#also if you think about marriage traditionally in law | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ghouljams · 7 months

Note

*Slides into the ask box*

Brief question here for you today, but did Ghost decide to ask Price's permission to marry Goose? I can see him wanting to do everything by the book and traditionally, but I can also see him respecting that Goose is her own woman and can make that decision for herself.

Ghost did ask permission in his own way! I like to think it was more important to Ghost than Goose to get the captain’s permission. For Ghost, Price is not just his captain, he's as close to a father figure as he can get, and past that Price is the person that dragged him back from the edge every time he walked too close. And, well, I'll just let you read it.

“You cannot be this scared of my daddy,” You cross your arms over your chest, watching Simon fuss with his boots by the door. He gives you a stern glare, and tugs his mask up to cover his face. You roll your eyes, “You served under him, isn’t this easier than tellin’ him a mission went sideways?”

Simon grunts, his way of saying he doesn’t want to talk about this. You’ll have to tell your dad eventually that you’re getting engaged, it’s not like he can find out at the wedding. Simon isn’t asking for your hand or anything, more getting your folks' blessing.

“That’ll do,” He grumbles and you throw your arms up. Christ you cannot be the one to tell your dad. As much as you think he’s warmed up to you and Simon dating you don’t think he’s exactly entertained the idea that Simon might become his son-in-law. If you tell your dad you’ll feel like you’re asking permission to marry Simon. That's not how you want to start your engagement. Simon catches your hand before you can start really working yourself up.

“This is important to me,” You tell him.

“I know,” His thumb rubs the back of your hand, soothing, “I’ll tell him.”

(Several months earlier)

“I’m gonna marry your daughter,” Ghost tells Price as they watch cattle file past. The sun is high in the sky, the horses are comfortably docile, and cicadas whirr loudly from the nearby trees. Price lowers his cigar between two careful fingers, eyes tracking the herd. He taps the ash against his boot to keep it away from the horse and off the grass. The air is still as both men seem to wait on the other.

“Goose know that?” Price asks finally. He knows as well as anyone that Ghost doesn’t make decisions lightly, and that once he does he isn’t likely to change his mind. More importantly he knows the man hardly thinks he’s worth being called human, let alone thinks about things like love and marriage.

“No,” Ghost tugs a cigarette box from his pocket and pulls one free with his teeth. Price sniffs, nudges his horse forward with his heels against its side, leaving Ghost to light his cigarette before he follows. It’s a beautiful day. The sort of day people paint when they don’t have a picture, clear blue skies and the wind rippling through the grass. Quiet too, y’know if you don’t count the bugs.

“So why’re you tellin’ me? Take it up with her.” Price spares him a glance as Ghost catches up, their horses meandering after the cows at a respectable distance. Ghost lowers his cigarette, exhaling smoke before pulling it back between his teeth.

“Because if you tell me not to, I won’t.” It’s the even honesty that makes Price pause. Ghost’s a good soldier, ruthless, efficient, fully tactically aware of his role as an instrument of violence. Some part of Price blames himself for that, for not doing enough to save Simon from compartmentalizing his humanity away after everything, for pushing Ghost to be the tool he needed him to be to take down the bad guys.

He doesn’t have to say anything more than that. If Price gives the order he’ll obey, even if it hurts you. Always a good soldier. He can’t do that to him, can’t do that to you. Not when he sees so much of himself in Ghost: the anger, the need for something(anything) to be right. That’s why he’d offered him a position at the farm in the first place.

“You’re a better man than you think you are Simon,” Price says finally, he powers through the questioning ‘Sir?’ from Ghost, “You make my girl happy, and if she heard you say that she’d tan your hide faster than any AQ could.”

“She would,” Ghost says with a touch of fondness in his tone.

“I trust her judgment, you just tell me if she says yes,” Price takes a long drag of his cigar, enjoying the fullness of smoke in his lungs before he lets it flow free with his exhale, “How’re the nightmares?”

Ghost is quiet for a long time, long enough Price wonders if he might’ve overstepped. There’s a long exhale, before Ghost answers. “Better with her.”

Price nods, “They always are.”

(Present)

“Goose said yes.” Ghost rolls a cigarette between his fingers, careful to compensate for the movement of the horse so he doesn’t lose the loose tobacco. Price sighs from his right. The wildflowers are starting to peak up through the grass. The ones the cows haven’t eaten are even blooming. Gaz is off corralling the cattle that’ve wandered too far from the herd, it’s a good time to talk if they want privacy.

“About damn time,” Price says after a moment, “Thought Goose was gonna drag your ass to the courthouse.”

“Sir?” Ghost looks up quickly from his work, his surprise nearly startling his horse.

"How long were you plannin' on pretendin' you weren't part of this family?" It's an honest question but it cuts deeper than Ghost had expected. Deep enough he doesn't fault Price the gentler tone he uses to ask it.

"Haven't even married 'er yet," Ghost grumbles.

"Know that's not what I'm talkin' about," Price leans back in his saddle, making himself as comfortable as he can watching the pasture, "'M proud of you son, don't make me hafta tell you that again."

Simon frowns to stop himself from making any other expression, and tugs his mask a little higher up his nose. It's a beautiful day, it would be a shame to ruin it by saying something stupid, or getting worked up over nothing.

544 notes · View notes

a-big-apple · 3 months

Text

Gideon, Harrow, and "Wedding Vows"

i frequently see the interpretation that this:

"The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee," said Gideon. (GtN 438)

plus this:

"If I forget you, let my right hand be forgotten," her mouth was saying. "Add more also, if aught but death part me and thee." And, unsteadily: "Griddle." (HtN 360)

plus this:

It didn't even matter when Kiriona said, "Sure, Cam. Marry a moron, then die. I get the urge." (NtN 372)

equals Gideon and Harrow are married! crying face emoji!

i'm not disparaging that interpretation, i think it's valid and has some basis in the text, and even if it wasn't/didn't, i think fans should have all the fun they want. but for me, it doesn't fully capture the complexity of what Gideon and Harrow are to each other, and i want to explore a slightly less straightforward reading.

Catholic weddings, vows, and Ruth under the cut ;)

Gideon and Ninth House traditions

let's start with Gideon quoting Ruth. i've seen folks repeating the idea that this is a wedding vow. it's more accurate to say that this is a verse often used as a wedding vow, in other denominations of Christianity, and secularly as well. but in a (traditional) Catholic wedding, the couple can't write or choose their own vows--the Celebration of Matrimony has specific text, with one or two variations, that is always used.

now, we haven't seen a Ninth House marriage ceremony. if we do see such a thing in AtN and discover that Ruth 1:17 is part of that tradition, i will cry a million happy queer tears about it. but i think it's somewhat likely that Gideon has never even seen a Ninth House wedding, given how small and trending elderly the population is, and that we know no couples in her lifetime have had kids other than the Reverend Parents.

what i'm getting at here is that this quotation from Ruth doesn't seem, to me, to represent something that's religiously or traditionally binding in Ninth House culture. it uses some similar language to Catholic marriage vows, "until death do us part" etc, but i don't think these are words that make them married in the eyes of the Ninth or the Houses at large, i think these are words Gideon has chosen as a specific expression of her devotion. and where does she get them from, if not some Ninth House ceremony or scripture?

well, this is a slightly longer stretch, but at the point in the story when Gideon says this, she's already dead. Harrow has begun to absorb her--and thanks to "The Unwanted Guest," we know that souls are porous, permeable, and rub off on each other when they're in contact. Gideon's soul is at this moment being integrated into Harrow's; Harrow has certainly read all kinds of books on the Ninth ranging from usual to totally heretical, some of them probably extremely old, and it's not unreasonable to think writings from before the Resurrection might have been copied and recopied into something Harrow could access. And speaking of soul permeability, Harrow's had Alecto's soul clinging onto hers for seven years, and Alecto's soul is in intimate contact with John's soul--there are so many ways for this bit of scripture to make its way into Gideon's non-corporeal mouth. the STI (Soulfully Transmitted Infection) of biblical knowledge.

Ruth in context

now let's talk a little about Ruth, the book of the Bible and also the character of the Bible, and Naomi, who she is swearing her devotion to. tl;dr, Naomi and her husband and two grown sons are Israelites who immigrate to Moab, a "pagan" nation, to escape famine. Naomi's two sons marry Moabite women; then the sons both die, as does Naomi's husband. Naomi, having lost everything, decides to return home where she'll be penniless and have a bad life but at least she'll be among her people; she tells her two daughters-in-law to go back to their families. One of them goes.

The other, Ruth, refuses, and swears beautiful devotion to Naomi, as we've heard Gideon quote: "She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee."

in a biblical context, this has nothing to do with a wedding vow. Ruth is promising to leave the comfort of her own people, religion, and homeland to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi, even though the connection they had (Naomi's son, Ruth's husband) is gone, and all they have to look forward to is a terrible life of grief and bitterness. this is frequently interpreted as a parallel to Jesus, who (in the religious perspective) made the sacrifice of leaving his place with God and becoming human out of devotion to humanity, in order to live and suffer and redeem us. woof, this is giving me flashbacks to CCD.

of course, many Christians resist interpreting what passes between Ruth and Naomi as resembling a wedding vow for homophobic reasons too--making it about Jesus is a way to make it less queer--but i think the point still stands that this is a more complicated, and less marriage-related, expression of love than it seems taken on its own.

Harrow's lamentation

when Harrow later echoes it back, she conflates it with a different biblical quotation: "On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments. For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs. And they that carried us away, said: Sing ye to us a hymn of the songs of Sion. How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten. Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee: If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy."

it's a lament, an expression of mourning, a longing for home from someone who has been forcibly removed from it. when combined with the Ruth quotation, in which Ruth is giving up her home in her devotion, this really reads to me as both Harrow's grief, immediate and overpowering, and a realization that Gideon is her home, and failing to acknowledge that is as disabling as the loss of a hand or of the power of speech. Gideon is the beginning of her joy, and Harrow is, in this moment, putting Gideon above the Ninth House in her devotion. above Alecto. above everything.

and again, i'm not saying all of that can't be about marriage, but it's about a relationship much more complicated than marriage can encompass in the context House cultural norms.

Kiriona Gaia, saddest girl

this brings me to Kiriona, and "marry a moron, then die." consider the context of this, and the tone. Kiriona's deeply, deeply hurt. the saddest girl in the universe. she died for Harrow, avowed her devotion to Harrow, and then (from her perspective) was rejected; buried; excised from Harrow's brain and then from her body. Kiriona, as she did when she was Gideon, covers her emotions with humor and sarcasm. i suspect she's even less able to handle being vulnerable as Kiriona than she ever was before. she's making light of Canaan House and what happened there, and it's only in sarcastically downplaying what she's been through that she recounts her relationship to Harrow as a marriage--something she has almost no positive examples of, something that is in her experience frequently political and joyless. also notably, she frames it as a marriage that occurred before she died.

Their actual vow

what Gideon (and Kiriona) really wants--she tells us over and over again--is to be a true cavalier.

and what does Gideon's ghost repeat right before she devastates us with Ruth 1:17?

"One flesh, one end," said Gideon, and it was a murmur now, on the very edge of hearing. Harrow said, "Don't leave me." (GtN 438)

it's taken me a dozen paragraphs just to propose that this is their vow. "One flesh, one end" are the actual words that need to be spoken, in Gideon and Harrow's cultural context, to bring them into an official union with each other; a union that is arguably more fundamental in the Houses, and certainly more complicated, than a marriage. a union Gideon specifically wants, and has seen in action.

in the pool, they vow to each other as cavalier and necromancer. in the moments before Gideon's death, she forgives Harrow again, and exposes her heart: "'You know I only care about you,' she said in a brokenhearted rush" (GtN 430). then she repeats their oath again, acknowledges the pain she's about to cause for Harrow, and rededicates herself to the Ninth--a place she never really belonged, Harrow's home and people more than her own, as Ruth dedicated herself to Naomi's home and people. Gideon "married" her moron in the pool, and now she dies to fulfill that vow.

and as we saw above, after Gideon's death, she reminds Harrow again of their union--of its importance, of how she's fulfilling what she has interpreted to be her whole purpose as a cavalier--and it's in response to Harrow's "don't leave me" that Gideon offers a final reassurance of her devotion. in her mind, this sacrifice is its ultimate expression, the most inextricable and undeniable union two people can achieve.

Gideon believes she'll be part of Harrow forever.

#the locked tomb #the locked tomb meta #i stayed up way too late last night writing this

80 notes · View notes

antvmnos · 7 months

Text

headcanons wedding day (kuai liang ver.)

(kuai liang x reader)

you and kuai finally marriage each other.

afab, sfw, fluff, established relationship, reader is gender neutral.

You still don't believe that you are fulfilling an old desire, sometimes you think that everything is a distant dream. Something temporary. You pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming. You really aren't.

You opted for the traditionality of the clan and culture, even in the costumes. His and Kuai's clothes were beautiful and boasted the pomp of the clan, - courtesy of the Grandmaster - they were custom made with the Lin Kuei emblem adorning his and yours as well. You wanted something simple, but this was a gift. You can't refuse.

Both decided to hold the ceremony in the fire gardens. Not all guests would be able to withstand Artika's biting cold. Even you have problems with the harsh climate of that place, but you try hard for your brother-in-law. In fact, you and he have differences - including the fact that you are not only marrying Kuai, but also their clan - but Bi-Han was apparently satisfied with the marriage. Tomas, who you always considered important, also rooted for you, that's why he was the best man.

The ceremony was planned to be low-key, low-key, with only the most important people present who you knew and cared about.

Everything that was planned and organized for months went smoothly. The setting sun illuminated the fire gardens. Lord Liu Kang was the host, wishing you congratulations and blessings on this day, a request from Kuai Liang out of respect for what he stood for, that you may have good luck and health until the end of your days. It was exciting. You cried.

Kuai couldn't take his eyes off you all day as he chatted with guests and received congratulations. You were as beautiful as cherry blossoms in spring. From afar, whenever your eyes meet he smiles at you and you feel like a clumsy idiot blushing, as if it was the first time you were seeing him.

You acted perfectly throughout the event and made sure not to leave anyone unattended, always paying attention to everyone equally to ensure they were enjoying this special moment. You are very lucky to have him.

bonus scene

"So...what should I call you now? Hot girl? Hot, icy girl? Tell me you understand it's a game of ice and fire!" Johnny asks.

"Johnny, shut your damn mouth or we'll be expelled!" Kenshi whispered, leaning on his shoulder.

"No! Wait a minute, I have a better idea! So... How about girl on fire like the Alicia Keys song?"

You've gotten used to his way. You just laugh, without understanding who this woman from the earthrealm is.

"I appreciate your efforts on the names, Johnny. Thank you."

"You know I'm the best, don't you?"

Kenshi sighs.

#kuai liang x reader #mk1 #mk1 2023 #scorpion mk #scorpion x reader #mortal kombat 1 #kuai liang

138 notes · View notes

exsanguidus · 7 months

Note

re headcanon: how do you think Astarion will go about marriage proposal? will he be nervous or smarmy. would he even want to marry at all?

This is going to be a long answer. Also, should note this is of course in reference to non-Ascended Astarion.

Since I headcanon Astarion as a Moon Elf, I think 3e and 3.5e lore on how elves view love, romance, and sexuality is probably pretty close to what Moon Elf culture practices, seeing as they're stated to be rather adventurous and tend not to stay in one place for too long.

3.5e Elves Reddit Citing 3e

This is also why I headcanon that Astarion is rather open-minded to the idea of Tav taking on another lover or having threesomes/foursomes together.

That said, I think that deep down he prefers monogamy, particularly because he's selfish in the sense he wants to have something of his own that he doesn't have to share. Especially after those 200 years he didn't have himself for himself and the fact he can't recall ever genuinely being loved just for being himself rather than what he can offer.

But so long as Tav reassures him that it won't affect their relationship negatively and he won't be neglected in love, affection, and care, he's not opposed. He trusts Tav enough to be responsible, honest, and communicative.

He also mentions, if you approach him about being with Halsin post-his quest, that while the idea of change has always sort of terrified him because it's an unknown, he's accepted that life happens and if Tav does end up falling for someone else, he's confident he'll eventually be ok because he has himself.

Now to get to the actual question at hand: how would Astarion go about a marriage proposal.

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but he wouldn't. At least not in the sense that Humans think of marriage and marriage proposals.

He's definitely read about them in the sappy and smutty romance novels he's read, but he personally doesn't subscribe to the idea that he needs to showcase his true love for his partner like that because his partner would know through actions and words they speak to one another privately exactly how Astarion feels about them.

Astarion would really just start referring to his partner as his Wife/Husband/Spouse one day. And then after that, just start using their surname along with his own like that's what his name has always been.

For example, I ship exclusively with my buddy Vex's Tav OC Annette Harlow (@knivesong). So, in our post-game verse Astarion refers to himself as Astarion Harlow Ancunín as his completely full name. He wasn't asked to and he doesn't just going around announcing it randomly to everyone, but he decided that on his own and tells people when its relevant to do so because that's how he decided he wanted to show Annie's place in his life while still respecting both their individualities and unique personhoods.

I also recently put up a headcanon that elves traditionally wear wedding bands on their right hand, if they choose to wear any at all. I believe Astarion would wear the True Love's Caress ring on his right ring finger. He originally didn't until post-his quest, I imagine, but eventually would have just quietly moved it to that finger of his own accord.

I also recently wrote a headcanon that post-game, rather than claim and move into the Crimson Palace (Szarr Palace), he gets himself a nice spot in Baldur's Gate where he can live in the apartments above his own perfume shop. He would legitimately just assume Tav was going to live with him, at that point, and put in furniture to accommodate both of them and take into consideration Tav's tastes in his decor choices.

All that is basically my long way of saying that Astarion would basically just marry Tav via Common Law Marriage. Basically everyone just recognizes those two as married even if they didn't have some big solemnized ceremony.

Astarion doesn't believe in any of the gods anyway. Acknowledges they all exist, since they literally do and can be physically seen, but he won't worship any of them ever. So he wouldn't really think it's important to have their relationship solemnized by an outside source as long as they both solemnize it via consent and mutual understanding of the perimeters of their relationship.

He doesn't care how others view their relationship because, to him, his relationship with Tav is strictly between them and no one else's business.

Of course, if Tav ever brought up that they actually wanted an official marriage proposal and a legitimate marriage ceremony with all the bells and whistles, he'd be all for it because:

I. It's a reason for him to dress up and be Extra.

II. It would make Tav happy.

In that case, he would be the most Extra of Extra about it. Not nervous because he already knows the answer would be yes, but nervous because he wants to make sure he does it right in a way his partner would be pleased with. He'd make a whole performance out of it and it'd be this massive grand gesture. Mind you, that doesn't mean it'd be this huge public display with like releasing doves and hiring a troupe of bards or anything, but something elegant that feels expensive and intimately grand.

It'd probably be so Extra that Tav would facepalm, but he'd just remind them that they asked for it and he doesn't go halfsies on things like that because he has standards for the both of them.

#hc ; in one's blood #askbox ; blood oath #fun ; meme #penned by grim ;

7 notes · View notes

richmond-rex · 10 months

Note

Hi! I'm not super familiar with the late 15th century, but in relation to your last post, I wanted to ask: what exactly was the dower Elizabeth of York received? Do we know the exact amount and how much it was towards the end of her life?

I know that both EW and EoY received lesser than their lancastrian predecessors (very understandable imo - both Edward and Henry had less to give away, the former dower of 10,000 was very unpopular, and in EW's case she had no dowry or no political alliance attached to the marriage, not to mention the promotions, titles and marriages that were additionally granted to her family) but did Elizabeth of York receive less than her mother or did they receive the same amount? I remember reading that EoY received less, at least initially, tho I may be wrong (this obviously doesn't indicate that EoY lacked dignity, respect and opulence as queen - she very clearly received all these things)

Regarding Edward and Henry (or Henry VIII, later on) not paying dowries for their sisters-in-law, I really don't think it's a double standard as much as the fact that the younger Elizabeth's sisters were not just the Queen's sisters, as Elizabeth Woodville's sisters and Henry VIII's sisters-in-law were, but also English royal princesses on their own right. (I also think that's why EoY gave her sisters their own annuities - it would have been keeping up with the respect their royal positions demanded). I say this because it's generally what I see when I stumble across these kinds of discussions. It's not necessarily an invalid point, in my opinion, I definitely agree that the situations were very different. In that same line of thought, Henry VII can hardly be judged for behaving "differently" from former or succeeding kings, because none of them were in the situation he was in! None of them were married to English consorts whose sisters were also English princesses in their own right. And Henry VII DID attempt to marry them to Scottish royal family, if I remember correctly. And like you mentioned, Elizabeth DID give them annuities.

Hello! It's a bit difficult to know Elizabeth of York's exact earnings. One thing which Retha Warnicke has pointed out is that the collected value (£3,535) annotated in her 'privy purse' accounts by Elizabeth's receiver-general after her death in February 1503 — which has been traditionally taken as the full sum of her dower — goes back only to the beginning of the year which was on 29 September (Michaelmas). If that reading is right, that's not an unsubstantial sum to be collected in half a year. Laynesmith cited 'a valor for lands which probably dates from after [receiving Cecily Neville's inheritance] recorded the queen's income at £4,344.' and that's not counting, for example, the £102 annuity Elizabeth received from the town of Bristol, and other such fees.

Laynesmith says that must have been a particularly profitable year for Elizabeth but I see no reason why we should not think the contrary, for example, that the money either collected in less than a year in 1502-1503, or collected after the queen was dead and when her debtors were more unlikely to pay, marked a particularly bad year for her coffers. I think Katia Wright is correct in concluding both Elizabeths probably received around £4,500, more or less, which is roughly what Philippa of Hainault and Anne of Bohemia received too. I think a lot is said about Elizabeth's income because her debts are so well documented but that shouldn't be the case when we consider Philippa of Hainault's (and other queens') debts too.

You have a point that Elizabeth of York's sisters were princesses, but despite that Henry VII didn't proceed much differently from Edward IV in matters of dowries and marriage alliances and actually used 'the ancient customs' of his kingdom as an excuse. For example, for his daughter's dowry, he told Scotland he would not offer a value any higher than what Edward IV had offered them in the past and when pressed again, he only agreed on doubling the price (in the end, I think he ended up spending more money but don't quote me on that yet). Specifically about Elizabeth of York's sisters, he did negotiate a marriage alliance with them in Scotland like you said, and after that, with Portugal and Milan too. This is what the Duke of Milan said to his secretary in 1490:

As M. Francesco reports that his Majesty proposes to give the first of his sisters-in-law to the King of Portugal [...] With regard to what we are informed that his Majesty does not intend to provide a dowry owing to the custom of the country, he will beg him to consider the custom here.

Just like with Margaret Tudor and Scotland, I think it's likely that Henry would eventually give in and pay some dowry if those marriage alliances had actually gone through. But If he could put forth the argument that kings of England didn't pay dowries for his sisters-in-law, he would (and he did). He obviously was bargaining as he often did in international alliances:

So far as I can gather the king's will he seems much disposed to such a [marriage] alliance [with Milan]. It is true that the affair of the Lady Anne, contracted with the King of Portugal for his cousin, is not yet carried into effect, but they are expecting ambassadors daily upon this. His Majesty's ambassadors will give further particulars. Failing the Lady Anne there would remain the Lady Katherine. As regards the dowry I have made his Majesty understand in a discreet manner that the custom of Italy among princes is not what your Excellency says is the use here, and it will be convenient for his Majesty to have regard to everything. To this he replied that as these ladies had been asked for by great lords, some of this country and some from abroad without a dowry, but merely for the sake of the alliance and friendship, he did not see why it should be demanded.

[Months later] There are ambassadors from the King of Portugal with the king. According to what is said, they will conclude the marriage between the cousin of the said King of Portugal and the elder sister of the queen here

I have no idea what was negotiated with Portugal, if a dowry was settled or not, or why the marriage didn't take place in the end. We know that as soon as Manuel ascended the throne in 1495 he asked for the hand of Isabella of Aragon, his cousin's widow, so he may not have been much inclined to the marriage with Anne of York in the first place. It's more clear why the negotiations with Milan didn't go forth, as merely a year later the Duke of Milan (Gian Galeazzo Sforza) ceded control to his uncle Ludovico Maria Sforza who started acting as his regent (yet again). Ludovico was much more aligned with the King of France who at that time was in war with Henry VII (and Ludovico would later come to regret trusting France).

tl;dr: in the end, as Elizabeth's sisters ended up marrying local lords, Henry VII didn't pay for their dowries but it's unclear whether the negotiations with other countries, if they had succeeded, would lead to the same result. It seems clear that he thought that the marriage itself was sufficient as a mark of 'alliance and friendship', and that he intended on profiting from the precedent left by other kings of England. Call him a sly fox if you will, but it's clear he knew how to bargain and negotiate.

#ask #anon #elizabeth of york #henry vii

9 notes · View notes

jeju-tangerine · 6 months

Text

well fundamentally and something which i think a lot about is i think its so weird how romantic or intimate relationships are so socially public. how there is a social script for a close relationship and the phases of it, AND the categories of relationships are neatly named and segregated and its all just common public knowledge. and maybe im not necessarily even trying to cast a singular judgement because i think those regulations can have their charms i am famously a big fan of romcom media and im also deeply monogamous. but at the same time it is so weird so so just startling to me any time i think about it how there is a social expectation of making a specific kind of a private intimate bond. and how it is regulated both in terms of like literal law as in the concept of marriage, but also in terms of like soft power esque expectation of certain relationship milestones both in a single person's life as well as in each relationship between two people. i just dont get it. how there is a MODEL for it all. there is a ritual aspect to it. and its PUBLIC. even though the subject matter is one of the most deeply personal things in life i feel like. other people are fully allowed to talk about others' dating lives or dating histories or your grandparents can have expectations for you about it. and then that model relationship traditionally culminates in a wedding which is SUCH a fundamentally PUBLIC act. it is a statement and an announcement and a self-fullfilling thing and all that, and its so weird. and there are these terms that are just universally understood like a date or a relationship or a marriage and everyone just understands what is meant when those are said bc those are like.. treated as some identifiable ideas even though really the idea of a "romantic relationship" tells me nothing. i dont know what that entails for that particular couple. i know the social construct of it i know the model in theory i know the script but i dont actually know SHIT. well i dont know what im saying really besides Society and my head hurts so horribly

#veltalk

3 notes · View notes

kazeofthemagun · 1 year

Note

👤 for a muse headcanon ; 🌍 for a worldbuilding headcanon - specifically when it comes to romance, both personally for Kaze and in Windarian culture :>

Worldbuilding

Romance and intimacy in Windarian culture

Love in an age long past

[Heeeyyy!! Thank you for the ask! It really made me think. Windaria is both canon in name as well as an original world crafted by me almost entirely from scratch, much like Kira's Misterica. It warms my heart whenever people want to learn more about our boys' worlds and cultures. It's definitely a good exercise for me as well. Making these people so very alien and yet, so very human in the metaphysical sense of the word.]

Romance among Windarians was an important aspect of life as it is for us, especially considering how harsh both the planet and society were. Before the unification of the warring clans by Lahriktaar and subsequent uniformization of culture, each sovereign clan with a large enough territory had its own patron spirits, customs and social expectations. Smaller clans typically served the sovereign clans and adhered to their cultural norms and rules. There were many different ideas of how both romance and sex life should look like, but polyamory was widely practiced, seeing as more children usually meant better survival. Mingling between feuding clans, however, was considered a grave offence, as well as a blood curse. Any Romeos and Juliets were typically met with a rather grim fate, as were their children. It was a prime example of Windaria's various superstitions, dominating the people's subconscious even well into the Unified Era.

After the end of the Warring Clans period, the state of Lahriktaar's culture became the dominant one on Windaria. In Lahriktaarese custom, there was no official marriage. Furthermore, there was no stigma on homosexuality, but a man (especially a warrior) was still expected to father a child, so gay couples with a concubine (or concubines) were commonplace. Likewise, female warriors too were expected to "spread desirable genes", and infertility among either gender was stigmatized, although some warrior clans refused to conform to reproductive standards out of pride and valued bodily autonomy higher than the opinions of the religious caste. Depending on family status, certain dogmas were unenforcable and powerful clans typically retained some of their own beliefs and laws.

Relationships were based on mutual, consensual attraction and it was not too uncommon to date more than one person at a time. Whether that resulted in polyamory or rivalry was up to the individuals involved. Dueling over a partner (with the partner's consent) was legal, if eccentric and primarily practiced among quarreling Wind Warriors. Gift giving was an important love language, and sharing food could be considered romantic if it was eaten from the same plate.

The Windarian goddess of love and fertility was Inaret, one of the Mistresses of Rain and Drought alongside Alaeyra and Kaahtentuuri. Her blessing could be earned by ritual consumption of svachka meant; Smoking the rabbit-like animal and serving it upon its own cleaned hide. Certain herbs were also considered Inaret's holy plants and consumed around the Lahriktaarese Festival of Rain, acting as mild hallucinogens and aphrodisiacs.

Inaret also possessed her own tattoo designs, traditionally passed throughout the generations within clans devoted to her worship. Young Windarians in love frequently sought out these so-called "heart painters", having their bodies marked with an ink produced with a mix-in of the goddess' herbs. Another sign of deep devotion (extending to romantic and platonic love alike) was the gifting of blood jewelry, cast from a person's own blood and mixed with special tree sap.

Kaze and love

Black Wind grew up with a skewed view of love as a concept, but ultimately was very much capable of falling in it. As a precious few of you know from the buried canon, Kaze's first and only love was ill-fated, as it was his own sister, Golden Aura, with whom he had been separated at birth and thus the two were oblivious of their true relation. Having met Aura during a celebratory ceremony in the capital, he was captivated by her beauty. From there on out, they talked often, and grew mutually fascinated with one another. As a young clan warlord rising to fame, Kaze harbored dreams of forging a peaceful life for his people and fell hard for Aura's selfless devotion to the same ideal. Her kindness hit close to home, considering Kaze himself most likely would not have survived the sun-scorched streets of Tonnavrel without the charity of a small local temple.

Throughout his days and all his hardships, Black Wind grew bitter and disillusioned, especially after having his dreams simultaneously fulfilled and shattered by being appointed as the next Champion of Magun. Nowadays, years after the fall of Windaria and Aura's death, Kaze is not thinking of romance in any degree. As the now-immortal Hunter of Chaos, he is unable to ever again live a remotely normal life and thus, unable to provide any kind of stability to a partner. Furthermore, the trauma and dishonor from his and Aura's relationship still haunt him, making him unwilling to seek out emotional intimacy. Though he experiences close to zero romantic attraction, he does have a sex drive, but any such activities with him will never result in anything "more".

#areapermostcapricious #[[ask response #[[headcanon #[[Windaria - Land of the Winds #incest tw #incest mention tw #just in case #thank you for the ask!!!#[[Inaret #[[Alaeyra #[[Kaahtentuuri #new tags for their various deities

2 notes · View notes

courtmarriagegov · 3 months

Text

Inter-Caste Court Marriage Procedure in India (2024)

Court marriages take place under the Special Marriage Act and have legal standing. A marriage registrar performs this ceremony with three witnesses present and signs off on it before being signed by both the bride and groom.

Today's society sees an ever-increasing mingling between different castes, and this has led to inter-caste marriages—a great step toward building an inclusive society.

What are the procedures for a court marriage?

Inter-caste marriage in India is an exogamous nuptial union between individuals of differing castes who marry against their parents' wishes or against traditional wedding rituals. Such marriages are regulated by various state and central laws, including the Special Marriage Act. Inter-caste weddings typically offer easier, cheaper alternatives to traditional wedding ceremonies without the rituals and customs associated with them; they're also an option for couples wanting to marry outside their religion or against family wishes.

Intercaste marriages tend to be less common in rural settings

Inter-Caste Court Marriage Procedure in India where arranged marriages are more prevalent, since such unions are more likely to involve members from within their own caste than intercaste unions are. On the other hand, intercaste unions are becoming increasingly prevalent in urban settings due to both the decreased popularity of arranged marriages and an upsurge in love marriages between young people who choose their partners freely.

Inter-caste marriages are more prevalent among individuals who subscribe to developmental idealism, which emphasizes modernity over traditionalism and challenges the status quo. Scholars believe this shift towards a modern lifestyle influences Indian youth's decision to marry from another caste or even from outside India, risking social disapproval and the risk of "honor killings," where families kill family members—usually women—for not adhering to traditional marriage practices.

Notice of Intended Marriage

Step one of obtaining a court marriage involves filing a notice of intent with the District Marriage Registrar of any district where either party to the marriage has resided for at least 30 days continuously prior to giving notice, followed by publishing this in their office and inviting any objections that might be raised against it.

Within thirty days, the registrar of marriage can solemnize the marriage at either his or her office or any location within reasonable proximity, or immediately following the filing of notice by waiving its publication and performing the ceremony right away.

Both parties should be present for the solemnization of the marriage and should be accompanied by two witnesses who have attained eighteen years. Each witness should present proof of identity (i.e., a copy of their ID card). Couples must bring along their marriage invitation and separate marriage affidavit forms, as well as, if applicable, divorce decrees, orders, or full death certificates from previous marriages or partnerships in English or translated using an authorized translation service.

Solemnization of Marriage

Court marriages may take place at any venue that is reasonably accessible and can be solemnized in front of a marriage officer or according to the provisions of the Special Marriage Act. Couples are required to bring passport-size photographs, ID proofs of both partners, two witnesses, passport-size photos, ID proofs, passport photos, and two witness signatures as required for registration with the Marriage Registrar, who then issues them a marriage certificate certifying their solemnization under the Special Marriage Act.

Are you thinking about marrying now? Those interested in marrying within 30 days after the publication of notice may submit an application with the marriage registrar within this timeframe, and should no objection be raised, the marriage will take place. However, any individual can object on legal grounds; once this happens, he or she should contact the marriage registrar immediately, who will conduct an investigation on this claim.

Marriage ceremonies are conducted at Arya Samaj temples or other institutions that specialize in Hindu-Vedic marriage. After conducting the wedding ceremony at such locations, an official certificate issued from these temples serves as valid documentation in all government-related procedures; additionally, this document can also be used if an inter-caste wedding occurs at the same time. According to Supreme Court decisions, any attempt by Khap Panchayats or assemblies to prevent two consenting adults from marrying is illegal.

Marriage Certificate

In order to register their marriage, both parties and at least three witnesses must attend on the date allocated by the marriage officer; typically, this process takes around 30 days from start to finish.

Couples must submit a self-attested affidavit that includes all relevant details of themselves, such as their name, age, religion, and more, to a gazetted officer in Delhi. Both partners also need to submit proof of residency documents such as residence proof or ration card documents, as well as certificates from station house officers attesting that they reside there for at least 30 days, passport-sized photos for both partners, and any divorce decree or order from previous marriages or death certificates in order to legally marry another partner.

The registrar must maintain an accurate record of all important details provided by both parties and witnesses during a marriage ceremony, and once all formalities have been fulfilled, solemnization takes place and a marriage certificate is issued. This document acts as proof of marital status and can then be used for purposes such as passport applications or opening bank accounts.

Inter-caste court marriages in India follow a specific legal procedure. Below are frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to inter-caste court marriages as well as general information on this process:

What is the legal age limit for marriage in India?

Indian law sets an age requirement of 18 for females and 21 for males to marry legally. What Is Court Marriage (CM) Court marriages are legal procedures where couples choose to marry before an authorized registrar of court rather than traditional ceremonies for various reasons, which allows for simpler and faster procedures.

Yes, individuals from various castes can marry legally in India under the Special Marriage Act (1954). It allows inter-caste and interreligious marriages under that act. Is The Special Marriage Act Of 1954 (SMAL54)

India has passed The Special Marriage Act which facilitates interreligious and caste/creed marriages as it provides individuals who wish to marry outside their local traditions with legal protection and guidance for such unions. What are the procedures involved with inter-caste court marriages in India?

Procedure typically follows these steps:

Whilst both parties should notify their intention to marry to the Marriage Officer of their district for at least 30 days prior to giving notice. Notice of marriage can then be published and displayed, providing 30 days for potential objections before solemnization can take place at court. Wont both parties need to attend? Probably.

Yes, both parties must appear before a Marriage Officer with three witnesses for solemnization of marriage. What documents are necessary for inter-caste court marriages?

Document requirements may differ, depending on your state of residency:

typically you'll require proof of your age, residence and photographs as proof. Acceptable documents include an Aadhar card, passport or address proof as accepted documents for inter-caste court marriages.

Does inter-caste marriage court weddings have waiting periods? Ideally there would not be one:

Yes, after receiving the marriage notice there is a 30 day window where anyone with valid reasons may raise objections against an inter-caste court marriage. Can parents object?

Parents or other interested individuals may raise valid concerns during the notice period:

The Marriage Officer will investigate these claims prior to proceeding further with solemnization proceedings. But can it still proceed unopposed?

If no objections were raised during the notice period or were determined invalid by a Marriage Officer, solemnization can proceed smoothly. Consultation with legal professionals or Marriage Officers in your district for accurate and current information regarding inter-caste court marriage requirements may differ slightly between states, making consultation essential.

#legal services #Inter-Caste Court Marriage #court marriage in delhi #court marriage

0 notes

book-of-my-dreams · 7 months

Text

Always fun when the whole family gets together for a celebration and literally all of them are transphobic (even the ones who know that I'm trans) and make me realize yet again how fucking stupid transphobes are. Like the way their minds work is so weird. And the best part is: this conversation wasn't about me, they have no idea I'm trans. They were judging the fuck outta this trans man none of them had ever met, my aunt's friend's son. He's just living his best life, getting surgey and a husband, and they're spending brunch talking shit about him and feeling like they're good people for doing that.

My cousin was completely stuck on the fact that the trans man in question was gay. "She got surgery to be a man but now she's getting married to a man? I don't know why she didn't just stay a woman if she wanted to marry a man" Why would you think HIS marriage has anything to do with HIS gender? Those are two completely separate things.

My grandma was way too insistent on "letting nature be nature and not messing with it" for someone who's literally only alive because we messed with nature and replaced like half her bones with plastic or some shit and put tunnels in her arteries. Also her daughter had cancer but I guess her messing with nature by getting chemo therapy was fine?

"I don't believe any of those people can be happy after doing that do their body" again grandma, what the fuck are you talking about. How do you just completely ignore the fact that almost everyone who's trans and doesn't "do that" ends up severely depressed and suicidal? Also completely ignoring the fact that studies prove that they're much happier after getting surgery or at least things like binders.

Then grandma got told that modern medicine can make trans men a working Dick but that they're sterile and ofc she immediately went "see, nature knows what's it's doing, t doesn't work if you mess with it" as if no cis person ever has any issues with infertility.

My mom knows I'm trans and I thought she'd gotten over it but when she heard that this guy's mom died a few years ago she immediately said "I bet it's because of that, she died and that made her so sad that she thought she'd be happier as a man" ?? What??? What does that even?? What

Istg they were all so fucking condescending like they were the best people ever and trans people are all just pitiful crazy people. If a person offs themselves, transphobes liie my family will say it's because they were trans which obviously means they were mentally ill, not because they were treated like shit for being trans and having to sit there and listen as your entire family talks about how they don't think you're human.

Another great topic was that my pregnant sister in law (she's okay but married to an asshole) was talking about how she wants to parent their baby boy like not telling him to "man up" or not to cry or play with dolls because he's a boy and her husband was just rolling his eyes.

He and all the other men at the table laughed and said that they were raised traditionally male and turned out fine...which woud be a hilarious joke but they were serious. THEY DID NOT TURN OUT FINE. They get drunk every time they're sad and have extreme anger issues. Because apparently that's traditionally manly and talking about feelings isn't. None of them are happy but I guess enjoying their lives wouldn't be manly so they just don't. I really really hope that they divorce soon and he doesn't get custody.

0 notes

ladym-17 · 2 years

Text

A non-comprehensive list of things I want to see from Ms. Marvel

Note: As I said, this list is non-comprehensive, partially because I think of new things all the time. Also because my memory is terrible and I will definitely forget to add things.

Also, this list is in no particular order other than stream of consciousness and will include spoilers for G. Willow Wilson’s Ms. Marvel Comic Run (is that how one refers to it? I don’t know how one refers to it, I’ve only ever read the Ms. Marvel comics).

Also, also, this is in no way a type of list where it’s like they have to do this or else I will be disappointed. There are like one or two items like that but those are also things like I would like this character to have a comic-compliant personality and also not be a terrorist so they’re not like big asks and it would be really weird if they were not fulfilled. I am so excited for this show, like I feel like my heart will burst or I will burst into tears every time I think about it -- it might be unhealthy but welp.

Anyways... the list!

-- Zany side characters. They don’t have to be specific characters from the comics, but to me, Ms. Marvel has the kind of feel Spider-Man has where she’s the neighborhood superhero. The neighborhood knows her, and she knows the neighborhood. Kind of like the LARPers in Hawkeye I just think it would be great if there was a recurring character or characters who aren’t superheroes, aren’t like the person you think of when thinking of who will the heroes get help from, but they are! If I was looking at a specific Ms. Marvel comic character, I’d love to see Harold the World War 2 veteran who’s in a retirement home and ends up saving baby Malik on his motorized scooter. He’s a good lad.

-- Aamir the dork. This is the oh I would like this character to have a comic-compliant personality etc. request. He is just such a wholesome dorky dude in the comics, and I think it would be fantastic to see a young, very Muslim man, on mainstream television and he’s... wait for it... not a terrorist. He’s not radicalized he’s not radicalizing anyone, and he’s just fantastic and loves his family and also his faith and is figuring out how to adult. Honestly, I’d rather we just keep Islamic terrorism out of it but... we’ll see what Marvel does. (full disclosure I have no idea what the plot of this show is/will be, I’m just very excited).

-- THAT’S MY WIFE. On the note of Aamir the dork, I want him to have a that’s my wife moment. I don’t know if it will be in this show specifically -- because again I know nothing -- as Aamir and Tyesha could be getting together in this show and not already married, but Aamir has a great that’s my wife moment in the comics when she’s leading a protest and I would love for him to have a similar moment.

-- Tyesha and Aamir being cute. I don’t really care what stage of the relationship they’re in but I think seeing a very traditionally formed marriage working and being this mutually loving and both parties are equal is something we don’t see often and I think we should see it sometimes.

-- The Hillman-Khan family dynamic. I just love this dynamic so much. Tyesha being an older sister to Kamala. Gabe and Kamala being like... are we in-laws? What are we? Eh, it doesn’t matter let’s help each other anyways. Like... Gabe full-on becomes a temporary superhero for Kamala in the comics (along with other people) and I think it’s fun and cute. Even the Hillman and Khan parents who come from different backgrounds and aren’t sure how this works but still coming together for their children’s happiness... A+

-- Gabe being an agent for chaos. He doesn’t have to be the chaotic liberal atheistic hooman he is in the comics, nor do I think he will be (if he is in the show at all but Tyesha definitely is so he might be), I feel like Marvel might shape him a bit more to fit the plot, but like... I still want him to have a spark of chaos whatever his beliefs are. Gabe is chaotic good incarnate.

-- Religious romance strugglessss. Considering we have three potential Kamala Khan love interests in the cast (Bruno, Kamran, and Kareem) I think it’s safe to say there will be a romantic sub-plot -- or plot-plot -- it’s a coming-of-age story and that makes sense. And I want Kamala’s potentially conflicting feelings of her heart vs. what she’s been taught to come into play. I think it would be great for kids to see oh, that’s normal, that conflict is normal, and here are some things we can do with that conflict, and yeah... I just think it would be cool.

-- Sheikh Abdullah generally being cool. Side note here some of these actors including Laith Nakli who plays Sheikh Abdullah got tattoos to commemorate the experience and honestly, his comments about it are kind of exactly the kinda vibe I imagine for the Sheikh. He’s a religious man. He’s intelligent and he has experience, and he also fully knows what Kamala thinks is the end of the world is... just not the end of the world. She runs in panicked about how she’s kissed a boy, and he plays around with her panic only to invite her for tea and a talk. He’s an important resource for her in the comics, a close family friend, and also a source for guidance, and I hope he’s that for her in the show as well. Or at least is portrayed more 3-dimensionally than just a strict old man, though he can be that too at times.

-- A diverse range of elders, in general, being cool. I think in mosques and religious settings in general and also Pakistani/general South Asian culture there is a lot of reverence given to elders. And I want to see the elders being cool. By which I mean I just want to see the elders. I want to see the strict ones, the competitive ones who compete through the accomplishments of their grandchildren, the ones who are nice on the surface but are... are they gossiping behind your back?, the ones who’re just happy to be there, the ones who are genuinely so proud of the youths in their life, and.... the one I want to see the most... the ones who we know are rooting for Kamala (or Ms. Marvel!). I want to see the really genuinely kind ones, who may not know her that well but are still praying for her (for religious aunties/uncles, that’s the best gift they can give). I’m just imagining that line: Ms. Marvel puts herself in so much danger... every day I pray for her safety (but you know like well-written) and it makes me feel warm bubbly tears and I want people to see that. (If Marvel doesn’t I might end up writing a fanfic for that one, or if you want to, please do).

-- Girls being friends. More specifically, Zoe's character growth. They’ll start with her being the mean girl but then I hope we at least see the start of character growth in the mini-series. I want to see the sparks of the girl who has a crush on Nakia and comes over for Muneeba’s samosas.

-- Women who wear the hijab being empowered. There are so many women in the Ms. Marvel comics who wear the veil or variations of it and still kick butt and lead protests and are involved in worldly matters and break the meek stereotype. I want that to continue.

-- Diverse Muslims. Kamala doesn’t wear the hijab, Nakia does. Aamir is a lot more traditional than Kareem. And I want this all to be okay and accepted in the context of the show. I want their diverse beliefs in the interpretation and context of their faith to be okay, especially because it means in the real world, more people get to see versions of themselves on screen.

-- Cool outfits. I know we have a shot of Kamala in a shalwar kameez at some point (it looks like a wedding -- maybe Tyesha/Aamir?), and I want that and maybe some more. I want South Asian clothes on people looking beautiful, like royalty, and I want that in the context of the show. AKA if they were ever going to have a Hermione moment with Kamala, I’d like Kamala in South Asian clothing. Because I want people to see these outfits as beautiful but also not just exotic one-offs, which is why I do become more excited for the potential wedding scene because then we’d have many people in many pretty outfits.

-- The dupatta (did you know that has two ts??? I didn’t.) on the Ms. Marvel outfit coming into play. It’s like Edna Mode says, no capes. And the dupatta isn’t a cape, but it sure as heck has the same consequences as one. So I want it coming into play at some point, either as a choking hazard or as a potential weapon, or both. Both is good.

-- Shang-Chi characters and Kamala moment together. This is like pipe dream, I hope it happens at some point level hope. I’d just be really excited to see the Asian superheroes on screen together, some lovely solidarity, maybe a joke in there with some random passerby being “Hey it’s the Asian Avenger” to Shang-Chi (because that’s absolutely something a passerby would say) while Kamala is right there (me being salty about how some people just... don’t realize South Asia is included under the Asian umbrella? Never), and they just look at each other in confusion and it’s funny. But on a bigger level, Asian solidarity, a new face of Marvel where both the adults in the room and the kids in the room can be POC, also fully canonically possible because it's Marvel and both characters in question have a connection to Capt. Marvel. And also Katy and Kamala? Imagine if Kamala told Katy she liked her pants, unprompted. I think I would scream. Also, Kamala has totally seen the bus video.

-- Kamala Khan being a fangirl. Like self-explanatory, but people being excited about things??? The best. A teenage girl being excited about something portrayed in a positive light? Absolutely. Fanfiction portrayed in a positive light? Please. I just love this part of Kamala so much. I relate to it so much. I relate to Kamala, in general, a lot, but I digress.

Y’all, I’m so excited.

#Marvel #Ms. Marvel

0 notes

mostly-mundane-atla · 2 years

Note

Thank you for always providing resources, even when they're complicated topics. I read your post about Inupiaq perspectives on revenge and it helped learning a culture's sense of values along with their lifestyle. In regards of Hamlet, a famous western revenge story, how do you think an Inupiaq retelling would go? Following the pattern of the stories you shared, the story might stop when Hamlet is deciding whether to kill his uncle and wouldn't follow up with the rest of the messy aftermath, but that's only my understanding. What do you think?

First things first: this being a discussion of Hamlet, themes of mental illness, depression, suicide, and sex negativity are pretty much inevitable. Proceed with caution. There's no shame in having to skip this one.

So, there are actually a few cultural things that would need to be addressed to have a full retelling rather than just a different setting.

The Inupiat didn't really have kings at all let alone the way Shakespeare would have understood them. There was no divine right belief, nor was primogeniture a hard rule. In an Inupiaq retelling, Hamlet would not have been automatically seen as his father's rightful heir, and if Claudius replaced his brother, it would have been because he was either the best fit for the job or could force his way into it.

Gertrude marrying her dead husband's brother would not have been as big of a deal. Shakespeare wrote from a culture where it was believed that marriage made husband and wife one flesh, and so for one spouse to have a relationship with another's sibling was considered a kind of incest. The marriage is seen as politically viable but morally yucky. In an Inupiaq retelling, marrying a dead brother's widow so soon after said brother's death may still be considered in poor taste but not to the same degree. In fact, given the ways in-laws were sometimes treated in the case of a spouse's death, an Inupiaq Claudius may even have an obligation to care for Gertrude and her supposedly (insert joke about Hamlet being played by middle aged men here) college age unmarried son by his brother.

Ophelia and Hamlet's relationship would have to be different to keep any level of tension or drama. Elaborate courtships involving letters and little gifts weren't a thing among the Inupiat, and traditionally, sex wasn't something to be strictly kept within a marriage. (There's an old letter out there written by some pearl clutching missionary upset by our lack of shaming unwed teenage mothers. The aforementioned lack of primogeniture as a hard rule also made children born out of wedlock less of a big deal.) It was even sometimes used to strengthen a bond between families similar to how a marriage would, especially if both participants were married to other people.

Interestingly, of all things, I think Hamlet's relationships with Horatio and Leartes would remain mostly the same. A man would have close friendships with other men close in age, for the sake of socializing, of course, but also as a means to build a network of allies. Famines can kill, as can intertribal conflicts, so one would make these kinds of friends in adolescence and early adulthood and maintain them for as long as they possibly could

Hamlet's depression would definitely remain in the story. I think there's this urge to dismiss the idea that ancient or "primative" peoples could have an understanding of things like depression, trauma, and mental illness, and I don't think that's fair. One Inupiaq story describes a young woman who, while not physically unwell, lays in bed, facing away from her grandmother (her only family) and a growing number of guests in the house. Her own grandmother explains that "It doesn't look like she welcomes company," and not once during the guests' two day long visit does she eat. The sisters of a young man who wants to mary this young woman visit her hoping to find out what was wrong. They talk to her, calling her a friend, and it's as if she comes back to life. They play games with her and help her make a new set of clothes, but they have trouble taking her mukluks off to help her change into the new clothes. The young woman's extraordinarily long and thick hair, a most treasured aspect of a woman's beauty, had been so neglected for so long that it wrapped around her feet when she put her mukluks on. The sisters comb her messy hair, braid it, and put it up.

While the story never says that she's grieving or traumatized or having trouble adjusting to a change, she very clearly had a problem with something that didn't manifest in a way people could see. She needed help and motivation to put effort into herself. It wasn't until she got had people she knew just wanted to help her who she could talk to that she finally got out of bed. Folks who have dealt with depression may find this idea familiar and draw parallels to their own recovery. I know i do.

As for Ophelia's madness, it was understood by the Inupiat that minds can be unwell and dysfunctional just as bodies. That abuse was more than just physical. That it can build and build with constant criticism and rejection. That at its worst, some people would rather die. The story "The Jealous Husband" depicts a woman whose husband's criticisms, scoldings, and general verbal abuse prove too much for her. He tries to talk her down when he finds her on a cliffside, but she is described as "a broken woman." She smiles at her husband and dances herself off the cliff. The husband has to live with the fact he drove her to it, and that one day their child will ask why he doesn't have a mother.

But I feel I'm mucking around in the details at this point when the question was specifically about revenge. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet with the understanding that his audience would have certain mores toward Claudius' murder of his brother, which are as follows:

- Killing people in general is bad

- Killing the king is especially bad

- Killing your own brother, who also happens to be the king, is something only the power-hungry and evil-hearted do

In Inupiaq storytelling, on the other hand, the majority of leaders who are killed, yes, some even by their own younger brothers, have it coming. So now, there's more complexity. Could Hamlet's father have been a tyrant, completely justifying Claudius' actions? Is Claudius using his power to hurt people, justifying Hamlet's need to kill him? Do the justifications even matter when our protagonist is possibly spiraling into grief-induced madness and is still (allegedly) young? Hard to say. I can't exactly resurrect billy shakes, give him a crash course on a people that lived on the other side of the globe from him who he never heard of in his life in english that he could understand, and ask him, now could I?

This could add in interesting new layer of tension, though. Instead of having to prove that his father was murdered, Hamlet would have the much more complicated and nuanced question of whether it was justified, and whether he's qualified to make that call.

In the kinds of killing the tyrant Inupiaq stories, which would probably fit Hamlet best, there's an interesting aspect that could easily work it's way in. The tyrant in question keeps a giant rock in his home to use as his murder weapon. When he wishes to kill someone, he bashes their head into the giant rock. He's big and uses brute strength to overpower his victims, and underestimates the hero, who is often smaller but always trains himself to be strong (by walking against strong winds or uprooting small trees, for example), and who bashes his head into the same rock he used to kill others. That would probably work its way into the final scene, where Hamlet, Leartes, and Claudius all die. Not entirely sure how, but it would be for the better because we didn't have swords to duel with, and a giant killing rock you have to avoid would make a barehanded duel that much more interesting.

Inupiaq stories tend to end more quiet, more like unraveling than a Big Solid Conclusion. Hamlet wouldn't have his finally soliloquy, he'd kill his uncle and there'd be some mention of Horatio finding him dying and worrying about the coming invasion. Maybe a scolding or lamenting remark from the storyteller of how Hamlet shouldn't have left his friend to such circumstances.

Closing notes: it's been a good long while since I read any Shakespeare and I don't like his work enough to re read the entirety of Hamlet so I might have been a little fuzzy on the details. I feel like Euripides' Electra tells almost the same story without feeling nearly as bogged down, and the film adaptation starring Irene Papas is incredibly compelling to me.

#response #eskimo on main #other interests #hamlet #suicide mention #blade mention

81 notes · View notes

ourmondobongo · 2 years

Note

Hi there! I’ve already asked warm starlight this question but I’d love to see your take on it. Have you seen the latest MV for Call Your Name on Hiroyuki Sawano’s Youtube? It’s chock full of symbolism for Eremika and Levihan. There’s one part I can’t understand though. Starting from 2:44 there’s a hand wearing an unclasped bangle, releasing sand into the wind. Some say it’s referring to Levi in the paths playing with sand, which is possible. But is there any additional meaning to the bangle? I don’t think it’s simply an aesthetic choice. What do you think?

Hello, Buttercats!!!

First of all - I love your art 💜💜💜💜 Ty for lighting up and brightening our LH days with them!!!

Second - I'm absolutely a conspiracist when talking about snk stuff even if there might not be anything 😂 So I'm with you in that it's not something just for aesthetic because there is exactly so much messages being hinted with each panel of the MV! So let's dig a bit...

I searched up "bangle" on Google because though it's a common jewelry, their origin might have meaning. And guess what? They carry VERY DEEP meanings for Indian people, and seem famous in South Asia!!!

To summarize:

- Bangle name derives from the word "glass", in Hindi; the ones made of glass are preferred for marriages and festivals, but they are made with metals, wood, and even from sea shells!

- It's an article mostly used by women and girls, especially brides in their weddings;

Bangles, in India, usually used by married women or girl. A chura is a set of Bangles traditionally worn by a bride on her wedding day and for a period after, especially in Punjabi weddings.

- Men may use it too, one bangle in their arm, and it's called kara . In this case, it relates to Sikhism.

The core beliefs of Sikhism, articulated in the Guru Granth Sahib, include faith and meditation in the name of the one creator; divine unity and equality of all humankind; engaging in seva ('selfless service'); striving for justice for the benefit and prosperity of all; and honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder's life.

- Grooms receive it from their Sikh Father-in-law as wedding gift. And the kara is a symbol of faith, of unbreakable attachment and commitment to God. "You're gifted with life when you're born, you ought to do good deeds" kind of energy. And it was created as a protective piece to be used in the arm which handles the sword during the battle they used this type of weapons.

- Bangles can be open (like in CYN video) or fully closed (like the kara).

So, all in all, they hold a very symbolic meaning!

Now, considering snk and Call Your Name context, as well as our Ackermans and their pairs... if there is one word I could think of for Sawano picking exactly a Bangle for this MV, I would say it is to express serious life commitment to a loved one.

It's even more interesting that the hand with the bangle is trying to hold the sand pretty tightly at the beginning with no avail, and then they have to let it go and flow away right when the lyrics is "I don't have the power On my side forever". It contrasts in a way as if saying - time (sand) is short and flies away, but my love and devotion (bangle) is unwavering and solid and strong despite I'm being unable to keep you with me.

What are your thoughts on it, tho?! I also would love to hear!!!

Thank you so much for the ask!!!

Just a small addition: the rings are also with an open design, but they are a way to put "your devoted feelings into a heart-shaped ring".

#answering devoted hearts #THIS WAS SO COOOOOOL #having fun with mutuals #call your name #snk divine ost #levihan #eremika #the ackermans #this is pretty much about them #basically it's now a #lh headcanon

64 notes · View notes

tomatograter · 3 years

Note

I was wondering about your take on Lesbian Jane?

I’ve been thinking about her a lot. Jane isn’t inherently a villainous character. She was raised to take on a position of power so it’s not surprising she seek that out in adulthood. But more the that, I think about how she was born in a time when certain things were expected of women. And how she may have internalized the idealism of husband and child due to that. In HS2 it’s clear she doesn’t have any true romantic feeling for Jake. And part of me wonders if she ever really did? Or if her infatuation with Jake English as a person was due to the fact that he was a “attractive boy”. After all, in HS2 she does marry him and they do have a child. Fitting what would have been seen as a perfect family construct in her original timeline. But she openly neglects both in favor of things she actually finds important. I know Gamzee exist. But I still wonder if her performative gender roles and inherent straightness isn’t all one in the same. I.e, BS.

I’ve always been partial to lesbian Jane. I don’t think ‘gamzee’ is much of an argument against it if you’ve ever been in contact with actual lesbians; there’s women who spend decades of their lives putting work into a straight marriage that doesn’t truly satisfy them beyond the barest needs for companionship, but it is what they’ve been taught to accept and what they believe Everyone Else Feels. The human experience doesn’t work in a tight binary where you automatically know *what* is wrong with you. Sometimes the problem makes you believe it is actually a feature, and that it’s normal, and that you should just muscle through it no matter how shit it feels like. And that’s kind of Jane’s whole thing- Jane has Girlboss disease.

Like, “yeah, this all sucks, and it makes me feel like garbage, but I have Numbers, and i have Prizes, and I have Accomplishments, and I am a Strong Independent Woman, and that’s what everyone tells me SHOULD make me happy, so I guess this is what happiness feels like.” And she just doesn’t know when to stop. She’ll dig her own grave with a golden shovel if you leave her to it.

I think It’s interesting to note a few things when breaching this subject:

1) Nanna Egbert chose to be a single mom. It’s not that she’s a widow, is that she never pursued marriage. You can make a lot of fail arguments on this one like ‘oh but in the lore nannasprite section we learn that jane and jake had a marriage prophecy or whatever blah blah’ but Beta Jake avoids her for eternity and while Beta Jane found someone to have a son with, she didn’t make it any more than that. Instead, she built a practical jokes and pranks shop and ran it for as long as she was alive, because again, she’s a girlboss. A lot of lipservice about traditionalism on this one and very little actual effort put into fulfilling it.

2) Jane doesn’t actually “love” Jake. She’s infatuated with what he represents, which is a recurring theme in Homestuck. Be it about Terezi and her relationship with Alternian Law, or Dave and his coolguy schtick, or Jake and his flimsy adventure hero persona- characters have “expectations” and these come with a set of rules that must be fulfilled. Sometimes, these self-imposed challenges are more harmful to the character than they’re ever going to beneficial for their growth. It’s effectively like shooting themselves on the foot.

This is actually an ongoing thread during act 6, but not one that I see brought up a lot. Jane projects what she believes are desirable qualities about a man onto Jake, what she’s been taught is the norm and dreamy- but she has negative interest in who he actually is. If anything, Jane finds him tacky, annoying, weird, and unbearably boring. But she thinks she can ‘fix’ him into a model companion if she tries hard enough.

Jane “reinterprets” a lot about Jake as a person to make him more digestible. She does this deliberately, to pad out how little interest he seems to have into the whole thing, and also to depersonalize him enough that she doesn’t have to feel bad about not... actually liking him.

(worthy of note, her “two favorite dames” are married as of catnapped in HS2)

They’re friends, i’m not disputing that, but friendship doesn’t necessarily translate into “compatibility” or “romance”.

“Jake” as a concept in Jane’s glossary is interchangeable with “7th grade 1st place trophy on the national Spelling Bee championship”, and that’s where most of our issues come from. He’s an achievement to be crossed off from a checklist, on the road of becoming an Independent, Successful Businesswoman. At best he’s a status marker, at worst he’s a commodity. Jane didn’t come up with this by herself, though, these ideas are closely linked to HIC’s influence on her life and Jake’s. (It’s not for nothing that Crockertier Jane is the one to be most outspoken about it, or that Epilogues Jane is characterized as a Crockercorp-monster. None of this exists in a vacuum.) These ideals are part of her familial upbringing and corporate brainwashing, the endgoal of them being simulating the Condesce as closely as possible.

When HIC goes undercover as a Human Woman Of Earth, the figure she picks to represent her is a housewife. The fictional Betty Crocker is the apex of Girlbossery- and how can you be a housewife, in 20′s America, without a husband?

Jane is discouraged from being an “individual” and told what she needs to be is a suitable heiress, and that’s her own tragedy. (She has failed to consider wives can have other wives.)

I have babbled about Jane before, particularly when it comes to her also being trapped by gendered expectations she doesn’t want & being gender-nonconforming (a butch, if you will) here.

#meta #jane crocker #jake english

416 notes · View notes

benevolentbirdgal · 3 years

Text

A “brief” reference guide to modern Jewish denominations / Jewish Writing Advice / Jewish Identity / Jewish Reference Guide [graphic at bottom]

Writing a Jew or Jewish family? Aware that Judaism is not a monolith and want to honor that? Great! Need help with that? 100% cool - I’m here as your friendly (virtual) neighborhood Jewish professional to help. Just want to know more about Jewish denominations in comparison to one another? Also great! Fair warning - this is a long one. At least I included a graphic at the bottom?

Quick notes to acknowledge: As always, this is an American and Americanish perspective (and denominations as discussed here are MOSTLY relevant in the U.S. anyways). Additionally, the modern denominations as we think of them today really sprung from Ashkenazi communities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most extant U.S. synagogues, day schools, and groups follow Ashkenazi customs and align with a denomination born of Ashkenazi tradition (aligning with the approximately 90% of Jewish-Americans who are Ashkenazi or Ashkenazi plus another community). Sephardi, Mizrachi, and other Jewish communities have their own traditions and jurisprudence. Most organized non-Ashkenazi communities in the U.S. identify as nondenominational but most closely compare in practice to orthodoxy, and many non-Ashkenazi Jews (especially outside of major population centers that may have other specific subgroup’s synagogues) are members of and very involved in Ashkenazi-originating movements, institutions, and synagogues.

For the purpose’s of today’s discussion, we’ll start in the 19th century, because Karaites vs Pharisees vs Sadducees is a (his)story for another time. This also isn’t a history of how these denominations came to be-with the exception of some ultraorthodox groups, which may have sprung from the shtel a little earlier, all the below movements popped out of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I’m also going to list approximate percentage of the American Jewish population, and I’m going to (kinda) go in order from most to least strict/traditionally observant.

Ultraorthodox (aka Haredi): The strictest, more traditional and expansive observance of the Torah, Talmud, and minhagim (customs). About 1% of American Jews are ultraorthodox. Ultraorthodox is not a unified movement.

1a. Haredi, Satmar, and most other groups generally isolate themselves from the wider Jewish world and secular world.

1b. Chabad is also ultraorthodox, but specially seeks to interact with less observant Jews. I wouldn’t call it proselytizing, because they don’t seek to make gentiles Jewish, but they do try and find less observant Jews and bring them closer to Judaism, also establishes small synagogues around the country and world in isolated place.

1c. Ultraorthodox are the most visibly Jewish attired group, wearing Kippahs for all men and boys and tichels (headscarves) and/or wigs for married women. Very modest attire for all. In Ashkenazi Ultraorthodox communities, men also tend to only wear black and white, hats in addition to their kippah (for grown and married men), and wearing tzitzit (a garmet with four corners with strings attached worn under a shirt with the threads sticking out).

1d. Most likely to speak Yiddish or Hebrew as first language.

1e. No gender equality, very strict kosher, and intense community adherence to particular brand of Judaism.

1f. Communities generally led by a Rabbi and a Rebbetzin (Rabbi’s wife) as pair (rabbis are generally expected to be married).

1g. No female Rabbis, same-sex marriage, or intermarriage. Lots of children. Pretty much all boys have Bar Mitzahs, rarely do girls have Bat Mitzvahs.

1h. Services entirely in Hebrew (except maybe the sermon).

1i. Only count matrilineal Jews and converts-Jewish father and gentile mother doesn’t count for them.

1j. Very strict observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays.

Modern orthodox: Orthodox, but with some adaptations to modern life. Roughly 9% of American Jews. Also some division within modern orthodoxy (with some congregations being more liberal than others, particularly in regards to women and LGBTQ+ folks), but there are a couple of major organizations that most modox rabbis and congregations affiliate with one another through larger denomination movements (i.e. the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America).

2a. Modern orthodox Jews regularly interact with other Jews who are more liberal. They tend to live in more Jewish communities but no issues with interacting with outside world.

2b. Modest clothing and men wear kippot everywhere (when safe). Married women also usually cover their hair (with wigs or tichels). Men also typically wear tzitzit.

2b. Gender roles, but progress being made. Handful of female rabbis emerging in 2010s/2020s. Whether women count in a minyan depends on the specific congregation and many modern orthodox shuls will have separate women’s prayer groups. The prevalence of Bat Mitzvahs also varies wildly congregation to congregation.

2c. Like ultraorthodox, communities are typically led by a Rabbi and his wife the Rebbetzin. Some acceptance of homosexual individuals as members of the community, but no same-sex marriage (some alternate ceremonies emerging). Like one out gay male rabbi. No intermarriage.

2d. Very strict adherence to kosher, would likely not eat at someone less kosher’s home.

2e. Usually have on the higher end of a “normal” amount of children. Services entirely in Hebrew (except sermon).

2f. Only count matrilineal Jews and converts-Jewish father and gentile mother doesn’t count for them.

Less traditionally observant than this is often known as “liberal Judaism” - around 90% of American Jews.

2g. Very strict observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays.

Conservative: Brands itself as middle of the road Jewish movement. about 18% of the American Jewish population. No connection to conservative politics, most Conservative with a C Jews are liberal or moderate politically. Often called “Masorti” outside the U.S and hypothetically a unified movement under several connected organizations (i.e. the Masorti Olami and the Jewish Theological Seminary).

3a. Gender equality. Female rabbis and LGBTQ rabbis definitely an acceptable thing, but not as common as with Reform or Reconstructionist.

3b. Formally sanctioned ceremony for same-sex couples to wed under Jewish law since 2012 and affirmation ceremonies since 2006.

3c. Modesty in synagogues but comparable to regular American attire otherwise.

3d. Generally comparable family size to other American families.

3e. Kosher, but not as strict as orthodoxy. Many Conservative Jews have kosher homes but are willing to be more lax when eating out. Synagogues are always kosher.

3f. Services mostly in Hebrew, sermons and some prayers definitely in local language.

3g. Intermarriage is frowned upon, but many otherwise Conservative Jews will be married by a less traditional rabbi or justice of the peace to non-Jewish partners. Although Conservative rabbis do not perform interfaith marriages, many interfaith couples are in Conservative synagogues. In the 90s/2000s it was way less friendly to interfaith couples/families (laughs in having a goyish dad) but that has improved in the past 3-5 years substantially.

3h. Observance of prohibitions and commandments pertaining to Shabbat and holidays is regulated but less strict than orthodoxy. Varies a bit by community. A good example to illustrate this is getting to synagogue on Shabbat:

By the book (not necessarily reflected by attendees): Orthodoxy says you have to walk there (no driving), Reform says it’s no issue to drive on Shabbat, and Conservative says you can drive but only to get to shul and back.

3i. As with orthodoxy, only matrilineal Jews count. Most interfaith families with non-Jewish moms (or moms who converted post-birth of the kid), particularly those who want to participate in Conservative communities will convert the child as a baby so they can have a normal Jewish upbringing (beyond an extra blessing/prayer in the Bnai Mitzvah process and social awkwardness that oft accompanies interfaith families in Jewish spaces).

3j. Most dress comparably to others in geographic area (synagogue notwithstanding, see my other post). Men on the higher end of observant might also wear kippahs all the time as well. Outside of explicitly Jewish contexts, similar lifestyles to surrounding populations. Around the same number of children as in gentile families.

Reform: Not at all traditionally observant. About 35% of American Jews. More or less a cohesive movement linked by organizations (i.e. Women of Reform Judaism and the Union for Reform Judaism).

4a. Reform Judaism is the largest group. It generally views Judaism through the lens of social justice, repairing the world, and cultural heritage as opposed to religious mandate.

4b. Very big on personal choice in what one observes, I like to call it “choose your own adventure” Judaism.

4c. Keeping kosher is uncommon. Some shuls aren’t even kosher.

4d. Reform services use the least Hebrew, although this is changing in some places.

4e. Reform’s standard of Jewishness is 1+ Jewish parent(s) and raised doing Jewish things, regardless of which parent is Jewish.

4f. Very feminist/egalitarian and welcoming to LGBTQ+ folks. Highest number of not-straight rabbis and female rabbis.

4g. Intermarriage very common and can be performed by Reform rabbis.

4h. Reform Judaism was way ahead of the curve in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and religion. The movement has had members advocating for homosexual rights (protection in housing, employment, civil marriage, and other nondiscrimination protections) since 1965 (finally passing formal resolutions in 1977), began proactively including/welcoming out gay rabbis in 1990, created same-gender marriage Jewish ceremonies in 1996/7, and has made resolutions explicitly including bi and trans people as well since 2004 (stuff earlier than that generally specified “gay and lesbian”). An additional resolution was passed in 2015 regarding trans and nonbinary inclusion, alongside guides to help congregations do so.

4i. See #3j - also applies here.

Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform, are the biggest and “standard” movements people will most typically list and identify with, most likely to appear in surveys and studies, are older than everything listed below. Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform all started in the 19th century and some Ultraorthodox groups trace back further than that. I’ve outlined some practical differences, but the basic theoretical difference is that Orthodox considers traditional Jewish law (Halacha) binding and you can’t change it, Conservative believes it it’s binding but the community can change it, and Reform believes that it’s nonbinding.

Some smaller movements:

Reconstructionist - Newest even remotely well-known and organized movement, founded in the 1920s as an offshoot of the Conservative movement. I would describe it as “build your own adventure but Halacha matters (or at least some of it).” The first thing almost every recon Jew I’ve ever met has told me when describing reconstructionism is that they invented the bat mitzvah in 1922, which basically translates to “tradition matters but also egalitarianism.”

Maybe 2%-5% of American Jews today self-ID as Reconstructionist, but I would argue that a lot of nondenominal practitioners have philosophies fairly aligned with the recon ethos.

Jewish Renewal: very small and relatively disorganized movement started in the 1960s. Attempts to bring Jewish tradition and modern sensibilities, hippie Jews who care about Halacha. Big on mysticism and music, doing Jewish enthusiastically, and a tendency towards more traditional observance in conjunction with progressive politics. Kind of the laid-back cousin of reconstructionism, although neither sprung from the other.

(Cultural) Humanistic Judaism: “Non-theistic” Judaism for atheist Jews who still want a connection to their history, culture, and celebrations.

Nondenominational - Nondenominational and post-denominational Jews are the fast growing group. Variety of liberal/non-traditionally observant beliefs and practices, but most will still contextualize themselves around the denominational scale.

#writeblr #jewish writing advice #jewish writing help #writing jewish characters #writing jewish spaces #jumblr #jewblr #writing advice #ref #reference #jewish ref #jewish reference #jewish denominations #judiasm #another long one still not sorry #info dump

302 notes · View notes

thesebookishdelights · 3 years

Text

ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS: Simon Snow trilogy wrapped! (review)

Hi, there! It took me a while to finish this post, as I could talk about it for... a long time (not necessarily a good thing), but I got it! I like praise, so if anyone wants to tell me I did a good job... Also, I might edit this post later on. I don’t remember anything else I’d like to add, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I did after posting. My brain does not obey me. Anyways, off to it! By the way, I won’t give this book a real rating.

While this is a review on Any Way the Wind Blows, I intend on analysing some points of the overall series too. The book starts where Wayward Son left off, the end of the road trip, Simon and Baz having problems in their relationship, Penelope helping Shepard with his curse... and the whole situation of the NowNext vampires. Rainbow Rowell only seems to remember the first part. That leaves us with the second book of the series ignored almost completely, with the exception of Simon and Baz’s feelings as well as Shepard’s existence.

Don’t get me wrong, aspects of the book are mentioned, but never in a truly important way. Lamb, the Vampire King, is mentioned by Simon, but only focusing on his and Baz’s relationship, never about the fact that there are a bunch of vampires (supposedly ‘evil’) in the U.S. but I guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? I could count on one hand the times the NowNext vampires were mentioned (like, literally, this isn’t an exaggeration, I looked up ‘NowNext’ on the e-book and only got five results), all of them either being one of them considering telling someone else about it, then not following through with it, or dismissing it as a concern for Lamb. Which makes the plot of Wayward Son completely useless for the trilogy. Now, that wouldn’t matter as much if everything else had been properly developed, but we definitely can’t say that.

We are introduced to a brand new, poorly developed villain, Smith-Smith Richards, whose character arc is as ridiculous as his name. He’s one of the fake Chosen Ones that started appearing after the events of Carry On (and the only one to be mentioned and/or defeated, for that matter). It becomes clear that presenting as Simon Snow-ish is part of his brand, especially when Baz describes him as looking like the Netflix adaptation version of Simon, and that he was raised and guided by his uncle, who’s just... there. I don’t think it would’ve been hard to make him manipulating Smith-Smith into believing he’s the prophetic savior of the Magickal World, which would not only make both of their characters more interesting, but it could also serve as a parallel of Simon’s relationship with the Mage. Richards also has some special powers such as increasing a mage’s magic for a limited amount of time, but taking it away afterwards, as well as making someone immune from spells. It’s worth saying those aren’t skills that are usual in the Magickal World, or else there wouldn’t be so much confusion and shock from people (specially Baz and Penny, who would definitely have heard of something like this before), but we get no explanation on why or how Richard has them.

Then, we have the Salisbury’s. We, as readers, already know Lucy and Davy are Simon’s parents, making Ruth his grandmother. It’s noticeable that Rowell builds up to that discovery, by making Simon get along with Ruth instantly, him thinking about Lucy a lot etc. It makes us excited to read the part where they actually figure it out, to know how Simon would deal with that, him dealing with the fact that he’s the Mage’s son and the fact that, technically, he killed his father. I suppose that’s the point, but actually getting to that part was incredibly underwhelming. The way they discovered about Simon—being able to lift a family sword—hadn’t been mentioned or hinted at before. One would’ve expected Simon, who’s particularly interested in swords as it’s mentioned many times throughout the series, to notice a freaking Excalibur at the Salisbury’s place before.

And speaking of noticing things: when it’s finally revealed that Simon is Lucy’s son and the Mage’s heir, Baz pointed out the uncanny similarities between his boyfriend and the deceased Watford principal. “Those narrow eyes. That tilt of his head. I thought... I thought he’d learned it. Was imitating it.” + “Merlin, Simon, you even look like him.” (Any Way the Wind Blows, chapter 86) Simon was the Mage’s protégé for years and I assume the Magickal authorities knew that he was the one to inherit all of his money and personal belongings, but no one, in the whole British Magickal community, thought about them being related? I refuse to believe there were no conspiracy theorist teachers at Watford or that Mitali or even the Pitch’s alongside everyone who was against the Mage didn’t at least check to know if there was something behind those characteristics. Baz literally said (chapter 88), “I think it’s undeniable. I’d cast ‘Flesh and blood’ on them, but it would bounce right off of Snow (...)”, so there is a spell for that. Plus, we didn’t even have one whole chapter of Simon dealing with this information! The chapters (no more than five, out of ninety-one) were divided between Simon, Baz and Lady Ruth’s POVs. He’s the main character, so one would think he’d get more development.

Another point that felt rushed was the romance. While Simon and Baz’s relationship wasn’t, as it’s been a topic Rowell has explored for three books (we’re not counting Fangirl here, as their ‘participation’ on it was minor and their personalities weren’t as consistent as in the trilogy. Not that it is that consistent there), the others just felt like she wanted everyone to finish the trilogy with a pair. I’ll start with Shepard and Penny. There were fans who liked them together before Any Way the Wind Blows, but it wasn’t hinted at—it was more like a fandom thing. I personally like them as a couple, but it could have had development and, maybe, foreshadowing in Wayward Son. I mean, they did fight monsters during a huge part of a road trip together.

The next one I’ll talk about is Agatha and Niamh. I love them, don’t get me wrong. Actually, it’s precisely because I love them that I wish they’d gotten a better treatment. Niamh wasn’t introduced before Any Way the Wind Blows. I get why she wasn’t introduced in Carry On—it was interesting to see a character who wasn’t caught up in Simon and Baz’s drama during the school years—but a hint of her existence could’ve been left in Wayward Son. Agatha is an important character on it, and a mention of her father training an aspiring veterinary could’ve fit somewhere, as a hint, maybe. (Also, Lucy, the dog, being absolutely forgotten during this book when a lot of Agatha’s time is spent in a veterinary clinic...) Besides, we could get the vibes from them, but after they kissed, there was barely any content. We didn’t get them calling each other ‘girlfriend’ (or if they even like that label at this point), or the aftermath of the kiss, or a POV from Niamh. Or Niamh appearing the epilogue? If Agatha was taking care of the goats, I’m sure Niamh would have a part in that too. Still on Agatha’s character, but not on Niamh’s, it felt like Rainbow Rowell was setting up for aromantic and asexual Agatha, specially because of this quote: “It was like she'd pulled the feeling right out of my heart. I could have kissed her. (I still wish sometimes that I wanted to.) (That would feel like an answer to... the question of me. Then I could say, 'Oh, thats who I am. That's why I've been so confused.')” (Wayward Son, chapter 4).

And I was leaving the best (I need to be sure everyone knows I mean this sarcastically) of the romance topic for the end: Fiona and Nicodemus. It’s just... so forced and undeveloped. Not even because, to me, they’re both gay as hell. There was just... such a lack of development! I don’t think we had any interaction between the both of them before Any Way the Wind Blows. There was no foreshadowing or why would Fiona, a vampire hunter from a family of vampire hunters, would marry... a vampire! I’d already find it weird to see fanfiction of them as a crackship, but it’s canon?! Like, canon as in they’re going to get married and use Fiona and Natasha’s mother’s ring? Seriously, nothing will take from me that this is a lavender marriage (as I’ve already discussed with my best friend, which inspired this post of theirs.)

I’d also like to speak about a topic that’d been hinted throughout the series, especially post-Carry On, which is the criticism towards the Magickal Community in the U.K.. That criticism is very much embodied in Shepard’s character. It’s explicitly said that the British mages have some kind of supremacy towards other supernatural beings, such as vampires for example, gatekeeping literal magic. Up until relatively recently, mages with weak links with magic couldn’t attend Watford (and that’s a major plot point in the final book) and there’s a denial towards any other kind of magic except the ones that are part of their craft. Even within the Magickal community itself, there are more important families that are more likely to succeed, like Natasha receiving criticism for marrying Malcolm, as a Pitch. It felt pointless not to tackle the issues you’ve set up yourself in your own universe. Penelope has very strict morals related to magickal law and beliefs, something that she could’ve deconstructed, especially considering Shepard, her love interest, symbolises that. Another point related to that is, the trilogy is very clearly heavily inspired by Harry Potter, where many of those points are very clear (e.g. wizard supremacy in relation to other species, such as werewolves and domestic elves and the status quo that makes some traditionally magical families more influential than others, like the Malfoy’s vs. the Weasley’s), so it’s not an easily forgettable concept.

The series also had a lot of inconsistencies. The one I’ve seen talked about more often is Simon and Agatha’s... intimacy status, let’s call it that. Simon’s whole thing in the first book was that he struggled controlling his magic when experiencing intense emotions, which makes it hard to believe that he managed to have sex withount an... accident. Besides that, though, there’s this quote, “She (...) presses a kiss into my temple. No one has ever kissed me there. No one has ever kissed me anywhere but on my mouth” (Carry On, Chapter 27), but in Any Way the Wind Blows, when Simon’s about to have his wings cut, Agatha says, “It’s a strange feeling to look at someone’s chest and know it’s nothing to do with you anymore, but still to remember kissing every inch.” (Chapter 14)

So, we have established that Rainbow Rowell’s work, both character and plot driven, is flawed. “But we got the characters interacting for the closure of the series, at least!” Well... we got interactions between the canon romantic relationships, yeah. But besides that, we didn’t get much. There were no interactions between Agatha and Penny, or Shepard with Simon and Baz. Or Penny and her mother figuring stuff out. Or literally anyone with a therapist. And not gonna lie, the interaction we got between Baz and Dev was underwhelming, to say the least. Niall is nowhere to be seen, too.

Rainbow Rowell’s writing is beautiful: she writes poetic lines that make the book seem perfect at first glance, if you don’t think about it for too long. Her words are very shiny, but once you get use to that light and see what’s behind them, what’s between one shiny quote and another, it has so many flaws and plot holes that it reads like a first draft. There are many concepts in there that are genuinely good: the rest of the trilogy focused on the protagonist dealing with the trauma of being a child soldier instead of being entirely an adventure, Simon being unlabelled, a fake Chosen One that gives mages fake hope... Those are all good ideas, but so poorly explored that, despite being an entire book/trilogy, it still feels like a writing pitch or something among those lines.

I felt iffy about other things during my reading of the series, but they aren’t exactly plot points, so I’ll just list them below:

Mitali, Penny’s mom, including ‘discovering your bisexuality’ as a mid-life crisis thing

As I’ve seen people talking about biphobia/bi erasure in the books, I’ll be including this post that features both unlabelled and bisexual individuals talking about the topic (it isn’t my place, as a lesbian, to talk about this, that’s why I decided not to do so.)

Romanticising of Baz’s suicide (a.k.a. chapter 61) in the first book. If you’re not in a good place mentally, like I was when I first read Carry On, I hope you know that a kiss or romance doesn’t help any mental illness you or others might have. Don’t let anyone use your guilt to manipulate you. Paraphrasing Alice Oseman in their graphic novel Heartstopper, love can’t cure a mental illness.

Any Way the Wind Blows was... very horny. I can’t point out how this makes the book bad exactly, but it wasn’t something I enjoyed. One of Rainbow Rowell’s strongest skills is that her quotes, when loose, are good. They tend to be poetic and just beautiful, overall. But in the... explicit scenes, these skills were barely used, and I felt like I was reading NSFW tweets off of someone’s private account on Twitter. Besides, the first two books of the series weren’t written like that, so the change was very sudden.

The older people could’ve been more explored. Penelope and Mitali’s relationship and how similar the both of them are compared to each other, Daphne and Professor Bunce’s insecurities and why they believed in Smith-Smith, Fiona, Nico, and Ebb... Also, the Mage and Lucy. We could’ve had more on them, y’know.

The pop culture references. They made the book read even more like Twitter’s feed. Honestly, if I wanted to read prompts and nice ship content alongside memes from Twitter with some horny thoughts sprinkled all around, I would’ve opened the Twitter app. Or Tumblr, Instagram, whatever.

The POV switching felt lazy to me at times. It’s nice to know how different characters are experiencing that situation, yes, but sometimes, like during the discovery that Simon is a Salisbury, it read as if Rowell wanted to create tension, but couldn’t think of any other way to do it except the switching around.

Narrative wise, I think Simon and Baz should’ve spent more time broken up.

64 notes · View notes