Adventures in Literature, Wednesday, Period Three [Class Ten]
Drake...was in a guillotine. He looked comfortable and totally unconcerned about that sharp blade sitting over his head.
"Before there was Zorro," Drake began, "before there was any comic book superhero leading a double life, before there was Austin Powers, there was another International Man of Mystery, and that man was the Scarlet Pimpernel Crimson Buttercup. It's the end of the 18th century in Europe, and over in France, they're chopping the heads off of all the nobles they can get their hands on. Our Hero is Sir Percy Blakeney, an English nobleman who has the reputation of being concerned with nothing more than his physical appearance and having a good time. In other words, he's Chuck Bass without the business sense. But it's all an act -- Percy's been leading a secret life, rescuing French nobles from Madame Guillotine and spiriting them to safety in England.
"But back on the home front, Percy's babe-alicious wife, Marguerite, thinks her husband is a self-absorbed jackass, and he doesn't trust her because in the past she accidentally said something that sent some men to the guillotine. So when CB's arch-nemesis, Citizen Chauvelin, blackmails Marguerite with evidence incriminating her brother Armand as being in cahoots with the Buttercup, Marguerite passes along information to Chauvelin to save her beloved brother's life. Marguerite later tells Percy that her brother is in danger, who promises to safe Armand, and only after he takes off for Frances does Marguerite realize that her hubby is the Crimson Buttercup, and she's just put him in Grave Peril. So she takes off for France to warn him. Armand is rescued, Marguerite and Percy are captured but escape, and Percy realizes his wife is not a flighty wench and she realizes her husband isn't a jackass, so they do the wild thing until the sun comes up as they head back to England.
"So for today, I want you to create your own dual identity. What cause would you risk your life and lands to fight for? What's your calling card, like Percy's red flower? What kind of public life would you lead to deflect any suspicion that you were a caped crusader?"
[ Syllabus | Class Roster]
"Before there was Zorro," Drake began, "before there was any comic book superhero leading a double life, before there was Austin Powers, there was another International Man of Mystery, and that man was the Scarlet Pimpernel Crimson Buttercup. It's the end of the 18th century in Europe, and over in France, they're chopping the heads off of all the nobles they can get their hands on. Our Hero is Sir Percy Blakeney, an English nobleman who has the reputation of being concerned with nothing more than his physical appearance and having a good time. In other words, he's Chuck Bass without the business sense. But it's all an act -- Percy's been leading a secret life, rescuing French nobles from Madame Guillotine and spiriting them to safety in England.
"But back on the home front, Percy's babe-alicious wife, Marguerite, thinks her husband is a self-absorbed jackass, and he doesn't trust her because in the past she accidentally said something that sent some men to the guillotine. So when CB's arch-nemesis, Citizen Chauvelin, blackmails Marguerite with evidence incriminating her brother Armand as being in cahoots with the Buttercup, Marguerite passes along information to Chauvelin to save her beloved brother's life. Marguerite later tells Percy that her brother is in danger, who promises to safe Armand, and only after he takes off for Frances does Marguerite realize that her hubby is the Crimson Buttercup, and she's just put him in Grave Peril. So she takes off for France to warn him. Armand is rescued, Marguerite and Percy are captured but escape, and Percy realizes his wife is not a flighty wench and she realizes her husband isn't a jackass, so they do the wild thing until the sun comes up as they head back to England.
"So for today, I want you to create your own dual identity. What cause would you risk your life and lands to fight for? What's your calling card, like Percy's red flower? What kind of public life would you lead to deflect any suspicion that you were a caped crusader?"
[ Syllabus | Class Roster]