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w_a_i_d February 22 2011, 12:57:44 UTC
Hmm? Holmes and Watson are social equals -- they're both gentlemen. And while they can't kiss or talk about themselves as a couple in public, they can talk about being "intimate friends" and banter and even walk arm in arm, and all of that. But Jeeves and Wooster would have to live in a closet-within-a-closet. ...oof. So hard.

And yes, the whole paying Jeeves to do the chores issue -- if they start sharing the housework, then what exactly is Bertie paying him for? And if they don't, and Jeeves is waiting on Bertie hand and foot and sexing him too, then it's weird ... mind you I suppose it's not much different from Bertie supporting a wife.

The other thing is that I can believe that H&W are getting up to all sorts of mischief behind the scenes while the stories still happen mostly as Watson says. Whereas with Jeeves and Wooster, I feel like as soon as they get together, the stories from that point on must be assumed to be mostly lies. I mean I'm sure Bertie would still get into trouble and need Jeevesian rescuing, but it would play out so differently.

None of which is to say I'm not interested to read more!

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snarryfool February 22 2011, 13:38:11 UTC
Oh, I thought you meant Bertie and Jeeves, not Holmes and Watson. Yes, of course -- the social equality / power disparity picture changes so completely.

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snarryfool February 22 2011, 13:40:23 UTC
Dorothy Sayers, if I remember rightly, sort of solves the money issue by having Lord Peter settle a whole bunch of money on Harriet. And maybe I read a Jooster where Bertie does the same? Or maybe I just need to go back and reread Wooster and then right it. Because I do kind of have a bunny about Jeeves finding the situation intolerable despite Bertie's best intentions, once they become lovers.

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snarryfool February 22 2011, 13:40:53 UTC
Um, that was "write it." Sorry to spam!

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