Charlotte Bronte on Horatio Nelson

In Charlotte Bronte's novel Shirley, the title character visits her old family schoolroom. There she talks with her nephew, who seems in low spirits. He's a weak boy, who needs physical assistance to get around. Yet he can't help but notice the tall, handsome men who swirl around Shirley, desirous of gaining her attention. He sees before him a life he can never have. He will never be strong. He will never gallop across the fields on a horse. He will never twirl a beautiful young woman across a dance floor. Hence, he believes he cannot hope to marry well, or gain the affections of a woman who desires a strong, virile husband. When he shares his concerns with Shirley, she reveals how differently she sees the world, and how she finds value in others.

"You need not be sorrowful. Have I not often told you who was almost as little, as pale, as suffering as you, and yet potent as a giant and brave as a lion?"

"Admiral Horatio?" 

"Admiral Horatio, Viscount Nelson, and Duke of Bronte; great at heart as a Titan; gallant and heroic as all the world and age of chivalry; leader of the might of England; commander of her strength on the deep; hurler of her thunder over the flood." 

"A great man. But I am not warlike, Shirley; and yet my mind is so restless I burn day and night—for what I can hardly tell—to be—to do—to suffer, I think." 

"Harry, it is your mind, which is stronger and older than your frame, that troubles you. It is a captive; it lies in physical bondage. But it will work its own redemption yet. Study carefully not only books but the world. You love nature; love her without fear. Be patient—wait the course of time. You will not be a soldier or a sailor, Henry; but if you live you will be—listen to my prophecy—you will be an author, perhaps a poet."

Shirley may not be a great lover of poetry, but she sees her nephew's strengths, and encourages him to achieve his potential. As England is bogged down in the Napoleonic Wars, she points to one of her country's foremost leader: Horatio Nelson. As she points out, he may not boast the most impressive, desirable figure, but people respect his leadership, and are grateful for how he has protected their country. 

Even today, people still look up to this heroic figure. At least they do in London, when they visit Trafalgar Square.

Out of all the great leaders of England, Charlotte Bronte's character Shirley picks out Horatio Nelson as a role model. 

I wonder what could have piqued her interest in the man?

Dragon Dave

Related Posts from Loving To The Manor Born
A Memorial to Horatio Nelson
Horatio Nelson and the Bronte Sisters

Faith, Religion, and the English People

When Daleks patrol Trafalgar Square, churchgoers had better beware.  Or at least that seems to be the underlying message behind one shot in the Doctor Who story “The Dalek Invasion of Earth.”  A Dalek rolls forward toward the camera, and in the background can be glimpsed St. Martins in the Fields, one of the more famous non-cathedral churches in London. But no Daleks patrolled the Square today, so we did not worry as we made our leisurely way to the one o’clock worship service.

Unlike Westminster Abbey, the interior is not covered with remembrances of famous personalities who are buried there.  No statues of famous politicians or saints tower above the visitor.  No priests herded us to our seats and warned us to keep our cameras in their cases.  Instead, we were welcomed warmly by a parishioner, found a place in one of the pews, and knelt comfortably to pray.  Outside all might be hustle-and-bustle, the noises of cars and conversations, and myriad distractions that could dilute one’s focus.  Inside St Martins in the Fields, we could compose our minds (and hearts) in silence, and look forward to an hour in which we could focus upon the one who is greater than all of us.  (No, I’m not referring to Lady Gaga).

Normally I’m not big on choral music, particularly not when sung in another language.  But I appreciated the efforts of the organist and the four-person choir, (even if I couldn’t understand the Latin lyrics), as well as the fact that they had given of their time this afternoon.  The pastor’s message--that the Church was a place for anyone, regardless of his or her economic or social status--came as a tonic after the rigid formality of Westminster Abbey.

I cannot state that any particular story brought me to St. Martins in the Fields.  Nor is it a secret that churches in England are less well attended than those in the States.  What I can say (regardless of the varying ways in which Church and Religion are presented) is that such elements of corporate and individual faith keep cropping up in the British TV shows I enjoy.  “Lovejoy” may not be a churchgoer, but in many of his mysteries, he ends up visiting one, talking with a priest, or even attempting to acquire a rare Bible.  The Reverend Dennis of “Waiting For God” has lost his faith, and consequently his mind.  (He accidently christens one child “ugly little bastard Jones”).  In “All Creatures Great and Small,” James Herriot may not attend services regularly, but his wife and children do.  The kindly old Rector in “To The Manor Born” might have been hen-pecked by Audrey during his career, but he remains devout, collects alms for good causes, is involved in his community, and takes nearly everything in stride.   Sergeant Hathaway in “Lewis” attended seminary before he opted for a career in law enforcement.  And then there is “The Vicar of Dibley,” where Geraldine is sent to a rural village filled with the wackiest parishioners imaginable.  Although they had expected a male priest, she soon wins them over.  Their bizarre weaknesses highlight her own foibles, and no matter how irreverent the situation becomes, she always yanks everyone back into line by relating a scriptural story that underpins a spiritual truth.  Clearly many differing views on Christianity and Faith exist in England.  That nearly every series I have watched touches upon such matters reveals how deeply embedded they are in English culture and everyday life.

I cannot say that I found anything about St. Martin’s in the Fields to be remarkable, spectacular, or mind-blowing.  (Believe me, you haven’t had your mind-blown, until it’s been blown in…oh, never mind).  But it was a comfortable and calming place to spend an hour after our continent-and-ocean-spanning journey, our short night of sleep, and our nonstop sightseeing.  We left refreshed, recharged, and ready for more adventures.

Some Related Dragon Cache links

More on “The Dalek Invasion of Earth”

More on “Lovejoy”

My First entry on Westminster Abbey

Some Links to the (Big, Bad) Worldwide Web

Visit St. Martins in the Fields

Learn more about this church

Audrey, Richard, and the Unknown Constable

While a Doctor Who story might have drawn me to Trafalgar Square, another British TV show was foremost in my mind as I stepped inside Britain’s National Gallery.

In the comedy “To The Manor Born,” Audrey has lost her beloved estate to Richard, the founder of a successful grocery chain.  In one episode, he asks her to pose as his wife to fend off the amorous advances of a beautiful French businesswoman with whom he is attempting to finalize a contract.  Unknown to him, Audrey arrives early to redecorate the manor according to her tastes, using many of the furnishings she was forced to sell, along with the manor, after her husband’s death.  When Richard escorts his guest into a sitting room, she inquires if the painting over the fireplace is a Turner.  He chuckles and replies, “No, it’s a Hockney.”  Then he looks, and sees not his modern painting (what appears to have been from the artist’s famous series on Los Angeles’ swimming pools) but a traditional seascape, and must correct himself.  “No, it’s a Turner.”  (Thanks a lot, Audrey!)

I’m not like Thomas Crown (played by Pierce Brosnan in the 1999 remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair”).  I may enjoy rereading my favorite books and stories, or re-watching my favorite TV shows and movies, but to stand or sit for extended periods to study famous paintings is not my normal practice.  Nevertheless, I did enjoy touring (parts of) the National Gallery.  I sought out the work of Joseph Turner, and agreed with Audrey that his famous seascapes and landscapes would better suit the architecture of an English country gentleman’s home.  I noticed that much of the art depicted people and events drawn from the Bible or early Church history.  I sympathized with Rick Steves: much of the great art that mankind has enjoyed for centuries would now be considered “too fleshy” by Americans to be shown in one of his travelogues (even on PBS stations).  And I happened upon the work of one artist whose work I found strangely compelling: the landscapes of John Constable.  My only disappointment was that I didn’t have enough time to explore the museum’s many halls, or listen to the various talks on offer, or simply to gaze in appreciation at so many attempts, on the parts on their creators, to transfer the imagery they saw in their minds into something that could bring joy and inspiration to everyone else.  

That is the power of all art, is it not?  Whether the subjects covered include a Saint, an animal that symbolizes a country, or the individual travel machines of an alien race that invades other planets, all artwork can enrich our lives, often in unforeseen ways.  I’m sure I never thought about visiting London’s National Gallery when I first started watching British TV shows.  But these stories awakened an interest in visiting the country in which they are set.  Seeing “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” drew me to Trafalgar Square.  Once here, “To The Manor Born” drew me into the National Gallery.  Now I have a new artist to learn about in John Constable, and a place to devote more time to on a subsequent vacation.  

One familiar refrain from all who worked on early Doctor Who is their amazement that this show has endured, and continued to entertain and inspire, while many of the other productions they contributed to (either on stage, TV, or film) have been forgotten.  That is the way of life, is it not?  We can never know the ultimate effects of what we do for others.  Out best-intended efforts may be misunderstood or unappreciated.  Some of the work we feel most proud of will be forgotten.  We can only hope that some of what we do will benefit others in the future.  I find that sufficient reason to give of my best to all that I undertake.

Dragon Cache Links:

The first entry in my England Series

My first reference to “The Dalek Invasion of Earth”

Links to the World Wide Web:

The National Gallery

 “To The Manor Born”

 “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1999) 

Lions and Daleks and Wizards, Oh My!

Trafalgar Square seems a popular place to linger with one’s friends.  Perhaps it always has been.  When the Doctor Who production team filmed “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” here in 1964 (nearly fifty years ago!), they arrived just after sunrise, and still had to beg hippies and late-night partiers to go elsewhere.  Thus, as Barbara, Jenny, and Dortman flee the city, they come upon an empty square, where they hide behind plinths until the Daleks roll past.  

In addition to the statues of famous people, and Admiral Nelson atop his tall column, four lions look outward in all directions to guard the square from invaders, much as the females would guard their male (and the rest of their pride) from unexpected attack.  The lions, a symbol of England since Richard the Lionheart first placed them on his royal crest, are a familiar sight in London.  But these lions are special, for the plinths they rest upon once bore special identifying marks in the Dalek language.  If memory serves, an irate policeman made the designer stay behind after filming ended until he had personally scrubbed the plinths clean.   (Bad Designer!  That’s what you get for defacing public property!)

Fountains take up much of the square, and they are beautiful to look at.  But more overwhelming was the large screen that had been erected in the square, along with loudspeakers.  The latter’s presence was due to Trafalgar Square’s first ever movie premier, which had been held the week before.  The film: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2,” the final installment of the series (based upon the novels of J. K. Rowling).  The idea of holding a movie premier in Trafalgar Square struck me as somewhat ironic, as one reason for the fountains’ presence was break up this large, flat area in order to prevent large groups from assembling here.

Certainly many had gathered here this morning, most of whom I took to be associated with school field trips or tour groups.  Kids, teens, and camera-laden adults chatted and ate and drank, enjoying each other’s company on this concrete expanse, when they could have played or strolled through the serene natural beauty of nearby St. James Park.  Speaking for myself, it was nice to visit a place that I had seen so many times on TV (mostly because “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” is one of my favorite Doctor Who stories).  But I realized I had no real reason to linger outside, because just few steps away awaited the work of so many masters of the canvas.  Artists whose work had inspired people not just for the last few decades, but for centuries.

So, I walked along the flat concrete courtyard where Daleks had once patrolled, bid the lions adieu, and climbed the steps toward the National Gallery.