Victim...
Posted by Marsha on April 14, 1998 at 22:53:39:
In response to Willoughby, written by Rita on April 14, 1998 at 21:54:43
Rita, you always come up with such good ones!
Now this is coming from the person who wished Brandon to die and Miss Grey to fade from consumption, so that W&M could get together, when reading the book, so this is admittedly skewed.
He did intend to propose to marianne, but then the whole scandal broke.
From what I could tell Beth wasn't such an innocent. If she was, why did she not contact Brandon when she got pregnant. And she must have been quite something, if you remember W. refused to marry her.
When Lady Allen found out about his "responsibility" she propmised to restore him to all the money if he would marry Beth, but Willoughby refused. he prefereed Miss Grey. (Chose risk against sertainty). Now, if he was mercenary & ruined the poor girl for sport, he'd definitely marry her. It tells something about her character that W would rather take his chances in the world than marry her.
Plus, W doesn't strike me as a man that would force his attentions on an unwilling woman. After all, even when trifling with Marianne, his goal was to make her like him, so she would be pleased by his company, but never does JA hint that he planned to seduce her.
In fact, seducing a well-bred virgin of quality placed a person beyond the pale. You'll notice that no one really cuts W after his affair with Baeth, and Lady Allen is called old-fashioned for disinheriting him. So beth was definitely not a demure lady of quality.
Besides, such a person would be extremely stupid. Guardians and polite society would cast him out, even if she wasn't guarded correctly.
W doesn't strike me as stupid. He would not seduce someone in high position. Therefore, I infer Beth engaged in it volunarily, with clear eyes. Notice that nowhere is it said that Brandon wants W to marry Beth. Only the old-fashioned Lady Allen.I get an impression from the book, that B & W engaged in a concensual affair, and she got pregant. I always see her as a Lydia, just as silly.
I better stop, because lack of sleep is making me incoherent.
- Opportunist! Cheryl 12:22:10 4/15/98
(16)
- Victim! Arnessa 11:38:11 4/17/98
(10)
- Opportunist!! Laraine 16:07:18 4/17/98
(9)
- Victim! Marsha 17:05:56 4/17/98
(8)
- Opportunistic Villian! Cheryl 01:51:31 4/18/98
(7)
- Opportunistic Victim Linda K. 03:01:31 4/18/98
(5)
- Victim to his aunt's manipulations? Kathleen Ann 11:00:35 4/18/98
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- Mrs. Smith on Marianne Linda K. 22:45:15 4/21/98
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- Victim to his own opportunism? Arnessa 15:04:39 4/20/98
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- Adjustments . . . Mary Anne 11:29:44 4/18/98
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- Mary Anne Kathleen Ann 19:46:50 4/18/98
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- Mary Anne Kathleen Ann 19:46:50 4/18/98
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- Mrs. Smith on Marianne Linda K. 22:45:15 4/21/98
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- Victim to his aunt's manipulations? Kathleen Ann 11:00:35 4/18/98
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- A Villanously Opportunistic Victim? :-) Marsha 02:29:07 4/18/98
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- Opportunistic Victim Linda K. 03:01:31 4/18/98
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- Opportunistic Villian! Cheryl 01:51:31 4/18/98
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- Victim! Marsha 17:05:56 4/17/98
(8)
- Opportunist!! Laraine 16:07:18 4/17/98
(9)
- Suducing... Marsha 12:43:17 4/15/98
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- Reforming is not enough at this point Barbara 13:16:00 4/15/98
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- Getting on. Kathleen Ann 15:53:41 4/15/98
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- Getting on. Kathleen Ann 15:53:41 4/15/98
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- Something else that is never stated... Barbara 13:09:15 4/15/98
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- Double standard Mary Anne 20:53:42 4/15/98
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- Double standard Mary Anne 20:53:42 4/15/98
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- Reforming is not enough at this point Barbara 13:16:00 4/15/98
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- Victim! Arnessa 11:38:11 4/17/98
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- A question of respect Bonny 07:30:24 4/15/98
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- Marrying Beth Barbara 02:26:51 4/15/98
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- Marianne's happiness (Sorry about length!) Mary Anne 08:06:05 4/15/98
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- Marianne's happiness (Sorry about length!) Mary Anne 08:06:05 4/15/98
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