tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post5773064133003617669..comments2013-12-05T17:36:47.353+13:00Comments on Most Tranquil: Ladies and GentlemenLydiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05217776444770442149noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-8864536991348057612010-06-10T20:03:35.084+12:002010-06-10T20:03:35.084+12:00Aw, I think it's so sweet that you have such a...Aw, I think it's so sweet that you have such a gentleman for a brother, Lydie. And you too, Microchiroptera (I think you have an awesome name, too). Thanks for sharing, I'm glad to know that gentlemen do still exist these days:)FRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-50104299387319426562010-06-09T23:56:55.904+12:002010-06-09T23:56:55.904+12:00FR - it's so difficult to understand! I sympa...FR - it's so difficult to understand! I sympathise - I haven't worked it out myself. I *think* that the word 'gentleman' means a few different things: the status of gentleman, or a man who is gentlemanly in manners, like that site says. Today, there isn't any rank of 'gentleman' but it's still used to describe the fairly well-to-do men, and is also a description of a man's manners. hmm. Gentlemen today? <br /><br />I reckon my brother andy - over at www.starstuddedsuperstep.com is a gentleman - he actually opens the car door for me sometimes, and he *always* makes me go through a door before him! Although some of that may seem superficial, he actually is a gentleman at heart, I believe.. :)<br /><br />Microchiroptera - you have an awesome name! I like your blog, definitely something I'll have to add to my list of blogs to read. It's quite a different style - your way of observing minute things. <br />aww - your brother sounds lovely! He's certainly getting a headstart on gentlemanliness if he's a gentleman at 13!<br /><br />Theresa - haha, yep it could be. Usually I avoid writing about potentially romantic/girl-intriguing guy information. Still, it's tempting. There's that whole gentleman thing going on with whats-his-name Edward, Edward Cullen. He goes for the whole: I'm ridiculously good looking and happen to be a gentlemanly vampire - thing.Lydiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05217776444770442149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-64264776050145945422010-06-09T23:35:49.087+12:002010-06-09T23:35:49.087+12:00wow Elise, that was a pretty epic comment! Maybe *...wow Elise, that was a pretty epic comment! Maybe *you* should have written the essay for me. chuckle..<br />hmm. You're right about Thornton's way of treating the working class as being something that Marg. objects to. I'd forgotten that that was a pretty huge element in her dislike. <br /><br />And yes - I think you're right about her 'unconscious snobbery'. It's more to do with how she's been brought up to view the world from a Harley Street - lens than a strong belief in trade *actually* degrading people. She did hold that belief fairly strongly, but the fact that she had to change her opinions so quickly wrt. Thornton possibly shows she hadn't thought it all out properly. <br /><br />When I was studying this I got a bit irritated by Our Dear Friend Margaret; she said to her mother: "are those the Gormans who made their fortunes in trade at Southampton? Oh! I'm glad we don't visit them. I don't like shoppy people, I think we are far better off, knowing only cottagers and labourers, and people without pretence." - sorry for the long quote, but it at least explains her annoying way of viewing Thornton's position as mill owner.<br /><br />Lizzy - hmm. Maybe she *was* a bit prejudiced against Darcy because of his rank. Still - she wasn't at all prejudiced against Bingley, with his 5,000 a year. Maybe it's mainly to do with the person's character. I'd say she was more disposed to be prejudiced against him because he was proud of his rank, rather than being against him because of the rank itself? haha, train of thought going on there. <br />Anyway. thought-provoking stuff, Elise.Lydiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05217776444770442149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-55607770738152192672010-06-09T22:38:50.154+12:002010-06-09T22:38:50.154+12:00Lydie: Perhaps your next post should be about what...Lydie: Perhaps your next post should be about what a gentleman looks like today! Haha! - although that could be risky...Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13442547969239559022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-11601476615829683342010-06-09T01:15:06.303+12:002010-06-09T01:15:06.303+12:00...i laughed at the Raphaelite portrait of idealis......i laughed at the Raphaelite portrait of idealistic lounging ladies. :)<br />Well i do happen to know a gentleman, even though a very young one. he used to be exceeding wild to the extent of being Unseemly- <br />But- <br />he is pretty much a gracious being with a level and lively mind on his 13-yr-old shoulders. <br />he progressed from pulling hair to helping carry stuff, and various other small actions that have to do with taking care of others. <br /><br />He's also my little brother :p <br /><br /><br />xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-36038872645482045892010-06-08T15:55:12.326+12:002010-06-08T15:55:12.326+12:00I’m not going to get too philosophical here. I tr...I’m not going to get too philosophical here. I tried, and ended up nowhere and more confused than when I started. <br />It’s a very good question you’ve posed - what *does* make a gentleman? I don’t think it’s entirely to do with status, then anyone with status would be a gentleman and anyone without status wouldn’t be. Neither is true. While in my very confused state just now, I googled "what is a gentleman" and found: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~bmgei/educate/docs/aperson/wisdom/gentleman.htm<br />It summed up what I had been thinking rather nicely. <br />It would seem that gentlemen are rather rare these days. I wonder why? And where are they all hiding? I’d like to know, cause I’ve met precious few real, living gentlemen. There must still be some out there...somewhere. If you ever find any, let me know:)FRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38904827.post-48058947644015575642010-06-08T10:28:09.605+12:002010-06-08T10:28:09.605+12:00Hmm. . . I always had the impression that Margaret...Hmm. . . I always had the impression that Margaret's early belief that Mr. Thornton was "not quite a gentleman" was also partly due to his rough manners, and his attitude (the way Margeret perceived it) towards his workers and the working class in general. I don't think her disapprobation (yep, love that word! :-) of Thornton was entirely pure snobbery, though unconscious snobbery definitely played a part in her poor opinion of him early on.<br /><br />As for Lizzy. . . I'd never thought of it this way, but I think you're right, she was more enlightened in this area. She cared absolutely nothing about the money or aristocratic status of others (e.g. Darcy, Lady Catherine) and refused to be impressed or intimidated by it. <br /><br />I do think, though, that she may have had the opposite problem - she was prejudiced against Darcy partly <i>because</i> of his immense wealth and status. She perceived him as being proud and snobbish - which he was, to some extent, but would Lizzy have been so quick to judge him if he <i>hadn't</i> been so wealthy? Lizzy must have grown up painfully aware of her lack of fortune, and the possible implications for her future. Then along comes Darcy - filthy rich, without a care in the world when it came to money. As far as the Bennets were concerned, he was from a different world, a different social strata, and (they believed) he had no sympathy with them, nothing in common with them at all.<br /><br />So yes. . . all this to say, Lizzy wasn't entirely blameless in this area - she was prejudiced against Darcy partly because of his high social status; Margaret against Mr. Thornton because of his lack thereof.<br /><br />Great post, BTW. :-)<br /><br />~EliseThe Editrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01184804847476554759noreply@blogger.com