Tag: Victorian

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Very Victorian Child-Rearing Problems

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As #Covid-19 vaccines for children are being developed and there is talk of traditional classrooms reopening in the fall, the cast of Jane Eyre Gets Real share the following problems faced by Victorian mothers: YOU MUST HIDE WHENEVER IT’S TIME FOR SCHOOL PICTURES THEY KEEP DEMANDING A REAL HORSE YOU’VE READ ALOUD GOLDILOCKS 20 TIMES & AND THEY STILL WON’T EAT PORRIDGE! DOLLHOUSE IS NICER THAN YOUR HOUSE YOU CAN’T KEEP UP WITH TRENDY TECHNOLOGY THEY LIKE THE NANNY MORE THAN YOU Continue reading Very Victorian Child-Rearing Problems

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Be A Heroine: Rescue A Rabbit

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Did you know that February is Adopt A #Rabbit Month? So if you are not ready for the commitment of a child, or even a dog, a bunny might be a good place to start. Rabbits are intelligent and naturally hygienic–they can be taught to use a litter box; they are non-vocal (except when they purr), and they don’t need much physical space, not even a hutch. They are better off inside than outside and make for content apartment-dwellers.  Moreover, they come in many varieties, all with great names such as Easter Cottontail, Flemish Giant, Jersey Wooly and Fuzzy Lop. … Continue reading Be A Heroine: Rescue A Rabbit

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A #Love Token Of My Affection

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We think of #Valentine’sDay as a time to exchange cards, flowers and Godivas. But as David Copperfield, a character in Jane Eyre Gets Real, so vividly remembers, the Victorians had a special way of showing their devotion: a common coin, sanded then engraved with all manner of sentimental designs such as entwined initials, hearts, doves and roses, even entire pastoral scenes, usually made by a man and presented to his beloved.  They lasted longer than a bouquet and were easier than scrimshaw! It became popular to sell premade love tokens at country fairs–to any gentleman who lacked the time or … Continue reading A #Love Token Of My Affection

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Rich Baby, Poor Baby

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Jane Eyre was always a governess, never a nursemaid. However, with all the hoopla surrounding the royal birth of Archie, first child of #PrinceHarry and #MeghanMarkle, she has begun to think a lot about babies (after all, she was a mother herself–she had at least one recorded son with husband Edward Rochester). Infants were treated a certain way  depending on their parents’ status; like everything in the Victorian world–and perhaps our own–wealth had a lot to do with it. A rich baby could expect its own living space, a nursery, equipped with such items as a wicker bassinet trimmed with … Continue reading Rich Baby, Poor Baby

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Very Victorian Fairy Tales

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  Annabelle Troy’s YA novel Hansel and Gretel Inside the House of Candy is free on Amazon May 4-8. In honor of this David Copperfield, one of the characters in Jane Eyre Gets Real, whose life as created by Charles Dickens had many fairy tale aspects, gives you a rundown on some beloved children’s stories that first appeared in the Victorian era: The Three Bears: When this was originally published in the early 1800s by then-Poet Laureate Robert Southey the trespasser was not Goldilocks but an old woman. This may explain why she was so eager to gum porridge and to take a … Continue reading Very Victorian Fairy Tales

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Victorian Bon Mots

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Bon mots are like small candies eager to be enjoyed. If you’ve eaten up all of your Valentine’s Day chocolates, never mind–let these bon mots from the characters of  Jane Eyre Gets Real sweeten your palate. Jane Eyre: Gloves are like swans; they mate for life. Dorian Gray: If you don’t like what you see in the mirror stop seeking your reflection. Mr. Darcy: Never tell a single woman you have a fortune unless you expect to marry her. Hester Prynne: Children born of adultery are twice as cunning. Heidi: Make fondue, not war. Sherlock Holmes: Perhaps Jack the Ripper was never caught because, unlike most … Continue reading Victorian Bon Mots

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Very Sherlock Holmes #Christmas Problems

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Kissing Strangers Under Mistletoe Is Most Unhygienic Watson Always Gives Him Socks Refuses To “Fiddle” Good King Wenceslas Illogical To Bedeck Fir Trees Cocaine Dealer Insists On Spending Holiday In Biarritz Father Christmas Is Technically Breaking & Entering There Are No Plums In Plum Pudding All of the characters in Jane Eyre Gets Real by Annabelle Troy, Including Sherlock, Wish You A Very Merry Christmas!   Continue reading Very Sherlock Holmes #Christmas Problems

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If Victorian #Toys Could Talk

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Heidi, the youngest character in Jane Eyre Gets Real, already knows what she wants for Christmas. Of course, the toys themselves may have their own opinions. Dear reader, what would YOU most like for #Christmas? I’d Really Prefer No Strings Attached  Trust Me, Kid–Together We Can Drive Your Parents Crazy I Intend To Be An Engineer When I Grow Up Rock Me All Night Long Somebody Forgot To Tell The Unicorns You Know We Move Around By Ourselves When You’re Sleeping, Right? I’m A Great Catch Have You Lost Your Marbles? We Can Help! Continue reading If Victorian #Toys Could Talk

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Very Victorian #BacktoSchool Problems

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As the summer air turns crisp, Jane Eyre, reluctant teacher; Heidi, who would have loved school if her village had possessed one; and Alice in Wonderland, the class dreamer, are pleased to present the challenges of attending school in the 19th century: You May Be Bullied By Cats Middy Blouses Are A Thing This Is Your Delete Button   And This Is Your Spell Check The Alphabet Sure Is Curvy! Recess Can Make You Positively Dizzy The author and characters of Jane Eyre Gets Real wish you all a happy Back to School Continue reading Very Victorian #BacktoSchool Problems

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She Glues Seashells

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If Jane Eyre had ever gone to the seaside she’d be the kind of lady who’d make shell art. This was a popular pastime in the Victorian era, as it involved patience, dexterity, ingenuity and the use of found (free!) objects. Of course, a lady could always cheat a bit and buy shells; for instance at Mrs. Robinson’s shop on Grosvenor Square they were available by the packet, complete with patterns for mirrors, boxes, and picture frames. Though making all kinds of things with shells became a trend in the 1800s, rather like adult coloring books are now, shells-as-decoration actually started … Continue reading She Glues Seashells

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Very Victorian #Vacation Problems

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As vacation time beckons, the cast of Jane Eyre Gets Real by Annabelle Troy is delighted to present you with these holiday reflections, as relevant today as they were over a century ago:   Flying Is So Cramped These Days & The Passenger Next To You Never Shuts Up Even With Nothing In It Your Luggage Exceeds the Weight Requirements You Attract Swimsuit Envy At Your Own Peril Doing Nothing Is Never As Much Fun As You Think It’s Going To Be There Had Better Be Hot Chocolate At The Top You Got On The Bloody Thing–Now How Are You Going … Continue reading Very Victorian #Vacation Problems