Period Drama Ramblings

May 26, 2010 11:18

I was trying to discover the reason behind my obsession and addiction to costume dramas and classic novels by the likes of Bronte, Austen and Gaskell. It is the passion, the wildly driven passion which forms between the man and the woman, this even happens in an Austen novel, although not to the same brooding effect of the others. My favourite novel is Jane Eyre, it is so dark and driven, Mr Rochester is a brooding and passionate soul which tortures him and Jane. The fact that those in love could no cross rank or behave outside of their station meant that the emotions and feelings linger and built up until it reached breaking point. You could not live with a man (or should I say it was frowned up) in the societies when these novels were written. You couldn't sleep, kiss or hug a man unless marriage had been undertaken. And this is the main reason why there is always such underlying tension. The part in the novel (and the BBC 2006 adaptation) where Jane, who is all reserve and quietness, cannot keep control over her feelings explodes and allows everything to pour out of her and it is left for Rochester to gather her in, declare his unwavering love (see how I am getting carried away!) and get her to agree to marry him. Both of their guards were let down at this point and they were both swept off of their feet. The forbidden physical love boils up inside of you and from the moment of release there is a connection which is so powerful, that it would take something on a large scale to break it. Now this happens in Jane Eyre, and of course she is forced to leave, but the added bonus is that she finds her way back to him. The absence and the situation he put her in did not waver her love for him. Of course, it was a happy an ending as it could in such a darkly driven novel as this. And Mr Rochester is not know in the novel to be a handsome man, so it is true mental and physical connection that brings them back together. I use Jane Eyre as the example, but it can be seen through all books from the authors that I mentioned - I get to live in that world when I have the books open.

Anyway, I did start off with a point to this entry, but as you can see I got carried away. I love the intense connections that these novels create, how passion and love can cross convention, rank, class and age barriers. I believe we lose a lot of this in current society as every physical connection is explored so early in the relationships that the passion and desire is not left to burn and build for that one release which would connect your souls for ever. I know that I am drawing on the information from novels, which are written to capture you and entertain, but they all arise from some element of truth.
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