Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Regina Jeffers
Anglo-Saxon Poetry by Robert K. Gordon — www.goodreads.com

Anglo-Saxon Poetry by Robert K. Gordon —
http://www.goodreads.com

As poetry began as song and was easier to memorize because of the rhyme scheme and the rhythmic pattern, Anglo-Saxon poetry outstripped the period’s prose. The poems were passed from one generation to another by word of mouth. 

Customarily, Anglo-Saxon poetry contains three alliterating syllables, two in the first line and one in the second. Most of the poems were created by troupes of musicians called “gleemen,” who traveled about the countryside entertaining nobles and the aristocracy. 

The poems characteristically contained a moral. A tone of brooding melancholy can be found in many. The themes include a love of freedom, a duty to nature, and demonstration of glory as the ruling motivation in the hero’s (the warrior) life. 

“There are two types of Old English poetry: the heroic, the sources of which are pre-Christian Germanic myth, history, and custom; and the Christian. Although nearly all Old English poetry is preserved in only four manuscripts—indicating that what has survived is not necessarily the best or most representative—much of it is of high literary quality. Moreover, Old English heroic poetry is the earliest extant in all of Germanic literature. It is thus the nearest we can come to the oral pagan literature of Germanic culture, and is also of inestimable value as a source of knowledge about many aspects of Germanic society. The 7th-century work known as Widsith is one of the earliest Old English poems, and thus is of particular historic and linguistic interest. [InfoPlease: The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press.]

Widsith, or the Wanderer is dated to the 6th or 7th Century. This is the song of a wandering minstrel. “‘The Wanderer’ tells of the grief and the hardships of one whose lord’s hall has been overthrown. Over yellow waves, through snow and hail, he plies his oars with weary arms. At times – for the setting is vague – he seems to be living in solitude in a new country. Always in memory or in dreams, his thought returns to the generosity of his lord, the noble deeds of his friends of the comitatus, the content of nights in the mead-hall. He concludes with maxims on the caution and fortitude which this dark world demands.” [History of English Literature: Part I-Early Saxon Through Milton, Hymarx Outline Series, pp. 11-12]

The first English lyric poem was Deor’s Lament. It was found in the late 10th Century collection the Exeter Book. The poem consists of the lament of the scop Deor, although contemporary scholars do not credit Deor as the poem’s author. “A scop was a poet as represented in Old English poetry. The scop is the Anglo-Saxon counterpart of the Old Norse skald, with the important difference that “skald” was applied to historical persons while ‘scop’ is used, for the most part, to designate oral poets within Old English literature.” (Wikipedia)

Deor is a bard at the court of the Heodenings, who laments “his eclipse by a rival poet of a newer school. He compares his plight with other tragic situations well-known to contemporaries. Strophes 1 and 2 touch the story of Weland – his horrible torture by Nithad and the tragic impact of his revenge upon Beadohild. At the end of each strophe comes the Stoic refrain, ‘That (sorrow) passed; so may this.'”[History of English Literature: Part I-Early Saxon Through Milton, Hymarx Outline Series, pg. 12]

Deor holds a place of reference in the Anglo-Saxon lyrics for its use of the strophic form. “Wulf and Eadwacer” is the only other Old English poem displaying these devices. It also examples an attitude typical of our early verse: the moving contrast between courage and dark misfortune. Also, the poem makes references to historical figures commemorated in lays.

Another example of Anglo-Saxon poetry which has survived is The Sea Farer. As with the others, the date and author are unknown. The poem contains a dialogue between an old sailor and a young man eager to set off to sea. It consists of 124 lines followed by the single word “Amen.” It is recorded in the Exeter Book, one of the four surviving manuscripts of Old English poetry. It is considered an elegy.

“The poem begins with a recounting by the old mariner of the hardships he has endured on his various voyages. Nevertheless, he brings out the irresistible desire of a sailor to make new voyages and the pleasures of an adventurous life. He talks of the ease and comfort to be had on land, but then turns to the evils of life. He invokes courage to bear him up whenever the fear of death is upon him. The latter part of the poem is an allegory in which the troubles of the seaman are symbols of the troubles of this life and the call of the ocean are the call of God.” [History of English Literature: Part I-Early Saxon Through Milton, Hymarx Outline Series, pp. 12=13]

 

BabelStone Blog : The Long and the Short of the Letter S www.babelstone.co.uk612 × 493Search by image Alfred Fairbank, A Book of Scripts (Penguin Books, 1949) Plate 17

BabelStone Blog : The Long and the Short of the Letter S
http://www.babelstone.co.uk612 × 493Search by image
Alfred Fairbank, A Book of Scripts (Penguin Books, 1949) Plate 17

 

Posted in Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, literature, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mansfield Park 1999

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

BBC/Miramax film
Patricia Rozema, Director
Francis O’Connor ….. Fanny Price
Harold Pinter ….. Sir Thomas Bertram
Jonny Lee Miller …. Edmund Bertram
Embeth Davidtz ….. Mary Crawford
Alessandro Nivola ….. Henry Crawford
Lindsay Duncan ….. Mrs. Price/Lady Bertram
Victoria Hamilton ….. Maria Bertram
Justine Waddell ….. Julia Bertram
Sheila Gish ….. Mrs. Norris
James Purefoy ….. Tom Bertram
Hugh Bonneville ….. Mr. Rushwoth

Cineplex.com | Mansfield Park www.cineplex.com MANSFIELD PARK, Jonny Lee Miller, Frances O'Connor, 1999

Cineplex.com | Mansfield Park
http://www.cineplex.com
MANSFIELD PARK, Jonny Lee Miller, Frances O’Connor, 1999

This version is a “reinterpretation” of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. As such, the 112-minutes film emphasizes the issues of slavery and the oppression of women’s rights. It is set in a particular social and political atmosphere, one Austen often glosses over in her novels. The film is set in 1805 and 1806. (See my previous post on Mansfield Park 1983.)

The film begins with a young Fanny being sent from Portsmouth to Mansfield Park. The viewer can see the disheveled Fanny’s uncertainties at being sent away from her family, but he/she can also note the child’s quick intelligence and her mettle. Fanny is portrayed as a precocious child. In fact, Rozema turns Fanny into an aspiring writer, much in the vein of Jane Austen. In many ways, “Austen” becomes the narrator of the film. Fanny, for example, reads to Edmund what she has written. She does likewise in the voiceovers. In both instances, the movie goer hears passages taken from Jane Austen’s juvenilia. In the opening, young Fanny is reading a story to her sister, one Fanny supposedly wrote. It is from Austen’s Love and Freindship (sic). Fanny is shown as having her head full of romance novels.

In the latter part of the film, when Sir Thomas informs Fanny of Henry Crawford’s proposal, Fanny reads aloud to herself what she wrote: “From this period, the intimacy between them daily increased till at length it grew to such a pitch, that hey did not scruple to kick one another out of the window on the highest provocation.” This speech comes from Austen’s Frederic and Elfrida: A Novel, which Austen wrote in her early teens. In this short piece, one of Austen’s Juvenilia, Austen parodies some of the silly sentimental heroic literature of the late 1700s.

Tom Bertram (drinking on a balcony): Do you know it’s 5 o’clock in the morning?
Carriage Driver: Mrs Norris arranged for this girl to be brought here. It’s her niece, or something.
Tom Bertram: Mrs Norris lives in the parsonage over there.
Carriage Driver: I was told most definitely to drop her at the front entrance of Mansfield Park.
Tom Bertram: Then drop her.

When Sir Thomas announces to Mrs. Norris, his wife, and daughters that Fanny is of a second-class status in comparison to his family and children, young Fanny is standing outside the room and overhears his protestations. Fanny’s position in the house is set with these lines. Mrs. Norris assures Sir Thomas that his sons will think of Fanny as nothing more than as “sister.”

To illustrate Fanny’s growing maturity, Rozema has Fanny read from Austen’s The History of England. Fanny looks into the camera to read: “It was in this reign that Joan of Arc lived and made such a row among the English. They should not have burnt her but they did….” This is followed by what is know in film as a dissolve. Fanny continues to read in a voice over: “Henry the 7th. His Majesty died, and was succeeded by his son Henry whose only merit as not his being quite so bad as his daughter Elizabeth.” After another dissolve, Fanny’s character looks again into the camera to say: “And then that disgrace to humanity, the pest of society, Elizabeth, who, Murderess and Wicked Queen that she was, confined her cousin, the lovely Mary Queen of Scots for 19 YEARS and then brought her to an untimely, unmerited, and scandalous Death. Much to eternal shame of the Monarchy and the entire Kingdom.” The camera slides to Edmund (Jonny Lee Miller), who is Fanny’s audience for her reading. It is the viewer’s first look at Edmund Bertram.

Rozema used Kirby Hall in Northhamptonshire for the exterior scenes and some of the interior shots. In the original novel, Mansfield Park is described as such, “Miss Crawford soon felt that he and his situation might do. She looked about her with due consideration, and found almost everything in his favour: a park, a real park, five miles round, a spacious modern-built house, so well placed and well screened as to deserve to be in any collection of engravings of gentlemen’s seats in the kingdom, and wanting only to be completely new furnished–pleasant sisters, a quiet mother, and an agreeable man himself–with the advantage of being tied up from much gaming at present by a promise to his father, and of being Sir Thomas hereafter.” In contrast, Kirby Hall is an Elizabethan mansion. Kirby Hall gives the viewer the idea that the Bertram family fortune wanes. Even the interior scenes add to this impression. The walls are bare and few furniture is evident. Fanny’s first walk through of the house has her climbing bare stone steps to an attic storage room furniture and toys no longer necessary for the house is stored.

One of the best exterior shots in the film is when Fanny and Edmund return to Mansfield Park when Tom Bertram is ill. The house is shrouded in fog providing the viewer a feeling of foreboding.

PeriodDramas.com - Mansfield Park www.perioddramas.com ... Mansfield Park screenshot 10

PeriodDramas.com – Mansfield Park
http://www.perioddramas.com
… Mansfield Park screenshot 10

One of the discrepancies with the novel that struck me is the physicality of Francis O’Connor in the role of Fanny. She rides horse and races across the estate grounds. She is more in the vein of Elizabeth Bennet than the sickly child of Fanny Price from the novel. She is TOO familiar with Edmund Bertram for 19th Century morals. They spend time together in her bedroom and in private walks.

Going against Austen’s original story, this film omits the character of William Price, Fanny’s brother. I found this a bit frustrating for Fanny’s qualms about accepting Henry Crawford’s proposal is abandoned. Crawford’s “kindness” in assisting William Price to a commission in the military plays strongly in Fanny’s decision. This key point of the original story is glossed over in this adaptation. Instead of writing letters to William, Fanny writes to her sister. We hear the content of these letters in voiceovers read by Fanny. Also, William is omitted from the ball given by Sir Thomas in Fanny’s honor.

The political issue of slavery invades this film in a way the book does not. In the novel, slavery is mentioned only once. Fanny tells Edmund that her family ignores her when she asks of the problem of slavery. When Fanny is on her way from Portsmouth to Northhamptonshire slave ships are shown in anchor. Fanny hears men singing, and the coachman says that the captain of the ship is bringing some “darkies” home to his wife. The song is repeated when Fanny returns to Portsmouth and again during the film’s ending credits. Slavery is brought to issue in the film when Edmund tells Fanny that Sir Thomas’s bad humor is a result of problems on the plantation in the Americas.

Edmund: The abolitionists are making inroads.
Fanny: That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
Edmund: We all live off the profits from slavery. Even you, Fanny.

Later, in the film, Edmund rebukes his father for Sir Thomas’s lack of humanity for the loss of lives on the plantation.

Sir Thomas speaks of his slaves, saying, “The mulattos are in general well-shaped and the women especially well-featured. I have one so easy and graceful in her movements as well.” Sir Thomas goes on say he will bring a slave back to Mansfield Park to work as a servant. No part of this scene appears in the novel.

This talk of slavery leads Fanny to tell Edmund “I’ll not be sold off like one of your father’s slaves” when Sir Thomas says he will give ball to help Fanny find a mate. This line is the “theme” of the film. Rozema portrays the lives of women of the time period as equivalent to the slaves of which Sir Thomas so often speaks. Sir Thomas “orders” Fanny to marry Henry Crawford; he dictates to her more so than he does his daughters.

The character of Tom Bertram is also different from the original novel. Tom is this film is not only a spoiled indulgent eldest son who wastes his allowance and other funds on horse racing and gaming hells, but Tom also is self-destructive. Mrs. Norris shows Fanny one of Tom’s “self portraits,” one is which Death has his hand on Tom’s shoulder. In Austen’s novel, Tom Bertram is a minor character. In this film, he becomes the reflection of his father’s sins.

This film leaves out the visit to Sotherton, an important episode in the novel. In this adaptation, when the Crawfords call at Mansfield Park, Rozema has the camera show the reaction of each of the main characters (Maria, Rushwoth, Julia, Lady Bertram, and Fanny) before it pans to the Crawfords, visually describing them by panning from heel to head on first Mary and then Henry.

When Mary asks, “Who is to play Anhalt? What gentleman among you, am I to have the pleasure of making love to.” In the novel, no real notice is given the line. We must recall that in the early 19th Century, “making love” was courtship, not a sexual activity. However, in the film, Embeth Davidtz’s delivery of the line puts special emphasis on the words.

The costumes display Rozema’s view of the time period. Fanny wears jumpers over long-sleeve blouses as her daily wear.

▶ Mansfield Park (1999) - Hold On (One More Time With Feeling) - YouTube www.youtube.com Mansfield Park (1999) - Hold On (One More Time With Feeling)

▶ Mansfield Park (1999) – Hold On (One More Time With Feeling) – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com
Mansfield Park (1999) – Hold On (One More Time With Feeling)

Fanny’s clothes are not fitted in any way. The dress for the ball is a contrast to this “dullness.” Fanny appears in a white, empire style dress with evident décolletage. After the ball, Fanny’s breasts are on display in her clothing. Fanny also rarely wears a hat in the film, especially when she travels back to Portsmouth. As women were very conscious of their skin (as Sir Walter remarks in Persuasion) and being too brown (as Elizabeth is in P&P), this breaks with the time period. The character of Mary Crawford wears tight-fitting clothing and displays lots of décolletage. She never wears pastels, which is unusual for unmarried ladies in the early 1800s. With skirts and form fitting blouses, the costumes appear more modern than period pieces.

In this film, the scenes when the characters perform the play differ from the novel. Fanny does not refuse to take part in the play. Mrs. Norris, fearing Fanny means to move into circles to which she is not relegated, sends Fanny about her work rather than to encourage Fanny to participate in the play. In the novel, it is Mrs. Norris who “shoves” Fanny into a minor role.

Some critics of the film feel that the scene where Mary comes to Fanny’s room to practice her lines is suggestive of lesbianism, especially as Edmund is watching them. Mary places her hands on Fanny’s waist as the camera circles them. Mary is not only practicing her lines, she is also flirting with Edmund, who accepts the role of Anhalt (from Inchbald’s “Lovers’ Vows”) after viewing the rehearsal. Later, Mary removes Fanny’s clothing after Fanny is caught in the rain. It is all so “Not Austen,” in my opinion. I assume because Rozema had two previous films with lesbianism as an issue that critics made the natural jump in conclusions. The scene does not make me uncomfortable, it is just not “Austen.” 

Another time that Rozema uses a circling camera is when Henry Crawford reads Laurence Sterne’s “A Sentimental Journey” to Fanny. Maria spies on the pair, realizing that Henry is courting Fanny.

▶ Mansfield Park (1999) Soundtrack - 17 Tom Leaves - YouTube www.youtube.com Mansfield Park (1999) Soundtrack - 17 Tom Leaves

▶ Mansfield Park (1999) Soundtrack – 17 Tom Leaves – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com
Mansfield Park (1999) Soundtrack – 17 Tom Leaves

At the ball, the dances appear more “intimate” than the customary period dramas. At the end of the ball, Fanny chooses to leave on her own, a wine glass in hand. The dance scenes show her thoroughly enjoying herself.

Posted in film, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Regency era | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

The Peterloo Massacre

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

On Friday, I introduce you to my novel, His Irish Eve. The events of that particular novel lead up to the hero and heroine being caught in the melee of the Peterloo Massacre. Adam Lawrence, Viscount Stafford, recognizes the need to leave the old ways of the aristocracy behind; however, his father, the Earl of Greenwall, is not so receptive to the changes sweeping across England after the Napoleonic Wars and on the edge of the Industrial Revolution. So, what exactly happened at St. Peter’s Field in Manchester? 

A depiction of the Peterloo Massacre by Richard Carlile - Public Domain

A depiction of the Peterloo Massacre by Richard Carlile – Public Domain

On August 16, 1819, the Peterloo Massacre occurred at St. Peter’s Field in Manchester. A crowd of 60,000-80,000 had gathered to protest the lack of parliamentary representation for the heavily populated industrialized areas.

With the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the Corn Laws exacerbated the famine of the Year without Summer (1816) and the growing unemployment problems. By the beginning of 1819 the pressure generated by poor economic conditions, coupled with the lack of suffrage in northern England, had enhanced the appeal of political radicalism. In response, the Manchester Patriotic Union, a group agitating for parliamentary reform, organized a demonstration to be addressed by the well-known radical orator Henry Hunt.

Fearing the worst, local magistrates called on the military to dispense with the crowd. They also demanded the arrest of Hunt and the other featured speakers. The Cavalry charged the crowd with sabers drawn. In the melee, 15 people were killed and some 500+ were injured. The massacre was given the name Peterloo, an ironic comparison to the devastation found at the Battle of Waterloo. The Peterloo Massacre became a defining moment of the age. Unfortunately, the massacre’s immediate effect was the passage of the Six Acts, which labelled any meeting for radical reform as “an overt act” of treasonable conspiracy.”

650px-peterlooredplaque1It also led directly to the foundation of The Manchester Guardian, but had little other effect on the pace of reform. In a survey conducted by The Guardian in 2006, Peterloo came second to the Putney Debates as the event from British history that most deserved a proper monument or a memorial. A plaque close to the site, a replacement for an earlier one that was criticized as being inadequate, as it did not reflect the scale of the massacre, commemorates Peterloo.

Information from Wikipedia 

His Irish Evejpg

When the Earl of Greenwall demands his only son, Viscount Stafford, retrieve the viscount’s by-blow, everything in ADAM LAWRENCE’s life changes. Six years prior, Lawrence released his former mistress Cathleen Donnell from his protection, only to learn in hindsight Cathleen was with child. Stafford arrives in Cheshire to discover not only a son, but also two daughters, along with a strong-minded woman, who fascinates him from the moment of their first encounter.

AOIFE KENNICE, the children’s cousin and caregiver, is a woman impervious to Stafford’s masculine charms, as one of England’s most infamous rakes. In truth, Aoife is not immune as she pretends, but she cannot imagine herself as the object of more than a flirtation on the part of the viscount. On balance, they are world’s apart: Aoife is daughter of a minor Irish baron and the opposite of her beautiful cousin Cathleen, who possessed all the skills to lure in a handsome viscount. To make matters worst, Aoife maintains the family’s a sheep farm to support Stafford’s family. A “lady,” Aoife is not.

A battle begins: A fight Adam must win–a fight for the heart of a woman worth knowing, his Irish “Eve.”

(Leave a comment on Friday’s post to be a part of the giveaway.)

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Regency Lexicon – The Letter “W”

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Regency Era Lexicon – Nearing the End: We’re at “W”

wafer – made of flour and gum; one dampened the wafer and then placed it on a letter to seal it

waggonette – a four-wheel lightweight carriage; used for pleasure trips such as picnics, etc.; common mode of transportation for the rural middle-class; could seat 6; very popular after the mid 1800s

Walcot Church – the site of the marriage of George Austen (1731-1805) to Miss Cassandra Leigh (1739-1827) on April 26, 1764; located in Bath

wainscoting – a “fancy” oak imported from Russia, Holland, or Germany; the term “wainscoting” was applied to panels originally made of such oak

waistcoatswaistcoat – a vest for a gentleman; worn over the shirt and under the coat. Colors, patterns, and fabrics varied and anything was allowed. Could be single- or double-breasted, with or without collars or lapels, but must have a couple small pockets for a man’s accoutrements, such as a pocketwatch or fob.

waistband – the part of a skirt or pants (around the waist) in which money was kept

walking out – long romantic walks were discouraged; there was a “no time alone in private” rule for courtship

wallflower – a young lady repeatedly without a partner at a ball/assembly; gentlemen were expected to ask young ladies who were seated without a partner to dance

waltz – introduced to England from Germany in 1812; was considered scandalous as it required the partners to be in close proximity to each other;a lady required the consent of one of the Patronesses of Almack’s for her first waltz; was finally approved by England’s great dancing arbiter, Thomas Wilson, in 1816; even then, the waltz was only approved for married couples

want—Want means not only desire, but lack, both as a noun and a verb. When Mandeville says that the bees in The Grumbling Hive “wanted Dice,” he means that they lacked them; “lost the opportunity for want of money” means “because of a lack of.” (18th Century Vocabulary)

ward – a child under the care of a guardian and not his parents; wards in Chancery were so assigned by the courts; a Chancery ward could not marry or enter into a contract without the court’s permission

wardrobe – large wooden cupboard used for hanging clothes

warrant officer – an officer in the Royal Navy; usually a boatswain, carpenter, or surgeon; his position was attained by warrant rather than by commission

washhand stand – a small table in the bedroom that held water, soap, towels, etc., for the occupant’s ablutions; changed several times daily by a household maid

Watch – men who policed the streets at night; called out the time and weather at set intervals

watch guard – a chain or ribbon attached to a watch/timepiece to keep it attached to the gentleman’s clothing

water butt – a barrel placed under the eaves to catch rain water for washing, etc.

water cart – used to keep the dust down on dirty streets; water was released through small holes in a barrel as the cart rolled along the streets

watering place – resorts such as Bath and Mudeford where one went to drink or bathe in the “healing” waters

Waterloo – The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. An Imperial French army under the command of Emperor Napoleon was defeated by the armies of the Seventh Coalition, comprising an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington combined with a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blucher. It was the culminating battle of the Waterloo Campaign and Napoleon’s last. The defeat at Waterloo ended his rule as Emperor of the French, marking the end of his Hundred Days return from exile.

watermen – rowed people out to boats on the River Thames or across the river for a fee

watermen – stood at hackney stands and gave water to the horses

wedding clothes – a woman’s parents purchased her an entire wardrobe (from ball gowns to riding habits) for the wedding; the bride traditionally wore a formal white bridal gown (the girl had the option of wearing her best dress, which could be any color except black or red); the dress was, generally, a white muslin columnar or tube-shaped dress, which was decorated with fine needlework; serving as underwear, a white chemise was worn beneath the gown; men wore his best clothes; the groom usually spent his money on a new coach

wedding protocol – weddings occurred during the canonical hours (between 8 A.M. and noon), unless the couple had a special license, which allowed them to marry later in the day, if they chose; usually, only friends and family were invited to the ceremony (unless the couple were extremely showy or held a place of importance in Society); the ceremony was followed by a wedding breakfast; at the breakfast the couple would often distribute little gifts to their guests

weeds – mourning clothes

weepers – symbols of mourning easily spied by the public, such as a black band on a man’s hat or a long black veil worn by a lady

welkin—a poetic term for the sky

Wellington, Duke of – Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769[1] – 14 September 1852), was a British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political leaders of the 19th Century; defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo; later became Prime Minister; was responsible for passing the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829

wet nurse – hired to breast feed a child not her own

West End – the western part of London, reaching from Charing Cross to the western boundary of Hyde Park; included Buckingham Palace, Mayfair, and St. James’s Park

Westminster – a separate city west of London (before London expansion); home of the monarch and Westminster Abbey, the royal palaces of Whitehall and St. James, the Palace of Westminster, the royal courts and Parliament

From the Ears of Whales - Part II|Robert Traynor|www. hearinghealthmatters.org ... household of the 19th century might contain several items manufactured from whale products, such as candles and corsets made with whalebone stays.

From the Ears of Whales – Part II|Robert Traynor|www.
hearinghealthmatters.org
… household of the 19th century might contain several items manufactured from whale products, such as candles and corsets made with whalebone stays.

whalebone – used to reinforce the corsets worn by ladies of the day

wheelers – horses harnessed closest to the carriage (“leaders” were the farthest away)

wherry—a small rowboat

Whig Party – the Whig Party was revived by Charles James Fox (1749-1806); the Whigs supported the reformists, religious dissent, and the need for electoral and parliamentary change; keep in mind that during the Regency, only rich landowners could vote

The Kimblewick Hunt > www.kimblewickhunt.co.uk

The Kimblewick Hunt >
http://www.kimblewickhunt.co.uk

whippers-in – assistants of the huntsman during a fox hunt; kept the hounds together (“whips” became the term for party members who kept tabs on others in their Parliamentary party to make them available for crucial votes)

whist – a card game similar to bridge for 2-4 players

wit—One of the most loaded words of the eighteenth century. It means something like “mental faculties” in general, but it also has a more restricted sense—imagination, fancy, quick-wittedness. It can also mean a person who has wit—someone with a fine sense of humor (especially one with a satirical edge), an intellectual, or any writer. Pope’s definition is famous and intriguing, though not especially helpful: “True Wit is Nature to Advantage drest,/What oft was Thought, but ne’er so well Exprest.” Johnson’s definitions are more precise; with their examples, they stretch to several pages, but here are the definitions from his Dictionary: “1. The powers of the mind; the mental faculties; the intellects. 2. Imagination; quickness of fancy. 3. Sentiments produced by quickness of fancy. 4. A man of fancy. 5. A man of genius. 6. Sense; judgment. 7. In the plural. Sound mind; intellect not crazed. 8. Contrivance; stratagem; power of expedients.” (18th Century Vocabulary)

White's Club | Jane Austen's London janeaustenslondon.com

White’s Club | Jane Austen’s London
janeaustenslondon.com

White’s Club – The premier gentleman’s club of the Regency is also the oldest in London, and has its origins in White’s Chocolate House, which opened in 1693. In 1736, White’s began to operate as a private club on St. James’s Street. Four years later it moved across the street to larger premises, which burnt down in 1753. The club then relocated in a building at the top of St. James’s, where it still stands. Shortly after the original club was formed everyone wanted in and the rush for membership became overwhelming. A second club was formed called the Young Club. Vacancies in the original Old Club were filled by members of the Young Club. The two clubs were finally merged into one in 1781. White’s and other exclusive gentlemen’s clubs in London used a method of voting for proposed new members whereby a system of black and white balls were deposited, in secret by each election committee member, into a special box. A single black ball was sufficient to deny membership. Hence the term ‘blackballed.’

white gowns – Most gowns of the period were made from muslin, a fine cotton fabric. White was the favorite color of muslin gowns because it appeared very classical (like the marble statues of Ancient Greece and Rome, which were very much in vogue at the time), and a white gown indicated the wearer was rich enough to employ maids to keep the gown white.

Whitehall – home of the Admiralty, the Treasury, the prime minster’s residence at 10 Downing Street, the Horse Guards, the army headquarters, etc.

Whitsun – the seventh Sunday after Easter; also known as Pentecost

William Wilberforce – an Evangelical reformer (1759-1833) who strongly opposed the slave trade

wilderness – an area in a park or garden where one found many trees, as opposed to the groomed lawns

Windsor – a town on the Thames west of London; housed a palace of the royal family

withdraw – to take back or leave

Mary Wollstonecraft – the most famous champion of women’s rights of the period; she authored A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792); Wollstonecraft accused Fordyce’s Sermons of creating “artificial grace” in females

woolsack – the Lord Chancellor sat on a sack filled with wool while presiding over the House of Lords; therefore, “elevated to the woolsack,” meant to assume the position as Lord Chancellor

The Wonder – A Woman Keeps a Secret– a comedic play by Susanna Centlivre, which dealt with ladies and gentlemen in love and with the jealousy love can entail

workbox – sewing, embroidery, etc.; women’s “work”

workhouse – the place where those unable to care for themselves went for food and shelter in exchange for work

worsted – a fancy wool yarn; named for the place in Norfolk where the wool was made

wrangler – the name given to those taking top honors in math at Cambridge

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Anglo-Saxon Literature – Part II: Charms and Riddles

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

The transition from pagan thoughts to the dogma of Christianity was slow to go. Appeasing the populace to look upon a Christian society with acceptance was a difficult task.

Shelagh's Website | Miscellaneous www.shelaghlewins.com Lord's Prayer in Anglo Saxon A Charm to Cure Warts

Shelagh’s Website | Miscellaneous
http://www.shelaghlewins.com
Lord’s Prayer in Anglo Saxon A Charm to Cure Warts

Charms reflect pagan superstition and folklore. Even so, it was not uncommon for the charm to include an invocation to the Christian God. The charm typically consists of three parts: (1) the naming or description of the means to be used in the implementation of the charm; (2) a short narrative telling how the evil arose or some former occasion on which the remedy worked; and (3) the incantation, wherein was mentioned the technique needed for the alleviation of the problem. This cross-compositions suggest a culture in honest transition from one belief system to another.

“Land Remedy” is a typical blending of the new and old. It is a charm meant to ensure fertile fields. In it, the old Earth goddess Ere is called the “mother of men.” Erce’s image “is described as becoming fruitful when it is in ‘God’s embrace.’ It is only the synergism of the two that assures the bountiful harvest. Other charms were composed to give remedy against sudden stitches, dwarves, swarms of bees, and cattle thieves.” [A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, edited by Laura C. Lambdin and Robert T. Lambdin, page 10]

“Hail to thee, Earth (the old Earth Goddess), mother of men,/Be fruitful in God’s embrace, /Filled with food for the use of men.”

Charms established a connection between religious elements in the everyday lives of the early inhabitants. They also were a precursor to the riddles which appeared around the 8th Century. “Elton Smith (“Charms” 91) notes that Anglo-Saxon religion must have assumed that piety begets material return – a stark contrast to the usual biblical allusion that the only true treasure is Heaven.” [A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, page 10]

 

Wuffing Education for Anglo-Saxon Day Schools at Sutton Oho www.wuffings.co.uk299 × Old English Riddles

Wuffing Education for Anglo-Saxon Day Schools at Sutton Oho
http://www.wuffings.co.uk299 ×
Old English Riddles

Riddles, which are dated to the 8th Century, are descriptions of various phenomena and objects. They were composed anonymously and covered a variety of topics. Again, a reference from Elton Smith “Riddles” 439 implies that the riddles were translated from Latin. “These works tend to be more descriptive than literary and served to demonstrate facets of the ordinary life of England. Straight to the point, the riddles display little if any humor, thus demonstrating that these were meant to be intellectual activities. Of particular note is the idea that riddles usually are one of four distinct types. The first described some item in the natural world. A second type could be vehicles to present some elements of folklore or tales. The riddles were also used to describe typical life in England. Finally, there are the charms that are simply brilliant descriptive poetry presented in the form of a game wherein the poet employs description to make readers see and feel unnamed objects. Here the riddles are descriptions of various objects or phenomena.” [A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, page 10]

Riddle 15 by Anglo-Saxon Riddles translated by Bertha Rogers | poetry translation www.ablemuse.com

Riddle 15 by Anglo-Saxon Riddles translated by Bertha Rogers | poetry translation
http://www.ablemuse.com

The subject matter is a cross between natural and man-made items.

“Storm on Land” – “Sometimes I move with malice through the land, burn the people’s halls, spoil the houses; the smoke rises up…there is noise on earth, the death pangs of men.”

“Storm at Sea” – “The ocean is roused, the foam tossed, the whalemere roars, it rages loudly; the surges beat the shores…when I, struggling,…stir the vast depths of the sea.”

These two riddles present the same subject, but contain a degree of difference. The storm on land moves with malice, while the storm surge at sea rages loudly and beats the shores. The destruction of the first riddle affects man directly with the loss of homes and life, while the second speaks of the depths of the sea enveloping all that crosses it.

“Sun” – “Often I burn living creatures; close to the earth, I afflict countless races with distress….Sometimes I gladden the minds of many.”

“Fire” – “A woman often binds it in its great strength. It obeys them well. Cruelly it requites him who lets it grow proud.”

The “Sun” riddle displays a preoccupation with the power of heat upon man and crops. This riddle does offer a bit of “hope” in its gladdening of those which it touches with bright rays and warmth. The heat of the “fire” serves as warning to those who do not control its power. 

“Iceberg” – “The monster came sailing, wondrous along the wave,…loud was its din; its laughter was terrible…; its edges were sharp. It stove in the ship’s side, relentless and ravaging.”

The icebergs are wondrous to view, but they hold great destruction for ships in their paths. An oxymoron exists with the reference to the iceberg’s laughter.

“Shield” – “I am a solitary dweller wounded with a knife, stricken with a sword, weary of battle-deeds, tired of blades.”

“Sword” – “I am a wondrous creature, shaped in strife, loved by my lord, fairly adorned….”

We must recall that instruments of war held great value during this early times. In the “Shield” the shield is personified as if it were a person who suffered great harm. The shield has grown weary of battle and the abuse it must take. The riddle emphasizes the brutal lifestyle of the period. The sword receives great adulation, being loved by its holder and elaborately decorated.

“Swan” – “Silent is my garment when I tread the earth or inhabit the dwellings or stir the waters. Sometimes my trappings and this high air raise one above the abodes of men, and the power of clouds then bears me far and wide over the people.”

This one dwells on the natural elements of the animal world. It describes the beauty of the swan’s movement. The riddle centers on the swan’s ability to fly above the man below. 

“The riddles obviously showed a keen desire to manipulate and demonstrate a grasp of the vernacular. This may explain why so many riddles were copied and passed about. This knowledge would also be demonstrated in a vastly different way. As noted, the writings of this period were gradually Christianized for many reasons. Foremost is the fact that Christianity had become the most popular religion in Britain at this time. Further, since the monasteries were the centers of culture, it is only natural that literature that was Christian in tone grew and developed; few new ideas were created, for these were mostly the works of monks and were composed in Latin, the tongue of the church.” [A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, page 12]

Note: The riddles were found in History of English Literature: Part I – Early Saxon Through Milton, Hymarx Outline Series, page 16.]

Posted in Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, literature, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Winners of an eBook Copy of “Mr. Darcy’s Fault: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary”

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Last week, I released a new book, Mr. Darcy’s Fault: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary Novella. The following earned copies as part of the giveaway.

MDF Cover copy
kandy

cyn209

Pam Hunter

kirstmac

deborahanne2

sophieandmomma

bevieann61

Please contact me at jeffersregina@gmail.com to claim your prize. In the email contact, indicate the eBook format you prefer (Nook, Kindle, or Kobo) and the email address to which to forward the gift announcement. CONGRATULATIONS!

Posted in giveaway, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Winners of an eBook Copy of “Mr. Darcy’s Fault: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary”

A “Stalker” for Queen Victoria

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Regina Jeffers
http://www.historic mysteries.com/boy -stalked-queen-victoria/

http://www.historic
mysteries.com/boy
-stalked-queen-victoria/

Few outside of Victorian scholars know much of Queen Victoria’s “stalker.” Edward “the Boy” Jones was quite adept at sneaking into Victoria’s most private apartments. Born in 1824, Edward Jones became fascinated with Victoria when she was but a young queen. He often infiltrated Buckingham Palace to observe Queen Victoria going about her daily business. Within five months, Jones’s “fascination” became an “obsession.” He took to breaking into the queen’s quarters, ransacking her bedrooms at Buckingham. Accused of stealing from the Palace, including undergarments, Jones stood trial at the Westminster Sessions; however, he was acquitted.

Buckingham Palace c. 1837 with the Marble Arch in its original position. Public Domain - Wikipedia File:Buckingham Palace engraved by J.Woods after Hablot Browne & R.Garland publ 1837 edited.jpg

Buckingham Palace c.
1837 with the Marble
Arch in its original
position. Public Domain – Wikipedia File:Buckingham Palace engraved by J.Woods after Hablot Browne & R.Garland publ 1837 edited.jpg

His brush with the law did not dissuade Jones. In December 1840, the palace guards captured him hiding under a sofa in Victoria’s bedroom, where he spied upon the Queen and Prince Albert. Tried before the Privy Council, Jones was sentenced to three months in prison.

Within days of his release, Jones was caught in the Picture Gallery of the Palace, eating meat and potatoes stolen from the Royal Kitchen. “There was a wild criticism in the press regarding the safety of the Royal Palace of Britain, and while people around the nation theorized multiple conjectures as to how the cunning teen had found his way into the Palace despite the strict guardianship of the security, Boy Jones simply maintained that he had got in through an unguarded basement window.” [Historic Mysteries] 

Fearing the worst for the Queen, Lord Melbourne had the youth abducted and transferred to Brazil. When Jones attempted a return to England, he was again kidnapped and forced into servitude with the Royal Navy. He twice attempted to escape, but failed, and he was eventually reduced to a mere slave of the Crown. Fearing bad publicity if anyone discovered Jones’ fate, the Queen had him released in 1848.

Even so, Boy Jones did not change his ways. He was arrested for burglary and deported to Freemantle in Australia. He found his way back to England in 1857, where he was arrested again for thievery.

“In 1868, a newspaper reported that the new Minister of Public Works in Victoria, Mr. Jones, was actually the brother of the same notorious Boy Jones, who was arrested for trespassing and theft on multiple occasions. In response to Sir Henry Lucy’s article in a magazine, a civilian came forth with the information that Boy Jones had now found his job as a town crier in Perth, Western Australia.

“On 26 December 1893, a certain Thomas Jones was found dead underneath the Mitchell River Bridge, after falling from the bridge on getting severely drunk. According to the Bairnsdale Advertiser, this was the same Boy Jones.” [Historic Mysteries]

“THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BOY JONES: Among those who had closely spectated Edward Jones, he was the shy, introvert, allergic-to-work kind of fellow, a complete loner and a heartless wretch with no affection even for his own parents. According to writer Jan Bondeson from the Fortean Times Magazine, Jones may have been a sufferer of Schizoid personality, a behavioral disorder which causes someone to become emotionally cold and detached. The victim may also develop a special attraction for someone of the opposite gender, and under the misconception that the said person is giving in to the victim’s advances, the victim may even take up to stalking. Perhaps Boy Jones suffered from this disorder, perhaps not. But one thing is for certain. The mysterious ways one of the first celebrity stalkers is sure to bewilder your minds.” [Historic Mysteries]

Posted in British history, Great Britain, real life tales, Victorian era | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Benjamin Bathurst: Missing Regency Era Diplomat

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

 

NUESTRO MUNDO MISTERIOSO: julio 2014 nuestromundomisterioso. blogspot.com

NUESTRO MUNDO MISTERIOSO: julio 2014
nuestromundomisterioso.
blogspot.com

Benjamin Bathurst (18 March 1784 – 1809?) was a British diplomatic envoy who disappeared in Germany during the Napoleonic Wars. He was the third son of Henry Bathurst, Bishop of Norwich.

Bathurst disappeared on or about 25 November 1809, sparking much debate and speculation about his ultimate fate, especially in science fiction stories, based on a perception (fostered by secondary sources) that his disappearance was a case of particularly sudden, perhaps supernatural, vanishing. Recent research suggests the circumstances of Bathurst’s disappearance were wildly exaggerated, and that he was almost certainly murdered.

Career
Benjamin Bathurst entered the diplomatic service at an early age and was promoted to the post of Secretary of the British Legation at Livorno. In 1805, he married Phillida Call, daughter of Sir John Call, a Cornish landowner and baronet.

In 1809, he was dispatched to Vienna as an envoy by his relative Henry Bathurst, pro tempore Secretary for Foreign Affairs. His mission was to assist in the reconstruction of Britain and Austria’s alliance and to try to encourage Emperor Francis II to declare war on France, which the Emperor did in April.

However, the Austrians were forced to abandon Vienna to the French forces and eventually sued for peace after they were badly defeated by the French at the Battle of Wagram in July 1809. Bathurst was promptly recalled to London and decided that the safest route was to travel north and take ship from Hamburg.

Disappearance
On 25 November 1809, Bathurst and his German courier, a Herr Krause, who were traveling by chaise under the aliases of “Baron de Koch” and “Fischer” respectively, stopped at the town of Perleberg, west of Berlin.

After ordering fresh horses at the post house, Bathurst and his companion walked to a nearby inn, the White Swan. After ordering an early dinner, Bathurst is said to have spent several hours writing in a small room set aside for him at the inn. The travellers’ departure was delayed, and it was not until 9 P.M. that they were told that the horses were about to be harnessed to their carriage. Bathurst immediately left his room, followed shortly afterwards by Krause, who was surprised to find Bathurst was not in the chaise when he reached it and indeed was nowhere to be found.

The disappearance did not create much excitement at the time, since the country was infested with bandits, stragglers from the French army, and German revolutionaries. Additionally, murders and robberies were so common that the loss of one commercial traveller (which Bathurst was travelling as) was barely noticed, especially since at the time there were hardly any legal authorities in Prussia.

News of Bathurst’s disappearance did not reach England for some weeks, until Krause managed to reach Hamburg and take ship for England. In December, Bathurst’s father, the Bishop of Norwich, received a summons from the Foreign Secretary, Richard Wellesley, to attend him at Apsley House, where Wellesley informed the Bishop of his son’s disappearance.

Bathurst’s wife Phillida immediately left for Germany to search for her husband, accompanied by the explorer Heinrich Röntgen. They arrived at Perleberg to find that the authorities had been looking into the affair and that a Captain von Klitzing had been put in charge of the investigation. After Captain Klitzing was notified of Bathurst’s disappearance, he took immediate steps to mobilise his troops and conducted a vigorous search, apparently working on the initial assumption that the missing man had vanished of his own accord. On the 26th the river Stepenitz was dragged, and civilian officials ordered a second search of the village. On 27 November 1809 the Englishman’s valuable fur coat — worth 200 or 300 Prussian thalers — was discovered hidden in an outhouse owned by a family named Schmidt. Then, on 16 December, two old women out scavenging in the woods near Quitzow, three miles north of Perleberg, came across Bathurst’s pantaloons.

Investigation quickly revealed that one Auguste Schmidt had been working as ostler in the courtyard of the White Swan on the night Bathurst disappeared, and that his mother, who also worked at the inn, had taken the Englishman’s coat. Frau Kestern, a woman employed at the German Coffee House, testified years later that immediately after Bathurst had visited the establishment, Auguste Schmidt had come in, asked her where the visitor had gone, then hastened after him and (she supposed) taken some opportunity to destroy him.

A reward of 500 thalers was offered for any news, and money was paid to members of the local police to expedite matters. This, however, caused the waters to be muddied as many false reports and offers of information were made by people seeking a share of the reward.

In March, Mrs. Bathurst had the entire area of Perleberg searched at vast expense, which included the use of trained dogs, but to no avail. She then travelled to Berlin and then Paris to see Napoleon himself, hoping to obtain from him some account of her husband’s fate. However, when she was received by Napoleon, he declared his ignorance of the affair and offered his assistance.

Contemporary Press Reports
By January 1810, the English and French press became aware of the affair and began to discuss it. The Times published a piece in January 1810 which subsequently appeared in other English newspapers:

There is too much reason to fear that the account of the death of Mr. Bathurst, late envoy to the Emperor of Austria, inserted in a Paris journal, is correct as to the principal fact. It was stated, as an article of Berlin news, of the date of December 10, that Mr. Bathurst had evinced symptoms of insanity on his journey through the city, and that he had subsequently fallen by his own hand in the vicinity of Perleberg. Information, however, has been received within these few days, which forcibly tends to fix the guilt of Mr. Bathurst’s death, or disappearance, on the French Government. It appears that Mr. Bathurst left Berlin with passports from the Prussian Government, and in excellent health, both of mind and body. He was to proceed to Hamburg, but Hamburg he never reached. At some town near the French territories he was seized, as is supposed, by a party of French soldiers. What happened afterwards is not accurately known. His pantaloons have been found near the town where he was seized, and a letter in them to his wife; but nothing else. The Prussian Government, upon receiving the intelligence, evinced the deepest regret, and offered a large reward for the discovery of his body. No success, however, has attended the offer.
—The Times, 20 January 1810

The accusation that they kidnapped or murdered Bathurst agitated the French government and replied in their official journal, Le Moniteur Universel:

England alone, among all civilised nations, has renewed the example of paying assassins and encouraging crimes. It appears by the accounts from Berlin, that Mr. Bathurst was deranged in his mind. This is the custom of the British Cabinet – to give their diplomatic missions to the most foolish and senseless persons the nation produces. The English diplomatic corps is the only one in which examples of madness are common.

1852 Discovery
On 15 April 1852, during the demolition of a house on the Hamburg road in Perleberg three hundred paces from the White Swan, a skeleton was discovered under the threshold of the stable. The back of the skull showed a fracture as though from the blow of a heavy instrument. All of the upper teeth were perfect, but one of the lower molars showed signs of having been removed by a dentist. The owner of the house, a mason named Kiesewetter, had purchased the house in 1834 from Christian Mertens, who was a serving man at the White Swan during the period when Bathurst disappeared.

Bathurst’s sister, Mrs. Thistlethwaite, traveled to Perleberg but could not conclusively say whether the skull belonged to her brother or not.

Generally, it is thought that Bathurst fell in with some thieves, who robbed and murdered him for the man’s fine coat and purse. The fact that a member of the Schmidt family worked as a servant at the White Swan gives support for this postulation. Others believe Bathurst left the inn without his coat and Schmidt took the coat AFTER Bathurst vanished. Either way, the fate of Benjamin Bathurst remains unknown. 

Sources: Historic Mysteries  and Wikipedia 

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, mystery, real life tales, Regency era | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Anglo-Saxon Literature ~ Part I Early Epic Poems

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

UnknownThe Finnesburg — or Finnsburh — Fragment is a portion of an Old English heroic poem about a fight in which Hnæf and his 60 retainers are besieged at “Finn’s fort” and attempt to hold off their attackers. The surviving text is tantalizingly brief and allusive, but comparison with other references in Old English poetry, notably Beowulf (c. 1000 AD), suggests that it deals with a conflict between the Danes and the Frisians in Migration-Age Frisia (400 to 800 AD). It survives only in George Hickes’s Thesaurus (1705). The fragment’s attribution comes from a single leaf of manuscript found in the Lambeth Palace library – either Lambeth Palace MS 487 (a 13th Century collection of English homilies) or Lambeth Palace MS 489 (an 11th Century Old English homily book). The fragment is important for it is tied to Beowulf. In the epic poem of Beowulf, a lay of the Battle of Finnesburh is sung by a gleeman at Hrothgar’s court (Beowulf II.1067-1158). [Beowulf on Sterarume] 

The fragment opens with Hnaef and his Scylding followers in their hall at night. Someone catches sight of approaching attackers, the forces of the Frisian Finn. Hnaef awakens his men, urges them to valor in the approaching fight. The warriors – Siegeferth, Eaha, Ordlaf, Guthlaf, and Hengest – rush to the doors of the hall. Among the Frisian forces, Guthere urges young Garulf to keep out of the fight. Garulf, who has no intention of missing a good brawl, yells toward the hall: ‘Who is holding the door?’ The reply: ‘Siegeferth is my name…a hero well known…I am ready for you.’ They join in battle; the Frisian Garulf falls. The struggle lasts for five days. Unfortunately, the fragment breaks off without naming the victor. [History of English Literature: Part 1 – Early Saxon to Milton, Hymarx Outline Series, page 13)

“ In Beowulf the recounting of the lay of Finnesburh occurs just before a number of speeches by Wealhtheow in which she attempts to secure her sons’ futures; the poem darkly hints at the future bad faith of Hrothulf, Hrothgar’s nephew, and his treachery towards her sons. The strong emphasis on Hildeburh within the Finnesburh lay invites comparison between the position of Hildeburh, as a ‘powerless’ and unsuccessful peace-weaver and Wealhtheow’s own future failure to avert internecine struggle amongst the Scyldings. Hildeburh’s plight perhaps is an even closer parallel to the plight of Freawaru, Hrothgar’s and Wealhtheow’s daughter, when she is given in marriage to Ingeld in order to attempt to settle a feud between the Heathobards and the Danes. Beowulf predicts (ll.2025-2072) that Freawaru too will suffer in the failure of this peace-weaving, when Ingeld is incited against the Scyldings.” [Beowulf on Steorarum]

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (circa 938), we find The Battle of Bruna’s Burg.The piece relates the tale of Athelstan and Edmund’s (Alfred’s heirs) victory over an army of Scots, Danes, and Britons. The Scottish clans and the men of the Danes fell in large numbers. Five kings die, victims of incredible swordplay. Anlaf, who heads the fleet of the invaders, escapes, while Constantine and his men are forced to a hasty retreat. The poem extolls the victory as the greatest to date. Half the lines come directly from other Anglo-Saxon poems: thus Hagen (“Brunanburgh” 49) notes that this “poem may be one of the earliest forms of an anthology. While the depiction of the battle is tense and seemingly historical, the poem is presented in sparse detail. The poem is strong in its general outline of the events surrounding the battle and exhibits a somber tone. However, what may be most striking about this work is there are no Christian elements found in it. Church clerics who later transcribed it left the text as an action adventure story about fighting and heroes.” [A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, edited by Laura C. Lambdin and Robert T. Lambdin, page 9].

**Check out this video available on You Tube that explains the battle and and contains a reading of the poem in Old English.  

51-7vL0VlCL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_From 991, we have The Battle of Maldon, a poem that celebrates the heroic battle of Earl Byrhtnoth against the Norwegians under Anlaf (Olaf Trygvesson). After harrying Stone, Sandwich, and Ipswich, the Vikings came to Maldon on the banks of the River Panta. The stream divides here into two branches; the Danes drew up their forces on the island. The poem displays many of elements of the heroic works, especially that of personal glory coming from the deliverance of selfless acts.

The poem begins with Byrhtnoth exhorting his men to fight with honor. The Vikings offer Byrhtnoth peace if he will pay a tribute, but he urges his men to fight on. When the tide ebbs, Byrhtnoth permits the Vikings to cross the bridge to the mainland. The error provides the Vikings the advantage, and the Athelings are killed. Byrhtnoth is delivered low by a poisoned spear, but even as he lays dying, he urges his men to resist the Vikings. True to the code of “comitatus,” Byrhtnoth’s comrades Aelfnoth and Wulfmaer share his fate.

Comitatus was a Germanic friendship structure that compelled kings to rule in consultation with their warriors, forming a warband. The comitatus, as described in the Roman historian Tacitus’s treatise Germania (98.AD), is the bond existing between a Germanic warrior and his Lord, ensuring that neither leaves the field of battle before the other. The translation is as follows:

Moreover, to survive the leader and retreat from the battlefield is a lifelong disgrace and infamy. (Wikipedia) 

The English rally for another attack and the poem breaks off with the brave deeds of Godric. [History of English Literature: Part 1 – Early Saxon through Milton, Hymarx Outline Series, page 14].

The Battle of Maldon is a classic composition in the scheme of Old English poetry. “Critics generally agree that the theme of heroism in the face of defeat is expanded here to include the traditional Germanic expectations of loyalty to one’s lord. Much of the criticism of the work centers upon the apparent pride of Byrhtnoth’s decision to allow the Vikings to cross the causeway.” [A Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, edited by Laura C. Lambdin and Robert T. Lambdin, page 10].

Posted in Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, literature | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Mansfield Park” 1983

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

mansfield-park_1983In 1983, ITV for BBC television produced the Ken Taylor screenplay of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. Shown in six episodes, the production was director David Giles second Austen film. He directed the 1971 version of Sense and Sensibility. The series starred Sylvestra Le Touzel as Fanny Price and Nicholas Farrell as Edmund Bertram. (Some of my younger JAFF readers might recognize Ms. Le Touzel as Mrs. Allen in 2007’s “Northanger Abbey.” Farrell was Mr. Musgrove in the 2007 version of “Persuasion.” Ironically, Farrell was Henry Thornton and Le Touzel Marianne Thornton in 2006’s “Amazing Grace.” I love film history!)

The cast included Anna Massey (Mrs. Norris), Angela Pleasence (Lady Bertram), Jackie Smith-Wood (Mary Crawford), Robert Burbage (Henry Crawford), Bernard Hepton (Sir Thomas Bertram), Samantha Bond (Maria Bertram), Christopher Villiers (Tom Bertram), Liz Crowther (Julia Bertram), and an eleven-year-old Jonny Lee Miller as Charles Price. {Later Miller would portray Edmund Bertram in 1999, as well as Mr. Knightley in 2009’s “Emma.”}hqdefault

One of the frequent criticisms of the film is in the casting of Sylvestra Le Touzel as Fanny Price. One of the most complicated characters in Mansfiled Park, Fanny is typically described as passive. She certainly is not of the same nature Austen’s more charming heroines. Fanny’s excessive shyness prevents her from participating socially. Fanny’s self-imposed exclusion results in headaches and emotional turmoil. With little of Fanny’s character to endear her to the viewing audience, the casting of Ms. Le Touzel, who is not classically attractive, is sometimes blamed for the lack of success of the adaptation. 

imagesThe Jane Austen Centre says of the adaptation, ” Mansfield Park may be the hardest of any of Austen’s novels to film. Despite recent efforts, there has not yet been an entirely satisfactory filming of it. Part of this difficulty may arise from the heavy nature of the plot substance (immorality, seduction, adultery)- especially in light of the friendly atmospheres of Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Mansfield Park lacks their spunky, if slightly cheeky heroines. Fanny Price is very moral and kind, but not altogether exciting. In short, very much unlike anything Jane Austen had written before. While the 1999 version of Mansfield Park ‘improves’ upon Fanny and adds to her character, this 1983 adaptation tries to remain faithful to the original. Perhaps they try too hard. Fanny ends up coming across as nervous and flighty. fannyAs one viewer put it: ‘If you can get past Le Touzel’s odd mannerism of making little chopping movements with her open-palmed hand for emphasis, this is a faithful adaptation of the novel.'”

In fact, the overall casting of the series was not well touted by the critics. Sue Parrill in Jane Austen on Film and Television: A Critical Study of the Adaptations (McFarland, 2002) says of the casting: “The choice of Sylvestra Le Touzel for the role of Fanny was fatal to the success of this adaptation. Ironically, the child who played Fanny as a ten year old (Katy Durham-Matthews) was pretty, and it is unlikely that she would have grown up to look like Le Touzel. The other characters are generally well-cast; but with no really outstanding performances. Nicholas Farrell plays Edmund Bertram with a kind of strong-jawed resoluteness.[…] His character us actually more appealing on film than it is in the novel. Robert Burbage plays Henry Crawford appropriately as a Regency dandy. At one point he wears a pink top hat and a pink waistcoats under a pale gray suit. He is affected in manner and does a lot of posing. Anna Massey is convincingly obnoxious as Fanny’s Aunt Norris. Bernard Hepton plays a rather young looking Sir Thomas Bertram. (Hepton may be recalled as playing Emma’s hypochondriac father in the BBC’s 1995 ‘Emma.’) The witty Mary Crawford is well portrayed by Jackie Smith-Wood, who is far easier to look at than Le Touzel. Maria Bertram is played by another actress familiar in Austen adaptations – Samantha Bond – who plays Miss Taylor, Emma’s former governess, in the 1996 A&E ‘Emma.'” [Note: For you “Downtown Abbey” fans, Samantha Bond is Lady Rosamund Painswick, as well as Moneypenny in “Goldeneye” (1995), “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997) and “The World is Not Enough” (1999).]

Most Janeites do appreciate this adaptation more than some of the others for it follows the book very closely. Serialized, this adaptation runs some 261 minutes. 

Laurel Ann at Austenprose says of this adaptation, “At 312 minutes over six episodes, we are privy to almost all of the novels scenes and veteran readers of Mansfield Park will recognize much of Jane Austen’s choice and witty dialogue. Some viewers might be disappointed in the production quality, as this was originally filmed on video tape and the sound does not supply the quality that we have become accustomed to since it was produced twenty five years ago [sic]. Its strengths lie in the actors performances, costumes and visual beauty as many of the scenes were actually filmed on location, which considering its budget, was a bonus.

“Because of time restraints, I will not attempt to critique the entire movie but focus on one favourite scene which I will call the ‘Sentinel at the garden gate’ from episode 2. Fanny Price and her cousins Maria, Julia and Edmund Bertram travel with Mary and Henry Crawford to the grand Elizabethan era estate of Sotherton Court to visit Maria’s fiancé Mr. Rushworth. As the couples walk through the wilderness parkland adjacent to the estate, director David Giles reveals Austen’s comedic genius in a scene that could have inspired any vintage vaudeville burlesque or modern television sitcom. When Fanny becomes fatigued, she is deposited on a park bench in the shade adjacent to a locked iron gate that has bared progress through the park. As the different groups and individuals arrive in search of each other, Fanny acts as the ‘sentinel of the garden gate’, relaying messages and explaining to everyone who has come and gone, and why. Austen’s brilliant comedic timing is in full play, and the director David Giles knows how to emphasize the right moments to build tension to the point of hilarity.”

From the Jane Austen Centre, we also learn: “Filmed on location in many of the great houses of England, this adaptation also uses a few studio shots which cut down on the lush atmosphere being presented. While one must remember this was filmed for television on a much smaller budget than we have grown accustomed to seeing, the action tends to be slower and more elaborate than you may be used to. Perhaps the words of one disillusioned viewer put it best: ‘This is a stylish, well-costumed, and soulless version of a great book.’ Despite a good script (which delves deeper into the life of the Crawfords than its modern counterpart, and gives William Price his rightful place in Fanny’s life) and talent, this film flows along at a languid pace, even becoming a bit dull at times. Considering the new Miramax version, though, one may contend that this is a blessing. Better to err on the side of conservativism than on that of sensationalism.

nick“Worth special mention, and definitely the cost of the rental, are the hairstyles sported by the men in the film. One author of Jane Austen at the Movies stated that she was always distracted when Edmund came on screen. ‘By what?’, You ask? His ‘awful’ hairstyle. I did not find it that unusual…especially in light of one which I think deserves the most attention. Watch for Robin Langford’s Mr. Yates. Only seeing is believing, in this case. A description would not be able to do it justice.”

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