Thursday, July 01, 2004
Pride and Prejudice
now playing: evan & jaron - the distance
Last night we watched Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. I found myself explaining that i don't usually like romances, but Jane Austen stories are usually so hard to relate to - because of the whole social system - that they're more entertaining. Boy was i wrong. You see, i've been every one of those daughters, at one point or another.
I've been the prudish Mary who shuns all pleasure as being 'ungodly', and hides her insecurity by generously distributing platitudes that she expects to be needed and desired. Who, as soon as she knows she lacks acceptance, decides that she never wanted acceptance in the first place.
I've been Lydia, who 'falls in love' with the rogue, more excited with loving and being loved than the man himself, and who flaunts her 'good fortune' while others plot for her escape.
I've been Kitty, who looks on Lydia with envy, who knows that Lydia's causing trouble for herself and for everyone around her, yet still wishes that it could've been her.
I've been Jane, who does everything she can to suppress her emotions, to try to protect herself from the man she thinks she loves.
In fact, the daughter i'm least like is Lizzy, the one i love and admire most.
So, although i heartily enjoyed all 5-odd hours of the movie, i'm left with an odd taste in my mouth. Part of it is about watching ways my life could've turned out - and thanking God that He saved me from so many mistakes. Part of it is trying to renounce men completely if they're so stupid as Bingley and Darcy seemed to be. And part of it is wondering where MY Mr. Darcy is.
Yes, jen just might be a sentimentalist after all.
Last night we watched Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. I found myself explaining that i don't usually like romances, but Jane Austen stories are usually so hard to relate to - because of the whole social system - that they're more entertaining. Boy was i wrong. You see, i've been every one of those daughters, at one point or another.
I've been the prudish Mary who shuns all pleasure as being 'ungodly', and hides her insecurity by generously distributing platitudes that she expects to be needed and desired. Who, as soon as she knows she lacks acceptance, decides that she never wanted acceptance in the first place.
I've been Lydia, who 'falls in love' with the rogue, more excited with loving and being loved than the man himself, and who flaunts her 'good fortune' while others plot for her escape.
I've been Kitty, who looks on Lydia with envy, who knows that Lydia's causing trouble for herself and for everyone around her, yet still wishes that it could've been her.
I've been Jane, who does everything she can to suppress her emotions, to try to protect herself from the man she thinks she loves.
In fact, the daughter i'm least like is Lizzy, the one i love and admire most.
So, although i heartily enjoyed all 5-odd hours of the movie, i'm left with an odd taste in my mouth. Part of it is about watching ways my life could've turned out - and thanking God that He saved me from so many mistakes. Part of it is trying to renounce men completely if they're so stupid as Bingley and Darcy seemed to be. And part of it is wondering where MY Mr. Darcy is.
Yes, jen just might be a sentimentalist after all.
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