Remus Lupin = Jane Austen villain

[donnaimmaculata]

I said so some time ago to neotoma, commenting on how to write Lupin, whose notorious passive-aggression makes it difficult to see him in action.

Now, I'm in the middle of Jane Austen's "Persuasion", and here's what she's got to say about Mr. Elliot, the resident villain:

His manners were an immediate recommendation; and on conversing with him she

Comments

[shocolate]

[donnaimmaculata]

:-D

[megstuff]

I have nothing of substance to contribute but thought I'd congratulate your much more sensible casting of the HP S&S. I was doing the same thing a few days ago, and since Draco was my Marianne I had to make Remus Colonel Brandon. (And shocolate's picture is exactly the scene I was imagining!).

[donnaimmaculata]

I was unable to cast the female characters and abandoned the idea altogether. Who's your Elinor? Hermione should be Mrs. Jennings. Draco would make an excellent Fanny, actually, all drama-queenish and "Mother says".

Shocolate's picture rocks!

[megstuff]

Well, I hate to confess it but I made Harry be Elinor and Snape be Edward. Not for any good reason.

Actually, I was thinking a little about an old post of yours on cross-gen when I did it. All of a sudden I got totally squicked by the idea of Remus/Draco - like, what would this man my age and this young boy be doing together? I had to make comparisons to literary cross gen pairings (that have never bothered me) to be OK with it again.

(Harry & Snape ending up working out much better as Jane Eyre & Mr Rochester. I know, I know, Snape as Rochester is the most trite casting ever.)

/meandering chatter

[donnaimmaculata]

Oh dear. I didn't want to spoil your pleasure on cross-gen, honestly!

As a matter of fact, I commented on other literary cross-gen couples in an older post, going on about how in L.M. Montgomery's Emily series Dean Priest's (36) obsession with Emily (12) squicked me. In that context, I also mentioned Col. Brandon's obsession with Marianne ;-)

Actually, I never used to have that problem when I was younger. The older I grow, however, the more the idea of grown man - young girl repels me. It's a question of perspective: I find it all right for my 27-year-old friend to be involved with a 47-year-old man, but if my 27-year-old friend got himself a 16-year-old girlfriend, I would be bemused and wonder whether he can't cope with a woman his age.

[caesia390]

Yes!

[donnaimmaculata]

:-)

[stevie_jane]

I think you're onto something, Jo has been influenced by Austen in some ways, and she's admitted she's a fan of Jane's work.

Remus isn't the great guy he at first seems to be, and darling Harry, relative innocent that he is, is very much playing the female protaganist role of being taken in by the wrong sort and only realising who the genuinely good and steadfast people are much later.

[donnaimmaculata]

Remus' moral ambiguity is a much discussed topic and it's what makes him such an interesting character. I don't think that Rowling actively based him on the Austen villain nor that she intends him to turn out evil(TM). But he could trade his facade with Mr. Elliot without anyone's noticing:
rational, discreet, polished,--but he was not open. There was never any burst of feeling, any warmth of indignation or delight.

taken in by the wrong sort and only realising who the genuinely good and steadfast people are much later

Harry = Elizabeth Bennett?

[donnaimmaculata]

This would also explain why I obsess over like Remus: I like the Austen villain and with him very happy. Wouldn't it be fun if Remus came out on top at the end of the series?

[donnaimmaculata]

I knew you'd like the phrasing ;-)