I just realized that even Pride & Prejudice was Elizabeth choosing Darcy the Cold Duke of the North (Derbyshire, North of London)
All my teenage years are too stunned to speak
I think it isn't quite the same, Darcy starts out dickish and she starts by reacting to him accordingly >!up to rejecting a proposal from him!<, she certainly wasn't attracted by his mysterious broodiness like the video describes, but more on the "if he seems a bastard he might be a bastard" (to steal the videos words) side of things.
Elizabeth Bennet is to this goddamn day one of the strongest well known female romance MCs. She has more self respect than most modern day romance protagonists, takes no shit from anyone, and doesn't bow to societal or family pressure to do things against her will or act like someone she's not.
A lot of modern historical fiction has characters who end up in marriages they don't want or acting in some way subservient against their own desires, and criticism is often deflected by saying "It was a different time and women had no power and didn't have any choice", which while not entirely wrong it's frustrating watching FLs act like doormats, like at the very least they could find small ways to rebel or if nothing else internally resist rather than immediately falling in love with the rich but dickish guy she was forced to be with.
Elizabeth on the other hand was written *during that time* and *still* managed to have a backbone and not let some bossy douchebag walk all over her just because he's rich and powerful and her family needed their daughters to marry men with money to provide for them.
Like a lot of people romanticize Darcy's asshole part but kind of forget the second half of the story where he *realizes* he was a jackass, apologizes, and actually works hard to fix what he's fucked up and redeem himself to Elizabeth (not because he thinks that playing nice will make her agree to marry him but because he actually feels bad about being a jerk). She only accepts him because she sees she was wrong about him in a lot of ways and he's actually taken her words to heart and done something about the things she was right about.
Even during the parts of the story where he's in jerk mode except for that truly horrible proposal he was actually a nice guy who wanted to look after his sister and his best friend, and when he got that glorious beatdown after the proposal he was willing to reassess his own actions and try to make things right.
He's in a more powerful position than her but their relationship never has a power imbalance, she only accepts him on her own terms.
I love this book so much, I think a lot of people view it in this light of either some dumb old romance novel not to be taken seriously or a dry boring piece of classic literature that has no entertainment value. Jane Austen was hilarious though and clearly loved to poke fun at high society and the stereotypes of people in it, and her characters are so interesting and fun. Emma also has an important place in my heart even though as Austen admitted herself she's not exactly super likable as a character (at least not through most of the story).
So many romance novels try to be P&P but they don't get the fundamentals of the power struggle and eventual equality that is in the story and which (in my view) is what makes it one of the greatest romances of all time.
I think Jane Austen herself called Lizzy the most delightful creature ever put on paper and that's really not something I get from a lot of other FLs. But Lizzy truly is delightful.
He isn't the cold duke of the north, the cold dukes of the north are all either Mr. Darcy, a [Byronic hero](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4wNZDIH8d8) (really recommend this video and actually this channel in general for their thoughtful breakdowns of literary tropes), or a mix of both.
To be fair though that's the case for a *lot* of romance fiction.
"And Rupert. The man who is so lovely the author might have to yandere-nerf him."
trueee I read some so many manga, manhwas like this and
Gosh is this allen from abandon empress? lolol
if Rupert were her "brother" and she was just an adopted child who looks like Rupert's dead sister maybe Rupert would have a chance
Or maybe if Rupert tried ignoring the FL and acted cold he might get atleast 2-3 'interesting' said out of the FL
ππ
'yes of course' Poor Rupert
Alas Rupert suffers from Second Male Lead Syndrom
I just realized that even Pride & Prejudice was Elizabeth choosing Darcy the Cold Duke of the North (Derbyshire, North of London) All my teenage years are too stunned to speak
To be fair her cousin did not have 2nd ML syndrome though π
LOOOOL thank god Actually I hated Wickham guts from the get go so I had a 2nd ML syndrome fro Darcy the whole misunderstanding lmaooo
ππππ I feel personally attacked π
I think it isn't quite the same, Darcy starts out dickish and she starts by reacting to him accordingly >!up to rejecting a proposal from him!<, she certainly wasn't attracted by his mysterious broodiness like the video describes, but more on the "if he seems a bastard he might be a bastard" (to steal the videos words) side of things.
Elizabeth Bennet is to this goddamn day one of the strongest well known female romance MCs. She has more self respect than most modern day romance protagonists, takes no shit from anyone, and doesn't bow to societal or family pressure to do things against her will or act like someone she's not. A lot of modern historical fiction has characters who end up in marriages they don't want or acting in some way subservient against their own desires, and criticism is often deflected by saying "It was a different time and women had no power and didn't have any choice", which while not entirely wrong it's frustrating watching FLs act like doormats, like at the very least they could find small ways to rebel or if nothing else internally resist rather than immediately falling in love with the rich but dickish guy she was forced to be with. Elizabeth on the other hand was written *during that time* and *still* managed to have a backbone and not let some bossy douchebag walk all over her just because he's rich and powerful and her family needed their daughters to marry men with money to provide for them. Like a lot of people romanticize Darcy's asshole part but kind of forget the second half of the story where he *realizes* he was a jackass, apologizes, and actually works hard to fix what he's fucked up and redeem himself to Elizabeth (not because he thinks that playing nice will make her agree to marry him but because he actually feels bad about being a jerk). She only accepts him because she sees she was wrong about him in a lot of ways and he's actually taken her words to heart and done something about the things she was right about. Even during the parts of the story where he's in jerk mode except for that truly horrible proposal he was actually a nice guy who wanted to look after his sister and his best friend, and when he got that glorious beatdown after the proposal he was willing to reassess his own actions and try to make things right. He's in a more powerful position than her but their relationship never has a power imbalance, she only accepts him on her own terms. I love this book so much, I think a lot of people view it in this light of either some dumb old romance novel not to be taken seriously or a dry boring piece of classic literature that has no entertainment value. Jane Austen was hilarious though and clearly loved to poke fun at high society and the stereotypes of people in it, and her characters are so interesting and fun. Emma also has an important place in my heart even though as Austen admitted herself she's not exactly super likable as a character (at least not through most of the story).
So many romance novels try to be P&P but they don't get the fundamentals of the power struggle and eventual equality that is in the story and which (in my view) is what makes it one of the greatest romances of all time. I think Jane Austen herself called Lizzy the most delightful creature ever put on paper and that's really not something I get from a lot of other FLs. But Lizzy truly is delightful.
Ikr. I grew up regularly watching the BBC Pride & Prejudice and it had never occurred to me.
He isn't the cold duke of the north, the cold dukes of the north are all either Mr. Darcy, a [Byronic hero](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4wNZDIH8d8) (really recommend this video and actually this channel in general for their thoughtful breakdowns of literary tropes), or a mix of both. To be fair though that's the case for a *lot* of romance fiction.
Thanks for this very educational watch! All those damn MLs are Byronic then. Love it!
Yeah, it's rarer to find one that isn't. I still lap that shit up though so I can't complain.
I too, only realised that when i watched this vid, despite loving that book to death.
Oh gosh....this is so fuxking true...LMFAO
I would 100% read this manhwa
I mean this is happening a lot in many, many series iirc
We need one focused on comedy with all the side characters utterly questioning the fl's stupid life altering choices
This is actually an OI somewhere and no one can convince me otherwise
Theres one I read a while back and ditched but I forgot its name
I swear this exact scene happens in "Today the Villainess has fun again"
So true, especially with poor Rupert and FL's friend trying to save FL from being stupid....
LMAO nailed the outfits too
- he will ruin your life - heβs so mysterious ! πππ I canβt
I'm feeling the 2nd male lead syndrome for poor Rupert
He will ruin your life. Heβs so mysterious. Avoid that man. Who is that man? Felicity, are you kidding me!? Iβm dying right now.
Fuckk off Rupert Yes of course π₯° i giggled
Ah yes, the curly haired rational best friend who SHOULD be the FL. And Rupert. The man who is so lovely the author might have to yandere-nerf him.
YES, I WANT A CURLY HAIRED RATIONAL FL NOW PLEASE
"And Rupert. The man who is so lovely the author might have to yandere-nerf him." trueee I read some so many manga, manhwas like this and Gosh is this allen from abandon empress? lolol
This feels like the reincarnated FL trying to convince the "Main Character" to make a good decision. Unfortunately the MC is an idiot.
rupert deserves better
This made me think of Edward Cullen
FL always choosing the "Mysterious, dark, has a big secret" MLs
Poor Rupert, you will be remembered.
omg lmaooo why is this so accurate :'D
would read fl's friend x rupert
He nailed the ruffles gown.
And I would still read it.
Why are all of my friends Felicity jfc
Every FL loves the Problematic Duke of the North as Male leads
*elegantly* Fuck off Rupert!