Layers upon layers. And looks. My take on today's BTS footage
Not sure if this was covered in clunkhall's post earlier today. But I simply had to write this down.
I rewatched the clip again and I noticed how the characters' speech is so ambiguous. I mean of course it is/will be with M/M, but adding M/L into the mix was superbly done!
Mary: Have you seen the boys haircuts the women are wearing in Paris?
Matthew (not sure who he is addressing): I hope you won't try that.
Mary turns and looks. Violet's looking confused. Lavinia hesitates. Because no one knows who Matthew is addressing or what exactly his comment means! I mean, it was the man who commented first, and NOT any of the women in the room.
So Lavinia, assuming Matthew addressed her, says, "I am not sure how feminine it is." And so laying her claims as the woman Matthew's comment was meant for. She also asserts her position as more feminine.
But Mary, nonchalantly, says, "I am not sure how feminine I am." And so differentiating herself from Lavinia, showing her rebellious and independent streak again. And more importantly, challenging the men in the room, especially Matthew, whose "masculinity" was in question. But in a way she aligns with him in his gender issues too.
To which Sir Richard says, "Very, I am glad to say." And so putting Mary down in her proper place, implying to the others that she was first and foremost a woman and defined as that and as a source of attraction to him, a man. Additionally, he was implying to the crowd that he had claims on her and on the degree of her femininity. Her femininity, and so her definition of herself, would be undercut by his authority and opinions about her, as her future husband.
I wish there was more to analyze, but I love how JF has set up these four people against one another. No one is true; everyone's hiding something. Everyone's uneasy. Surely, if there's that much tension, something's messed up in the relationships.
Which gives me hope. That, and seeing Matthew's face when Violet confessed about Mary.
I rewatched the clip again and I noticed how the characters' speech is so ambiguous. I mean of course it is/will be with M/M, but adding M/L into the mix was superbly done!
Mary: Have you seen the boys haircuts the women are wearing in Paris?
Matthew (not sure who he is addressing): I hope you won't try that.
Mary turns and looks. Violet's looking confused. Lavinia hesitates. Because no one knows who Matthew is addressing or what exactly his comment means! I mean, it was the man who commented first, and NOT any of the women in the room.
So Lavinia, assuming Matthew addressed her, says, "I am not sure how feminine it is." And so laying her claims as the woman Matthew's comment was meant for. She also asserts her position as more feminine.
But Mary, nonchalantly, says, "I am not sure how feminine I am." And so differentiating herself from Lavinia, showing her rebellious and independent streak again. And more importantly, challenging the men in the room, especially Matthew, whose "masculinity" was in question. But in a way she aligns with him in his gender issues too.
To which Sir Richard says, "Very, I am glad to say." And so putting Mary down in her proper place, implying to the others that she was first and foremost a woman and defined as that and as a source of attraction to him, a man. Additionally, he was implying to the crowd that he had claims on her and on the degree of her femininity. Her femininity, and so her definition of herself, would be undercut by his authority and opinions about her, as her future husband.
I wish there was more to analyze, but I love how JF has set up these four people against one another. No one is true; everyone's hiding something. Everyone's uneasy. Surely, if there's that much tension, something's messed up in the relationships.
Which gives me hope. That, and seeing Matthew's face when Violet confessed about Mary.