Tumgik
#lucy steele
firawren · 8 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Sense and Sensibility 1995 text posts
3K notes · View notes
bethanydelleman · 5 months
Text
Writing Villains (Advice from Jane Austen)
One of the reasons that I find Jane Austen's novels so wonderful is that they have amazingly realistic villains, some that are fully fleshed out characters. Austen's biggest strength is that she gives her villains clear, logical motives. In fact, for many of her villainous characters you can turn the entire story around and see a rational story from the other side.
For example, Lucy Steele. She doesn't attack Elinor out of mindless evil, but because Edward Ferrars is her golden ticket to wealth and she knows that Edward loves Elinor. Lucy might twist the knife a little on Elinor out of sadism, but generally she attacks Elinor in an attempt to secure Edward. When it comes to other characters, Lucy is overly sweet if she wants something from them, otherwise she acts normally. As an example, she leaves Marianne alone because Marianne is not competing for Edward and also can't do anything for Lucy. Anne, Lucy's sister, likes her. Lucy has friends and family she stays with, she's a fairly well-rounded person.
You can put yourself in Lucy's shoes, you can turn the entire narrative on it's head and play it out from her perspective and it would make complete sense. You could even make Lucy sympathetic! She probably sees herself as a hardworking underdog, trying to wrest her one chance at prosperity away from the conniving Elinor Dashwood. I'm sure she thinks the pain she causes Elinor is justified.
If you can't do that with your villains, then there is a good chance they are just evil for evil's sake. I picked Lucy Steele on purpose because I hate when the entire motivation for a antagonist female character is "bitches be crazy". Bitches may be mean, but almost always for a good reason.
Even Mrs. Norris, who is probably the most cruel of Austen's female villains, can be perspective switched. Her life is about being useful to the Bertram family so she can feel important because her married status/wealth is lower than she wished. As she must always be deferential towards the Bertrams, she takes out her negative emotions on those below her, the servants and Fanny, while also showing off how good she is at "managing" those people. (And yes, she is your childhood bully)
We often hear her perspective and she clearly sees herself as a useful part of the family and a defender of Sir Thomas's wealth. She thinks she's a good person! Which is also an important point: most people doing wrong do not believe that they are doing wrong. That is what really makes a villain scary. Mrs. Norris thinks she's helping Fanny in a very twisted way by teaching Fanny her station in life. If you asked her, she'd give you a self-justified answer and she'd probably actually believe it.
Another way to do a good villain is to just make a person very selfish. Henry Crawford doesn't sit around all day laughing about how much pain he causes women, he doesn't think about it. He only thinks about the fun of flirting for himself, not the harm to others. The glimpses we get into her perspective are not cruel at all. It's the same with Willougby, he thinks only of his own pleasure and tries very hard to ignore that he has crushed Marianne and destroyed Eliza Williams. When he is forced to accept that people were hurt, he blames everyone but himself.
Wickham thinks that he's a victim, Caroline Bingley is ambitious and doesn't care who she steps on to get to the top, Mr. Elton is insulted that Emma could even dream he's a match with Harriet but he can't touch Emma so he punches down at Harriet. They all make sense, they all probably believe that their actions are justified.
Also, imagine taking the heroine/hero right out of the story, would the villain still act the same way? If Anne didn't exist, Mr. Elliot would still try to bring himself into the Elliot family because he was afraid of losing the title. If Elizabeth didn't exist, Wickham would have had another favourite in Meryton. If Fanny didn't exist, Mrs. Norris would have found some other puppy to kick. The villains don't just appear for the plot of the main characters, they have their own reasons for moving around and messing shit up.
Lastly, explaining but not excusing (though unfortunately some people will excuse anyway but that's not your fault). Mary Crawford is mercenary and doesn't seem to believe that love is even a real thing. It's pointed out several times in the novel that her defects have to do with being raised in an immoral environment and a broken home. She was taught by her aunt to marry for wealth and disregard love. Austen doesn't excuse Mary, she doesn't give her a happy ending, but she does explain how she came to be. She's not just greedy, she has been taught that wealth is the best recipe for happiness. As an adult now, it is her responsibility to question that maxim or remain a villain.
Austen wrote amazing morally grey characters and "villains" (a term I used a little liberally here, some of them probably only count as antagonists, not full blown villains). I love how real and human she made her characters, it's something I aspire to myself!
Linking my Caroline rant because it's related, people remove her motives so often and flatten her into a "bitches be crazy".
269 notes · View notes
taciturn-nerd · 5 months
Text
Jane Austen “Villains” as spam/porn bots
Inspired by this post
---------------------------------------------
You have such a 🦋🐬poetic soul 💋and we love ❤️💕the same books📖📚 and music🎻 I want to spend 🔐every day with you I 💖promise I've never been with 🖐️ anyone else 🦆 and I won't 👻ghost you to marry 💎someone else just for money 💰I also 🤮hate people who wear 😹flannel waistcoats👴🤪
---------------------------------------------
Hey Girl 😍💕💙 I’m a soldier 💂‍♀️in the militia with a 🦩tragic backstory 😭📖 What we 😡 hate the 🌼 same person? 🥰🤪 No way let’s go spill the tea 🫖 and 🌍 dance 💃 🕺 the night😘✨🌙away No way I’ll run 🏃‍♂️ away with your sister 👧
---------------------------------------------
It’s me your 🌹🌸 childhood lover 👩‍❤️‍👨 we go way back you 🤐🤞promised 🍄 to be mine ⏳ forever you 🫀 know I’m so 😍 jealous 🫶💕 I don’t care 🤷🏻‍♀️ if we have 🤑 money I’ll marry 👰‍♀️ you anyway 🥬No way I’ll elope 🙀🤖 with your brother
---------------------------------------------
Hey there 😜 💕 I like your toothpick case 👑 🗃️ you’re so handsome👀 🥑 and dreamy 👄 and so much 🧠 🗣️ smarter than your brother 🧑‍🦱 clearly you are your 🗿mother’s favorite 💁‍♀️ 🍎 let’s 🚞 run away to Dawlish 🏠 together we can visit some 🏡 cottages
---------------------------------------------
You are the most 🥰💕😍 amazing person in the neighborhood 🏘️ and I love your 🎨 🏅artwork I'm going 💐 to be so nice to your 🍋 friend just to get on 🍕your good side 🍏 You're almost as amazing 🤩 as me You're clearly giving me ⚡️🌺 signals even though ☘️ you're trying to 🌷👄 match-make 💖 me with your friend
---------------------------------------------
Hey have you seen 🤮 my sick ride? 🚗 You wanna go for a ride? 🚗 Cancel your plans 😼 No wait I ❌ cancelled your plans for you 🍔 You're obviously a rich gal 🍭 and I hate novels 🏈 you're lucky to know such an 🚧 🛟 awesome guy like me 🧩 Obviously 👎 your brother's car's going to break down 🎃 Guess we're 🥰💕💙 getting married huh?
---------------------------------------------
Are you my conscience 😻❤️💕cuz I have you in my heart 💙 I didn't notice you until now 🥹 since your cousins 🌺 aren't around anymore 🐙 but you 🌿 have such a 😇 pure heart 🌹You're going to make me a better man 👨 I promise to always be true 👀 Look I got your💧 brother a great job 👏 Surely I 🥰 deserve you now 👍 If you say you won't be mine I'm not responsible for what I do next 😳
---------------------------------------------
Heyyy I've 💜 heard so many ⭐️ 🥰 good things about 🍉 you from my friend's widow who I refuse to help 🤷‍♂️ I know you ❤️💕 heard I totally 👀 ghosted your sister 🧲 and dad a while back 👎 but that 🥶 was a total misunderstanding 😝I think you and I 🍎 would make a 🍓great family legacy 🥳 together Your 🇮🇹 Italian is so good 🎷Let's go to concerts 🎶 together 🧠 I'll make sure your father doesn't marry🥉 below him
---------------------------------------------
148 notes · View notes
didanagy · 28 days
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995)
dir. ang lee
43 notes · View notes
curiousb · 1 month
Text
The Steele Family Album: Volume XIX
Back at the Steele family home, there's an important event taking place.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Simon is meeting his daughter Laura for the first time.
Tumblr media
But there's also a goodbye to be said - this time to Lucy. And William is actually cheering about it! 😮 Things have been rather frosty between them, ever since he witnessed Lucy's moment of weakness with George, but this is a whole other level of vindictiveness!
Tumblr media Tumblr media
And then - perhaps through divine providence - the living room furniture catches fire. Thankfully, the urns containing the ashes of Lucy and Meg on the mantelpiece survive the blaze intact!
Tumblr media
Catherine and Simon have also been a little careless again. Or perhaps it was by design this time?
Tumblr media
Catherine very sensibly goes into labour in the nursery...
Tumblr media
...and gives birth to a second daughter - Rebecca. Let's hear it for recessive genes! She has her great-grandmother's eyes, passed on through her grandmother Kitty.
Tumblr media
Shortly after, arriving home from work one evening - with a colleague in tow - karma finally sneaks up on William from behind, in the form of Grim.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
He doesn't mind too much. After all, he is going to rest in peace in a tropical paradise - or maybe just to sit on the mantelpiece, next to his fiancée and his cat. Who can say?
Tumblr media
Brie is noisily outraged at the departure of her Sim. But Independent Dolly - having no strong bond with the rest of the family - makes the pragmatic decision to try her luck elsewhere, and slopes off alone into the darkness of the night.
Tumblr media
Of course, Catherine reports Dolly as missing straight away - she is an elder now, and Catherine is worried about her being out on the streets. But whether she will be seen again is anyone's guess. Cats, after all, are their own masters.
20 notes · View notes
mxcottonsocks · 4 months
Text
Just stumbled upon quite a fun series of videos on youtube. There are more for other Austen books, but here are the Sense and Sensibility ones:
Marianne Dashwood to John Willoughby:
youtube
John Willoughby to Marianne Dashwood:
youtube
Lucy Steele's letter to Edward Ferrars:
youtube
32 notes · View notes
showmethesneer · 1 year
Text
Edward coming to visit Elinor and finding Lucy there:
Tumblr media
63 notes · View notes
tercessketchfield · 2 years
Text
Netflix’s “Anne Elliot” is a mixture of Lucy and Anne Steele (and I wouldn’t settle for more), and we are terribly wrong to Elizabeth Bennet by any comparison with this “Anne”.
116 notes · View notes
aloveforjaneausten · 8 months
Text
I do not know which infuriates me more: Willoughby's conversation with Elinor at Cleveland or the letter Lucy sends to Edward after marrying his brother?!
7 notes · View notes
laufire · 30 days
Text
The whole of Lucy's behaviour in the affair, and the prosperity which crowned it, therefore, may be held forth as a most encouraging instance of what an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest, however its progress may be apparently obstructed, will do in securing every advantage of fortune, with no other sacrifice than that of time and conscience.
— Sense and Sensibility.
3 notes · View notes
cosmicrhetoric · 8 months
Text
the debate as to if s&s lucy is actually genuine in her interactions with elinor is so fun like im personally undecided but it's just like. either she's operating on gossip girl/2000s teen movie/regina george levels of petty manipulation OR shes just a bit silly w/ it
2 notes · View notes
firawren · 2 years
Text
Mrs. Ferrars: *disinherits Edward*
Mrs. Ferrars: Take that, Miss Steele! You'll never get our fortune!
Lucy Steele:
Tumblr media
x
33 notes · View notes
bethanydelleman · 11 days
Text
The scene where Edward walks in on Lucy and Elinor in London is SO awkward! Edward comes to see Elinor but Lucy is also visiting, then Marianne walks in. Edward very nearly just walks right back out. Here is what everyone knows:
Edward knows he is engaged to Lucy but likes Elinor. He does not know what the women know, unless Lucy has told him something.
Lucy knows that Edward likes Elinor and vise versa.
Elinor knows everything.
Marianne knows nothing.
This interaction is so hard to read, especially after Marianne arrives. Everyone is hiding their feelings except Marianne and she is so excited to see Edward. He must feel like a terrible person. Which is good. But also, poor guy.
Scene:
Elinor was prevented from making any reply to this civil triumph, by the door’s being thrown open, the servant’s announcing Mr. Ferrars, and Edward’s immediately walking in.
It was a very awkward moment; and the countenance of each showed that it was so. They all looked exceedingly foolish; and Edward seemed to have as great an inclination to walk out of the room again, as to advance farther into it. The very circumstance, in its unpleasantest form, which they would each have been most anxious to avoid, had fallen on them.—They were not only all three together, but were together without the relief of any other person. The ladies recovered themselves first. It was not Lucy’s business to put herself forward, and the appearance of secrecy must still be kept up. She could therefore only look her tenderness, and after slightly addressing him, said no more.
But Elinor had more to do; and so anxious was she, for his sake and her own, to do it well, that she forced herself, after a moment’s recollection, to welcome him, with a look and manner that were almost easy, and almost open; and another struggle, another effort still improved them. She would not allow the presence of Lucy, nor the consciousness of some injustice towards herself, to deter her from saying that she was happy to see him, and that she had very much regretted being from home, when he called before in Berkeley Street. She would not be frightened from paying him those attentions which, as a friend and almost a relation, were his due, by the observant eyes of Lucy, though she soon perceived them to be narrowly watching her.
Her manners gave some re-assurance to Edward, and he had courage enough to sit down; but his embarrassment still exceeded that of the ladies in a proportion, which the case rendered reasonable, though his sex might make it rare; for his heart had not the indifference of Lucy’s, nor could his conscience have quite the ease of Elinor’s.
Lucy, with a demure and settled air, seemed determined to make no contribution to the comfort of the others, and would not say a word; and almost every thing that was said, proceeded from Elinor, who was obliged to volunteer all the information about her mother’s health, their coming to town, &c. which Edward ought to have inquired about, but never did.
Her exertions did not stop here; for she soon afterwards felt herself so heroically disposed as to determine, under pretence of fetching Marianne, to leave the others by themselves; and she really did it, and that in the handsomest manner, for she loitered away several minutes on the landing-place, with the most high-minded fortitude, before she went to her sister. When that was once done, however, it was time for the raptures of Edward to cease; for Marianne’s joy hurried her into the drawing-room immediately. Her pleasure in seeing him was like every other of her feelings, strong in itself, and strongly spoken. She met him with a hand that would be taken, and a voice that expressed the affection of a sister.
“Dear Edward!” she cried, “this is a moment of great happiness!—This would almost make amends for every thing!”
Edward tried to return her kindness as it deserved, but before such witnesses he dared not say half what he really felt. Again they all sat down, and for a moment or two all were silent; while Marianne was looking with the most speaking tenderness, sometimes at Edward and sometimes at Elinor, regretting only that their delight in each other should be checked by Lucy’s unwelcome presence. Edward was the first to speak, and it was to notice Marianne’s altered looks, and express his fear of her not finding London agree with her.
“Oh, don’t think of me!” she replied with spirited earnestness, though her eyes were filled with tears as she spoke, “don’t think of my health. Elinor is well, you see. That must be enough for us both.”
This remark was not calculated to make Edward or Elinor more easy, nor to conciliate the good will of Lucy, who looked up at Marianne with no very benignant expression.
Ch 35, Sense & Sensibility
29 notes · View notes
taciturn-nerd · 7 months
Text
Sense and Sensibility, Lucy Steele's POV
It would be interesting to read Jane Austen's novel, Sense and Sensibility from Lucy Steele's POV. It would almost be like the plot for Lady Susan. (Spoilers below if you haven't read the book!)
You read all about how Lucy and Edward meet when he's at her uncle's being tutored and how their innocent friendship blossoms in their youth (at least that's what Edward thinks). Lucy hears about how he's from a wealthy family and does everything she can to charm him and spend time with him and easily gets him to fall in love and propose. Even when they're long distance for years and years, she writes him all the time to tug at his heartstrings because she knows what a softie he is.
But one time he visits and Lucy hears about the new friends he met at Norland. Edward can't help but betray his admiration for Elinor as he's praising her qualities, and Lucy immediately sees her as a threat to her ticket to financial security engagement.
She finds out from Edward where the Dashwoods have moved and remembers a distant cousin: Mrs. Jennings. She and Anne happen to be in the part of Exeter where Sir John and Mrs. Jennings are visiting one morning and of course Sir John invites them to come and stay!
Lucy is on a mission to visit the Dashwoods and defend her territory, so to speak.
She works both sides of her battle: trying to discourage Elinor with her prior claims and gushing with fake affection on Edward's side to continually guilt him into sticking with her: the letters, the ring with her hair, probably clinging to him in fake happiness when he visits her in Plymouth.
On one hand, you can't blame her for using whatever means she has to move up in a world where women in her social class could only attain a comfortable future by marrying well. On the other hand, you know she's two-faced and insincere in her affections for Edward and uses his sense of duty to hold him hostage in their engagement even when he doesn't like her anymore.
She knows she's playing the long game since Edward's mother would never approve, but when she meets his mother and sister, their kindness to her (because they hate Elinor) gives her false encouragement that it could go well!
But her sister Anne is a blabbermouth and spills everything!
Edward is disinherited! He begs her to break off the engagement so they don't have to live in poverty together. What choice does she have? She clings to him all the more!
Robert Ferrars, Edward's brother who will now inherit everything, visits Lucy to try to convince her to break off the engagement. You know you have a point, she says, but I think I need to talk to you again and maybe I'll be convinced. Come see me another time. And another time. And you know you're so much more handsome and clever than your brother. And before long, BOOM, the coxcomb with the gold toothpick case has fallen for the same girl as his brother and they elope!
His mother is furious!
But over time, Lucy ingratiates herself to her so much that she becomes the favorite daughter-in-law!
I hate her manipulations of everyone, but man, you gotta admit she's got skills.
82 notes · View notes
didanagy · 1 month
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995)
dir. ang lee
31 notes · View notes
curiousb · 1 month
Text
The Willoughby Family Album: Volume V
Back to the home of romantic drama today.
Tumblr media
Louie is back home for a visit, bringing their girlfriend Sally with them. And then proceeding to gossip about her with mum, right in front of her. 😯 Thankfully, Sally doesn’t seem offended. Caroline needs to get dressed though, as it's party time, in celebration of her political success.
Tumblr media
John has been getting to know Bertram through work, and they get along rather well.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
In fact, everyone is having a pretty good time, just hanging out together.
Tumblr media
Until Lucy and George find themselves unable to contain their mutual attraction, discovered so late in life. After many contented years together, William is very, very disappointed in his fiancée. He's had his moments too, but never in public.
Tumblr media
Caroline is still blowing hot...
Tumblr media
...and cold with John, keeping him at her mercy. It seems she still hasn't entirely forgiven her husband for his romantic peccadillos.
17 notes · View notes