Previously, I wrote:
Mari Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok, I can accept that as the producers of Emma
> Approved have presented her, this version of Emma
> is not the same as Austen's. That Emma did not
> have the tech available to her so we will never
> know if she would have used cameras to document
> her greatness. Indeed, as a well-bred Regency
> gentlewoman, Austen's Emma did not overtly pat
> herself on the back, smirk smugly or wink.
>
> Austen's Emma did mislead Harriet into refusing
> the "clownish" farmer but up until the Box Hill
> insult, that was probably the most infuriating
> thing she did. Emma Approved by contrast can seem
> downright crass, but I think it is the nature of
> our times. Our times are not as polite,
> understated or rule-bound as the Regency. It's a
> little like the difference between a melancholy
> Mozart concerto and hiphop.
>
> Still, I do think the Emma Approved version is a
> good guy, despite her willingness to manipulate
> the truth. What she did to tip Annie into marrying
> Weston was scary manipulative and an outright lie.
> It could have gone very bad. It was hardly in the
> same category as Austen's Emma declaring with
> perfect self-satisfaction that she had made the
> match between her former governess and Mr. Weston.
> Knightley rightly tells her all she did think
> about; that was her contribution. Unfortunately,
> Emma Approved's contribution did go beyond that,
> and I am willing to agree it was beyond the pale.
>
> Oh, now where was I about Emma Approved being one
> of the good guys? Yeah, I was saying she is
> painted as relentless but not ruthless. Ruthless
> would be getting a chef fired because he objected
> to your menu -- and that would be Caroline Bingley
> (standing in for Augusta). The contrast does put
> Emma's action into context--clueless, ill-advised
> but not cruel. And, for all that she is
> irritating, Emma would never tell Mattie to her
> face that she thinks her jams stink (well, at
> least she she has not done that yet)* or be nasty
> to anyone the way the Eltons were to Harriet when
> they told she was only the help and could not sit
> down at their party.
>
>
> *I do tremble to think what may happen in the Boxx
> episode when the Emma Approved people attempt to
> translate Austen's Emma calling Mattie a bore.
> Given how heavy-handed this series can be -- and
> maybe it needs to be that way in order to be in
> tune with our times -- that insult might be
> brutal.
In hindsight, Anton Chekov's gun seems obvious.
Mari Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok, I can accept that as the producers of Emma
> Approved have presented her, this version of Emma
> is not the same as Austen's. That Emma did not
> have the tech available to her so we will never
> know if she would have used cameras to document
> her greatness. Indeed, as a well-bred Regency
> gentlewoman, Austen's Emma did not overtly pat
> herself on the back, smirk smugly or wink.
>
> Austen's Emma did mislead Harriet into refusing
> the "clownish" farmer but up until the Box Hill
> insult, that was probably the most infuriating
> thing she did. Emma Approved by contrast can seem
> downright crass, but I think it is the nature of
> our times. Our times are not as polite,
> understated or rule-bound as the Regency. It's a
> little like the difference between a melancholy
> Mozart concerto and hiphop.
>
> Still, I do think the Emma Approved version is a
> good guy, despite her willingness to manipulate
> the truth. What she did to tip Annie into marrying
> Weston was scary manipulative and an outright lie.
> It could have gone very bad. It was hardly in the
> same category as Austen's Emma declaring with
> perfect self-satisfaction that she had made the
> match between her former governess and Mr. Weston.
> Knightley rightly tells her all she did think
> about; that was her contribution. Unfortunately,
> Emma Approved's contribution did go beyond that,
> and I am willing to agree it was beyond the pale.
>
> Oh, now where was I about Emma Approved being one
> of the good guys? Yeah, I was saying she is
> painted as relentless but not ruthless. Ruthless
> would be getting a chef fired because he objected
> to your menu -- and that would be Caroline Bingley
> (standing in for Augusta). The contrast does put
> Emma's action into context--clueless, ill-advised
> but not cruel. And, for all that she is
> irritating, Emma would never tell Mattie to her
> face that she thinks her jams stink (well, at
> least she she has not done that yet)* or be nasty
> to anyone the way the Eltons were to Harriet when
> they told she was only the help and could not sit
> down at their party.
>
>
> *I do tremble to think what may happen in the Boxx
> episode when the Emma Approved people attempt to
> translate Austen's Emma calling Mattie a bore.
> Given how heavy-handed this series can be -- and
> maybe it needs to be that way in order to be in
> tune with our times -- that insult might be
> brutal.
In hindsight, Anton Chekov's gun seems obvious.