Period Drama Heroines #6: Molly Gibson

Justine Waddell as Molly Gibson in Wives and Daughters (1999)

Of all the period drama heroines in my acquaintance, it is Molly Gibson whose story most resembles that of Cinderella. I mean, think about it. Girl's mother dies, girl and her father live happily together for sixteen years (or whatever it is), girl's father remarries. Girl is not exactly happy about this, especially since the new stepmother is overbearing and ridiculous, and insists on dragging a stepsister into the relationship who is... actually kind of nice.

Okay, the similarities end there.

Anthony Howell, Bill Paterson, Francesca Annis, Justine Waddell and Keeley Hawes in
Wives and Daughters (1999)

Or do they?  Enter Prince Charming (and his brother).  Enter stepmother's scheming. Enter engagement between Prince Charming and evil flirtatious stepsister.  Enter... no fairy godmother.

Cinderella had a magic wand, a gaggle of rodent friends, a pair of glass slippers and the tiniest feet in the kingdom at her disposal when she fell in love with the prince.  Molly Gibson had.... uh.... well, she liked insects.  And she was clever, intelligent, eager to learn, a good listener and of a most forgiving nature.

Justine Waddell as Molly Gibson

Of the two, I think Molly has much more in her to respect than Cinderella ever did.  I admire Molly, not because she "secured" the man of her dreams, but because she was willing to give up the man of her dreams if he was in love with someone else.  (I still maintain he wasn't really in love with Cynthia. "Boyish fancy", and all that.)  Books and movies are full of the guy who gives up the girl so she can marry the man she really likes (John Chivery *sniffle*), but there are few stories that tell of the girl who gives up the guy.

Molly, at the beginning of Wives and Daughters, is just the wee-est bit spoiled.  She's grown up under her father's loving care, and for years it's been just the two of them.  Then in come Hyacinth Clare (why? why?? why must there be such a name on the face of this planet???) and her daughter Cynthia Kirkpatrick, and proceed to make Molly's life miserable.  Not, perhaps, intentionally, but it happens nonetheless.  Mrs. Gibson crumbles everything special that Molly and her father shared (she even bans cheese!) and Cynthia waltzes in and manages to captivate the man Molly is in love with.

You know who she is by now.  Hopefully.

And Roger, like an idiot, falls for Cynthia.

My parents watched Wives and Daughters for the first time this summer, and they both loved it, though my dad told me that there were times he felt like smacking Roger over the head with a two-by-four.

My sentiments exactly.

Molly, unfortunately, is so sweet and inclined to think well of people that she won't let Roger or Cynthia see how she really feels about their engagement.  She can't help liking Cynthia (how can anyone?) even though Cynthia has basically ruined her life.  She's prettier than Molly (well, actually that's debatable because I personally think Molly's lovely), more accomplished and certainly more charming.  Theoretically, any man would fall head over heels for her.  (If he were an idiot.)  And yet Molly is the one who understands Roger, who takes an interest in his interests, who reads his letters over and over and charts his travels on her maps.  Cynthia takes Roger's love for granted, and though Molly could easily hint as much to Roger, she's far too honorable to do so.  Instead, she tries to persuade Cynthia to be a little less nonchalant about the whole thing.  "Yes, he's in love with you!  And he depends upon you, so you should try to deserve him!"

Poor Molly.  Have I mentioned how much I like her?  Well, I do.

The story of Molly's heroism doesn't end there-- and lest from the last few paragraphs you have developed the highly mistaken idea that Molly is a doormat, may I hasten to prove that theory wrong.

Without going into details (this post is too long already), I'll tell you that Molly was instrumental in saving her stepsister's reputation in the incident with Mr. Preston.   Cynthia was too chicken to confront the odious man herself (odious but still kinda pitiable... I SAID KINDA) and so Molly, the convenient Molly, was sent to do it for her.

And she did a marvelous job.

Molly's Best Scene

And then.... AND THEN Roger comes back from Africa.  Ta-dah-dum!  And he and Molly go to a ball together, and Lady Hawwiet pulls a few strings, and as they say (who? who says?), the rest is history (with one of the sweetest kiss-less proposals ever).  And Molly and Roger live happily ever after.

Because hey, it's a book (and a movie).  And because Molly totally deserves a happy ending.

Even if she did keep her shoes on the whole time.