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Happy Anniversary, English Historical Fiction Authors!

     This week, the English Historical Fiction Authors’ blog is celebrating its one year anniversary!   Author Debra Brown, who spearheaded this blog, has written a great article providing some highlights, the top ten posts and other items of interest.   (One of my posts is number 3!)  Be sure to take a look at the various posts-there is truly something for everyone, from food to fashion to politics and war.  There is also a great giveaway of books by associated authors to celebrate this milestone.  Please go HERE http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/   and check it out!  You’ll be glad you did!

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Jane Austen and Modern America

     As a reader and admirer of Jane Austen’s works, I have been told on occasion that her works, as delightful as they may be, are not really relevant to today’s world, and are escapist or elitist, or basically “chick lit”.  As pleasurable as I have found them, it must be said that the movie adaptations do little to counter this judgement.  I was browsing through my library’s on-line catalogue, and ran across two books whose titles caught my attention:

A JANE AUSTEN EDUCATION How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz, and

A WALK WITH JANE AUSTEN A Journey into Adventure, Love & Faith by Lori Smith

     Both authors wrote memoirs that discuss their personal lives in relation to insights from Jane Austen’s life and novels.  That said, it would be hard to find two more different people and life experiences.  It is intriguing to note just how much each author was inspired by Jane Austen, and how they applied the insights they gained to their personal lives.

     Mr. Deresiewicz studied Austen’s novels, and by extension, her life as part of a graduate program, ultimately including his findings in his dissertations.  Facing emotional and physical problems, Ms. Smith took a walking tour in England, following Jane Austen’s life, seeking answers to questions of faith and personal fulfillment.  Both found more than they bargained for.    Both authors learned life lessons, internalized values and ideas, and acquired a knowledge of themselves that they had not had not previously had.

     These books are, of necessity, very different.  The authors are two completely different human beings, of completely different backgrounds.  They approach Austen from different places in their lives, for completely different reasons.  Mr. Deresiewicz was totally uninterested in reading Jane Austen, and Ms. Smith was an ardent fan.  Both travel with Austen (Mr. Deresiewicz on an intellectual  journey of maturation, and Ms. Smith on a literal journey of faith) and come away with unexpected knowledge of themselves.

     After reading them and thinking about them, I went back and read some reviews of each.  Interestingly, some reviewers commented on both authors’ self-indulgence and whining.  Since these are memoirs of the authors’ experiences and emotions, I think one must expect to share some of their angst and less positive issues; it is unrealistic to expect all sweetness, light, and moments of ecstatic recognition.  There were aspects of both authors that made me want to smack each, for completely different reasons.  However, I found both books to be enjoyable and thought-provoking.  Reading their experiences and viewpoints of one of my favorite authors has helped me to understand and clarify much of what I find appealing and relevant to my own life.  The universal truths that Jane Austen addresses so subtly in her novels, and the way she lived her life, still have much to do with our lives today.  Mr. Deresiewicz and Ms. Smith have demonstrated that in their respective memoirs.  I recommend them both.

Deresiewicz, William.  A JANE AUSTEN EDUCATION How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship and the Things that Really Matter.  2011: Penguin Press, New York, NY.

Smith, Lori.  A WALK WITH JANE AUSTEN A Journey into Adventure, Love & Faith.  2007: WaterBrook Press, Colorado Springs, CO.

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A Rumination on Time and Maturity

     Yesterday, a little girl of my acquaintance looked up at me with a huge smile and said, “I”m NOT a baby!  I’m not four anymore!  I’m five now!”  On her little face was all the joy and confidence of one who had reach a milestone and felt she had arrived.  All grown up. 

     I sometimes feel like the ultimate late bloomer.  Having recently had one of those significant birthdays (you know the ones-ending in a “0”), I keep waiting for that feeling of arrival.  Somehow, I keep missing it…

     At a time in my life when my mother and even, occasionally, my grandmother look back at me in the mirror, I keep hoping that some share of the confidence and wisdom they seemed to have at my current age will miraculously surge forth.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened yet.  In so many ways, I don’t feel a whole lot different now than I ever did.   I don’t feel “all grown up.”  Some of the same insecurities and emotions still sway me; the same conviction that somewhere over the horizon is the success or desired object still buoys me. 

     And yet… I can’t say that no progress has been made.  Forward movement occurs every day.  Feelings get handled.  Things that hurt or upset me in years past no longer matter.  When I do get upset, I get over it (eventually).  Decisions get made and even carried out!  Stones in the road are not insurmountable barriers; sometimes I go past them and other times I enjoy the detour when I go around.  I still fear the unknown; I just don’t let the fear stop me.  

     Time seems to go by faster every day.  I don’t feel like I am keeping pace with it.  Somehow, today, I think that’s for the best!

     How do you feel about it?

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A Taste for Pineapple…

     One of the blessings of living in south Florida is having the ability to grow fruit at home.  Right now, I have fresh pineapple in my refrigerator, another one ripe and ready to cut, and a third that is almost there.  From two that ripened earlier, I have two more plants started in pots that will be ready to plant in a few weeks.  There is nothing more delicious than fresh, sweet pineapple, and it’s even better when you can pick it in your own garden!  Near some of the pineapple plants is a lemon tree, which is covered with lemons ripening, as well as flowers.  The variety of lemon is Eureka, which produces a small yet powerful lemon, and which blooms and fruits with astonishing frequency.

     The taste for pineapple and citrus is by no means a modern taste.    Explorers were bringing specimens of exotic plants from all over the world during the age of exploration.  Portuguese explorers are credited with bringing sweet orange trees back from the orient to the Mediterranean area about 1500, although the Persian orange (which is bitter) was known in Italy as early as 1100.  Orange trees became a popular plant widely sought for terraces and formal gardens in France, Italy, Germany and England, and needed special protection from the northern climates.  Buildings called “orangeries” were constructed in France in the 17th century at Versailles and other sites..  At Kew Gardens in England, an orangery was built in 1761 by Sir William Chambers, which was the largest glass house in England at that time.

 

  A beautiful conservatory was also built for Carlton House by Thomas Hopper in 1807.  As you can see, these were restricted to royalty, the aristocracy and the very rich because of the price of glass, and taxes on glass.  Conservatories and orangeries at that time could be free-standing buildings, or glassed rooms attached to a stately home.  Because of cost, for all but the wealthiest, these structures did not contain nearly as much glass as a greenhouse would contain today.  Roofs were frequently solid (although possibly removable) or inset with only a glass panel, and the walls were more solid, inset with larger windows.  During the Regency era, the garden room was increasingly popular, as a transition from interior to exterior space.  The conservatory reached its hey-day in the Victorian era.

Exterior of Carlton House Conservatory by Thomas Hopper 1807

     The pineapple was introduced after Christopher Columbus first encountered it in 1493, and became hugely fashionable to display and enjoy for dinners by 18th century royalty and aristocracy.  This craze filtered down to the gentry.  However, the pineapple had certain special issues for cultivation: as a tropical fruit, it was not sufficient to protect them from frost; they also required more light than orange trees and most other exotics and a source of heat.  Pineapple cultivation was originally successful in the Netherlands, and English gardeners went to study the methods used there.  

     Heating was a real challenge.  Conservatories and orangeries were built facing south, to maximize exposure.  Angled glass was used to catch morning and afternoon sun, while deflecting the intensity of the mid-day sun.  However, pineapples required more warmth.  Early attempts with furnaces were not successful as fumes were toxic to the plants.  Hot air flues built into the walls were more successful, but the furnaces required constant attention and fires frequently broke out due to the build-up of soot and other material in the flues.  One solution was putting the potted plants into pits which were filled with a source of heat.  One substance used in these pits was manure, which generated heat but too intensely initially and then cooled too rapidly.  Oak bark in water resulted in a fermentation process which released heat at a slow and steady rate and allowed for more success.  Because of the special needs of the pineapple, a pinery could be located in an orangerie or conservatory, with a door allowing it to be closed off, or in a completely separate structure. 

      I  became interested in pineries because one appears in my work in progress (as well as the fact that I have pineapple plants myself!).  Although the term “pinery” is sometimes considered virtually interchangeable with “conservatory” and “orangery”, they are not in fact identical structures, although all are forerunners of the modern greenhouse.   The idea of a special structure in which to grow plants that require protection from cold weather  has existed for centuries.  The Roman emperor Tiberius had a “specularium” designed specifically to grow cucumbers out of season, with windows created from fragments of mica.  In France, records indicate a south-facing glass structure existed as early as 1385.

     Sources:

“The History of Greenhouses.” GardenGuides.com http://www.gardenguides.com/83595-history-greenhouses.html.  Viewed 4/15/2012.

 “Orangeries, Conservatories, Greenhouses and Glass Gardens.”  VictoriaHinshaw.com: http://www.victoriahinshaw.com./default.aspx?page=conservatories  viewed 3/24/2012 (as appeared in The Regency Plume, V. 12, N.3, P. 3 Sept.-Oct. 2002)

 Lausen-Higgins, Johanna.  “A TASTE FOR THE EXOTIC Pineapple cultivation in Britain.”  BuildingConservation.com              http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/pineapples/pineapples.htm   Viewed 3/31/2012

Perry, Dr. Leonard.  “Orangeries and Greenhouses.”  University of Vermont Extension website.  http://perysperennials.info/articles/orangery.html  Viewed 3/31/2012

 Surchin, Anne.  “The beauty around us: from fad building to pleasure palace.”  (Date 3/22/2007,  Publication: VOX) Found on TheFreeLibrary.com http://www.thefreelibrary.com/_/print/PrintArticle.aspx?id=161397779   Viewed 3/31/2012

I also recommend M. M. Bennetts’ excellent article, The must-have garden accessories for the rich and richer? A glasshouse and pineapples!, posted April 26, 2012 in the English Historical Fiction Authors blog at http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2012/04/must-have-garden-accessories-for-rich.html

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A Trip Down Memory Lane to … Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle 2-24-1990 by me

      Today has been a grey, rainy day, so I looked at some photo albums.  One was of my first trip to England back in February of 1990.   I was there for two weeks, and had the most amazing time.  The first week was warmer than I expected, in the 50’s, and I was dazzled by the green grass, blooming crocuses, and wonderful scenery.  We visited Kew Gardens, Hampton Court (which I loved-I looked for the HA in the ceiling, commemorating Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn!), the Victoria and Albert, had tea in an incredibly beautiful town called Shere.  However, a highlight of that visit was a trip to Leeds Castle in Kent. 

     Described by Lord Conway as “the loveliest castle in the world,” it is truly stunning.  The day we visited, the weather was starting to change (grey and colder) but the grounds were still lovely-as we walked through the park, we saw peacocks, geese, ducks and black swans; snowdrops, bluebells and crocus were blooming.  As we came around, we saw the castle, surrounded by a moat.  It was, in fact, the quintessential castle of my dreams.  We got there about 3:00pm, and the castle was to close at 5:00, so we had to hurry. 

A view of the castle from across the moat (also by me)

     After the Conquest, William I granted the lands where the Len widened around two small islands to Hamon de Crevecoeur; Hamon’s son Robert built the first stone castle on the site of an existing wooden castle, consisting of a keep and gatehouse (part of this survives).  Because the Crevecoeur family sided with Simon de Montfort, they were dispossessed by Henry III in 1265.  The castle was given to Roger de Leyburn.  The Crown bought it back in 1298.  

     The castle has been given to several queens: Edward I gave it to his 2nd wife, Margaret of France; Richard II gave it to his queen, Anne of Bohemia; Henry IV gave it to his 2nd wife, Joan of Navarre (Henry and Joan stayed there to avoid the plague in London).  Henry V gave it to Catherine of Valois; after Henry’s death, Catherine supposedly fell in love with and married Owen Tudor there.  In 1519, Henry VIII also altered the royal apartments and brought Catherine of Aragon. 

     The castle has its own chapel in the Gloriette Tower.  Edward I had mass said there daily after the death of Queen Eleanor.  This endowment was continued by Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI and Henry VII.    In 1978, the chapel was reconsecrated and made a Chapel Royal. 

     After leaving the castle, we visited the grotto.  This was built underground, using shells, bones, rocks, etc, to make stairs, pictures and so forth.  There is a seat at the very heart where one can watch the waterfall.  When we left the grotto, the temperature had dropped significantly.  We walked by the aviary, but could see nothing of the birds as it was quite chilly and already starting to get dark.    My only regret?  I was sorry we had not gotten there early enough to linger.  Leeds Castle was one of the highlights of my first visit to England.

Sources:

LEEDS CASTLE, MAIDSTONE, KENT. Tourist pamphlet 1989.

Phillips, Charles.  THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ROYAL BRITAIN.  Metro Books: New York, 2009, 2011.

Wikipedia. Leeds Castle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_Castle

InfoBritain.  Leeds Castle. http://www.infobritain.co.uk/Leeds_Castle.htm

LeedsCastle. http://www.leeds-castle.com/land.php

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Old Cookbooks

     Many years ago, I became fascinated with old cookbooks.  At Haslam’s Bookstore in St Petersburg, FL, I found wonderful used cookbooks.  My first treasure was the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, a slightly later version of the classic ring binder that everyone’s mother had, filled with good basic recipes that always (at least ALMOST always!) come out well.  A vast array of the SOUTHERN LIVING cookbooks also tempted me. 

     One of my favorites is THE QUALITY COOK BOOK modern cooking and table service by Dorothy Fitzgerald.  This gem was published in 1932 and has fascinating illustrations.  It also provides instructions on serving, instructions and appropriate uniforms for the maid (!), courses, and, of course, recipes.  (A previous owner was particularly fond of one for Strawberry Parfait.)

     A real treasure was given to me by my mother when I got married.  The Favorite Cook Book A Complete Culinary Encyclopedia,  edited by Mrs. Grace Townsend, was published in 1894 and originally belonged to my great-grandmother.  It was passed to my grandmother, then my mother and now to me.  It is intact, though delicate, and is a delight to go through (albeit with great care).  It includes instructions and recipes for the feeding of invalids, a schedule of when various foods are in season, pages of laundry hints (remember, this was long before Oxy-Clean and dryers!), and other fascinating information, as well as hundreds of recipes for classic dishes.  One of my favorite sections is “Perfumes and Toilet Recipes” and includes a recipe for a Cure for Pimples, how to care for your teeth and ears, and recipes for perfumes and other toiletries.

    I have also acquired facsimile copies of two classics: The Compleat HOUSEWIFE or Accomplished Gentlewoman’s COMPANION by Eliza Smith (16th edition, about 1758) and THE ART OF COOKERY MADE PLAIN AND EASY by Mrs. Glasse (first American edition, 1805).  Both of these books cover a wide range of information, from selecting food to pickling and preserving, and other practical information.  Some of the recipes can be easily adapted today, while others….. well, not so much.  Sometimes I don’t even recognize the ingredients.  Who knew that cubeb was the dried unripened berries from an Asian shrub with a spicy, rather peppery flavor that became popular in Europe in the Middle Ages?      Old cookbooks have much to teach us about how people lived their daily lives,  what they liked to eat, and how they took care of their family’s health.  They open a window to the realities of earlier times.  They are fun to read, and contain a treasure trove of information for historians and novelists, as well as those who like to cook.  Many classics, including Hannah Glasse’s book, are available on-line.  Take a look!  You’ll find something delicious, I’m sure…

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Jane Austen and Online Dating

Knowing I am interested in all things Austen, a dear friend sent me a newspaper clipping of an article from a local newspaper (yes, there are still people out there who read newspapers!).  The article, “Why Jane Austen would approve of online dating,” by Elizabeth Kantor, starts by asking if modern society has allowed these tools into areas that are not appropriate.  I am including the article here (click to enlarge):

Kantor, who wrote THE JANE AUSTEN GUIDE TO HAPPILY EVER AFTER, concludes that Jane Austen would in fact approve.   In her discussion, she points out that assembly balls provided a place where introductions could be performed after the various issues of concern could be weighed.  Kantor shows out that the internet sites do allow a screening process so that introductions are made based on similar values, interests, tastes and so forth.  As I understand it, the online service takes the place of the master of ceremonies, lady patroness or other person in charge of the gathering.  I was rather astonished by the idea of Miss Austen approving until I read the section where she mentioned that California’s attorney general got Match.com, eHarmony and Sparks Networks to start doing background checks (protecting clients against identity theft, and potential assault).  All things considered, I am rather inclined to agree with her conclusion.  If viewed properly, and used prudently, these sites allow people to meet who have been screened for basic criteria, with a view to a possible long-term relationship.  Once introduced, it is up to the parties to take it from there.   Not significantly different from the assembly ball!  If the online dating process is conducted thoughtfully and decorously, I believe that Miss Austen WOULD approve!  What do you think?

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Food In History-What is a “Pupton”?

One of the pleasures of reading history, whether fiction or non-fiction, is learning about the day-to-day living of people in the past.  I am particularly interested in the Georgian era in England, especially the Regency period.  Recently, I was reading a novel, in which a menu for a particular meal was detailed and “a pupton of cherries” caught my attention.  It sounded like some kind of sweet dish, and I wondered what was in it, so I tried to look it up.  Not as easy as I expected!

First of all, I could not find a definition of “pupton.”  Thanks to the miracle of Google books, I found several old cookbooks on-line.  In THE ART OF COOKERY by John Mollard (4th edition published in 1836), I found arecipe for a “Pulpton of Apples” (p. 251) in which quartered apples were stewed until tender, sieved, and mixed with spices, eggs, and breadcrumbs soaked in cream.  This concoction was baked in a buttered mould and served turned out on a dish with sifted sugar over it.   A recipe for a pulpton of apples also appears in the 1802 edition of Mr. Mollard’s cookbook.

Hannah Glasse, whose popular cookbook THE ART OF COOKERY Made Plain and Easy was first published in 1747, and was released in numerous editions until the last in 1843, includes a recipe for a “pupton” of apples as well.  In her version, the fruit was cooked with sugar and only a small amount of water, until the fruit was the consistency of marmalade.  She also combined the cooked fruit pulp with eggs, spices, cream and breadcrumbs, with some butter, baked it and served it on a plate.

Title Page from Hannah Glasse’s Cookbook

Both of these recipes sounded good to me, and I could see how this recipe could be adapted to almost any kind of fruit, including cherries.  However, this was not the end of the pupton! Looking over the tables of contents, I found recipes for savory puptons as well.  These sound remarkably like pate’s and terrines served today, as at least a portion of the fish, meat or poultry component is cut finely with equal portions of suet, then pounded into a paste, called forcemeat.  If used alone, the paste would be seasoned, then it could be rolled into balls and poached in a sauce or fried; it could be put into a bag of some kind (one recipe I found took a chicken, removed all the meat, made the paste, seasoned it, and put it back in the chicken skin) and stewed, or baked.  A fascinating recipe I found in THE LONDON ART OF COOKERY And Housekeepers Complete Assistant by John Farley (4th edition, published in 1787) included a “French Pupton of Pigeons” on page 127.  This recipe took a quantity of forcemeat, made a very thin layer (similar to a pie crust), and then proceeded to layer thin bacon, squabs, asparagus, mushrooms and several other ingredients (a few of which may seem odd in combination today, including cocks’ combs).  This was then topped with another thin layer of forcemeat, like a pie, and baked.  When done, it was to be served in a dish with gravy poured around it. 

Either sweet or savory, the pupton sounds like a wonderful and tasty dish!  I love this kind of detail, as it makes the people of the past come alive.   Food is something we all have in common.

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The Work In Progress Is Progressing…

I have finally fought my way out of one chapter into another! Periodically, I hit a section where it seems to go on forever. However, it is moving forward again. My characters are once again moving in a direction I had not previously considered, but it fits well with my plan. (Editing notes are also growing apace, as there are some rough spots that will need smoothing and some overgrowth that will need trimming!)
All in all, satisfactory!

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Jane Austen’s Cavalier: Is Colonel Brandon Her Most Romantic Hero?

      Fitzwilliam Darcy seems to be the universal favorite romantic hero of Jane Austen’s novels.  However, is this really accurate?  Other male characters have their devotees and are worthy of our respect, if not our admiration. However, I submit that for sheer, unadulterated romance and derring-do, Colonel Brandon is the man for my money.  The heart of a veritable knight of chivalry beat in his chest, willing to undertake any task solely to serve his lady, exhibiting the at least four of the five virtues of a true knight: friendship, generosity, chastity, courtesy, and piety.

     Merriam-Webster On-Line’s definition of “romantic” includes: having an inclination for romance: responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous.  The Oxford English Dictionary On-line includes “an idealized view of reality” in its definition.  The Oxford English Dictionary On-line also provides a definition of a cavalier as “a courtly gentleman, especially one acting as a lady’s escort.”In “Introduction to Romanticism” on-line, the Romantic Movement in English literature began in the later part of the eighteenth century (when Austen began writing ELINOR AND MARIANNE), and was characterized by an appreciation for nature, an emphasis on emotion and feeling, and an appeal to the imagination.  A fondness for medievalism and the Gothic occurred during this period.   SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, which evolved from ELINOR AND MARIANNE, is full of allusions to the classic romantic themes, and is a reaction to them, showing the need for a balance of common sense with the romantic sensibility. Marianne exhibits the extreme of romantic emotionalism, and embodies the “sensibility” of the title, with her passions for poetry, music, walking and nature, combined with her willingness to give way to her emotions with the slightest encouragement.  Her concentrated focus on the romantic to the exclusion of everything else is illustrated by the situation where Edward’s failure to respond to the view at Barton makes her wonder if Edward can possibly be romantic enough, even for Elinor (Austen, S & S, I, xvi, p. 88.), and her headlong plunge into despair upon receiving Willoughby’s letter in London (Austen, S & S, II, vii, 183-185) among many, many others.

     Sir Walter Scott was a popular romantic author, contemporary to Jane Austen and one whose works she is known to have enjoyed. In SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, Scott is one of Marianne’s favorite authors.  Scott’s poem, MARMION: A TALE OF FLODDEN FIELD, was published in 1808, and was very popular in England at approximately the time Jane Austen was rewriting ELINOR AND MARIANNE,  which was renamed SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and published in 1811. We know Austen read MARMION, as well as other works by Scott (Dow and Halsey).  In addition to Scott, Austen was also fond of the poet Cowper (Dow & Halsey), another of Marianne’s favorites.  Edward’s inadequate reading of the poet Cowper caused Marianne to question whether Edward could possibly be worthy of Elinor (Austen, S & S, I, iii, 17). 

     In Canto V of MARMION, we find Lady Heron’s Song, which is the story young Lochinvar and the fair Ellen.  MARMION is set in sixteenth-century Scotland and England, and is full of knights in armor, their ladies and wild, natural scenery; the story-within-the-story revolves around a young knight, Lochinvar, who rescues his love from a forced marriage via an elopement.  Lochinvar had asked her father for Ellen’s hand in marriage, but had been denied.  He arrived too late to prevent the marriage; he carried her off from the wedding festivities on horseback and they were never seen again. To my mind, this is exactly the kind of romantic, unconventional behavior that would most appeal to Marianne.  An example of Marianne’s delight in the unconventional is the circumstance where Willoughby took Marianne in his curricle to view Allenham.   She spent an entire morning with him, going over the house and garden, knowing that it was not his and having no acquaintance with Mrs. Smith (the owner).  This behavior gave rise to comment and jokes on the part of Sir John Middleton and Mrs. Jennings.  In fact, Elinor was shocked, and tried unsuccessfully to get Marianne to see the impropriety of her behavior in this matter  (S & S, I, xiii, 67-68).  While admittedly a much milder impropriety than an elopement, this shows Marianne’s willingness to flout convention.   (“…she was everything but prudent. S & S, I, 1, 6) Austen’s ironic humor allowed Marianne’s passion for poetry and romance and her unwillingness to control her emotions to focus on Willoughby, who appeared a romantic hero but was not; Marianne didn’t notice that Colonel Brandon, who in fact had attempted to elope with Eliza, mourned his lost love and cherished his memory of her in the true romantic style of the poetry Marianne admired, and yet conducted himself as a gentleman of sense and propriety.

     Col. Brandon was a man of honor and impeccable reputation, widely respected and esteemed.  As a young man, he became a soldier to spare the older Eliza’s feelings after she was married to his brother against her will (S & S II, ix, 206), and he served King and country in the East Indies.   He was regarded with respect by all who knew him, in spite of Mrs. Jennings’ whispers about his relationship to the young Eliza.

     He exhibited true courtesy-he treated all kindly, and with respect.  (“…on every occasion mindful of the feelings of others….”  S&S I, xii, 62) He worshipped Marianne from afar, and did not intrude his feelings upon her when he saw that she was in love with Willoughby.   He constantly showed concern for the comfort of others.  His “delicate, unobtrusive inquiries” (S&S, II, x, 216) to Elinor about Marianne showed his concern and his efforts to avoid giving distress.

     Col. Brandon was a classic upholder of chastity: he fought a duel with Willoughby over Eliza’s honor, and took care of her and her child (he placed them in the country) (S&S II, ix, 211).

     Brandon exuded friendship and generosity.  The colonel  took care of Eliza’s mother ( of whom Marianne reminded him), allowing her to die in comfort and with care, showing true kindness to a “fallen woman” to whom he owed no obligation.  He took in her daughter Eliza in for her sake.  He told Willoughby’s story to Elinor, to give Marianne closure regarding Willoughby’s desertion.  He gave Edward a living after Edward’s disinheritance, before he (the colonel) won Marianne’s hand (done out of kindness  and respect for Edward’s honoring his obligation, not familial obligation) (S&S III, iii, 287-288).  The other significant men in the Dashwood girls’ lives (brother John, Willoughby and Edward Ferrars) were distinguished by selfishness; Colonel Brandon was distinguished by his selfless desire to secure the comfort of others in general, and Marianne’s happiness in particular.  Colonel Brandon was the only true hero in the story.  Willoughby started his relationship with Marianne cold-bloodedly for his own entertainment, not caring about her feelings (Austen S & S III.vii.319-320; III.xi.351).  Edward knew he was not available when he started to care for Elinor but continued to build a relationship with her for his own emotional need without even considering that her feelings might become engaged (Austen S & S III.xiii.368).  Both of these men were initially motivated by selfishness, and Willoughby ended his relationship with Marianne because of selfishness.  Colonel Brandon was the only male in the story capable of falling deeply in love, while having the generosity of spirit to put his own feelings to one side, to do what was needful for the happiness of the beloved.  In his treatment of young Eliza, and his lack of care for Marianne, Willoughby shows himself a predator, a parallel to the “laggard in love and dastard in war” who wed fair Ellen (Scott 125).

     Col. Brandon performed knightly deeds:  When his love was lost to him, he went into the Army.   For a very young, broken-hearted man (they were nearly the same age-she was about 17 when lost to him S&S, II, ix, 205), this profession would give him the opportunity to take part in epic battles, possibly to die performing daring deeds, and certainly preparing him to come back a strong, heroic warrior.  He was successful in his military career, rising in rank.   As mentioned, he wanted and planned to elope with his love, the older Eliza (S & S, II, ix, 206). He cared for Eliza, and rescued  her daughter after she was seduced and  abandoned by Willoughby.  Brandon fought a duel  with Willoughby to punish him for his treatment of young Eliza.  He provided  help when Marianne is ill-“…he offered himself as the messenger….-bringing her mother to her promptly”.

     Col.  Brandon fell in love with Marianne on sight.  He recognized and respected her love for Willoughby, and did nothing to distress her.  In my opinion, Colonel Brandon was capable of recognizing the fact that Marianne would always have a soft spot in her heart for Willoughby, and the toughness of mind to accept and deal with it if her romantic sensibilities dredged it up under the pressures of day to day life.  Much has been made of the fact that Colonel Brandon was too old for Marianne.   Hazel Jones in Jane Austen and Marriage refers more than once to Marianne settling for “strong esteem and lively friendship” when she married Colonel Brandon (Austen S & S III.xiv.378; Jones 120; 146).  However, that is to overlook the follow up: “Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband, as it had once been to Willoughby” (Austen S & S III.xiv.379).  Richard Jenkyns describes Colonel Brandon as “the most Byronic figure in Jane Austen’s entire canon…” (188). He would seem to be exactly the man who would bring Marianne around to giving her whole heart.   I submit that Colonel Brandon, with his combination of age, good sense acquired from experience, and his deeply romantic soul, who exhibited the true knightly virtues, was the only man who could possibly have made Marianne happy.  Jane Austen’s love of irony hid her hero behind thirty-five years, a merely pleasant face and a flannel vest; she did not allow any recitation of dashing swordplay or injuries in his military career or in the duel he fought; he was definitely not a young Lochinvar.  However, Colonel Brandon was the man whom young Lochinvar might have become with maturity.  Poetic justice was served when this knight won his fair lady.

Resources:

Ashford, Viola.  “Jane Austen’s Heroes: Colonel Brandon,”  12/27/2003. Website: Suite 101.com,  http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/jane_austen/105401/2#ixzz0o7j7YrJS

Austen, Jane.  SENSE AND SENSIBILITY.  The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen,.  Vol. 1.  R. W. Chapman, ed.  Third edition.  1933, reprinted 1988: Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. 

                            NORTHANGER ABBEY AND PERSUASION.   The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen,  Vol. 5.  R. W. Chapman, ed.  Third edition.  1933, revised 1965 and 1969, reprinted 1988: Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K.

Copeland, Edward and McMaster, Juliet, Ed.  THE CAMBRIDGE COMPANION TO JANE AUSTEN.  1997: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Gow, Gillian and Halsey, Katie.  “JANE AUSTEN’S READING: THE CHAWTON YEARS.”  PERSUASION ON-LINE.  Vol. 30, No. 2 (Spring 2010).   http://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol30no2/dow-halsey.html

“Introduction to Romanticism.”  (No author shown.)  Adapted from A Guide to the Study of Literature: A Companion Text for Core Studies 6, Landmarks of Literature, ©English Department, Brooklyn College.   http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/rom.html 

Jenkyns, Richard. A FINE BRUSH ON IVORY An Appreciation of Jane Austen.  2004: Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Johnson, Claudia L.  JANE AUSTEN  Women, Politics and The Novel.  1988: University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.

Jones, Hazel. Jane Austen & Marriage.  2009: Continuum UK, London, U.K.

Merriam-Webster On-line Dictionary  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/romantic 

Mooman, Pamela.  “HEROES IN JANE AUSTEN’S NOVELS  These Patient, Loyal Men Are Worth Waiting For.”   9/27/2009.                                               Website: Suite101.com.                                                                             http://victorian-fiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/heroes_in_jane_austens_novels

Oxford English Dictionary On-Line.  http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_us1285701?rskey=tl1oth&result=1#m_en_us1285701 and  http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cavalier?view=uk

 Scott, Sir Walter.  MARMION: A Tale of Flodden Field.  H. E. Coblentz, editor.  First published 1808.  Edition used: 1893, 1911: American Book Company, New York, NY.

Schwartz, Dr. Deborah B.  “Backgrounds to Romance: ‘Courtly Love.’”  California Polytechic State  University.  ©Deborah B. Schwartz, 1998-2002.  http://cla.calpoly.edu/~dschwart/engl513/courtly/courtly.htm 

Simpson, David.  “Chivalry and Courtly Love,” 1998.  DePaul University. http://condor.depaul.edu/~dsimpson/tlove/courtlylove.html

Image: Portrait of a Man in Armour with Red Scarf by Anthony Van Dyck 1625-27. (Wikimedia Commons)