Thursday, February 22, 2018

Lovely Blog Party: Molly and Roger

My appreciation post for Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley, part of Cordy's Lovely Blog Party! 

Molly and Roger Hamley, Wives and Daughters, are one of my all-time favorite couples. Here's why.

1. They started off as friends.
I adore this about them. They were such dear, sweet friends, and each of them mentioned that the other was like a brother/sister. Molly was dear to Roger's whole family, and she loved all of them. She was able to support them through both deaths, and they were able to support her as well, as those deaths affected her hugely too. Molly and Roger stayed close almost the whole time. They were friends to each other. They did what friends do. That's so important in a relationship, to be supportive best friend figures to each other.

2. It wasn't "love at first sight."
Look. I know a lot of people get frustrated with Roger for being a blind idiot for a long time. Me too. But.
This is kind of what I was talking about before, how they were good friends first. It just wouldn't work as a "love at first sight" relationship. (I mean, look at Mr. Cox. Just look at the poor fool.)
Molly's character is such that she has to build a foundation of trust and goodwill to really love someone. If Roger had liked her right off, say, like he did with Cynthia, I think that would have done nothing good for their relationship. More likely she'd have been taken aback by his bold attentions, and she'd avoid spending time at Hamley Hall because of the awkwardness, etc. 
But the way it happened, they became close through months of friendship and support and love, and from there Molly's sisterly love grew into true love for the man who meant so much to her.
As for Roger, well, it took seeing her in a fancy dress with her hair done all purdy to realize she wasn't just like a sister to him.
So like a man. But, the delay made it that much more meaningful, didn't it? Right? 
(I know, none of us would have minded if he woke up sooner. I agree.)
But still, once they did make it, they were such a perfect couple. They were so meant for each other. Which brings me to...

3. Their personalities and dispositions suit each other perfectly.
Molly needed someone who could understand her, and someone who could know what she needed. Take the lecture after he finds her crying, for example. Roger was kind and sympathetic, and then he also gave her a little lecture about what she could to to move forward, instead of crying. I've no doubt he continued to play the perfect supporting, caring, and guiding role for her.

Roger needed, well, Molly. A woman who could support and care for him. A woman who not only listened to his scientific talk but was interested in it and learned about it on her own to discuss with him. He needed a woman who could be a quiet influence on him for good. Someone who would understand him. And with all that, a woman who could love him truly and sincerely with her whole heart. (**coughcoughnotlikeCynthiacoughcough**)
(He also needed someone as perfectly sweet and darling and loving as Molly to forgive him for his nonsense.)

As a couple, they're clearly each other's partners, equals. They love and support each other perfectly.

4. They're intellectual equals.
I mentioned this before, but to go further...
Molly was interested in science, which was, I believe, somewhat unique for women of her age. Now part of it, perhaps, may have been that she was interested in Roger and therefore his interests, but truly, I believe she was genuinely fascinated by the things he told her, and really, who would read entire books on insects and things without some true interest? (There's a good long sentence for you.) Molly could understand what he was saying in those parts of his letters Cynthia dismissed as "nonsense". She could keep up with him, and considering the "man of science" he was, that's really quite impressive. 

And Roger, dear lad, I love watching in the movie how excited he gets about science, and how excited he is to see Molly's excitement about the same things. It's so cute.


Are they not just the most perfect, darling couple? If you haven't read or seen Wives and Daughters--well first of all WHY DID YOU READ THAT??? SPOILERS!!! There was a major spoiler in the title!!!--Oh but second of all go read it. Or watch it. 

What do y'all think of Molly and Roger? How forgiving are you towards Roger's foolishness? 

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Couples for Couples Tag

Happy Valentine's Day!!! 

If you haven't heard already, Cordy is hosting a month-long "Lovely Blog Party"!

As part of that, she made a "Couples for Couples" Tag. Here are my answers:

Ivanhoe and Rebecca: Name a couple that should have been together
-Mary Poppins and Bert. I defy anyone to disagree.



Jo and Laurie: Name a couple that should have stayed friends...or did stay friends...
-Jack Thornton and Rosemary LeVeaux

Image result for jack thornton and rosemary
Jane and Mr. Rochester: Name a couple that looked like the chances of a happily ever after were next to none!
-Pat Gardiner and Hilary "Jingle" Gordon, from the Pat books by L. M. Montgomery. My goodness, the last chapter never fails to make me cry.

Jane and Mr. Bingley: Name a couple that is just sooo happy!
-Amy Dorrit and Arthur Clennam, at the end of course.


Kit and Ella: Name your favorite fairytale couple
-Elise and Amiri, from the book I'm writing. Haha. Does that count? :p
If not...I might have to go with Anna and Kristoff. They are an ADORABLE couple. 

Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley: Name a couple where the woman is basically ignored by the suitor until the end of the story (frustration at it's finest!! :P :P)
-Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram. The end.

Sarah and Jacob Witting: Name a couple that found love later in life

-Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. I suppose they found each other earlier in life but they didn't manage to make it work until much later.
Image result for anne elliot and captain wentworth persuasion 1995

Don Lockwood and Kathy Seldon: Name a couple from a musical
-Adam and Milly from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Image result for adam and milly seven brides for seven brothers
I mean, once Adam got over his major issues with how he thought of and treated women, they were a great couple. And of course Milly is amazing.

Anne and Gilbert: Name a couple that didn't start out on the right foot
-Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. No tag is complete without a P&P answer.

Faramir and Eowyn: Name a couple with the sweetest love story
-Polly Milton and Tom Shaw. Aaaaahhh. They are the sweeetessst. (An Old-Fashioned Girl. Go read it if you haven't.)

Happy Valentine's Day!!! May you all enjoy discount chocolate tomorrow, which we know is more of a holiday than today for a lot of us. :D

Pride and Prejudice inspired necklace

Monday, February 12, 2018

Another Period Drama Tag

Molly Rebekah tagged me in Elanor's tag, Another Period Drama Tag! Thank you so much, Molly!!!

1.  What was the most recent period drama you watched?  Share what you thought of it.
-Oh goodness, I haven't seen a period drama in a little while. I must soon. But the last I remember, I watched two at the end of December: The When Calls the Heart Christmas special, and The Man Who Invented Christmas.
I LOVED BOTH.
The Man Who Invented Christmas completely blew me away a little more than WCTH, but the latter was still a charming, darling episode.

2.  Do you generally prefer period dramas in the form of a movie or a TV series/mini-series?  Why?
-Generally, a TV series/mini-series. They're longer and generally therefore more accurate to the original book. Besides, the more the better! A 5-hour version is nearly always preferable to a 2-hour version. :D

3.  What is your favorite musical period drama?
-I love The Sound of Music of course (see: blog name, page titles). Also Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (which I would say counts, Cordy :), Mary Poppins, R&H Cinderella...I love musicals and a lot of them are set in period drama eras. :D

4.  Read the book first or watch the movie first?
-Generally, read the book. There are exceptions I've made, but most of the time I prefer to read the book first. 

5.  What is a valuable life lesson you learned from a period drama?
-Oh, there's so many. I think I'll go with "He would not be quite so handsome if he were not so rich" from Pride and Prejudice. I think it's important to realize how much economic status matters when choosing a husband and determining attractiveness.
That's right, Mr. Collins. You are not rich, therefore unattractive. You see? Does it make sense now?
Good.

6.  Which period drama hero would you be likely to fall in love with in real life?
-Roger Hamley. 
Yes, yes, he's an extremely frustrating little thang with all the silliness but ROGER HAMLEY. Seriously. He is, himself, the exact type of man I would fall in love with in real life. No, not because I'm likely to fall in love with someone who won't love me back for a while. I'm talking he, himself, the person, the personality, the interests. Etc. He's perfect.
Seriously, he's so sweet and perfect and--I'll do another post about him and Molly later and elaborate.

7.  Do you ever like to binge-watch a period drama series?
-OF COURSE. 

8.  What things go best with watching a period drama?
-A good friend who agrees with and adds to your commentary.

9.  Which period drama do you think you would fit into best?
-I think I'd do okay in Pride and Prejudice, actually. I could be your Elizabeth Bennet or Fanny Price or Elinor Dashwood...wait a second...
Ha.

10. If you could have any period drama character for a best friend, who would it be?  And why?
-My real life best friend is a Jane Bennet, with some Elizabeth Bennet and Molly Gibson in her. So there's my answer. :)

11. Show us a picture of a period drama costume you wish you could wear in real life.
-I love Victorian styles, also the dresses in Cranford. I can't really think of period dramas with the costume styles I love most that I've seen, so here's some of the darling ladies of Cranford.
12. Are there any period dramas you like to watch during a particular season or holiday?
-Not really, no. Just all of them, all the time. :D

13. Which period drama has your favorite soundtrack?
-North and South has glorious music, also "Collins Canon" from the P&P soundtrack. His theme song has bassoon in it, which I think is perfect.

14. Dream cast your favorite actor and actress in a period drama of your choosing; tell which parts they would play and why.
-I've been wracking my brain for days trying and failing to come up with a good answer. My favorite actress and actor are Emma Watson and Tom Hiddleston--what do you think? Who would you cast them as?



15. Are there any period dramas you like more than one version of?
-Sense and Sensibility 1995 and 2008.

16. What are the top three period dramas that you haven't seen on your to-watch list?
-Umm
The Greatest Showman,
Fiddler on the Roof,
???

17. Show a picture of your favorite period drama hairstyle.
I love Emma's hairstyle in my header.

18. What was your favorite wedding in a period drama?
-
One of my favorites. :)

19. What is your favorite biographical period drama?
-Not sure if it quite counts, but The Man Who Invented Christmas.

20. Which historical novel will you forever recommend to anyone and everyone?
-Oh there are so many good ones! I guess Pride and Prejudice I would recommend to anyone and everyone.

This was such a fun tag!!!