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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Mr Eshton, B. S.?

This from Coldwindtovalhalla:

There's a preview of Jane Eyre in my T.V. mag, and there's a small caption about Aidan's role - this is what's written: Jane meets the dashing scientist at a party. He is studying the psychology of twins and how they can communicate.

I think we have entered fan fiction territory. We will have much to discuss next week, n'est pas my friends?

A reminder for anyone who's memory is a little foggy: there is a Mr Eshton in the novel but he's completely incidental. He's an older man, a magistrate in the vicinity of Thornfield and he brings his family with the Ingrams and Lynns to visit. That's ALL. So... anything can happen, really.

When I did get to see the first episode my impression was that it felt a lot like fanfiction when it was good. Since good Bronte fan fiction is ...nigh impossible to find, this is a good thing. I think. We'll see.

14 comments:

Lady Éowyn said...

Interesting. It sounds... odd... but I'm open...

All I remember about him is that he had whiteish hair and dark brows, and he thought perhaps Jane should join his "team" in the charades. ;)

(Communication of twins?! Whaaaat?)

Anonymous said...

Maybe they wanted to get on a Darwin vibe? He was publishing around then altho Origin of Species wasn't published until 1859.

Anonymous said...

That is, Rochester would be the Darwin reference....As for the psychology of twins, Freud and Jung haven't even been born yet....don't know who else would be doing that type of research....also don't know why I'm putting so much analysis into it

Anonymous said...

It seems likely that the communication thing will be a way of foreshadowing/explaining the supernatural voices on the moor part at the end. An interesting idea but I’m not sure if it needs explaining. This version is v. scientific isn’t it? I blame the internet. Down, superstition!, anyway.

I ought to say that I watched it again last night and it improved immeasurably once my preconceptions were out of the way. Rochester’s unexpectedly geekish taste for botany is, I think, designed to take a more sinister turn as it begins to reflect his need to possess, and ‘cage’ Jane.

Anonymous said...

Ha!Ha! Maybe we discover that Rochester and Jane are twins, separated at birth (someone misinformed either Mr R or Jane about their age), so here comes the dashing John Eshton, who will explain things straight and steal Jane's heart...And the story will end with John E and Jane living happily ever after, and poor Mr R will have to put up with Bertha, who might prove that she is not so mad after all....

Just joking!

But it really amuses me every time I find new info about this series: it's like a box full of surprises!

Brontëana said...

to vaire:

I think she said he looks like a theatrical 'pere noel' too. I was thinking how odd it will be when someone reads the novel after seeing this! I hope they won't be too disappointed.

It would make sense if it has something to do with setting up the Call but really who can say.

Brontëana said...

to chrisv:

Yes, you probably are. We really can't tell what they're planning. Of course having Eshton 'discover' these things before their time would fit with the 'visionary' epithet.

I can't help but think it would have been better just to admit early on that it is more 'derived' rather than 'based' on the novel.

Brontëana said...

to liz:

I definately had some sinister vibes coming from some of that dialogue. He's friendlier but more conventionally domineering too- in what he says. I think you mean the part where he describes the 'bird' as wanting to be in a cage?

Brontëana said...

to anonymous:

Who knows?! Actually, when we first picked up on Eshton having a larger role we thought he might have been put in to replace St.John Rivers since we had not yet heard of them casting the part.

Anonymous said...

The conjecture about the Jane/Rochester sibling connection does parallel the Luke/Leia revelation of Return of the Jedi thus contributing to our whole Star Wars tie in....ha ha ha!!

Brontëana said...

to chrisv:

Too bad they can't discover that Bertha is Rochester's cousin- that would put an end to difficulties ;) Annulled!

Actually, I have to confess that there is a Star Wars version of Jane Eyre on YouTube now that I think of it. I think Darth Vader was John Reed. I can't remember... I would have thought St.John.

'Jane' *breaaaaathe* 'I am your cousin!'
'Nooooooooooooooo!'

Anonymous said...

Yes, Bertha as Rochester's cousin would be a nice way around the marriage....altho, would they have to be first cousins seeing as it appeared to be legal (I'm assuming) for St. John to marry Jane? Are Jane and St. John 2nd cousins? At what point does it become annullable? (Those geneological relationships start to get a little confusing as I go up the tree unless I write it down.)

I'll have to search for that youtube piece. I guess a search on both titles might pull it up?

Yeah maybe John Reed could be one of Darth's disposable generals that he goes through so quickly. St. John as Darth sounds more reasonable.

Anonymous said...

Well, it seems there is someone now credited for the role of St John Rivers: Andrew Buchan (according to imdb). And there is also someone (a woman's name) credited for "the gypsy" role (bronteblog site if I remember correctly), which matches what some viewers of the preview had to say on C19.

Anonymous said...

Ah, if the gypsy is genuine, that definitely goes against canon (though I suppose Mr. Eshton does, too). I agree that there should have been some sort of disclaimer regarding the fanfiction aspect from the very start - planted in interviews with cast and crew, perhaps.