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Debate No. 4

Debate Part 4 - Introducing the characters

I have seen many descriptions of our favourite characters, all very good, all very respectful and proper.  The majority tend to stick to the "idealistic" view of the characters... not me.  I think I might want to remedy this.

Now, I do love and respect them (I do spend, after all, a large amount of time in their pleasant company), but isn't it time we looked at them just for fun?

I give you:  The not-so-straight-forward portraits of our heroes:

Oscar François ("pissed off") de Jarjayes
Seemingly cold-blooded, sure of herself...  but what a temper!  Always at her best when she steps down from her pedestal and leaves behind that "goodie goodie" image.  Not too bright, though, my dear Oscar, to notice Andre's feelings AFTER the facts!  Still, she forgives him AND shares his bed!  Not too bright when her love life is concerned, then, but what would you know if you were in her shoes?

More serious than the Pope (I think he actually seems to enjoy himself more), funnily enough, the only people who manage to put a smile on her face are generally women (Rosalie...).  Strange...

Andre ("Twenty years and that'll do") Grandier
He enjoys the fact that Oscar repeatedly beats him up every time she has to make a decision.  She never misses an occasion to bring him down.  He lets her walk over him and fall in love with another man.  Andre was a Cocker Spaniel in a previous life.
He loses an eye -for her-, and then, twenty years or so after he figured out that he was madly in love with her, and, no doubts, her beatings, he develops a conscience for social inequities and violently declares his flame.  Wow!
... and then he proceeds to get back to his apathetic state and follow Oscar to his death...  Ooh.

Rosalie ("I can't do a thing right") Lamorliere
She is a "bad" poor:  she doesn't understand the ways of the streets, she can't find Versailles, she can't hurt a fly and she can't hold a dagger or a sword either...
But she is lucky:  I mean, how lucky is it to be accepted in the house of somebody, whose mother you just attempted to murder?
She can't betray her sister, but she can't lie to Oscar either...  and she finishes happy in Paris... lucky!  Ah, well...

Nanny ("The voice of Reason") Grandier
Hailed as the "comic" relief of the series, she doesn't make me laugh... she is a cute character, though, but now I understand why Andre would just shut up for twenty years rather than discuss anything with her.  Does she actually "discuss" anything?  Anyhow, she does bring on some "home truths" -especially to the General- , but thanks, we already knew all this, and so did the characters...

General ("I am NOT in denial") de Jarjayes
Persistence has to be the word - or is it bloody stupid?
Just in case, I will say it once more: <<Pss, she is NOT a boy...>>.
When he notices, it is just a tad bit late...   and the guy has commanded armies... scary.

Mme ("I am not here") de Jarjayes
That's true, she isn't.

Jeanne ("I have a big Necklace") de la Motte-Valois
No comment.

Mme Jeanne ("I am not a Redhead") duBarry
For some strange reason, I kinda like her:  She is a strong woman.  Granted she is portrayed as selfish, vulgar, with a bad tendency to fill up cemeteries around Paris, but she makes for a brilliant sadistic villainess...  got to enjoy that!
How can you have a pure, decent hero without a perverted villain?

Victor Clement ("Impeccable") de Girodelle
I like him as well... a lot.  Not for the same reason.  Squeaky clean -love the hair- , always well dressed, very tidy... the perfect gentleman.  Never too quick to make a decision but he looks like he knows more than he is saying.  And he is the only one who doesn't let passion overwhelm his whole life.  Cold and uptight?  That might just be part of his charm...  Did I say cold?

Alain ("I thought I hated Nobles") de Soisson
He doesn't like them, but he is one AND he likes Oscar.  He basically suffers them with the same pleasure as a heartburn attack, but he lives with it.  He is supposed to be the un-cultured thug with a big heart.  Personally, I preferred him as the annoying brat in the Manga.  The story was a bit more tragic, but he had a bit more integrity and he was almost interesting.

The following comes from Lady Ana... what can I say, except...  ahaaha!!!!

Hans Axel (" Would you like to dance with me?")Von Fersen
Considered the most desirable and elegant man in Europe.  The sex symbol of France and the playboy of  1773.  He was called Mister Face in 1774.  The winner in the Mister Universe Contest in 1775.  He is the perfect guy: Handsome, elegant, intelligent, charming, very nice teeth...   He  was in France studying, but he found free time to go to parties.  In one of them he invited to dance a lady whom he did not know...and he dared to take away her mask!
He has a great reputation with the women, who were always fascinated looking at him.  Some rumours said he was the lover of the Queen. But he is gentleman, he did not dare to have his Marie...excuse me the Queen of Versailles like a lover. So, why did he run away to the United States?!

Marie Antoinette ("free as a dove "), Queen of France
Very charming....and "very" confident. She likes to please her friends with parties, gifts, concerts believing that her subdits would support her decisions.
She demonstrates the strangest reactions when she hears the word "Fersen":  She throws cups and fans, she cannot move, she cannot think...  Some rumours said she had a lover. Who? Fersen? No, they were only friends.
Why did he spend too much time with the Queen?  Ehhh...She wanted to learn about the Swedish culture (and she did really learn it!).