Dr. McDreamy, Mr. McDarcy, same diff
Alert Janeite Deborah wrote to tell us that Maureen Dowd’s column in the New York Times today included a reference to Jane Austen. The column is not available online for free but Deborah helpfully sent the money quote.
In discussing Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the TV show “Grey’s Anatomy,” Dowd writes:
“She resisted pressure to make the women nicer, she told Nikki Finke for Elle Magazine. And she told Time that she wanted to write about real women who are ‘a little snarky’ and don’t ‘exist purely in relation to the men in their lives.’ With the male characters, she followed Jane Austen’s lead and conjured up her fantasy men.”
While we can enthusiastically get behind the concept of snarky women, we would hope that Jane Austen’s heroes are more than just vague fantasy figures. In our opinion, the heroes (not the bad boys!) are the kind of men that women should aspire to meet: kind, generous, intelligent, confident, loving men who treat the women they love with respect. We are not so lost to cynicism as to think that such men exist only in fantasies.
May 18th, 2006 at 11:04 am
We are not so lost to cynicism as to think that such men exist only in fantasies.
I sincerely hope not!
May 18th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
A real world without Mr Darcys? Bah - what would be the point?
May 18th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
Was Darcy such a universally-acknowledged gush object before P&P2? He’s not even my favorite Austen hero; I’d rather have Frederick Wentworth. I’m not nearly tough enough to battle Mags and/or Kathleen for Henry Tilney.
May 18th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Just thought:
Girl just out from seeing Becoming Jane: ‘What do you mean, fantasy men? Aren’t they all based on Tom Lefroy who made such a BIG impact on her?!’
May 18th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
kind
generous
intelligent
confident
loving
treat the women they love with respect.
All is not lost!
ManySome men can manage at least one or two of the above.May 18th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
I’m sure Mrs. Robin would agree.
Sandra, put down Da Man and back away slowly.
And yes, Darcy was a gush object. I once was at a JASNA program about various film incarnations of Darcy and the Women of a Certain Age were all swooning over Sir Larry.
May 18th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Hey, I said I’d rather have Frederick! You know me, can’t resist those epaulets.
May 19th, 2006 at 8:46 am
Her heroes are all flawed, so they’re definitely not imagined examples of Male Perfection. Although Mr. Darcy’s wealth is not exactly commonplace.