Dear Jane, from Felicia

Felicia, aka The Geeky Blogger, posted this Dear Jane letter this week, and kindly allowed me to share it with all of you. Thanks Felicia!

Dear Jane-

I wanted to tell you that while I adore and love you to pieces, you have ruined my dating life.  I realize that most of the characters you wrote that I adore, you did so when just a few years older than me.  I have to wonder where you found your inspiration.  Were these wonderful men based on men in your life or in your dreams where you hoped to meet one?

Let me give four examples of the excellent men from your creative genius that have ruined my dating life!

1) Colonel Brandon:  (for those unaware of who he is: a close friend of Sir John Middleton. In his youth, Brandon had fallen in love with his father's ward, but was prevented by his family from marrying her because his father was determined to marry her to his older brother. He was sent into the military abroad to be away from her, and while gone, the girl suffered numerous misfortunes partly as a consequence of her unhappy marriage, finally dying penniless and disgraced, and with a natural (i.e., illegitimate) daughter, who becomes the ward of the Colonel. He is 35 years old at the beginning of the book. He falls in love with Marianne at first sight as she reminds him of his father's ward. He is very honorable friend to the Dashwoods, particularly Elinor, and offers Edward Ferrars a living after being disowned by his mother.--source wikipedia)

Who he is to me:  A fantastic example of a true, steadfast, and loyal man. 

2) Edward Ferrars: (for those unaware of who he is: the elder of Fanny Dashwood's two brothers. He forms an attachment to Elinor Dashwood. Years before meeting the Dashwoods, Ferrars proposed to Lucy Steele, the niece of his tutor. The engagement has been kept secret owing to the expectation that Ferrars' family would object to his marrying Miss Steele. He is disowned by his mother on discovery of the engagement after refusing to give up the engagement.--source wikipedia)

Who he is to me:  Well other than I call him Edward Farris (it is the American in me), he is perhaps the most loyal and romantically understated man in your books.  He makes commitments and sticks to them.  Though in the end he does end up with his HEA Elinor, he does honor all the times he gave his word even at the detriment of his personal feelings and fortune.  He is the man who owns the consequences of his actions.

3) Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (for those unaware of who he is: is the main male character. Twenty-eight years old and unmarried, Darcy is the wealthy owner of the famous family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire. Handsome, tall, and intelligent, but not convivial, his aloof decorum and moral rectitude are seen by many as an excessive pride and concern for social status. He makes a poor impression on strangers, such as the gentry of Meryton, but is valued by those who know him well. Source wikipedia)

Who he is to me:  Oh Darcy!  How do millions of women love thee--let me count the ways.  Of all of your characters, his pride is his flaw but also his biggest alluring quality.  He is the man who doesn't recognize the love in his heart immediately but when he gets it, he truly does embrace his feeling in spite of what it does to his Pride! 

4) Mr. George Knightly: (for those unaware of who he is: about 37 or 38. He is a close friend of Emma, and her only critic, though he cares deeply for her. Mr Knightley is the owner of the neighbouring estate of Donwell, which includes extensive grounds and a farm. He is the elder brother of Mr John Knightley—the husband of Emma's elder sister Isabella. Mr Knightley is very annoyed with Emma for persuading Harriet to turn down Mr Martin, thinking that the advantage is all on Harriet's side; he also warns Emma against matchmaking Harriet with Mr Elton, correctly guessing that Mr Elton has a much higher opinion of himself. He is suspicious of Frank Churchill and his motives; although his suspicion turns out to be based mainly on jealousy of the younger man, his instincts are proven correct by the revelation that Frank Churchill is not all that he seems. Source wikipedia)

Who he is to me:  The man who is unafraid to tell you the truth but he does it from a place of love and protection.  He is the one that will stand beside you through thick and thin!

What do all of these men have in common: they are loyal, good, and steadfast.

So Jane in a world that is full of men like Frank Churchill, George Wickham, and John Willoughby; how in the world do you find the good ones?

Thank you for listening!  I realize that this is a question that you never quite got the answer too in your own lifetime but I am still holding out hope in mine!

~Felicia