Faulk. In tears! Stay, Julia: stay but for a moment.—The door is fastened!—Julia!—my soul—but for one moment!—I hear her sobbing!—’Sdeath! what a brute am I to use her thus! Yet stay! Ay—she is coming now:—how little resolution there is in a woman!—how a few soft words can turn them!—No, faith!—she is not coming either.—Why, Julia—my love—say but that you forgive me—come but to tell me that—now this is being too resentful. Stay! she is coming too—I thought she would—no steadiness in anything: her going away must have been a mere trick then—she sha’n’t see that I was hurt by it.—I’ll affect indifference—[Hums a tune; then listens.] No—zounds! she’s not coming!—nor don’t intend it, I suppose.—This is not steadiness, but obstinacy! Yet I deserve it.—What, after so long an absence to quarrel with her tenderness!—’twas barbarous and unmanly!—I should be ashamed to see her now.—I’ll wait till her just resentment is abated—and when I distress her so again, may I lose her for ever! and be linked instead to some antique virago, whose gnawing passions, and long hoarded spleen, shall make me curse my folly half the day and all the night. (Act III, Scene II)

The comparison of Faulkland to Woody Allen is interesting; I am a great WA fan; he is hilarious and I see the similarities between them, especially in Act III, Scene II above. If I had been thinking along these lines when reading the play it would have been easier to envision the humor of the character; as it is I am again sorry I did not order the DVD to see this visually. In my mind I now hear WA’s voice for Faulkland and can anything beat that? I am inclined to go ahead and order the DVD now and just watch it later. ;D

Jul. Oh! Faulkland, you have not been more faulty in your unkind treatment of me, than I am now in wanting inclination to resent it. As my heart honestly bids me place my weakness to the account of love, I should be ungenerous not to admit the same plea for yours. (Act V, Scene III)

If Faulkland continues to be so neurotic then I think the road to happiness will be bumpy for them but it seems that Julia is nearly the opposite of him; she seems determined to smooth the road and forgive him no matter how he tests her. I was surprised she did forgive him and I was doubly surprised at the suggestion her anger, hurt, betrayal at his last test was as improper as his testing her! Julia’s ability to forgive and see the good in Faulkland, who does not seem to have as deserving a heart to me as to her, is almost Jane Bennet-like; the difference is that I cannot envision Jane ever becoming angry in the first place. I was kind of hoping Julia would somehow fall for Fighting Bob that determined dog, in the last act. :D

Lyd. Well, I cannot blame you for defending him. But tell me candidly, Julia, had he never saved your life, do you think you should have been attached to him as you are?—Believe me, the rude blast that overset your boat was a prosperous gale of love to him.

Jul. Gratitude may have strengthened my attachment to Mr. Faulkland, but I loved him before he had preserved me; yet surely that alone were an obligation sufficient.

Lyd. Obligation! why a water spaniel would have done as much! —Well, I should never think of giving my heart to a man because he could swim. (Act I, Scene II)

Another interesting comparison is Julia and Lydia. Lydia is determined to oppose her aunt just for the fun and excitement of it and Julia is the unexciting opposite. Lydia is even determined to oppose her aunt when Mrs. M agrees with her choice; Julia on the other hand is the picture of parental fidelity determined to honor her father’s choice and wishes despite Faulkland’s mean tricks and her father’s permanent absence. Then there is the gratitude Julia feels to Faulkland saving her from a watery grave which of course Lydia dismisses out of hand; it reminds me of P&P and Lizzy in Chapter 46, If gratitude and esteem are good foundations of affection, Elizabeth's change of sentiment will be neither improbable nor faulty. If her marriage depended only upon Julia being a proper wife (I envision nothing less) and having the proper feelings and acting upon them Faulkland could be assured of wedded bliss forever but I wonder if the opposite could be true for Lydia’s relationship, the passion and excitement will be the glue that absolutely holds her and the captain together.

Jul. Then let us study to preserve it so: and while Hope pictures to us a flattering scene of future bliss, let us deny its pencil those colours which are too bright to be lasting.—When hearts deserving happiness would unite their fortunes, Virtue would crown them with an unfading garland of modest hurtless flowers; but ill-judging Passion will force the gaudier rose into the wreath, whose thorn offends them when its leaves are dropped! (Act V, Scene III)

I have to admit Julia’s last speech is a bit of a quiz to me. As I see it she is saying the happy couples should determine to be sensible and steady (garland of modest hurtless flowers) in their esteem but defer passion (gaudier rose) to avoid the thorns (doubt and jealousy) which offends deserving hearts. The colors Julia wishes to deny their flattering scene of bliss is extreme emotions?—passion, excitement, jealousy, disguise, stubbornness? ;D