One beef that I have about Prince Murat is the portrait that is always displayed of him. Printed descriptions of him say that he was tall, handsome, carried a debonair attitude, and personable to a point that friends would loan him money never expecting it to be repaid. Now that is personality.
The photos I have seen of his father, Prince (Joachim) Murat I, show him to be very handsome with oodles of curly black hair and a trifle of a smile sneaking out of a formal pose. But the photos I have seen of his son Lucien show a man that I certainly would not seek out, even at a town social get-together. I mean really, must publishers always show pictures of once-famous people when they are aged and grossly out of shape? Age may have made them refined like fine wines but by that time they don’t usually look as good as the label on that fine old bottle.
It rather reminds me of Mr. Darcy. As Austen wrote, “would he have been so handsome if he were not quite so rich?”
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Austen, Bronte & Gaskell
Any comparison between the writing of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte is ludicrous. Bronte was born a year before Austen died. They wrote about entirely different time periods and their story lines took other paths. Enormous changes took place in England all through the nineteenth century including societal alterations. It’s like comparing oranges and apples; they are both fruit, but…….
And then we have Elizabeth Gaskell whose first novel stressing the plight of the poor was published in 1848, taking another tack altogether. This was a year after Bronte’s Jane Eyre was released. Even they did not consider themselves rivals on the literary scene. How delightful it is for me, to picture Gaskell and Bronte coming together to discuss writing, poets, life, and loss.
Even then writers sought out the company of other writers. Just imagine what it would be like to lunch with Austen, the three Brontes and Gaskell all at the same table. A-h-h-h.
And then we have Elizabeth Gaskell whose first novel stressing the plight of the poor was published in 1848, taking another tack altogether. This was a year after Bronte’s Jane Eyre was released. Even they did not consider themselves rivals on the literary scene. How delightful it is for me, to picture Gaskell and Bronte coming together to discuss writing, poets, life, and loss.
Even then writers sought out the company of other writers. Just imagine what it would be like to lunch with Austen, the three Brontes and Gaskell all at the same table. A-h-h-h.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Charlotte Bronte & Jane Eyre
Like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte put life as she lived it, into her novels. So when you read her biography and one that I especially liked is Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell’s, The Life of Charlotte Bronte, you can see where all her material for Jane Eyre came from.
Charlotte passed away after only a year of the marriage she so wanted when she was young. Her father Reverend Patrick Bronte and her husband Reverend Arthur Bell Nicholls had asked Gaskell if she would write the biography. Charlotte’s friend from her early school days, Ellen Nussey had recommended Ms. Gaskell to them. She wanted the articles written about Charlotte containing falsehoods refuted and felt choosing the right biographer was important. She also knew that Gaskell and Charlotte had been dear friends.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Oh, The People I Meet
Oh, the people I meet. Researching a subject for a book often takes me deep into the subject’s history and family, gathering information I won’t be able to use per se, but letting it lay in my mind to form images and environment about the subject I’m researching. This may sound like a government document, but it latches on to me like a small child tugging at my shirt wanting attention.
Prince Murat and his family did that to me. He dragged me to Europe after the rise of Emperor Louis Napoleon III ca.1850 where I found him and his family to be fascinating although part of the self-serving aristocracy. He was tenacious but never did manage to re-coup the crown of Naples that his father held and lost his life over. His cousin Napoleon III discouraged him from seeking claims.
His daughters became part of the Court of Empress Eugenie and all it entailed. The elder daughter Caroline Laetitia drifted away from the center of the Court forming a great dislike of the Empress in later years. Princess Anne remained close to the Empress even years after she and the Emperor were ousted from France. Here is the website that shows the Empress surrounded by her Court including the beautiful and elegant Princesses Murat: http://www.abcgallery.com/W/winterhalter/winterhalter15.html
Prince Murat and his family did that to me. He dragged me to Europe after the rise of Emperor Louis Napoleon III ca.1850 where I found him and his family to be fascinating although part of the self-serving aristocracy. He was tenacious but never did manage to re-coup the crown of Naples that his father held and lost his life over. His cousin Napoleon III discouraged him from seeking claims.
His daughters became part of the Court of Empress Eugenie and all it entailed. The elder daughter Caroline Laetitia drifted away from the center of the Court forming a great dislike of the Empress in later years. Princess Anne remained close to the Empress even years after she and the Emperor were ousted from France. Here is the website that shows the Empress surrounded by her Court including the beautiful and elegant Princesses Murat: http://www.abcgallery.com/W/winterhalter/winterhalter15.html
Sunday, March 13, 2011
New Jane Eyre
Just when I think we have the utmost performance of Jane Eyre, a new movie version is being released this year. BBC films are introducing Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender in the lead roles. I do hope they put the two hours allotted for the story to good use. We have a good chance of it since it is BBC. Let’s be honest Hollywood CANNOT do the classics as well as the Brits.
The first thing they do is dummy down the language into modern lingo. Guess they don’t believe Americans have the intelligence to understand nineteenth century English. Or the American (plus Kiera Knightly) actors they choose aren’t good enough to speak it. Ack.
I IMDB’d Ruth Wilson and find that she has been doing some good screen work. Hopefully she will break the bad habit of Jane Eyres not going on to film popularity. Also I received comments that the new Jane Eyre is a fine one. I’m so excited that I can hardly wait to see it.
Here is more info from IMDB of Jane Eyres made:
Jane Eyre (1910/I) Jane Eyre (1914/II) The Castle of Thornfield (1915) Woman and Wife (1918)
Jane Eyre (1921) Jane Eyre (1934) Jane Eyre (1943) Sangdil (1952) "Jane Eyre" (1955)
"Jane Eyre" (1956) Jane Eyre (1961) (TV) "Jane Eyre" (1963) Jane Eyre (1968)
Jane Eyre (1970) (TV) "Jane Eyre" (1973) "Jane Eyre" (1983) Jane Eyre (1996)
Jane Eyre (1997) (TV) "Jane Eyre" (2006)
The first thing they do is dummy down the language into modern lingo. Guess they don’t believe Americans have the intelligence to understand nineteenth century English. Or the American (plus Kiera Knightly) actors they choose aren’t good enough to speak it. Ack.
I IMDB’d Ruth Wilson and find that she has been doing some good screen work. Hopefully she will break the bad habit of Jane Eyres not going on to film popularity. Also I received comments that the new Jane Eyre is a fine one. I’m so excited that I can hardly wait to see it.
Here is more info from IMDB of Jane Eyres made:
Jane Eyre (1910/I) Jane Eyre (1914/II) The Castle of Thornfield (1915) Woman and Wife (1918)
Jane Eyre (1921) Jane Eyre (1934) Jane Eyre (1943) Sangdil (1952) "Jane Eyre" (1955)
"Jane Eyre" (1956) Jane Eyre (1961) (TV) "Jane Eyre" (1963) Jane Eyre (1968)
Jane Eyre (1970) (TV) "Jane Eyre" (1973) "Jane Eyre" (1983) Jane Eyre (1996)
Jane Eyre (1997) (TV) "Jane Eyre" (2006)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Jane Eyre
These past ten days I’ve been watching the four Jane Eyre DVDs that I have. Timothy Dalton in 1983 may be an old film without modern movie making amenities but his and Zelah Clarke’s acting are superb
Charlotte Gainsbourg gives a sadly wooden performance opposite William Hurt in the 1996 version. I can never tell by looking at her facial expressions just what she is feeling. Jane Eyre must have felt anguish, terror, love, passion, even anger, surely despair. But you never see it in her performance. Alas the film tries to squeeze a long story into a short film. Bah.
Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton do a fine job (Gemma Jones is always fine) in 1997. But the cream of all the depictions is Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson in 2006. Everything about this version is exquisite including the scenery, music and cast.
I can barely watch one without following up with the others, to compare, to critique, to savor the best parts. They are quite unequal dramas trying to tell the basically same story but sadly failing to do so. Each Mr. Rochester is excellent exuding the personality, frustration and agony that pours out from him. All the supporting casts are fulfilling in their portrayals. Alas all the Jane Eyres are not so equal. Three are excellent in my estimation.
Somehow the Mr. Rochesters go on to other leading roles, but the Jane Eyre actors don’t seem to be able to further their careers. What gives with that?
I think it is time to re-read the book again. Like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte (and her sister’s) books can be read over and over again bringing forth the same enjoyment and actually finding something new that I had not noticed before.
Charlotte Gainsbourg gives a sadly wooden performance opposite William Hurt in the 1996 version. I can never tell by looking at her facial expressions just what she is feeling. Jane Eyre must have felt anguish, terror, love, passion, even anger, surely despair. But you never see it in her performance. Alas the film tries to squeeze a long story into a short film. Bah.
Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton do a fine job (Gemma Jones is always fine) in 1997. But the cream of all the depictions is Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson in 2006. Everything about this version is exquisite including the scenery, music and cast.
I can barely watch one without following up with the others, to compare, to critique, to savor the best parts. They are quite unequal dramas trying to tell the basically same story but sadly failing to do so. Each Mr. Rochester is excellent exuding the personality, frustration and agony that pours out from him. All the supporting casts are fulfilling in their portrayals. Alas all the Jane Eyres are not so equal. Three are excellent in my estimation.
Somehow the Mr. Rochesters go on to other leading roles, but the Jane Eyre actors don’t seem to be able to further their careers. What gives with that?
I think it is time to re-read the book again. Like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte (and her sister’s) books can be read over and over again bringing forth the same enjoyment and actually finding something new that I had not noticed before.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Major Fraser's
It’s close to the time when Major Fraser’s is released upon the world. So a sneak preview is in order. The story begins in Olde England, back in the 1600s when life was enormously different than we know it today. It slides into West Jersey focusing on Bordentown. Colonial times move into the Revolutionary War period when our Scottish import, Major Fraser, enters the picture. Our Bordentown superstars become involved. The Major gets transferred to the south, mainly South Carolina. In between his fighting the Rebels (yes, he fought aggressively for the Brits) he falls in love with a gracious, young southern belle. The war ends, our story in Bordentown blossoms, then moves with our characters to France, to Italy and back to England again.
Time moves on, so our tale moves forward, back to Bordentown again where it all wraps up rather happily.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Quotes & Writing
Often I will read a quote of someone’s and be off and writing. I came across this quote and immediately thought of the last manuscript that I sent off for publishing.
"Be able to meet any deadline, even if your work is done less well than it would be if you had all the time you would have preferred." Marilyn vos Savant
That is exactly what I did, noting that I had been working on Major Fraser’s for six years. It was time to call a halt to any more additions, corrections and re-writes. No more stumbling onto a new piece of information that absolutely must be added. Do or die. Well, the very afternoon of sending my baby off, I began to think, ‘maybe I should have’ and ‘I wish I could change’ etc. You get the idea. It will rumble my stomach until I see the new born baby in my hands. And then I will probably think, ‘H-m-m. I should have’ and ‘darn, I wish I had….’
"Be able to meet any deadline, even if your work is done less well than it would be if you had all the time you would have preferred." Marilyn vos Savant
That is exactly what I did, noting that I had been working on Major Fraser’s for six years. It was time to call a halt to any more additions, corrections and re-writes. No more stumbling onto a new piece of information that absolutely must be added. Do or die. Well, the very afternoon of sending my baby off, I began to think, ‘maybe I should have’ and ‘I wish I could change’ etc. You get the idea. It will rumble my stomach until I see the new born baby in my hands. And then I will probably think, ‘H-m-m. I should have’ and ‘darn, I wish I had….’
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