Ode To One of My Favorite Literary Heroes
Monday, October 22, 2012
Blog entry originally posted 5 December 2011 via Life's Blah:
Behold a fangirling blog post. You’ve been forewarned. This is what reading, classic literature or not, does to me. If I’m still in college and is required to write a term paper on my favorite literary hero, this blog post is is something I would submit, no questions ask! Well, more or less. Categorically, I’ll have “Why I’d Marry Michael Fassbender” as my initial title page. In bold Algerian font it will be, centered in a 50pt font size, in fuchsia pink font color and underneath it the words: “A Fangirling Term Paper By Anie Ordillo”. Whether or not a title page is mandatory, I would still include it just for the pleasure of having one and gaily submit it to a professor. I’d start by narrating I want to marry Michael Fassbender because, well, 1. Gary Oldman and John Malkovich are too old for me. 2. because Fassbender is a suitable addition to my rather unembellished name and 3. because he is the closest Edward Fairfax Rochester I could get in an era where romanticism is long forgotten and that some men (at least a few of those I personally know) completely disregard the idea of putting forward a decent {not commercialized/mainstream} marriage proposal… I’m just saying.
While I’m quite in the leisure of divulging random bits and pieces now, I’d just say this plainly like how I tweeted it few weeks before: I fancy Mr. Rochester with great ardency. A fangirling blog post, I told you! It all started when I watched Cary Fukunaga's cinematic adaptation of Jane Eyre. This period film, superbly atmospheric depiction, beguiling yet somewhat dark held my interest and I intensely fell for it. Consequently, it fired me up to listen to the 38-chaptered audiobook (narrated by Elizabeth Klett) that I’ve avidly devoured in four mind-blowing days. I confess, with no bit of any shame whatsoever that I’d still play chapter 23 and 37 again and again while reading the e-book whenever boredom strikes. Why? Because I'm a nerd and gothic romance as such tickles my fancy. No shame in that too! 😆
Edward Fairfax Rochester, who I find ever endearing every time he calls Jane Eyre, “Janet”, is the classic byronic hero with an angst-ridden soul in the story. Easily, I fell in love with him. Well, if you’re into the terribly enigmatic type, seemingly ideal, introspective and passionate kind of guy who challenges you mentally, like I do, then, you’d know where I’m coming from. Brontë, through her heroine’s eyes gave a picture of Mr. Rochester as a middle height, broad-chested man with heavy brows, granite-hewn features and gloomy but very fine eyes. Brontë further described him as “very grim to look at”. In addition, Mr. Rochester has an appalling array of flaws: cynical, self-indulgent and arrogant. And yet, along with his obviously dreadful disposition, he’s also passionate, romantic and intellectual, thus, winning the heart of, not only his mousy governess but the hearts of million classic literary female readers, including myself. But what struck me the most apart from all that, dear readers (to paraphrase Miss Brontë)... is the power and beauty of his of language. The reason that made me head over heels with Mr. Rochester and never more so than when he was about to bring to light his true feelings for the governess and spoke:
While I’m quite in the leisure of divulging random bits and pieces now, I’d just say this plainly like how I tweeted it few weeks before: I fancy Mr. Rochester with great ardency. A fangirling blog post, I told you! It all started when I watched Cary Fukunaga's cinematic adaptation of Jane Eyre. This period film, superbly atmospheric depiction, beguiling yet somewhat dark held my interest and I intensely fell for it. Consequently, it fired me up to listen to the 38-chaptered audiobook (narrated by Elizabeth Klett) that I’ve avidly devoured in four mind-blowing days. I confess, with no bit of any shame whatsoever that I’d still play chapter 23 and 37 again and again while reading the e-book whenever boredom strikes. Why? Because I'm a nerd and gothic romance as such tickles my fancy. No shame in that too! 😆
Edward Fairfax Rochester, who I find ever endearing every time he calls Jane Eyre, “Janet”, is the classic byronic hero with an angst-ridden soul in the story. Easily, I fell in love with him. Well, if you’re into the terribly enigmatic type, seemingly ideal, introspective and passionate kind of guy who challenges you mentally, like I do, then, you’d know where I’m coming from. Brontë, through her heroine’s eyes gave a picture of Mr. Rochester as a middle height, broad-chested man with heavy brows, granite-hewn features and gloomy but very fine eyes. Brontë further described him as “very grim to look at”. In addition, Mr. Rochester has an appalling array of flaws: cynical, self-indulgent and arrogant. And yet, along with his obviously dreadful disposition, he’s also passionate, romantic and intellectual, thus, winning the heart of, not only his mousy governess but the hearts of million classic literary female readers, including myself. But what struck me the most apart from all that, dear readers (to paraphrase Miss Brontë)... is the power and beauty of his of language. The reason that made me head over heels with Mr. Rochester and never more so than when he was about to bring to light his true feelings for the governess and spoke:
It is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I’ve a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly.
Those very lines made me instantaneously forgave him for the way he lark around with Jane's emotions, teasing her, carrying out that awful and confusing scheme that drove Jane to believe that he was to marry that obnoxious Blanche Ingram. And what could be a more breathtaking marriage proposal than to be asked to pass through life at your beloved’s side, to be his second self and to be his best earthly companion? I would say yes in a wink even without the vintage heirloom Pave Asscher diamond engagement ring in platinum from MDC Diamonds New York that I saw online sometime ago.
As for Michael Fassbender, he embodied the very essence of my mental image of Rochester and convincingly portrayed the abundance of sarcasm, passion, expressions, mannerisms and that wistful sadness and hopelessness that Rochester had. Michael Fassbender’s sarcastic broodiness nails Rochester spot-on and yet his versatility brought in the subtle vulnerability in Rochester when he lost Jane, leaving me with emotions I never knew I'm capable of feeling. To top it off, Michael Fassbender’s deep voice adds up that sense of rugged sexiness in Rochester, drawing me to a conclusion that there is indeed something about men with deep voices. Go figure, haha! I must agree, though, Michael Fassbender is a little too handsome to be Rochester. Why, I swooned over every time I see him on screen as Rochester but that can’t be a bad thing, I supposed. It is true that there are many Jane Eyre adaptations but seeing Cary Fukunaga's take on this classic lit made me a little prejudiced towards the other versions. I just can’t help it.
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