More North & South squee and cut-throat pricing of anime

[dangermousie]

Here's the dialogue from Thornton's first proposal as a reason for why I am so crazy for it (and jusr cause I think it's hot. bijoux typed it up in a pic post):

Thornton: Miss Hale, I didn't just come here to thank you. I came because... I think it very likely... I know I've never found myself in this position before. It's difficult to find the words. Miss Hale, my feelings for you are very strong.
Margaret: Please, stop. Please don't go any further.
Thornton: Excuse me?
Margaret: Please don't continue in that way. It's not the way of a gentleman.
Thornton: I'm well aware that in your eyes at least I'm not a gentleman. But I think I deserve to know why I am offensive.
Margaret: It offends me that you should speak to me as if it were your duty to rescue my reputation!
Thornton: I spoke to you about my feelings because I love you. I have no thought for your reputation.
Margaret: You think that because you are rich and my father is in reduced circumstances that you can have me for your possession? I suppose I should expect no less from someone in trade!
Thornton: I don't want to possess you. I wish to marry you because I love you! cue Dangermousie fainting from the guuuh.
Margaret: You shouldn't because I do not like you and never have.
Thornton: One minute we talk of the color of fruit... the next of love. How does that happen?
Margaret: My friend Bessy Higgins is dying.
Thornton: And that, of course, is my fault, too?
Margaret: I'm sorry -
Thornton: For what? That you find my feelings for you offensive? Or that you assume because I'm in trade I'm only capable of thinking in terms of buying and selling? Or that I take pleasure in sending my employees to an early grave?
Margaret: No! No, of course not. I-I'm sorry to be so blunt. I've not learnt how to... how to refuse. How to respond when a man talks to me as you just have.
Thornton: Oh, there are others? This happens to you every day? Of course. You must have to disappoint so many men that offer you their heart.
Margaret: Please understand, Mr. Thornton...
Thornton: I do understand. I understand you completely. *walks off*

I need N&S fic. Really. (ETA: found an archive here though no idea how good it is.)

Also, when I was hunting around various Borders branches for North & South I checked out the anime section with newly awakened interest. Crazy. Each volume of InuYasha or RahXephon or Fushigi Yuugi (those were the only ones I recognized) was around $30 each. FY had 8 volumes ergo the cost would be $240 for the whole set which is insane (I have no idea how many voluems IY or RX had, but it's still crazy). Who buys this? If you go on ebay (as I did out of curiousity), you can get IY and FY complete set for around $40 shipping included and RX for less than $30. Seriously, who buys these?

Comments

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

We anime fans have our ways and one of those ways is called buying fansubs or over seas ripped copies. Most of my anime are foreign or fansubs. You just have to pick through Ebay to find it.

And poor Thornton. You stick your heart on the table and someone stabs it a couple times with a butterknife.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

And poor Thornton. You stick your heart on the table and someone stabs it a couple times with a butterknife.

For some reason, this gives me a cooking image. :P

But yes, I think Margaret is being horribly harsh to him (of course, she ends up getting plenty of cosmic payback later, but that's another matter). When she said that what he said was offensive, I went: ???????? How? How is a guy telling you he loves you and wants to marry you offensive? But then of course she is sensitive that he is only doing it out of obligation (and hey, she likes him so it galls her doubly hard) and of course jumps to the worst possible conclusion (as she does throughout the talk) because she is so confused.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

The part that gets me is that not only does she refuse him, she insults him and acts like he did something wrong. It's like a guys worst nightmare. Totally not on the level of Elizabeth's refusal, since Darcy really did insult her when he proposed and she had a legitimate beef.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

she insults him and acts like he did something wrong

And if it wasn't for her irrational emotional flusteredness, I'd say she is completely insane. I mean, how does a guy ever propose to anyone again after this?

I have to say, to propose back in Victorian times (or earlier) certainly took guts since they didn't have dating and you really took your heart in your hands when you proposed. I mean, when my husband proposed to me, we've been together for a couple of years so it was pretty clear what I was going to say and he was still nervous. This? This must have been horrifyingly nerve-racking.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

I suppose the marriages that were sort of arranged for everyone's benefit weren't that big of a deal, since you sort of knew that even if the woman wasn't wild about it, she'd probably jump at the chance for stability. Proposing to women with some fire though, that had to be horrifying.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, leads one to see how one could prefer a mealy-mouthed wilting flower. Heee.

I have to say, much as I deplore Margaret's method of rejection (horribly hurtful), I am somewhat impressed at her passing up the chance to marry (at least financially) well. Because once her parents die, what will she do?

And of course, a practical part of me does think she should have accepted, if not Thornton (who throws her so off-balance that I can see rationality deserting her) but then Henry who proposes to her early in the story and is a most eligible match. I am afraid I am not romantic enough. Starvation or marriage? Marriage all the way!

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Sadly enough, me too. Even the insulting Darcy proposal sounded pretty good to me.

I've got to think it takes a very stubborn personality to turn down men like Elizabeth and Margaret did. You know there aren't any career options there for them, so they're turning down their best chance at livlihood. What gets me too is that they actually LIKE the guys they turn down.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup. I'd be tempted to take Mr. Collins, actually. Well, maybe not because Lizzy isn't that desperate yet (not as desperate as Margaret anyway). But I always sympathized with Charlotte in P&P.

[maddeinin.livejournal.com]

Oh, that proposal is just so PAINFUL. Gah.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Seeing all these horrid first proposals in literature that do end up in marriage eventually does make one wonder if Mr. Collins was right about refusal meaning nothing :P

Hmmm. I still prefer taking my husband on his offer the first time he asked :P

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

It's a pretty impressive proposal. And the refusal is brutal. Not exactly the sort of thing you bounce back from in a hurry. I too yearn for N&S fic, but I dread to think what might be out there...

[maddeinin.livejournal.com]

Me too on the fic. dangermousie, if you find something decent, you'll point us to it, right?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup. I'll be checking it out once I am done with the series and hope there is something good there.

[maddeinin.livejournal.com]

Excellent! I think meyerlemon read some, but she doesn't seem to be around at the mo'.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I think what makes it so horrible is that (as crumpeteer points out), unlike Mr. Darcy, Thornton hasn't said anything (or done anything) that merits such a horrifying rejection. I can only imagine how something like this would feel.

I am afraid if someone responded this way to me, I'd lose interest in them in a hurry.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I know...but I am still somewhat sympathetic given that I once gave what was termed as the least romantic answer to a proposal ever. I refuse to same more on the grounds of shame.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I can understand why Margaret reacts the way she does and I still like her of course, but I am a detached observer who isn't personally involved. For Thornton is another matter, of course.

the least romantic answer to a proposal ever.

Heee. But I assume you didn't tell the guy how much you loathed him with every fibre of your being? :P

[dreamybritactor.livejournal.com]

My two cents on this. Richard Armitage was told that in a sense that North and South was like Pride and Prejudice and he was pleased to be considered the Mr. Darcy role.

As for the "engagement" scene. I think that in a sense that it is the opposite of the Lizzie/Darcy "engagement" scene. Yes, Darcy has fallen for Lizzie and fights that feeling. Yes, he is mean spirited and Lizzie is right to chew him out. BUT -- what right does Margaret have to chew Mr. Thornton out? How many men,(especially men, like Thornton, who don't show their feelings much) actually say I am asking you to marry me because I love you? It is not out of duty that he is asking to marry. He would have asked her sooner or later, why not now, is my view on this.

It really makes you want to go up to her and shake your finger in her face. Your heart goes out to Thornton because he has ALWAYS been nice to her. She is well. . .sometimes, I just want to shake sense into the girl.

BTW -- I joined the Yahoo mailing list that you have the link to. It is not a very active list, but they do have some nice things.

I love the icons you have and wonder -- If I made a North & South community where we can all talk about N&S -- would you join?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

If I made a North & South community where we can all talk about N&S -- would you join?


Yes I would :)

because he has ALWAYS been nice to her.

Well, except for yelling at her to get out of his factory in the beginning. And arguing with her. And discomfiting with his forthrightness (though the latter isn't necessarily bad). :P

[dreamybritactor.livejournal.com]

Made one. :D

http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=north_and_south

Come one! Come all! Can I use two of your N&S icons for the community? I WUB them!!!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

These icons aren't mine. They are made by alexandral. If you go to her lj and give her proper comment and credit and ask her, she probably won't mind.

[dreamybritactor.livejournal.com]

Oh and the yelling is because he was afraid that his place was going to burn down. She was minding his business. Would you do that with someone you just met?

You can tell I adore Mr. Thornton.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Well, if I saw someone beating a cowering person, I'd try to interfere too (and I still think it's understandable he lost his temper, but wrong).

I like Thornton, but he is flawed. Which is OK by me :)

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

Well, just like pirated Bollywood DVDs, you can find millions of pirated fansubs at any Asian-centric place. Lol.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

And unlike with Bolly movies, where the price difference isn't that huge, the price difference here is unbelievable. Who buys the ones in Borders, honest? Because someone must yet I can't see why.

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they can be really expensive. Which is why I simply download the episodes and movies I want now. Unless it's something I REALLY love.