It's Kind of an Annual Thing

Percy Day has come 'round again, and though I feel I said pretty much all that I had to say about His Awesomeness last year, I can't let the day go unnoticed, now can I?

So I shall just share a few of my favorite Percy moments with you....

....and then I shall get off the computer so I can finish watching The Scarlet Pimpernel.  :D

Defending Sir Percy

The Scarlet Pimpernel did not take it upon himself to punish the guilty; his care was solely of the helpless and of the innocent. For this aim he risked his life every time that he set foot on French soil, for it he sacrificed his fortune, and even his personal happiness, and to it he devoted his entire existence. [...] The Scarlet Pimpernel was a personality of whom an entire nation might be justly proud.

~El Dorado by Baroness Orczy

Being the unashamed word geek that I am, I find puns hilarious (even those that cause everyone around me to groan and roll their eyes) and take great delight in oxymorons.  If you don't know what an oxymoron is, let me enlighten you: it's a phrase that contradicts itself, like "jumbo shrimp", "chilled hot chocolate," "boring Jane Austen" or "defending Sir Percy".

Because, you know, Sir Percy doesn't need anyone to defend him.  Seriously.  If there's going to be any defending going on here, Percy's the one who does the defending.  Are we clear on this?

All that said, it has come to the attention of one Miss Amy Dashwood that Sir Percy Blakeney, Baronet, has been getting a bad rap lately.  There seem to be two kinds of people in this world: those who appreciate the Scarlet Pimpernel (spoiler alert: Percy is the Scarlet Pimpernel. All my apologies in advance) and those who don't know what they're missing.  The ones who appreciate Percy as he is meant to be appreciated go by many names, but my favorite term is one coined by the staunchest of them all: the Leaguettes.   The Leaguettes (female members of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel) are faithful fans of the books, the movie, and the man himself (and his lovely wife, but unfortunately she gets forgotten occasionally, especially when we're being jealous of her. Ahem).  Then there is the other camp, the people who think Sir Percy is nice enough and even heroic, but nothing to write home about.  They seem to be laboring under the mistaken delusion that Percy is humorous and even gallant, but unrealistic.  (Technically there's a third group: those who know nothing about The Scarlet Pimpernel [TSP], but we can only hope that they will come out from under their rocks as soon as possible.)

In case you couldn't tell, I'm a Leaguette.  Anne-girl has declared today the Official Percy Day of Hero Week, and so I'm going to take this opportunity to refute the unfounded accusations against poor misunderstood Sir Percy.  (Disclaimer: I'm a huge TSP fan, but I'm not the Fan to End All Fans and therefore am not the ultimate authority on His Awesomeness.  If you want to read an explanation of Percy's greatness by the Greatest Fan herself, go here.)

First of all, I'd like to combat the theory that Percy is a goofball.  Ladies, puh-leeze.  Look, he's a hero in disguise.  And in this case, Mr. Darcy's famous quote about disguise of every kind being his abhorrence doesn't fit, because Percy's disguises have a heroic reason behind them.  He's putting his life on the line for the sake of helpless innocents.  For those of you who don't know, Percy's story takes place during the French Revolution, when Robespierre's Reign of Terror was sending hundreds of people to the guillotine every day.  Sir Percy Blakeney, Baronet, and his band of nineteen brave men pledged themselves to rescue as many French aristocrats as they could, working under the mysterious name of the Scarlet Pimpernel.  Since Percy would be immediately arrested if the French authorities knew who the Scarlet Pimpernel really was, it was necessary for his "public personality" to be as far removed from his real identity as possible, so that no one would ever know that the brainless fop was truly the bravest of heroes.  

Percy is a consummate actor, and his foppish (I do like that word, it's such fun), dandified alter ego succeeded in fooling nearly everyone.  Obviously, it's fooled some of you too.  A dear friend who shall remain anonymous to protect her identity (heehee, shall I refer to her as Madame Pimpernel?) said that she felt his funny way of acting annoys her too much.  "Okay, so, in the movie it's funny... but first time is funny, second time is silly, and third time is a spanking, y'know? He seems to act that way much more than he really needs to."  Now, I'm of the firm opinion that everyone is entitled to her own opinion (just as long as it's the same as mine--- KIDDING, I'm KIDDING) but I have to respectfully disagree with Madame here.  Since I would never be able to say it half so well in my own phraseology, I'll just give you a few words from the man himself.

If we are to succeed, we must maintain our anonymity, mask our identities, even if it means suffering the mockery of others. Being taken for fools, fops, nitwits, even cowards. (from the 1982 movie)

I'm trying my hardest not to just quote Alexandra for this entire post :D but I can't resist it here.  In her recent guest post on Scribblings, she said:

It takes a lot of guts to sacrifice your reputation when with one flick of the eyeglass you could declare that you are The Scarlet Pimpernel and instantly have a nation falling at your feet. A Real Hero doesn’t do his good deeds to get a pat on the back. He often works behind the scenes so as to not get credit. Because credit isn’t the point for him. It’s doing what is right.   

Are you convinced yet? In this day and age, a man's reputation is not what it once was.  Years ago, a man's honor and good name were his most precious possessions.  As Shakespeare famously said, "Who steals my purse steals trash... but he who filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed."  (Be proud of me, Anne-girl-- I wrote that entire quote from memory.)  Sir Percy, like any other respectable gentleman, puts great stock in his honor... yet he's willing to give it up for the sake of something far more important.  If others want to think that he truly is an idiot, he's willing to let that slide because there's something so much greater at stake.

If you still aren't convinced, then listen very closely to what I'm about to say:

Go read El Dorado.

It's unquestionably the best TSP novel ever written, and I firmly believe that I didn't know how much of a hero Sir Percy was until I read that book.  (At the risk of my life at the hands of the other Leaguettes, I should mention here that I heartily disliked Sir Percy at the beginning of the first book.  *ducks broadswords*  Needless to say, I'd changed my tune by the end, once I'd realized that the idiocy was only a mask.)

Brief El Dorado synopsis: Percy and his men are on a mission to rescue the young Dauphin of France, but a series of insanely stupid acts of disobedience on the part of Marguerite's unworthy brother Armand (pardon me while I do a Mr. Knightley-esque ERRRRMMM!) land Percy in prison, captured by his archenemy Citizen Chauvelin.  Chauvelin is seriously one of the worst villains in literature, and I guess you could say that he gets his finest hour in El Dorado. Percy is in his hands, and Chauvelin literally stops at nothing--not even torture--to get Percy to give up the Dauphin.  I could go into a long discourse about the merits of this wonderful book, but I'll save that for an e-mail to Ally and instead just provide you with one of the most beautiful passages in the novel.  Marguerite has just come to  visit Percy in prison (he's being starved to death and deprived of sleep, peoples) and begged him to do what Chauvelin asks, but he refuses.

She understood that long ago he had mapped out the course of his life, and now that that course happened to lead up a Calvary of humiliation and of suffering he was not likely to turn back, even though, on the summit, death already was waiting and beckoning with no uncertain hand; not until he could murmur, in the wake of the great and divine sacrifice itself, the sublime words: "It is accomplished."

Kleenex, please.  Also smelling salts, if you happen to have any handy.  (Why does no one carry smelling salts anymore?  Let's bring back smelling salts!)

Naturally, it all turns out okay in the end (oops, I just spoiled THAT for you) but trust me, this is a book you should not miss.  (Yes, Melody, I'm talking to you.)

One last point before I wrap this up: Percy and Marguerite's relationship at first struck me as being sappy and overdone.  You must remember that I was only twelve when I read TSP, and so excuses must be made.  By the time I saw the movie, however (at sixteen) I was completely won over.  See, the true romance in the Blakeneys' relationship doesn't really come into effect until after the honeymoon.  And for a girl who always wanted to know what came after the happily ever after, that's the best part of the love story.  I firmly believe that Marguerite and Percy were in love when they got married-- but not completely, not yet.  Soon after the wedding, they both began to have (not unfounded) doubts about the other that led to a huge rift in their marriage.  It wasn't until they'd been through various fiery trials that showed each of them just how worthy the other was that they really and truly realized their love for each other.

In my humble opinion, that is.

I should like to also take this time, while I still have your attention (you are paying attention, right? Right?  Hey! Wake up!) to point out some other important elements of Sir Percy's character; namely, his fashion sense (for though clothes are not really his only waking thought, he does know how to dress and who doesn't appreciate that?), his gift for poetry (if a rhyme rhymes, it makes a poem, if you follow me), his inexhaustible wit (sink me, your tailors have betrayed you), his ultimate adherence to fair play (m'dear chap, never would have dreamt of depriving you of your moment of pleasure) and last but not least, his monocle-eyeglass-thingie.

Sink me, if I haven't come to the end.  Are you convinced yet?  If not... *tosses copy of El Dorado* Yours, I believe.

PS: For more about Sir Percy, check out The Day Dream, a blog devoted to this hero and his stories.

Sink Me, Miss Dorrit

I'm participating again in Miss Elizabeth Bennet's delightful Period Drama Advice Event.  This time, the advice-seeking letter comes from one of my favorite period drama characters of all time.  So I decided to reciprocate by writing an advice letter from another of my favorite characters... I only hope I did him justice.  At least a little.  

Dear Period Drama Advice Column,

I received a proposal from a dear friend of mine, John Chivery. I refused him because I do not love him. I am very fond of John, but I could never feel that way about him. I wish I could; it distresses me to see him unhappy, but I can’t love him — not in that way, not to be his wife. I would rather stay and look after my father than marry someone I do not love. I hope he will find a good wife one day because he deserves one. I am in love with another man, Arthur Clennam, but he is in love with someone else who I don’t know. And now because I refused John, everybody is unhappy or angry with me. What should I do?

Sincerely,
Amy Dorrit

My dear Miss Dorrit,

Asking me for advice, what? Sink me, I'm far too embarrassed... well, if you insist.

How very troubling this all sounds.  'Twould seem your friend Mr. Chivery is in some distress, and though you might at first be inclined to go to the rescue, I would not advise it.  It sounds as though the man isn't even capable of tying his own cravat.

You will think now, Miss Dorrit, that I am not serious, but I tell you I am. Deadly serious. And if you think I don't know the meaning of love... well, you are wrong on that point. Quite wrong. You cannot marry a man you do not love, mademoiselle, and you will only set yourself up for unhappiness.  No, no, it will not do.  You must refuse this Mr. Chivery as kindly as you can; it is not fair to him if you cannot love him as he loves you.  Or is, love, too, a crime these days?

I' faith, mademoiselle, I do wish I could see your face as you read this letter and the contrast between the beginning and the end.  Let that be a lesson to you, Miss Dorrit. Never take anyone for granted.
You needn't ask for my identity-- I am a phantom, my lady.  Nothing more than a phantom.

Yours sincerely,

They seek him here, they seek him there
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere
Is he in heaven? or is he in hell?
That demmed elusive Pimpernel!

Random Ramblings and a Reminder

I'm not going to waste your time with a million bazillion apologies for the lack of actual intelligent content on this blog, but I am going to tell you that the lack of actual intelligent content seems slated to continue, because I have a research paper due on FEBRUARY FIRST and I. Must. Finish. It.  

So this post shall be random and rambling and rather ridiculous.  Except for the parts where I inform you about various blog events, because as we all know blog events are Full of Fun.  First of all, I direct your attention to the Inkpen Authoress' "Heigh-Ho For A Husband" blog party.   Go to Rachel's blog and  check it out! I'm entering a frivolous little short story... what will you enter ?

Next on the list of events is Miss Laurie's birthday party for Mr. Charles Dickens.  Please pop over to Old-Fashioned Charm the week of February 7th to celebrate the birthday of the man who wrote the famous, fantastic, Little Dorrit... oh, and some other novels too. 

Also, Stephanie over at Eccentricitee is hosting a lovely Disney blog button contest, and I encourage you all to enter! (I have some rather fanciful ideas brewing for my entry...)
And now for some major randomness... Jemimah over at Beautiful Blank Pages has sweetly awarded me the...

And now for zee Rules of ziss Award... (ooh! more R's! And an F, because I'm being French, or at least attempting to sound French.  Has anyone else caught my alliterative R's and F's throughout this post? No? Never mind then.)
1. Share 7 things about yourself
2. Pass the award to 10 other bloggers

My seven foolish little things...

1) I am currently frighteningly obsessed with the musical Les Miserables.  I am also currently listening to "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" as I write this post and trying.... not... to... cry....
2) My sister and I are currently watching the amazing, the stupendous, the fantabulous, the shivers-down-your-spine Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert DVD.  I want Colm Wilkinson to sing at my wedding.  I also want Susan Boyle, Jackie Evancho, Julie Andrews, Michael Crawford and Finbar Wright to sing at my wedding, though, so I may have to narrow down the choices a little before I get married.
3) I am currently obsessed with the following songs: Do You Hear the People Sing?, Stars, Bring Him Home, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, I Dreamed a Dream, A Little Fall of Rain, On My Own, One Day More and Who Am I?.
4) I am going to do something drastic if  Hollywood doesn't do a good job with the upcoming Les Miserables movie.  Well, I'll refuse to watch it, at least.
5) *desperately tries to think of something that's not Les-Miz-related* I adore cake decorating and enjoy making movie-themed cakes for my siblings' birthdays (my brother loves Herbie the Love Bug, so I made this for his seventh birthday a couple of weeks ago.)
6) If I were stranded on a desert island and could take only one thing with me, I would take Jeeves because he would know how to get me off the island.
7) I love orange food: cantaloupe, clementines, sweet potatoes and carrots are at the top of my favorite foods list.  I'm not sure why.

The ten blogs I award: (I tried to pick people who, to the best of my knowledge, haven't yet received the award)

1) Rachel at The Inkpen Authoress
2) Gracie at It's A Beautiful Life
3) Melody at Regency Delight: Jane Austen, &c.
4) Anne-girl at Scribblings and Tappings
5) Anna at Maiden Voyage
6) Stephanie at Eccentricitee
7) Miss Laurie at Old-Fashioned Charm
8) Ella at The Door in the Air
9) Maria Elisabeth at Miss Georgiana Darcy
10) Lauren at Books, Fashion and Tea

And to fill out this ridiculously random post, I give you something that is guaranteed to make you Roar with laughter (if you're in the League, that is.)  And of course you should know that I do not endorse the Broadway musical Wicked, et cetera et cetera et cetera (did you or did you not just read that in King Mongkut's voice? Yes, you did) but this song is funny and it fits the video purrfectly.



Finally, in the words of Mr. Clennam Sr., DO NOT FORGET to vote in the Period Drama Button Polls if you have not done so already.  The poll closes at 11:59 EST tonight!