Having recently read Jeremy Poldark and Warleggon, I have a lot of thoughts rambling around in my head about it. These are the next 2 books in the series that will be presented in season 2 of Poldark. This post contains MAJOR SPOILERS, so if you don't want to know, STOP NOW !!!
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| I do not know who took this photo but I think we can agree it's lovely. |
~SPOILER ALERT......SPOILER ALERT....SPOILER ALERT~
I don't have a lot to say about the book Jeremy Poldark - it deals mostly with the trial and acquittal of Ross from the murder/rioting charges made at the end of series one. It introduces a new character, Caroline Penvenen, who becomes a love interest for Dr. Enys. (yay!) It also goes into how devastated Ross is over the loss of Julia, so much so that he expressed to Demelza that he does not feel it would be good to have another child - as luck would have it, Demelza is pregnant and she is afraid to tell him and keeps it from him as long as she can. One good thing is Ross and Frances make up and become partners in Wheal Grace.
The real shockers come in Warleggon! I don't want to spill everything that happens in this volume, but the main point is, Ross turns his back on his marriage vows and beds Elizabeth in a very unlike-Ross way. Demelza knows in her heart this happens without him telling her and their marriage begins to fall apart. Demelza is so hurt by this breach, she figures what's good for the gander is good for the goose and goes to a party without Ross and chats up the Sergeant who was friends with Ross and came to the house in season one looking for Mark. She almost does the deed but in the end, realizes she can't - Ross is the only man for her. It's stressful reading it because you want to know that somehow they will manage to overcome this break!
The thing that is most distressing in this novel it that Ross essentially rapes Elizabeth, though the author doesn't use that word. When Ross finds out that Elizabeth is going to marry George Warleggon, he goes berserk, seriously, breaks into her home and forces her to bed. She tells him NO, she slaps him and tells him NO and he picks her up and carries her off to bed. Now that is all that is said, there is no inference that Elizabeth gives into her passion and lets him do it. If that isn't rape, what is? I don't want MY Ross to behave that way, so it left me unsettled in my mind after reading it. I find myself hoping the screen play will show Elizabeth was somehow in agreement with the bedding. We all know she still loves Ross, right? The one good thing I could see in this, is the nagging 'what ifs' that Ross has carried within him were finally answered.
Will our dear Ross and Demelza overcome this cataclysmic bump in their road to happily-ever-after? Tune in next season to find out!
Have you read Warleggon?? If so, what did you think about it? Do you find it hard to accept that Ross would force himself on any woman, much less Elizabeth? In your mind, do you believe Elizabeth was in actuality a willing partner? 'Enquiring' minds want to know - leave a comment!
What you have to remember is that things have changed a great deal since Winston Graham wrote "Warleggan" in the fifties. I read the books in the seventies, and it was still a popular myth that when a respectable woman said no, she might really be saying yes, please. That being said, I felt sick when I read that scene in the 1970's because I didn't want to believe Ross could do that to Elizabeth or Demelza. In the book, I believe it is implied that Elizabeth does not object in the end, although she's such a cold ice maiden compared to Demelza. I too am worried about how the new series will handle this event. They have made Elizabeth a much more sympathetic character to justify Ross's continued obsession with her. I guess we'll just have to wait!
ReplyDeleteHi Margaret! I did give some thought as to when the book was published also. Things were certainly seen differently back in the '50's. Thanks for posting!
DeleteI read Warleggan and I implied by the end of the book, Ross has come to the realization that it is only Demelza he truly loves. It's as tho he finally gets his obsession with Elizabeth out of his system after the rape. He never goes back to Elizabeth for more. Actually he rapes Elizabeth in his disgust for her impending marriage to George than his undying passion for her. IMHO
ReplyDeleteHi there! I got that from the end too. I also felt that his hatred for George drove him to take her if only to be able to give George the old nanny-nanny-boo-boo, I had her first. lol I wonder if George ever finds out. Thanks for posting!
DeleteI see you have used my photo on your site. Please credit the photo to www.Facebook.com/Kernowphotos or delete it !
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DeleteI am sorry about this. I have never been to your facebook page and did not take it from there. You do know that a lot of people take a photo off the net, do some adjustments and then put their name on it as if it is their photo, don't you? Also if you do an image search there are many duplicates, most without the credit of who took the picture. I always give credit when I know who to give credit to. I will certainly do as you request. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteI have recently read the whole series and moderate the Goodreads discussion group. https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/173707-poldark-saga---winston-graham
ReplyDeleteIn other instaces in the series, Winston Graham did not shy away from calling rape when he meant rape. I do not personally believe that Elizabeth saw the encounter as rape. I won't go into all the supporting evidence here (spoilers!), but there are several discussion threads about the topic.
Hi tanyaoe! Thanks for your thoughts and for posting. I'm sure how soon I will get to the other books. My library has been ordering them and they just got Warleggon and I was the first to check it out.
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ReplyDeleteThis was a duplicate entry, so I deleted it.
Deleteit seemed totally out of character for Ross to use force in the books let alone in the TV series. Debbie Horsfield has done an incredible job adapting the books to TV so am trusting her to represent this in a way acceptable to present day audience. It has to be included as its integral to the storyline, so much changes from this one act but like you would be disappointed if he uses force. Cant wait for the second series. By the way always love your articles please keep posting.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen-Jen! I'm trusting Deb too. Thank you for posting and for your kind words too. :-)
DeleteLove your articles....I'm surprised you didn't hear me yelling "NOOOOOO" when I read the storyline in the book. I've read all 12 books, and I don't see how the scriptwriter can move too far afield from the original writing, because that deed affects the plots (in many ways) from here on out...(without giving away more of the story..!!) I like to think he raped Elizabeth out of fury at her impending marriage to Warleggan, not out of unrequited, grand passion..he seemed to get her out of his system, as it were, after that happened. But, he sure infuriated me when he did that..!!!! I am completely hooked on this series, and can't wait for it to start again..!! Glad to have found your articles again and hope to read more.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I'll try not to "make a big deal of it"...!!! LOL.. (Julie)
Hey Julie! I expect I will try to read the rest of them. The cool thing is, I see the characters in my mind as I'm reading. I agree the Ross was moved by anger rather than desire.
DeleteThis disturbed me when I read the book. However, by the end of he book, I felt that Winston graham did not mean it as rape. When Ross finally talks to Demelza about it, he says that he did not have the same feelings making love with Elizabeth as with Demelza- obviously he would not if it was rape - but I think it means that she consented but it was not satisfying as he realised he loved Demelza. "I suppose in fundamentals I was seeking the equal
ReplyDeleteOf what I 'd found in you , and it was not there. For me, it was not there." Maybe I'm naive or maybe just don't want to believe it of Ross even in an era far different from ours today ... But it is not explicit in the text and so that's how I choose to read it . Wonder what the to series will show ..
Hi Alison! I'm hoping the series will show Elizabeth was a willing partner. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteSorry it was not rape.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! At the time I read this book, I was not sure what Graham's intentions were since he did not indicate if Elizabeth was willing. I wanted to believe she was though. Thanks for posting!
DeleteWhy do all of you assume that Graham meant to imply that Ross did not rape Elizabeth? Are you in the habit of sticking your heads in the sand? He raped her. Period. Elizabeth even castigated him for it in "The Four Swans".
ReplyDeleteYou would prefer to pretend that Elizabeth was willing so . . . what? So you can have an excuse to slut shame her? So that Ross' precious "heroic" image is maintained and we can all pretend that Graham's novel is a series of romance novels? Is that it?
Hi Alison! I'm hoping the series will show Elizabeth was a willing partner. Thanks for posting.
Don't worry. Your prayers will be answered. Debbie Horsfield will undermined Graham's tale and message about the consequences of rape so that Ross' "heroic" reputation is maintained and that fans like you can slut shame Elizabeth until the end of the series.
Hi Rush Blog - The rape/not rape issue has been discussed by many people and not ALL believe Elizabeth was willing. They read it as rape, period. However, the author did not make it clear that was the case. In later volumes he hints that perhaps Elizabeth wasn't completely forced. This is why many of his readers do not see this as scene as rape. Clearly you are passionate about the story, but it is after all, just that.... a story. I do not see the series as a 'romance' and never have. Also, I find your phrase 'slut-shaming' offensive. I have never slut-shamed anyone and never would. I feel Elizabeth truly loved Ross, something a slut wouldn't be concerned about. I think Debbie Horsfield has done a fine job interpreting Winston's story, so we'll have to agree to disagree on that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting!
Debbie Horsfield did a lousy job in interpreting Graham's fourth novel, "Warleggan". But don't worry. The producers of the 1975 series did a lousy job as well.
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