S01.E07: Episode 7

[Milz]

A one-off comment made by a single character doesn't have to be read as the entirety of another character's status and backstory. What we are shown is more complex than a plain girl who couldn't attract a man. We've also seen Verity's retiring personality, her diligence around the house, the lack of eligible men (Mrs Teague is certainly desperate for fresh blood for her daughters), and so on.

 

We have not seen Verity acting as a maid of all work. We have seen her managing the household, which is a different thing entirely - and something she has chosen to do, responsibility she stepped up to after her mother's death because she then became the woman of the household, and a responsibility that Elizabeth has not taken from her because Elizabeth, frankly, is not that way inclined. Elizabeth is not a natural manager. Verity is. Verity sees things that need doing and does them because that is who she is, whereas it simply wouldn't occur to Elizabeth to even think of doing half the things Verity does, because Elizabeth doesn't think that way.

 

I saw no indication that Charles and Francis wanted to keep Verity at home just so she could work for them. I saw a father and brother concerned that she was involved with a man who'd killed his first wife, a father and brother who then let their pride take control and handled the situation badly. Do they take her for granted? Yes. But they at no point were keeping her as a maid! If she weren't a cherished daughter and sister they wouldn't have cared that her suitor was a reformed drunk who'd killed his first wife. It was because they cherished her that the thought of it horrified them.

 

Yet, we've had posters here express their opinion that Verity is valued more as a house servant than as a beloved sister.

 

i took Charles' comment as a background comment revealing the general opinion about Verity. Just like the snarky comments about Ross and Demelza when they were dancing at Jinny and Jim's wedding as a comment to explain to the viewer what's in the mind of the other characters.

[MrsE]

I'm not even sure that the attitude is about Verity so much as about the unmarried, unprovided for female, whose situation was not to be envied.  Dependent on her relatives for the roof over her head and the clothes on her back, no status, no means of her own, expected to make herself useful.

 

There is a diary from the C18th about the unmarried sister of the tenant of Rufford Abbey in Nottinghamshire (20 minutes drive from where I live);  it is a catalogue of daily frustration, humiliation and wretchedness.  The writer hates her position and prefers the company of her cat.  Even the servants pay her no heed.  She is enraged by her lack of agency, her invisibility.  There is  a happy ending of sorts - an inheritance from a relative finally allowed her the freedom of her own home.

[CalamityBoPeep]

There is a diary from the C18th about the unmarried sister of the tenant of Rufford Abbey in Nottinghamshire (20 minutes drive from where I live);  it is a catalogue of daily frustration, humiliation and wretchedness.  The writer hates her position and prefers the company of her cat.  Even the servants pay her no heed.  She is enraged by her lack of agency, her invisibility.  There is  a happy ending of sorts - an inheritance from a relative finally allowed her the freedom of her own home.

 

I'd be curious to read that.  Do you happen to recall the title and/or author?

[MrsE]

I don't, I'm afraid.  It was featured in a BBC programme by Prof. Amanda Vickery - I'll see what I can find out.

[MrsE]

Found it!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10298855-secret-comment

[dcalley]

Found it!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10298855-secret-comment

Snippets are available at https://twitter.com/GertrudeSavile

[Kim0820]

On 8/5/2015 at 11:24 AM, Nidratime said:

Yes, once Verity formed an attachment to Andrew Blamey, it became almost beyond their control. If Verity's family had been at all concerned about her needs and desires before than -- rather than just take her for granted -- they should've made an effort to encourage suitable suitors and accompanied her out more out into society. But, I'm guessing part of the reason why that didn't happen is that Verity's mother had passed away and there was no one looking out for her interests. Her father and brother took the easy way out by just allowing her to slip into the role of Mistress of Trenwith, until Francis got married and kind of made Verity redundant as well as making her realize how much she really wanted to have her own home and family via the very presence of a young family (such as it was) in her midst.

Francis could at least have spent some time with Blamey and gotten to know him.  He could have respected Verity's opinion, that the reform was genuine, at least enough to see Blamey on a few occasions and talk to him.  

In Persuasion, Mrs. Croft sails the seas with Captain Croft, and likes it very much.  When her brother, Captain Wentworth, says that ships are not comfortable for ladies, she scolds him and says they are not so fine all their lives.  Mrs. Croft had even been to the West Indies.  

Capt. Blamey had a steady trade with Portugal, which wouldn't be a transoceanic voyage.   I believe he did talk of Verity seeing Portugal.