Anne Bronte on Defying Your Elders

A View from Haworth

In her first novel, Agnes Grey, Anne Bronte introduced us to a smart young girl, yearning to demonstrate her capabilities to the world. She yearns to grow, to stretch herself, but is constrained by familial concern and lack of finances. Agnes might make an ideal wife, yet in England at that time few aspiring men would give a young woman from a poor family a second glance. Nor is she likely to meet such extraordinary men, should they exist, as she does not live in the bustling city of London, but an out-of-the-way village much like Haworth, where Anne grew up. Nor do her parents wish her to hire herself out as a governess. They see such a situation as fraught with danger, and don’t believe she’s up to the challenge. Agnes may have no control over her marital status, but with regard to her vocation, she defies her parents, and continually argues with them until they relent, and allow her to advertise for a position. Unfortunately, both of the jobs she takes fall far below her expectations and hopes.

In her second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte introduces us to Helen Lawrence. Although she came from a moderately well off family, her mother died when she was young, and her father didn’t want her. So she went to live with her aunt and uncle, who reared her with the aim of marrying her into a family of wealth and social prominence. Her aunt’s reasoning and coaching in the selection of a perfect mate seem logical and wise. Yet, when she “comes out” in London society, Helen is appalled by her aunt and uncle’s choices. The first, Mr. Wilmot, is a rich friend whom her uncle views as a prime candidate for marriage. Helen doesn’t mince words when recording her observations of the man in her diary. He strikes her as annoying, disagreeable and ugly. As if that weren’t enough, in one sentence she mentions that he is elderly, and twice that he is old.  Her aunt scolds her for describing him as wicked, and later, as a reprobate, but even she admits that he’s no saint.

So, Mr. Wilmot is no Roger Moore, it appears. (Nor, for that matter, an under-appreciated Val Kilmer.)

Her aunt and uncle then introduce her to Mr. Boarham. Her aunt especially thinks the world of him, and never ceases to sing his praises. Certainly in his own mind, he sees himself as a font of information, which he wishes to share with her. Helen immediately tries to avoid him at social events, for he continually seeks out her company. Once he has found her, he steadfastly remains by her side for the rest of the evening, enlightening her with all manner of useful facts. All too soon, he arrives at her aunt and uncle’s house. In his generous marriage proposal, he expounds on how he will overlook all her faults and deficiencies. He is much older than her, and thus a vast gulf separates them in temperament and wisdom. Helen assures him repeatedly that she appreciates his kind offer, but must decline it. He refuses to accept her answer though, certain that, as in all things, she will soon realize how wonderful life with him could be, and how fortunate she is that he selected her as his mate.

Like the man she has chosen, her aunt sees Mr. Boarham as the ideal choice. Helen argues that she must marry for love, and that she would grow to hate a man who constantly drones on and on about topics on which she has no interest, and who sees himself as superior to her in all things. She has already labeled him Mr. Bore’em in her diary, so you get some sense of her regard for him.

So, when it comes to the crucial moment of a young, rich woman’s existence, her season of “coming out,” Helen finds herself at odds with her aunt and uncle’s choices for her. Despite all the years of education and social conditioning they have given her, their “best” choices for her seem, at best, unrealistic. Although they clearly want the best for her, and as much as she loves them and respects them, she refuses to trust their judgment in these matters. But then, we were all young once, certain that we were right and our elders were wrong.

Of course, I was always right. But then, I’m unique.

Dragon Dave

Wealth, Poverty & Happiness in Wuthering Heights

One day, Mr. Earnshaw returns from a business trip with a street urchin he found in Liverpool.  As he is not in the habit of picking up waifs and strays, his decision to raise the boy as his own shocks and surprises his family.  At first his son Hindley and daughter Catherine detest the newcomer, but in time Catherine and Heathcliff become fast friends.  There’s some question as to who will inherit Wuthering Heights, as Mr. Earnshaw seems to love Heathcliff more than the others.  But upon their father's death, Hindley inherits the estate, which means that Catherine will receive little inheritance, and Heathcliff none at all. 

When Catherine comes of age, she knows that she loves Heathcliff more than anyone else.  He seems to inhabit her soul, to form a part of her very essence.  Yet marriage seems impossible, as they have no money to purchase a place of their own, and no income they can rely on.  After growing up on the rich estate of Wuthering Heights, she envisions a life of poverty awaits them if she gave into her weakness and married Heathcliff.  So she marries a neighbor, Edgar Linton, who owns the neighboring estate of Thrushcroft Grange.  She argues that she admires Linton, and that she will love him because she should, but when separated from Heathcliff, she grows argumentative and miserable. 

While admiring the paintings at www.gatehouseprints.com, I was taken aback by how the artists’ envisioned Wuthering Heights.  True, Emily Bronte hardly describes it as a great house, such as those owned by Mr. Darcy and others in Pride and Prejudice.  True, under Hindley’s ownership the interior falls into ruin.  Yet Sue Firth and Pat Bell depict the house as a rambling shack that a strong gust of wind might knock down.  It hardly seems a place where anyone would want to live.  In comparison, they portray the quiet English village of Haworth, little changed from the time when Emily Bronte lived, worked, and wrote the novel, as a place you might wish to visit, and yes, even live. 

I’ve read about seventy percent of Wuthering Heights, and I have yet to read a scene that takes place in Gimmerton, the nearby village.  The characters refer to the town, so you know they occasionally visit it.  But so far, there are no references to balls or parties, and little of the social visits or formal dinners with neighbors that form such a large portion of Austen's stories.  Instead, Bronte's characters spend virtually their entirely lives in their homes, or working on their lands, with only immediate family members and servants for company. 

Unlike Pat Bell and Sue Firth, Emily Bronte used words to conjure up her imagery.  Yet the efforts of all three challenge our definitions of wealth and poverty, and point to the sources of true happiness in life.   

Dragon Dave

Related Internet Links

Image: Wuthering Heights

Image: Haworth

An Introduction to Wuthering Heights

Haworth, in the Yorkshire region of England, is a stop precious to Bronte fans.  We visited in 2012 to see what all the fuss was about.  We had seen several film and TV adaptations of the Bronte sisters' books, but had never read any.  The village was small, and the Bronte association seems its sole claim to fame.  But we enjoyed visiting the shops, lunching in a restaurant, and exploring the nearby landscape.

I thought of buying a book in the Bronte Museum gift shop, but decided against it, as I would have to haul it home, and I had already picked up a few that trip.  I suppose I could have gotten a comic book adaptation of one of the novels (Yes, they sell those there), but I wasn't really into comics right then.  Besides, I wanted to experience the sisters' writing firsthand, before I read a graphic novel based on their work.

I'm reading Wuthering Heights right now.  It's my first foray into Bronte literature.  I find reading it on my computer both a help and a hindrance. As using my laptop in bed at night tends to keep me alert and energized, reading the novel gets relegated to a spare moment during the day when I have the focus for something of this complexity.  

There's a lot going on in Emily Bronte's sole novel.  It boasts an intricate plot structure, characters difficult to understand, and social and cultural aspects foreign to modern life.  Yet I'm enjoying the challenge!  I'm averaging a few chapters each week, and am nearly sixty percent of the way through.  I suspect that, if I wish to really understand and appreciate the story, I'll need to read it a second time.

Frankly, I'm amazed by all the reference material available online.  So many people love this story!  There are endless numbers of websites and blogs that address the smallest aspects of the novel.  This makes reading the story an interactive and educational experience.  It also contains interesting aspects of fantasy and folklore that I intend to research further. The text is readily available online, including at the link I've included below.  So if Wuthering Heights is a novel you've always wanted to read, but never gotten around to, there's never been a better time.  

In addition to contributing to your ongoing education and sophistication, reading the novel now should provide one additional benefit: it will enhance your understanding of my entries on the novel. Of course, I'd argue that my thoughts always make sense, but that's the kind of guy I am.

Dragon Dave
   
Related Internet Links
http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/index.php

Norman Clegg's TV House

When Andrew, one of my "Last of the Summer Wine" friends, told me that Norman Clegg's house was for sale, we knew we had to check it out.  So last Saturday, we took a taxi to the new Matter Transport Station in downtown San Diego, and beamed over to the MT Station in Manchester, England.  From there, we rented a cute Mini Cooper, and drove out to Holmfirth.

We found Simon, the agent handling the sale, as charming as the town in which he lives.  He drove us out to the house, and allowed us to walk through every room, and peer into (nearly) every closet and cupboard. Since the TV series ended in 2010, Norman Clegg has used his royalties to carry out some renovation work, and the house really looks lovely.  His garden shows equal attention to detail, and exhibits a delightful quirkiness.  We could imagine sitting out there for hours, even in the cold and rain, and gazing at all the points of interest he's created. And when it snowed, or we just needed to warm up, we could go upstairs and gaze out of the third-story windows upon a stunning, hillside vista.

Compo and Foggy no longer live nearby, but I'm sure we would find other laid back folks to hang out with.  Each evening, we could also wander down to the White Horse Tavern for a swift half, and take the pulse of local life.  

Sadly, after discussing the particulars with Simon back at his office, we realized that purchasing Norman Clegg's former house doesn't make sense right now.  First we'd have to petition for an extended stay visa, and the British government doesn't hand those out every day.  Plus, even after they build the proposed Matter Transport Station in Holmfirth, there's the fact that England is eight hours ahead of us.  So by the time we clocked off work, and could beam over, we'd get there in the wee hours of the morning.  And when we woke up to beam back to San Diego, it'd be early evening in England, which means that in the winter, we'd only see the sun on the weekends, and that would mean constantly adjusting our sleep schedules.  But, as Simon said, the MT Station won't be built in Holmfirth for a few years, and we couldn't handle driving between Manchester and Holmfirth every day.

Disconsolate, we bade Simon farewell, and wandered down into Holmfirth for a last tour of the town before we drove back to Manchester. We paid our respects to Compo and Nora Batty's houses, then stopped in at Sid's Cafe for some Yorkshire Tea and a sandwich.  As we ate, my wife pointed out one final barrier to purchasing Norman Clegg's House, an important factor that we had previously overlooked.  There's only one bathroom in his former home, right next to the bedroom.  Imagine having to troop up two flights of stairs every time you wanted to...you know, use the facilities.  

I felt a little better about the whole situation after she pointed this out.  I mean, if you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to work around most of the problems that stand in your way.  But then there are others, like this last one, that make the whole situation just plain impossible!

Dragon Dave

Related Dragon Cache entries
Catching a Glimpse of Norman Clegg's House

Related Internet Links
Norman Clegg's House Listing

Drinking Tea with Inspector Lewis

On our visit last year to Yorkshire, we fell in love with Yorkshire Tea.  It had a nice flavor, and like the region of England from which it takes its name, seems more substantial than some other brands.  Since returning home, we've found it in several local stores, and thus look forward to our weekends together, when we can make a pot of tea and enjoy our breakfast together.  After savoring its rich flavor, we can then venture out upon our weekend adventures together.

In "Reputation", the first "Inspector Lewis" mystery, Lewis arrives at Heathrow Airport after working for two years in the British Virgin Islands. His new assistant, Detective Sergeant Hathaway, picks him up, but before they get back to the station they are called out to investigate a homicide.  That evening, jet-lagged and world-weary, Lewis arrives home.  His house is empty, his cupboards bare.  He empties his shopping bag of the few items he picked up at the grocery store.  And among those staples, those necessities of life, is a box of tea.

In a country as rich in history as England, regional distinctions often prove important.  People celebrate their local heritage, and support locally made products.  While Oxford is just outside London, Yorkshire (inhabited by "Northerners") seems a world away.  Yet Inspector Lewis doesn't reach for a tea made near London or Oxford.  He knows that, among the staples he needs to restart his life in England, he must have the rich taste and sustaining flavor found only in Yorkshire Tea.  

If it helps Inspector Lewis unravel the most perplexing mysteries (and helps Dragon Dave kickstart his weekends), you can rely on Yorkshire Tea to help you meet anything life demands of you.  

Well, at least nearly everything.  I mean, this is only a hot drink we're talking about, right? Oh, wow, I just heard thunder outside.  That's strange.  I wasn't expecting a storm today...

Dragon Dave

James Herriot Trivia

Included in the DVD release for the third season of “All Creatures Great and Small” is a commentary track for the episode “Pig in the Middle.”  The title of the episode is drawn not from an actual pig, but from a situation James finds himself in, where Siegfried and Tristan Farnon ask him to arbitrate over the matter of which brother will get to take a particular night off.  Both have good reasons why they should not have to remain home that evening in case a veterinarian’s skills are needed, and both are James’ close friends.  As he doesn’t wish to favor one over the other, James decides that neither should benefit, and both should cancel their plans and remain at home that evening.  Needless to say, neither Siegfried or Tristan is satisfied with his ruling.

Providing commentary was Michael Hayes, the director of the episode, Carol Drinkwater, who played James’ wife Helen, and Robert Hardy, who portrayed James’ senior partner Siegfried Farnon.  I found their commentary informative and delightful, and thought I would share some snippets with you.

When producer Bill Sellars approached Robert Hardy about the part, he sent him the first two books Alf Wight had written under the name James Herriot.  These were American editions, as the Herriot books first gained popularity there.  Hardy read the first, All Creatures Great and Small, which was a compilation of two shorter books originally published in England.  While Hardy found the stories “enchanting,” he called Sellars and said, “I don’t know how you’ll make a TV show out of this. You’ll bore the cities and enrage the country.”

Farms in Darbyshire

Nor was Hardy particularly wowed by Sellars’ initial decision to film the series in Darbyshire, another portion of England from James Herriot’s beloved Yorkshire.  While Darbyshire was closer to London, would have simplified production, and saved costs, Hardy saw the landscape as completely different, and the idea disrespectful to the author and his stories.  He told Sellars that either the TV series would be shot in Yorkshire, or he would have nothing to do with it. 

Darbyshire Cow: "C'mon Hardy, be reasonable!"

Yorkshire cows outside Askrigg: "Stick by your convictions, Robert!"

The locals had mixed feelings about the production.  Many people enjoyed it, and one town even demanded that their rector change the time of the Sunday morning services so they could get home in time to watch the program.  Carol Drinkwater remembered that the couple who owned the house in Askrigg that doubled for Skeldale House later sold it for far above its market value.  And, as people began to visit remote locals such as Askrigg which the production used for James Herriot’s fictional Darrowby, many of the houses located at the center of such villages were converted into shops, restaurants, and vacation cottages.  During the fourth through seventh seasons, which were filmed several years after the third, Robert Hardy fainted on a particularly hot summer day.  The doctor who attended him said that, while he didn’t particularly mind being called out, he wasn’t happy about doing so for them, as they had made his beloved region into a tourist attraction.

Skeldale House in Askrigg: A tourist attraction?
Never!

The weather changed dramatically during our visit to Yorkshire, from cold, rainy days to hot and sunny weather.  Thankfully, I never fainted.

Dragon Dave

The Dalek Invasion of our World

I’ve always loved the Dalek stories, particularly the serials from the 1960s and ‘70s.  Those of you who’ve followed my blog know that I used the Doctor Who story “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” as a paradigm to understanding the importance of various places and landmarks during our visit to London in 2011.  I suppose it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when the Daleks invaded our home last year, but then, one can never fully anticipate the future. 

Through the entry portal of my wife’s knitting needles, Daleks of different color schemes (and hence holding different ranks and positions within Dalek society) began appearing in our living room.  A gray Dalek was swiftly followed by black, yellow, pink (Pink?), and even a red Dalek, featuring an arm with pincers instead of a sucker from the AARU movie “Dr. Who and the Daleks.”  Instead of bending us to their will through force and oppression, these Daleks conquered us with their cuteness.  My wife forged a particularly strong relationship with one, whom she brought along on last year’s trip to Yorkshire and Wales.  He forced his way into photographs at various stops along the way, and a slideshow of these now plays whenever her laptop sits idle for too long.

A "Last of the Summer Daleks" moment outside Holmfirth.

Prospecting for future mining operations at Aysgarth Falls,
in preparation for "The Dalek Invasion of Earth." 

While I rest at our hotel near Thirsk, I am guarded by
"All Daleks Great and Small."

Another "All Daleks Great and Small" moment,
this time up above Askrigg.

"The Dalek Who Went Up a Hill,
But Came Down a Mountain."

Late last year, my wife mailed a Dalek to a friend of ours in New York, who is also a fan of Doctor Who.  He was surprised and delighted by her gift, but apparently not as much as his daughter, who discovered the Dalek when she returned home during the Christmas break.  He told us that she’s “kidnapping” their Dalek, and taking it back to rule her dorm room in Colorado.  He wrote, “I think she will be using the Dalek to intimidate the other residents.”  That’s the problem with Daleks.  Give them an invitation into your little world, and they’ll end up ruling it.

You never can tell where an act of kindness will end up taking a person.  Or, for that matter, a Dalek.

Dragon Dave

Related Internet Links

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill, But Came Down a Mountain

DTM Cars & "Last of the Summer Wine"

After we booked a week at the resort near Lancaster, we had one more week to spend somewhere in England.  If you’ve been following my blog, you know that we ultimately decided to spend our entire vacation in the Yorkshire area.  To do so, one option that appealed to us, but we ultimately had to give up, was to attend the DTM German Touring Car event at Brands Hatch.  Every year, usually starting in December, we watch the hour-long TV highlights of each race, and have been doing so since Nicola Larini won the championship in 1993.  This year, the series featured brand new cars and a new manufacturer, and it would have been great to have seen them in action, to hear them roar around the track, to catch a glimpse of former Formula One drivers like Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard, or series frontrunners like Bruno Spengler and Gary Paffett.  Ultimately, we chose to visit Holmfirth that weekend, where the TV show "Last of the Summer Wine" was filmed.

This Christmas, we got two "Last of the Summer Wine" DVDs from family members.  The other night, we watched "Merry Christmas, Father Christmas," in which Seymour convinces Campo to climb onto village roofs in a Father Christmas outfit.  The episode featured some great moments, such as when Pearl catches Norman Clegg sneaking Howard a present from his girlfriend Marina.  Although Norman valiantly pretends that he actually knitted the sweater, when Pearl opens Marina's card, and reads out her message of love, he decides the best option is to take flight.  There’s also a wonderful line, when Seymour tries to dispel Campo’s fear of climbing onto the second-story roof by telling him, “Nonsense!  If that roof were any lower, it’d be a floor!” 

At the beginning of the episode, we felt a special thrill as Seymour, Campo, and Norman walked past Daisy Lane Books.  We don’t remember the bookstore being featured in any of the episodes we’d seen previously, but we happened upon it during our visit to Holmfirth last May.  A mother and son owned the small two-story shop, and every room was crammed floor to ceiling with books.  The man had decided to throw a half-price sale that day, in celebration of his mother’s eightieth birthday, and it was there that I picked up James Herriot’s Yorkshire, a picture book that proved a helpful resource during the rest of our vacation.  There was something about watching three of our favorite characters walk past the shop we visited that is impossible to describe, yet immensely meaningful. 

For Christmas, my wife surprised me with a mug she made on Shutterfly from our visit to Holmfirth.  She’s been working with Shutterfly this year, and has produced a couple nice photobooks from our trip.  But I hadn’t noticed her working on a mug for me.  It resides now beside the teapot we got in Sid’s Café.  I’m sure I’ll use it someday, but for now, it’s too special to use.

Today, we watched the hour-long highlight show from the Brands Hatch round of the DTM championship.  I enjoyed the little they showed of the race, and all the interviews with Jenson Button, Paul di Resta, and many of the series’ drivers.  It would have been great to have watched all the support races, and even seen some of my former heroes, such as Damon Hill, race around the track in other types of cars.  As with everything in life, we have to make choices, and each choice costs us something.  I’ll never know what I missed by not attending the Brands Hatch event, but I know what I gained by visiting Holmfirth.  I’ll clutch that particular visit close to my heart, forever.

Dragon Dave

Related Internet Links

Watch "Merry Christmas, Father Christmas" on Youtube

Mystifying English Sports

After arriving in England back in May, my wife and I rode in a shuttle-van from Manchester Airport to our hotel.  I listened to the radio as commentators discussed the big name stars playing for teams of such large cities as Liverpool and Manchester.  As our driver unloaded our luggage, I asked what sport he was so interested in.  “Football,” he replied.

I blinked, making the mental adjustment.  “Ah.  Soccer.”

“No,” he replied.  “You’re in England now, mate.  “It’s Football.”

In the hotel lobby, as we lined up to check in, I asked how big a sport football was in England.  He went on for about five minutes, telling me about the various leagues and divisions, the latest results, attendance in stadiums, and how English fervor compared to that of other countries.  I smiled and nodded, bathed in the backsplash from his enthusiasm for football.  Sure, I had played soccer in my youth.  But in the United States, it was little more than a game children played at school.  Several times, San Diego had a professional team, but each championship-winning team went bankrupt from a lack of interest.

I find Rugby equally mystifying.  I had watched highlights on TV before we left, just to pick up an impression of this English game, and soon learned that there were several variations on the game.  The main reason I did this was because of a book.  In the late Reginald Hill’s “Dalziel and Pascoe” series, Superintendent Andy Dalziel is a hardcore Rugby fan.  In his first novel, A Clubbable Woman, he and Sergeant Peter Pascoe investigate the death of a small-town femme fatale.  For the most part, the two draw their suspects from a local rugby club. 

In the novel, Rugby was the club members' religion, and the club defined their lives, both business-wise and socially.  There was no greater sin, it seemed, than for a member to miss a scheduled game, or fail to complete any of his commitments to the club.  The members’ passion and commitment made the club the beating heart of community life.  One’s status rose and fell with regard to what happened on the field or in the clubhouse.  I had thought that I might find myself in a position to watch a local match at some point during our journey through Yorkshire.  It would have been interesting to gain some first-hand knowledge of the game, and see how reality compares with the depiction in Reginald Hill’s novel.  Sadly, that opportunity never materialized.

Finally, another English sport I find mystifying is Cricket.  It seemed as though we could never find any TV programs that interested us while staying in Holmfirth, so we watched Cricket while we ate dinner each evening.  Usually, I can pick up the rhythm (and reason behind) a game from watching it, but not this time.  Even after a few evenings, I still had no better grasp of it than I did of Whackbat, the game played by the characters in the Wes Anderson film “The Fantastic Mr. Fox.”  I was reminded of Eric’s description of the game in an episode of “Lovejoy,” when he’s impersonating a member of the aristocracy.  It went something along the lines of “So people go in, and then this happens, and your people go in, and then….”  Well, you get the idea.  Still, at least I got to watch several matches held at Lords Cricket Ground.  That's the one thing that will make Richard Devere take a break from running his vast grocery empire to watch in the sitcom “To the Manor Born.”

I had hoped that my trip to England might enlighten me in regard to these three mystifying English sports.  Still, I suppose that gives me more to discover on my next visit.  Right, mate?

Dragon Dave

Related Internet Links

A short video explaining Whackbat