Fountain In Italy

— jack veasey, “loving”

Translating Period Dramas for Today

I finally got around to watching Little Women (2019) directed by Greta Gerwig and there was a scene that felt very familiar.

When Amy March is giving her speech to Laurie, talking about how marrying just for love isn't a practical option for her, it reminded me a lot of Charlotte Luca's words to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice (2005).

"So don't sit there and tell me that marriage isn't an economic proposition, because it is. It may not be for you but it most certainly is for me." - Amy March

"I'm twenty-seven years old, I've no money and no prospects. I'm already a burden to my parents and I'm frightened. So don't you judge me, Lizzy. Don't you dare judge me!" - Charlotte Lucas

Both are from more modernized versions of period dramas where the book is written by an author that was actually from the time period.

Both feel like the characters are anachronistically defending themselves against modern day feminists, saying "Don't judge me! I'm making the smartest decision I can given my opportunities in society in this time period!"

Which is fair I guess, but it feels out of place. Maybe a woman from that time would say that, but they wouldn't have been defending themselves as much against our modern-day sensibilities of "Marry whoever you want! It's completely your choice! Or don't marry at all! You can do whatever you want with your life!"

It feels like an attempt by modern producers and writers to translate the period drama character's circumstances to a modern audience.

But it still feels weird.

Book!Charlotte never seemed like she was defensive. She was just like, "Hey this is who I am, Lizzy. I got a sweet deal and it works for me."

It's like modern period dramas are afraid to be period dramas. Granted, I do appreciate the little bits of expositional dialogue that helps explain historical things to the audience that they might not know, like how Longbourne can only be inherited by the next male heir, but I wonder if there's a better way to translate stories to audiences today without characters having to give speeches about how you shouldn't judge a woman for lack of agency when the patriarchal society of that time period has left her little to none of it. (Still a fair point though.)

What do y'all think?

emily said i see your posts about photos of actors in period dramas doing Normal Things on set while in full costume and i will raise you video footage of heavily pregnant teenage alicent doing tiktok dances

Black Sails gets a lot right, but in the interest of my sanity, some historical inaccuracies that make me want to fight god (John E Steinberg):

- woodes rodgers side part im gonna scream a QUEUE with a SIDE PART omfg as if i didn’t hate him enough already

- sharp shooting muskets lol

- eleanor keeping her waist length hair down in what i can only imagine is a 120 degree heat index accounting for humidity

- 90% of women’s costumes would be incredible if they had wide arms, cuffs, skirt supports, and their skjdfghsjkd hair up

- rubber soled boots. listen. rubber soles were invented in 1899. silver is sneaky but not that sneaky

- i can’t explain how feral i am seeing 1750s naval uniforms in 1700-1715. 

- naval uniforms didn’t exist until 1748 when the Scottish and British navies were combined. am i being pedantic? yes. do i care? no.

- i don’t know what year ab oil was invented but it was definitely post Charles “Tit’s Out” Vane

- honestly everything about Vane i hate love him but he looks like he sells acid at Phish shows

- where are everyone’s hats and caps?

- Miranda is my hero my love my heart but in the London flashbacks she’s wearing a portrait gown/bedgown which is like going outside in your PJs im not upset just disappointed 

- woodes rodgers casually divorcing his wife i had to stop the ep and yell it’s absolutely patently sociopath behavior YOU CAN’T JUST CAUSALLY DIVORCE PPL IN 1715 YOU HAVE TO GET AN ACT OF PARLIMENT WHERE YOUR ENTIRE SEXUAL HISTORY IS DEBATED PUBLICALLY AND ANY RESULT RUINS YOUR WIFE’S LIFE. she can never marry again, loses all property, loses custody of all children, loses all social standing. 

- mrs. rodgers was very generous to not become a pirate and kill him personally 

- Hornigold’s facial hair he looks like a confederate general 1/10 points for keeping it clean i guess

- if you wear a wig you don’t keep a cool 2010 tousled haircut you keep your head shaved sorry thomas i love you but those are the rules

- weird choice but A+ for the enthusiasm of putting the s2 spanish navy in 16th c costumes and then ignoring that completely and never mentioning it again

- i cant even hate on Idelle’s s1 hot topic look you do you girl love the fluffy panties and bustier <3

also imagine the kids looking through their family albums the first time and realizing how young their mom was when she was already married 😭 like they always knew this in theory but the older they get the more it sinks in 

but it’s SO clear that visenya and rhaenys did 99% of the actual conquering and ruling and aegon was just a convenient man to be king. this is why grrm’s work is so compelling and frustrating in turns—he’s WILDLY aware of how gender and gendered violence in feudalism works, but there’s always just one element of critique missing even though he’s clearly aiming to criticize feudalism. and women keep dying in childbirth! and the princess of dorne is still unnamed! and we know more about tyrion’s missing uncle than minisa whent or joanna lannister combined!

A traveling witch realizing there might be a hole in her bag

i hope we get the scene of matthias doing cpr on kaz saying i. should. let. you. die. where every full stop is punctuated by one (1) compression

every fucking day i think about bruce springsteen pretending to be gay to avoid the draft and the conscription officers were like. “um. yeah, well. anyway, you had a concussion from a motorcycle accident, which means you failed the physical but. uh. thank you. for that.”

if anyone else was wondering like i was, the reason people sometimes talk to wilhelm like “the crown prince will come with us” “the crown prince can do x” it’s bc it’s technically impolite to directly address royals when talking to them so you’re just supposed to use third person like that