her departure though.

As Robert goes to lay Edward and Elinor's ashes to rest, side by side, Lulu keeps a close eye on this shady character who's hanging around the cemetery. (See, he's always there!)

With just the pair of them alone now in the family home, Lulu particularly misses Elinor while Robert is at work during the day.

At least her friend the postman pays her a visit every morning.

Robert also has a welcome guest.

And it seems as though - against the odds - serial romancer Miles has started to think more seriously about their joint future...

But no! Too soon, Robert!

Miles assures him that he does love him, and even admits that if he's going to settle down with anyone, it would probably be Robert, but he's still not ready for that level of commitment just yet.

Crestfallen, but not without hope, Robert serves up the special meal he's prepared for them anyway.

And before Miles heads home, can't help wondering whether presenting the ring in a different-coloured box might change his mind? Maybe? Ermm, no.

Such are the trials of a Family Sim who has fallen in love with a Romance Sim.

Robert's also left regretting going against his Vegetarian principles, in an effort to impress - maybe serving seafood for dinner was just asking for trouble.

Oh boy!

#sims 2 #gameplay #merybury #elinor dashwood #edward ferrars #robert dashwood #lulu dashwood #miles wickham #dashwood family

[ronavorona]

HP&TPOA vs S&S

#harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban #sense and sensibility 1995 #severus snape #sybill trelawney #cornelius fudge #colonel brandon #elinor dashwood #sir john middleton #alan rickman #emma thompson #robert hardy #jane austen #gif

[bethanydelleman]

Jane Austen Charted #6

How Much Things Faze Elinor Dashwood

X Axis: Source of Stress

Y Axis: Emotional Reaction

I didn’t even manage to fit all of Elinor’s sources of stress on this graph. She has a bad time of it really... I feel like Marianne was probably providing at least three different sources of stress, between Willoughby and not taking care of herself and getting sick.

#I made this chart to dunk on Robert Ferrars #that's the whole goal #jane austen charted #jane austen #sense and sensibility #elinor dashwood

[themalhambird]

Thinking about how Jane Austen's six novels taken together (in writing order, not publication order) become an increasingly scathing criticism of social class, i.e:

Northanger Abbey: Individual members of the gentry (General Tilney, chiefly) come in for some criticism, but mostly on a personal level: General Tilney is a grasping, tyrannical father to be sure but we hear little (though we might easily infer) of what he is like as the resident landholder. The final crisis of the novel, General Tilney's refusal to sanction Henry and Catherine's marriage, is resolved by Eleanor's marriage to a Viscount.

Sense and Sensibility: The "correctness" and "elegance" of the fashionable members of society- the Dashwoods, Robert Ferras, Lady Middleton- are negatively contrasted to the warmness and frankness of Mrs Jennings- whose kind-heartedness makes her more attractive, in spite of her lower-class origins and perceived vulgarity, than Fanny, Lady Middleton or Mrs Ferras (snr).

Pride and Prejudice: The aristocratic Lady Catherine de Bourgh is an interfearing busy body whose title and money only excuse her officiousness and rudeness. Darcy's pride in his superior situation to the Bennets leads him to act wrongly with regard to Bingley and Jane. Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, in trade, are more respectable- certainly better parental figures- than the gentleman Mr Bennet (and Mrs Bennet too). At the same time - Darcy's strengths are displayed in his undertakings as the resident landholder of the Pemberly estates- he supports the poor, and his situation allows him to shield the more vulnerable when he his spurred to act (Georgiana, to a less successful extent Lydia). Wickham's circumstances - debt, etc- could easily be read as the consequences of his wanting to step out of his place- his desire to be the oldest, or at least the second, son of a Mr Darcy- rather than what he 'is'- the son of Mr. Darcy's steward

Mansfield Park: Hey. HEY. look at the shitshow of a baronetcy. Lady Bertram is functionally useless. Sir Thomas is such a bad father that his daughters marry idiots just to get away from him. Also, having money can't give you intelligence or a personality. Most of "fashionable society" are actually miserable and mercenary and also probably immoralistic. The Church is clouded by corruption and isn't actively benefiting the local parish the way it should. The whole thing is underpinned by slavery, and the hardworking Price Children are ultimatley more deserving than the flighty Bertram ones. THAT BEING SAID: the portrait of Mr. Price is hardly better than the one of Sir Thomas, and Mansfield Park does stabilise- indeed, begins grows stronger with the reformation of its heir, and the implication that Fanny and Edmund go on to have children of their own. There is less of a quarrel with establishment, and more of a quarrel with the people who fill it.

Emma: "Gentility is inherent one can sense it in a person-" no you can't lmao shut up. There is literally no inherent difference marking out a gentleman's daughter and a farmer's daughter. Emma's snobbery as to class leaves her, at various times, both isolated and into some *serious* missteps. Emma and Frank Churchill both have a tendency to treat others as playthings, as their money allows them to do so.

Persuasion: The peerage/nobility are patently ridiculous throw them out in favour of [relative] meritocracy and hard workers. Sure, the resident landowners are supposed to be of benefit to those beneath them but they're not, actually, they take all of the privileges and fulfil non of the responsibilities and are pretty much uniformly selfish and our heroine Casts Them Off.

#jane austen #class #its late okay i haven't neccessarily thought about it *thoroughly* but. y'know. #i thought #northanger abbey #sense and sensibility #pride and prejudice #mansfield park #emma #persuasion

[firawren]

Austen siblings: the worst of the worst

Please vote based on their depiction in the books, not the movies. Other than that, use whatever criteria you want. Most toxic? Least well-suited to each other? Most well-suited to being awful together? Most annoying? Least realistic? Up to you!

These are in alphabetical order by last name, so read the whole list before voting!

I have a best Austen siblings poll too.

#yes the crawfords are on both the best and worst polls #and i expect will get votes on both #jane austen characters #jane austen #siblings #polls

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Sense and Sensibility (2024, Hallmark) a review

I had expectations for this movie. They were not surpassed. It didn't perform below them either.

Spoilers under the cut.

So, this is a short movie (1.24hr long) a tv movie, a hallmark movie. You must keep that in mind as a frame of reference for what I'm about to say. You cannot really compare this with theatrical movies on equal footing.

Where to start. Costumes and sets. It is Bridgerton's world and we live in it. Everything is VERY colorful and shiny and not very real looking; that was to be expected. I think that sort of semi-fantasy aspect didn't hurt at all, and it was consistent. If you are not going to stick to the time period, at least go ham and show me something really interesting. I'm looking at you, Netflix Persuasion. There are some dresses that are pretty, and some others that... aren't. Considering that apparently the costume designer had to make something like 60 pieces in a month, it's kind of impressive that it came out as it did.

One funny bit, though, in this respect, is that they complain about how small the cottage is like some actual estate houses aren't the same size IRL XD Allenham we only get to see from afar, and it is rather disappointing.

Music: nothing to write home about, to be expected. Yes, we got one of those Vitamin String Quartet modern-song-played-by-strings. IDK. They were a bit dorky in their heyday, I don't know why they are so sought after in these pieces lately. I digress.

The acting. Deborah Ayorinde was a really good Elinor. She definitely deserved better writing and direction. The rest of the cast was good enough; I feel some roles really benefited from their characters being a bit hammy already in the source material (Lucy, Mrs Jennings, Anne, Fanny, Robert), others were really struggling because of being given very poor dialogue (Mrs Dashwood), and others were just... not good (Willoughby and Brandon, sadly). Edward was... a very special case. I can only describe it as the actor having two expressions: one, an attempt at reaching Hugh Grant's adorkableness AND Dan Stevens' ease at the same time, and two [SCREAMING INTERNALLY], but I guess those two were indeed enough to make it work just fine!

Which leads me to the writing. We all knew this adaptation was going to live or die in the writing, and most likely die.

The thing is that most of it is written around repeating 95' and 08's greatest hits, while attempting to compress the narrative into an hour and a half. And that goes as well as you can expect it to. Some scenes are painfully rushed -Brandon's backstory was extremely awkward to get through- some things are over before you have any time to assess their real weight -Marianne's illness, and many others end up being... incongruous.

Let me stop a little on those. The movie keeps Margaret, and gives her the whole play acting as a pirate with Edward from 95', but then removes the only real plot relevant thing she does in the book. So why keep the character at all? (Willoughby asks for Marianne's handkerchief in exchange for Queen Maab, instead of cutting a lock of her hair).

Because 2008 makes Brandon suspicious of Willoughby from the get go, this one makes it so that they know each other and implies that Brandon knows dirt on Willoughby, but then plays the rest of the story straight, which makes it... pretty inconsistent.

Speaking of Brandon, we have reached adaptation #5 that cuts out the fact that he tried to elope with Eliza sr. This time the backstory is that his father promised to let him marry Eliza if he proved himself as a soldier, but when he came back, he found his father has kicked her out of the house. Yeah, that was utter nonsense.

The adaptation makes a clumsy attempt at including the dinner at Mrs Ferrars... but Brandon isn't there to see Marianne defend Elinor.

We needed to have a "Brandon rescues Marianne in the rain" scene, but in this case, she's not faint or anything, he just grabs her because she's sad XD

And the list goes on and on and on. It was to be expected that the shadow of both 95 and 08 would be large over this one, but it truly is to the point that the references and contrivances are almost constant. Which is a pity because I think most of the original choices were interesting.

For example, Marianne twists her ankle running after Margaret, to try and stop her from asking something embarrassing, which is a good choice in terms of showing that Marianne is passionate, but she has more sense than Margaret.

On his deathbed, Mr Dashwood makes Elinor promise that she will take care of her mom and sisters and keep the family together. That added pressure on Elinor works really well in the context of the adaptation, and ads a new layer of interest.

John Dashwood is written mostly as a hapless but not malicious idiot. This is similar to what From Prada to Nada did (though there it made more sense because of the father having two families simultaneously), but I'm not sure where was that going. They did cut the Palmers, so I suppose the choice was so that they could go to Norland instead on their way to Barton (it is never established that Norland is so far away as it is in the book, so I guess one could give it a pass), but in that case, I feel the most cost effective shortcut is... have them go to Barton? Because we do get to see Barton (Marianne goes alone with Brandon to see it close to the end, and they get engaged before Edward returns, don't think much about it, manners and such are... for this movie... loose guidelines. But it isn't super offensive most of the time).

Anne Steele is decent fun as she's supposed to be, but Lucy really suffers the flattening. The mastermind has been flanderized into just a mean girl, and that's a pity.

Oh, Edward is sassy at times! And the sassy jokes land! I have to say it is not my preferred way of doing the character, but he does show some sass at the end of the novel, so, you know, I'll allow it I suppose XD

Edward's return and proposal started pretty good, but it overstayed its welcome. I cannot emphasize enough that, when writing this kind of proposal, you must avoid the word love if you can, and if you must use it, use it once, and with great reluctance.

The movie chooses to dedicate quite a time to the reveal of Edward and Lucy's relationship, and it's honestly... decent? For a scene made out of whole cloth it stands on its own feet reasonably well. But there's no Fanny freakout. This is probably the most shocking plot twist in the adaptation. This very on-the-nose Hallmark adaptation decided to cut the Fanny freakout of all things. Impressive restraint.

One thing, however, that was sadly cut out was Elinor and Marianne's conversation about Willoughby at Barton. It is instead replaced by an unsubtle comparison between Willoughby and Edward, and an exchange between Brandon and Marianne. It is one of the several points where the storytelling relies on previous knowledge of the work.

These are my main, disordered thoughts. I leave you with this choice from the ending, that I cannot form a thought about:

At Elinor and Edward's wedding, on the first pew are in attendance, from center to side: Mrs Dashwood, Margaret, Marianne, colonel Brandon... and Eliza Williams with her baby in her arms.

As a summary, I'd say Elinor and Edward's story was good enough, the relationship between the sisters was sweet, there were some odd choices, some interesting choices, and overall the writing was severely downgraded by attempting so much to stick to the choices of previous famous adaptations.

#Jane Austen #Sense and Sensibility #Sense and Sensibility Hallmark #Sense and Sensibility 2024

[anxious-scrambles]

Baldur’s Gate 3 Characters

Here is a brief introduction to my current beloved OCs.

Dreuer

Full Name: Dreuer Wildfel

Aliases: The Dark Urge

Race: Mephistopheles tiefling

Age: 47

Class: warlock (Greater Old One)

Subclass: fighter (battle master)

Background: The Haunted One

Sexual Orientation: demisexual, bisexual

Gender Identity: male (cis)

Romantic Interest: Lae’zel & Gale act 1, Gale act 2, 3 and end game

Knowing nothing of who he is and where he is from, Dreuer woke up on the nautiloid with a thirst for bloodshed. Determined to piece together his past and free himself of this lust for murder, Dreuer tried at first to face his problems with stoicism and in secret.

After confiding in Gale that he was afraid of his own uncontrollable actions, the two grew closer as they endeavoured to keep one another safe.

Dreuer faced his patron father, Bhaal, and defied him. He saved himself, helped save the city and now lives a quiet academic life in Waterdeep. Well. Mostly quiet.

There’s always room for a little adventure or two.

Corvid

Full Name: Robin Josiah Dashwood

Aliases: Corvid, Robert Crow

Race: human

Age: 27

Class: rogue (arcane trickster)

Background: criminal

Sexual Orientation: bisexual

Gender Identity: male (cis)

Romantic Interest: Shadowheart act 1, 2, 3 and endgame

The only son of Lord Josiah Dashwood of Waterdeep, Corvid was meant to grow up a well educated and respectable wizard. His birth mother, a lowborn woman from Luskan, died in childbirth, leaving Corvid under the care of a distant and resentful father.

After a series of notorious scandals, Corvid’s disobedience became too great for the family name to bear. He was cast out, took up a new name for himself and set about using his arcane talents for personal gain and petty criminal acts.

Corvid was taken from the roadside as the nautiloid swept across Waterdeep, where he had been lying in wait as a highwayman to ambush passing travellers. He isn’t sure if he wants to go home, as the family he has found since are the first people to care about him in his entire life.

Alyx

Full Name: Alyxanthe Black

Aliases: Alyx

Race: Asmodeus tiefling

Age: 34

Class: Fighter (battle master)

Background: Outlander

Sexual Orientation: pansexual, polyamorous

Gender Identity: female (transfem)

Romantic Interest: Astarion (act 1 & 2) and Halsin (act 2)

An exquisite markswoman and exceptional assassin, Alyx has been working freelance ever since her parents cast her out.

Alyx is quite the polymath, she is keenly intelligent and sharp witted, and is taking very cautious steps in her pursuit of the source of her ilithid infection. She was quite contented to be free of the tadpole and then leave, but since meeting her newfound friends she has set her sights firmly on several assassinations that frankly should have been executed years ago.

First target: Cazador Szarr.

Appearance Mods I Use:

Basket of Equipment

Boring Dyes

Tav’s Hair Salon

#bg3 #oc: dreuer #oc: corvid #oc: alyx #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 tavs #bg3 durge

[strangelock221b]

E3 now. "She is still crying. When will she ever stop?" Please, this is Marianne we're talking about -- she'll cry until she's dehydrated, drink some water, then the cycle will repeat. :P

Mrs. Dashwood has no backbone, honestly. Elinor is the parent in this family, not her, and frankly, that's a toxic arrangement. Elinor shouldn't be the one to keep the family above water and out of scandal. Yes, Mrs. D's in mourning BUT SO IS ELINOR. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Elinor was the parent even before Mr. Dashwood died.

Can someone PLEASE buy the Dashwood ladies a spyglass so they'll know who a visitor is before they actually arrive and not get their damn hopes up (looking at you, Marianne)?

Edward's back. He addresses the girls as "Miss Marianne, Miss Elinor." Excuse you, Ferrars, that's "Miss Marianne, MISS DASHWOOD" to you. Give Elinor the respect she's due as the oldest.

"Dear, dear Norland." Marianne, get over it. She's still acting like Norland is sentient. I get that's she's *sensitive* and a capital-R Romantic, but this is getting ridiculous.

Ugh, the lock of hair. I believe '95 leaves out that detail entirely. Marianne and her overactive imagination. At least Elinor's sensible enough to know it's not hers.

Sir John invites Edward to a party at his place and in practically the same breath he mentions the Steele girls. Edward's big secret is taking away even momentary happiness.

This Charlotte Palmer is sweet and silly, just like she should be. Meanwhile, her husband reminds me of '08 -- boring. Where's '95's sarcasm? Lady Middleton's looking down at the Steele girls for their upbringing. Bitch. Ah, Mr. Palmer does have more to say. He's crosser than '95. Dude, I seriously doubt she was the only eligible woman when you were wife-hunting. You should've married someone more your type, so don't be mad at her for your blunder.

At least Charlotte is enjoying her marriage. I guess "asshole" is her type.

Oh wow, Lucy's a bitch. Claws in, girl, you just met Elinor. Is it in the book that Lucy is fond of yellow? '24 also has a pretty yellow dress.

You can tell Anne and Mrs. Jennings are related.

Marianne, at least put on a smile when you're at a party and asked to dance by your host. She may think emotions are everything, but she should be able to fake some once in a while.

Anne has no idea she's making things super awkward for Elinor and Lucy, for slightly different reasons. But then, I get the feeling Anne making things unwittingly awkward is a constant in her life.

Lucy's no fool, she knows Elinor has feelings for Edward, so she's playing all her cards at once -- secret longtime engagement, "thinks of you and Marianne as his sisters," "you don't know him like I do," "don't tell anyone." I hear the book ends with Lucy and Robert making each other miserable. No one deserves a bad marriage more than this bitch.

Wait, Lucy is okay with Edward becoming a clergyman? I guess she assumes that as long as he's on his mother's good side, he'll get the money no matter what. Can you imagine this woman as a clergyman's wife?

Elinor's putting Mrs. Jennings down? She's giving you a Season, her son-in-law is letting you stay in his cottage, show at least a little gratitude, girl.

"I would put up with any unpleasantness to go to London, and I shall." Marianne, are you threatening your sister? Well, at least it's better than sulking.

At least Elinor and Mrs. Dashwood are both well aware why Marianne's eager to leave -- Willoughby. I wish Mrs. D wasn't so eager to push her into his arms. But at least she's doing it because it would make Marianne happy, not just to have a daughter married. *side-eyes Mrs. Bennet*

#sense and sensibility #sense and sensibility 1981

[youremyonlyhope]

Hallmark’s Sense and Sensibility

Yes. YES. All I've ever wanted was an adaptation of Sense and Sensibility where Mr. Dashwood is white, Mary Dashwood is Black (or another race), so that the sisters are mixed and it causes even more tension between their older white half-brother and his wife.

As a mixed girl, I’ve been begging for this version of the story to be told.

I can't believe Hallmark is the one to do it, but I am ready and excited to watch.

Hmm... is Fanny mixed... is internalized racism going to be an issue for her too? If so, I am here for that.

Edward is Fanny's stepbrother... I don't think that was the case in the book. But I infamously hate Edward so maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention to him. (It's a change)

BONNETS. They have bonnets! They have natural hair (probably wigs but still, natural textures), and bonnets. I am actually super happy about the costuming so far.

Ok I might like this Edward... We'll see. We're not at the part where he makes me mad. But right now... he's ok.

"Right kind of woman" ok girl. Sure.

I really liked that scene between Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor, while Margaret played the pianoforte.

Oh Col. Brandon. Already smitten. I do have one complaint though: Mrs. Dashwood is supposed to be about 40, to make it so Col. Brandon being 35 offputs Marianne even more that he's close to her mother's age. But this Mrs. Dashwood (who I really really like so far) is being played as much older than 40.

YES CURLING RAGS. And am I crazy but are some of Marianne's clothes kind of leaning to wards 1820s transitionary styles? I sorta love that if that's the case.

OK Willoughby... ok. You cute. I love this "Who are you?" thing we got going on.

That painting of a Black man in Georgian-ish clothing. Someone remind me to look it up. I love the framing of this shot with Brandon and Willoughby, and the painting between them.

God I adore Mrs. Jennings. In generally but I really like this one.

God, fuck Willoughby. I always forget how much I hate him.

"A daughter." No no no you're supposed to say "natural daughter." Come on.

Oh poor Willoughby, what a coincidence he's called to London, while Brandon's already in London, dealing with an issue involving his "natural daughter." Such unlucky timing...

I can't wait to see Steele sisters. I hope their hair is blonde, so there's no doubt that the hair Edward has is NOT Elinor's. God. This is what I wanted from a S&S adaptation.

OOH the Miss Steeles are Black too! Ok. Ok. Fanny you absolute hypocrite.

OH MY GOD. THE PAINTING OF DIDO ELIZABETH BELLE IS IN THE BACKGROUND. Oh my god. I literally just squeaked. No random family would have that painting hanging, especially with the cousin cut out only showing Dido but STILL. And adding the fact that I once found an Amazon listing for an Austen novel using the cousin Elizabeth as the portrait and cutting out Dido (and also that the portrait is from 50 years earlier) made me so mad. This little easter egg of including Dido's portrait in this movie is like HEALING that specific moment's pain for me. Oh my god.

This adaptation, is far too good. It's so much better than I thought it would be.

Ah yes, the constant talk of "beau"s from Anne.

YES THE LOOP ON THE TRAIN.

This Lucy is diabolical. I don't think I remember her being so... almost mean. Annoying yes, but mean? Hmm...

Love all these Black paintings. I wonder if Juan will show up, though that's a Spanish painting not English.

Miss Jennings has white servants. Love it.

I think they made Robert worse.

"And I always keep my promises." You tell him. I thought I was going crazy earlier, that a song sounded kind of pop-ish. But they're playing Kiss From a Rose right now on a string quartet, so they're going full Bridgerton with this. I didn't want to accuse it earlier, but now I must.

Ugh. Willoughby.

MRS. FERRARS IS BLACK. FANNY YOU SUCK. You're giving us light skinned mixed girls a bad name.

Edward didn't want to be in the same room as his main and his side chick. I forgot about the Mortons. He's got 3 girls. This is why I dislike him. And I really think this movie ended up playing up Robert Ferrars' personality in a way I'm not sure I liked, he was always charming but I don't think he was this rude.

Ok Marianne. You're not wrong. But I don't remember that. It's been over a year since I last read S&S, I really need to brush up on it I guess.

Wasn't Eliza married to Brandon's brother and then cast aside? I really need to brush up. However, god I'm reminded of how much I love Austen.

Well I enjoy this Edward's embarrassment a lot.

Ooh Fanny. I don't like Lucy but do not call her a peasant.

Ok fine, point to Edward. I will concede that this adaptation is doing a good job of making the watcher feel for Edward. I still dislike him the most of all Austen husbands.

This is truly a great Elinor.

They've been so careful with having everyone in gloves. And now Edward is thanking Elinor, taking her hand, and no one is in gloves. I see you costume department, I see you.

Yessss loose hair moment.

Oh my god, I always love Col Brandon when he says he won't rest until he brings Mrs. Dashwood and Margaret. Every single adaptation. It makes me so emotional.

Wow ok. This version is a very good Edward, a very good Elinor, a very good Marianne, a very good Brandon. Even a very good Willoughby. I can't believe they really made me actually want to forgive Edward. I usually still am salty towards him by the end. That alone makes this pretty amazing.

Costumes were fun. A little bit crazy but honestly sometimes Austen adaptations don't go crazy enough with the costumes. Minus some fit issues with the empire waists (same issues that Bridgerton is plagued by) and some weird closures in the backs of some dresses, it was really well done costume wise.

And I was surprised that race was not as much of an issue as wealth, though I still think that Fanny and Mrs. Ferrars had some colorism issues in there.

Really my only issue with the movie is that they didn't make clear how old Brandon was compared to Marianne. And I have some concerns about Robert's characterization. That's really all I can complain about though.

Dare I say... that Hallmark somehow created... my new favorite Sense and Sensibility adaptation...

#sense and sensibility #hallmark #jane austen

[curiousb]

The Bingley Family Album: Volume XV

We're catching up with another member of the Bingley clan today - Benjamin, over in Sanditon, and his fiancé Walter.

Top of the list after getting his own place, was to adopt a dog from the animal shelter. Enter Moody! He reminds Benjamin a lot of his childhood pal Bella.

~ Libra

~ Doofus / Lazy / Friendly / Pigpen

He proves to be great company while Benjamin is alone at home during the day.

And the pair soon form a close bond. (He also sports some rather splendid facial hair, just like his master.)

He quickly becomes a favourite with Dog Person Walter too. His family never had any pets while he was growing up, but he's thoroughly enjoying having Moody around now.

Benjamin was also keen to set up his own dedicated art studio at home, to pursue his dream of perfecting a masterpiece.

He finds inspiration everywhere he looks.

Well, I guess his ambition to make his mark on the art world has to start somewhere!

Robert doesn't know about art, but he knows what he likes, and that includes his ex's oeuvre.

Walter meanwhile is still risking life and limb on a daily basis as an Adventurer. He's certainly well equipped for tackling the considerable risk posed by taking a shower.

Also on the agenda is hosting a house-warming party. Unfortunately, it turns into an occasion for Benjamin's past conquests to come back to haunt him - including his flings with Townie Chandler Platz (undocumented), Julia,...

...Robert and Anna.

While Walter was happy to be just one of many before their engagement, he now expects a little more commitment from Benjamin.

Now that they've reached a firm understanding as to the footing of their relationship, everything is soon smoothed over between them.

And - much to the surprise of both - it's hello, impending parenthood! But will Walter stay the course this time, or will he cut and run, just as he did in the past with Cassandra? (I've given up trying to rationalise same-sex pregnancy in my game - Sims aren't humans, they don't have the same biology as us, so it just happens, because I want it to! 😁)

#sims 2 #gameplay #merybury #sanditon #benjamin bingley #walter wentworth #moody bingley #julia bertram #robert dashwood #anna smith #cassandra crawford #bella bingley #chandler platz #bingley family

[pristina-nomine]

It was from the drama that Jane Austen received invaluable training for a novelist interested in scenes and dialogue. Scenes or set-pieces are units faction built around exits and entrances. How do you begin and end a scene except through entrances and exits? They are the markers of beginnings and endings, and of moments of surprise and suspense - of drama.

But exits and entrances are not merely the units that mark beginnings and ends in a play; they can also come in the middle of a scene as an element of surprise. Throughout Sense and Sensibility, Austen provides us with a running motif of characters who are mistaken for others, as | well as unexpectedly appearing and disappearing through doors, as in a farce.

This is particularly the case with her male characters. […] At various points in the novel Edward is mistaken for Willoughby, Edward is mistaken for Brandon, Brandon is mistaken for Willoughby, and Willoughby is mistaken for Brandon. […]

Austen's pointed use of artifices from the drama thus becomes a means of exposing her views on love and marriage. The confusion between the lovers and their arbitrary switching of partners, and the varying levels of deceit and mercenary considerations, provide a satirical exposé of the marriage market. As the various lovers pass in and out of doors, and are mistaken for each other right up to the very end, where Elinor believes that Edward is Brandon, we are encouraged to believe that the plot could go any way. Love becomes a chance encounter; whoever comes through the door could be the man you marry.

Therefore, contrary to critical consensus, no one should be surprised by Lucy's sudden marriage to Robert Ferrars (especially since he is now the new heir), nor by Marianne's union with Brandon, nor Elinor's with Edward. When John Dashwood informs Elinor that his family expect Robert to marry Miss Morton, his sister deftly sums up the situation: 'The lady, I suppose, has no choice in the affair … it must be the same to Miss Morton whether she marry Edward or Robert'. John Dashwood's brutal reply reflects the cynicism of the age when he answers, 'Certainly, there can be no difference'.

- Paula Byrne, The Genius of Jane Austen. Her Love of Theatre and Why She Is a Hit in Hollywood

#sense and sensibility #jane austen #the genius of jane austen #paula byrne #analysis tag #letteratura

[bethanydelleman]

How do you think Lucy Steele and Robert Ferrars's future looks like beyond the novel?

We know from the novel what their future holds:

Lucy became as necessary to Mrs. Ferrars, as either Robert or Fanny; and while Edward was never cordially forgiven for having once intended to marry her, and Elinor, though superior to her in fortune and birth, was spoken of as an intruder, she was in every thing considered, and always openly acknowledged, to be a favourite child. They settled in town, received very liberal assistance from Mrs. Ferrars, were on the best terms imaginable with the Dashwoods; and setting aside the jealousies and ill-will continually subsisting between Fanny and Lucy, in which their husbands of course took a part, as well as the frequent domestic disagreements between Robert and Lucy themselves, nothing could exceed the harmony in which they all lived together. -Ch 50

I think this is one of the things a lot of people fail to grasp about this novel: Lucy did not get a happy ending. This paragraph is dripping so much sarcasm there is a sigh telling you not to slip in the puddle.

Robert and Lucy fight with each other constantly. They hate Fanny and John (who hate them back) and they are continually fighting with them. Lucy maintains a no-shame suck-up campaign with Mrs. Ferrars and "wins" by becoming the favourite child. An honour that Elinor and Edward would consider an insult (they were never insulted by her real favour and preference Ch 50). And they all live together like that for who knows how long because you know Mrs. Ferrars is going to live to 100 fueled entirely by spite.

Lucy got what she wanted, she's rich, she'll probably inherit a large slice of Mrs. Ferrars's fortune someday, but at what cost? She isn't happy and she likely never will be. The true winner is living in a parsonage, with a husband she loves, and around £1000/year, which is her idea of wealth. Elinor Dashwood is happy and wants for nothing. Lucy lost.

(The one thing I would really like to know is what happened to poor Anne!)

#sense and sensibility #elinor dashwood #question response #lucy steele #robert ferrars #Lucy didn't win #basically their marriage sucks #and they don't really like each other

[smallcatsims]

Mrs Ferrars is a very proud and mercenary fortune sim, who wants her sons to be distinguished and marry rich ladies. Her eldest, Edward, is a bit of a disappointment in this regard. He is a knowledge/family sim who wants to be a clergyman and enjoy the comforts of domestic felicity. He has also been forming an attachment to Elinor Dashwood, which his family disapproves of due to her lack of fortune.

Robert, the younger son, is a coxcomb and as much of a snooty snob as his mother could hope for. He is much more promising.

Her daughter Fanny is also a source of pride to her. She married well and her husband just inherited Norland, a very impressive country estate.

#sims 2 #ts2 #ts2 historical #austenland

[itsfarrah]

|Chapter 5|

As the first blush of dawn tinged the sky, Farrah awoke, her spirits buoyed by the remnants of a whimsical dream featuring the Dashwoods at Sir John Middleton’s party. In her slumber, she had seen them engaged in a merry, if somewhat absurd, dance involving three-legged races and copious amounts of laughter. The incongruity of the vision brought a smile to her face as she sat up in bed, the sheets pooling around her.

She moved to her vanity, the morning light casting gentle illuminations across the room, and began to brush her hair. Her thoughts, unbidden, wandered to the forthcoming party, and the notion of a gentleman seeking her company caused her cheeks to bloom with color. She quickly dismissed these fancies with a shake of her head, laughing softly at her own silliness.

Her musings were abruptly interrupted as Margaret burst through the door, brimming with excitement. “Farrah, make haste! Breakfast awaits, and we mustn't tarry if we are to ready ourselves for the party!” Grabbing Farrah’s hand, Margaret pulled her toward the dining room where the scent of a warm meal filled the air.

At the breakfast table, Marianne and Mrs. Dashwood were already deep in conversation about the evening’s prospects, their voices a blend of excitement and eager anticipation. Elinor, ever the practical sister, was at the stove, flipping what appeared to be pancakes. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling as she teased Marianne and their mother, “Perhaps today we shall finally see our dear Marianne swept off her feet!”

The table burst into laughter, the joyous sound mingling with the clink of cutlery and dishes. As they ate, the conversation naturally drifted back to the party, each sharing their hopes and slight anxieties about the evening.

After breakfast, Farrah excused herself to prepare for the party. She took a leisurely bath, allowing the warmth to soothe her nerves. Once dried and dressed, she stood before the mirror. The gown she chose was reminiscent of the one worn by Pauline Bonaparte in the painting by Robert Lefèvre—elegant and striking with hues of blue, white, and gold, its design subtly challenging the typical English fashion with a dash of American boldness.

Her hair was styled in a loose bun with curls softly framing her face, enhancing her natural beauty without ostentation. A light touch of makeup and a pair of matching silk gloves completed her ensemble. She descended the stairs, her gown whispering against the steps.

The Dashwood family ceased their chatter, momentarily struck by Farrah’s appearance. Regaining their composure, they showered her with compliments, to which Farrah responded with modest demurs, deflecting the praise back onto them.Observing the faint blush coloring Farrah's cheeks, Mrs. Dashwood briskly gathered us all and ushered us into the carriage.

As the carriage wheels crunched the gravel beneath them, the conversation inside turned, at the behest of Mrs. Dashwood, to Colonel Brandon, the very mention of whom seemed to carry a certain weight of respect and intrigue.

“He is quite a sight, you know,” Marianne began, her eyes alight with the vividness of her description. “Tall, with an air of quiet strength, and his countenance—oh, it speaks of depth and the kind of handsome maturity one reads about in novels.”

“Not to mention his intellect and his admirable service in the army,” Elinor added, her tone reflecting both admiration and a hint of melancholy for the man’s past trials. “He has just returned from a strenuous deployment in the West Indies and Australia. It must have been quite taxing.”

Mrs. Dashwood nodded, her expression turning somber as she delved deeper into his history. “Poor soul, he has indeed been unlucky in love. Years ago, he was quite taken with a young woman named Eliza, a beauty of gentle disposition whom he intended to marry. But alas, fate was not kind. She was compelled to wed Colonel Brandon’s elder brother, a match of convenience that broke more than one heart.”

Marianne sighed, her romantic sensibilities clearly piqued. “And after his brother passed away, Eliza left him, vanishing from his life forever. One cannot help but feel for him; such misfortune in love is a cruel burden.”

“The poor man,” Elinor murmured, shaking her head. “It seems unjust that someone so deserving of happiness should be so thoroughly cursed by love’s caprices.”

The carriage fell into a brief silence, each lost in contemplation of Colonel Brandon’s plight, until Mrs. Dashwood, ever the matchmaker, brightened and said, “Perhaps, Farrah, someone fresh from different shores could change his luck. You are both new beginnings in your own right.”

Farrah, caught between amusement and bashfulness, managed a laugh. “Oh, Mrs. Dashwood, a distinguished man like him would hardly find what he needs in an American orphan like me.”

Their light-hearted banter filled the carriage as it rolled towards the Middleton estate, where the evening’s festivities awaited, and where, unbeknownst to Farrah, her fate might intertwine with the very man they discussed with such fervor.

Arriving at the party, they were greeted by the sound of laughter and music, the estate bustling with guests and festivity. As they alighted from the carriage, Farrah took a deep breath, steeling herself for the evening ahead, filled with both excitement and a hint of trepidation about the possibilities the night might hold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colonel Brandon awoke with a rare sense of tranquility that morning, the remnants of a pleasing dream lingering in his mind—a dream filled with laughter and light, a stark contrast to the last arduous eight months. It was a luxury to wake naturally, without the harsh summons of duty or the jarring sounds of a military encampment, and he savored the unfamiliar indulgence of arising late.

After dressing in simple attire, he descended to partake of a modest breakfast, enjoying the quietude that only a morning at one's own pace could offer. With a light meal concluded, Brandon donned his hat and strolled into his well-tended garden. The air was crisp, the garden lush with the bounty of late summer. He carefully selected an assortment of ripe fruits and crisp vegetables, envisioning them as a thoughtful offering to the Middletons. His next choice was a fine bottle of wine from his cellar—a vintage that had matured as gracefully as he hoped his own years were unfolding.

Once his gifts were prepared and set aside, Brandon retreated to the sanctuary of his personal quarters for a soothing bath. The warm water was a balm to his weary body, and he took his time shaving, ensuring his appearance was as meticulously tended as his estate. Clad in the outfit he had selected the night before he examined his reflection. The mirror showed a man marked by recent trials yet carrying himself with an enduring hope that perhaps, at today’s gathering, new joys might begin to soften the old scars.

Mounting his horse, Colonel Brandon felt a stirring of anticipation. The ride to the Middleton estate was brisk and invigorating, bolstering his spirits further. As he approached the familiar grounds, his thoughts were optimistic, tinted with a cautious excitement about the impending social gathering. This day, he mused, might yet hold more promise than any dream could foretell.

#alan rickman #colonel brandon #new writers corner #new writter #sense and sensibility #original character #love #romance

[firawren]

Inanimate Austen brOTPs

Alright, the mostly serious Austen brOTP poll is here, but how about best duo between a person and an inanimate object or concept?

There are way too many to choose from, of course, but these were the ones that first sprang to my mind. If you are passionate about a different silly pairing, please reblog and put it in the tags!

#jane austen crack #jane austen characters #jane austen #polls

[classic-lit-couples-showdown]

Current Submissions

Submissions remain open until ~10pm pst tomorrow (March 3rd); submit through this form or the ask box

Those who have secured spots on the bracket (3 or more submissions);

Elizabeth Bennett & Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Enjolras & Grantaire from Le Misérables by Victor Hugo

Victor Frankenstein & Henry Clerval from Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

Faustus & Mephistopheles from Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe

Ishmael & Queequeg from Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Mina & Johnathan Harker from Dracula by Bram Stoker

Henry Jekyll & Gabriel Utterson from The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Other possible contenders (under read more);

Offred & Moria from The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Celie & Shug from The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Lestat & Marius from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

Gimli & Legolas from Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Samwise Gamgee & Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Gandalf & Hobbits from the works of Tolkien

Romeo & Juliet from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Clarissa Dalloway & Sally Seton from Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Anne Elliot & Frederick Wentworth from Persuasion by Jane Austen

Emma Woodhouse & George Knightley from Emma by Jane Austen

Maurice & Alec from Maurice by EM Forster

Margaret & Thornton from North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Holden Caufield & Stradletter from The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

Charlie & Patrick from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Gene Forrester & Finny from A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn from the works of Mark Twain

John Yossarian & the Chaplain from Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Jane Eyre & Helen Burns from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Lionel Verney & Adrian Windsor from The Last Man by Mary Shelly

Eugenie Danglars & Louise d'Armilly from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Dante & Virgil from The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Hamlet & Horatio from Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Lizzie Hexam & Eugene Wrayburn from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

Phileas Fogg & Passepartout from Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

Huckleberry Finn & Jim from the works of Mark Twain

Sherlock Holmes & John Watson from Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Lord & Lady Macbeth from Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Beatrice & Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Gilgamesh & Enkidu from The Epic of Gilgamesh

Heathcliff & Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Mr. Collins & Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Victor Frankenstein & Adam ('the creation') from Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

Dorian Gray & Lord Henry from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Rodion Raskolnikov & Mitya Razumikhin from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern from Hamlet by William Shakespeare

First Mate Starbuck & Captain Ahab from Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Charles Bingley & Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Eyre & Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre by Emily Brontë

Jean Valjean & Inspector Javert from Le Misérables by Victor Hugo

Victor Frankenstein & Robert Walton from Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

Mary Catherine Blackwood & Constance Blackwood from We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Benvolio & Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Achilles & Patroclus from The Illiad

Ajax & Ajax from The Illiad

Jack & Ralph from The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Telemachus & Theoclymenus from The Odyssey

Jo & Laurie from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Elinor Dashwood & Edward Farrars from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Charles Bingley & Jane Bennett from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jo, Amy, Meg, & Beth from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jack Seward & Abraham van Helsing from Dracula by Bram Stoker

Henry Jekyll & Edward Hyde from The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Ned Land & Conseil from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Earl of Montararat & Earl Tolloler from Iolanthe

Fogg, Passepartout, & Aouda from Around the World in Days by Jules Verne

Guy Montag & Professor Faber from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Nick Carraway & Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Napoleon & Squealer from Animal Farm by George Orwell

Antonio & Sebastian from Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Antonio & Sebastian from The Tempest by William Shakespeare