Why Do They Always Try To Make Elizabeth Dress And Look Modern (so More Relatable) And Mary Contemporary

Aww a mention in David Mitchell's memoir.

看到一个歌名《明日再会》。在听《mad》，想起颁奖礼。羡慕徒弟。想看小林给黄填歌词，顺便想起《最高分数》。

One more for the road ...

Reece Shearsmith & Steve Pemberton at Shanghai TV Festival, 24th June 2024

Source video clip on Xwitter

没有书桌 客厅没有门 餐桌不平 只能把音量放大 于是总耳鸣

给翻看旧帖的自己：千万不要再回国。记得这次回国回家的遭遇有多难受。身体+精神+work受到多少影响。

wow今宵多珍重粤语版好有我想象中古代中国和民国的感觉 感觉非常适合婚礼(尽管歌词)

I am a Japanese Jooster fan, and sorry if my translation is wrong.

In Japan, there are two types of translations for the works of Wodehouse. One is the translation by Tamaki Morimura, which is used for the manga version, and the other is by Masakatsu Iwanaga and Taiichi Koyama.

It seems Morimura's version gives weight to recreate the flavor and character images, while Iwanaga and Koyama forcus on replacing exactly what original text means with Japanese.

Now, regarding the part that all Jooster fans frame and display, "I'm fond of Mr. Wooster...," Iwanaga and Koyama's translation is, ”大好きなウースター様のことですから、お顔を見るとくじけそうな気持ちになりました.”

In this case, the term "大好き（Dai suki）" strongly express the sense of affection. In Japan, it's not common for someone of lower status to describe someone of higher status as "大好き," making it a frank and affectionate expression. It could be interpreted as Jeeves, being the older character, having a deep affection for the favorable young man, Bertie.

Of course, it's also possible to interpret it as "I love him," indicating a strong sense of love. In other words, Iwanaga and Koyama's translation conveys a meaning like, "I have a very good feeling (friendship, affection or love) about Mr. Wooster, so when I saw his despairing face, I almost faltered (in my determination to train him with severe methods)."

On the other hand, Morimura's translation is, "わたくしはウースター様が好きでございます。あの方のお顔を拝見して、わたくしはもう少しで心とろけるところであったと、認めるものでございます."

The phrase "好き（Suki）" is used in a wide range, from a confession of hidden love to a simple expression of goodwill. So, while it may sound slightly more serious than "大好き", the difference from Iwanaga and Koyama's translation is not significant.

The issue arises in the subsequent part. Morimura translates "I admit I came very near to melting," using the imagery of "melt" as "心とろける(kokoro torokeru)" ("my heart felt like it was about to melt").

The problem is that the Japanese phrase "心とろける（herart + melt）" does not necessarily imply a wavering of resolve or a softening of emotions; rather, it carries a strong image of entrancement or in ecstasy. In other words, while Iwanaga and Koyama's translation allows for the imagining of gentle Jeeves, Morimura's translation opens the door to envisioning sadistic Jeeves who is enraptured by Bertie's despairing face. I don't know what the word "melting" exactly means in English, but translation is indeed fascinating!

Note that both Jeeves will carry out the training as planned.

Japanese version of this blog :

日本におけるウッドハウス作品の翻訳には2種類あります。漫画版の元になった森村たまき訳と岩永正勝・小山太一訳です。

私は英語に詳しくないので間違っているかもしれませんが、森村訳が比較的雰囲気やキャラのイメージ重視なのに対し、岩永・小山訳は原文に書いてあることだけをシンプルに日本語に置き換えた感じです。

さて、全世界のJoosterファンが額縁に入れて飾っている"I'm fond of Mr.Wooster…"の部分ですが、岩永・小山訳は「大好きなウースター様のことですから、お顔を見るとくじけそうな気持になりました」です。この場合の「大好き」はかなり強い親愛の情を示す言葉です。日本では通常身分の低い者が身分の高い人を「大好き」と形容することはあまりないので、フランクかつ親しみのこもった言い方と言えます。年長者であるジーヴスが好ましい若者のバーティに強い親愛の情を持っている、という解釈なのかもしれません。もちろん、「愛している」という意味に解釈することも可能です。つまり、岩永・小山訳は「私はウースター様をとても好ましく思っているので、彼の絶望した顔を見て（彼をひどい目に合わせて調教しようという決意が）くじけそうになった」ぐらいの意味です。

一方、森村訳は「わたくしはウースター様が好きでございます。あの方のお顔を拝見して、わたくしはもう少しで心とろけるところであったと、認めるものでございます」です。「私は（人名）が好きです」は秘めたる愛の告白から単なる好意の表明まで幅広く使われますので、「大好きなウースター様」より若干真剣な告白に聞こえるものの、岩永・小山訳とそこまで違いはありません。問題はその後です。森村訳は"I admit I came very near to melting"のmeltのイメージをそのまま用いて「心がとろけそうだった」と訳しています。問題は日本語の「心とろける」に決意が鈍るとか感情が和らぐという意味があまりなく、うっとりする、恍惚とするようなイメージが強いことです。つまり、岩永・小山訳では善人（ぶっている）ジーヴスが想像できる一方、森村訳では大好きなウースター様の絶望した顔を見てうっとりするサディストのジーヴスが想像可能だということです。翻訳って面白いですね。

あなたはどちらの訳が好きですか？

大好きなウースター様への調教を躊躇する優しいジーヴス

ウースター様が好きなので絶望顔をうっとり眺めるジーヴス

なお、どちらも調教は予定通り行います

RANKING 10 DEPICTIONS OF MARY 1ST

Today, I’m looking at 10 depictions of the first queen regnant of England, Mary Tudor. Of course, Mary has been depicted more than ten times, but I’m restricting this list to English-speaking, adult portrayals. I don’t feel comfortable discussing portrayals of children or performances in languages I don’t speak, as I would struggle to discuss the intricacies of those performances. To be included, the portrayal must feature at least two scenes (so no deathbed scenes with Catherine, sorry!).

This list was hugely inspired by @theladyelizabeth who made their own list discussing Elizabeth portrayals and @annabolinas who made 3 list’s discussing Anne’s which i would hugely recommend for those interested in their historical figures as both are obviously extremely well informed!

#10 ELIZABETH 1998

It genuinely cannot get worse than this. Mary is depicted as an old, religiously fanatic hag who lives in a dungeon with only a dwarf as her lady, while Elizabeth stays young and fresh throughout the entire film series. Would you believe me if I told you this movie was marketed as feminist? Sigh. This depiction of Mary has all the character depth of a classic Disney villain without any of the fun campiness. The movie also heavily leans into the Gloriana myth, which I can excuse in some older films, but in 1998/2007, while claiming to be progressive? It’s genuinely shameful.

#9 FIREBRAND 

Oh! We're still depicting Mary as stupid just to prop up Elizabeth in 2023? I’m sorry, but I just can’t with this movie. I watched it after being drawn in by the beautiful costumes (which are the best part of the film), but its depiction of Mary is absolutely awful. She’s weak-willed, easily manipulated, and gets by far the worst costumes of the bunch. Her relationship with Catherine Parr is practically nonexistent, and it feels like she only exists to contrast Elizabeth. There’s even a scene where Elizabeth lectures Mary and claims her own trauma is worse something the real Mary would never have tolerated from her little sister. It’s clear the people who made Firebrand are not Mary fans, which is fine, but it really ruined the movie for me.

#8 THE VIRGIN QUEEN (SHOW)

I mean, it’s fine—it covers most of the same ground as Elizabeth but allows Mary a lot more dignity than that movie (Which is really not saying much). Still, it’s not really worth watching for Mary fans. Joanne Whalley is a fairly good visual match for an older Mary if you can ignore the hair and the god-awful costumes… which, unfortunately, I cannot.

#7 ELIZABETH R 

Sorry, Elizabeth R fans—I do really like this show! But when it comes to its depiction of Mary, well she’s barely in it. :( For the little screentime she gets, she’s fine—a fairly basic portrayal, but nothing offensive. The actress definitely has the right look, and I do appreciate that her relationship with Elizabeth is shown as somewhat affectionate. I love this miniseries, but I really can’t recommend it to Mary fans since she plays such a minor role.

#6 MY LADY JANE

Does this one really count? Probably not—but I’m talking about it anyway. If you’re not aware, My Lady Jane is a historical fantasy Tudor show that has absolutely no interest in historical accuracy. That said, I have to admit it’s very funny.

Mary in the show is depicted as a gloriously campy villain who pegs Edward Seymour and wants to kill the lovebirds, Jane and Edward. I did say this wasn’t exactly trying to be  historically accurate! But what it is—is fun. And that’s why it ranks higher than the others. I’ll always appreciate something that fully commits to its insanity over something that pretends to be historical. Also… it said “strap Mary rights,” so I have to give it props for that.

#5 WOLF HALL

It pains me to place this so low because I feel like there’s a version of this show that could have ranked much higher—but, alas, that’s not the version I got.

This depiction of Mary is a real mixed bag. I can appreciate any portrayal that doesn’t villainize her, and I dearly hope they get the chance to play Mary again. Based on their interviews, they seem to have a real understanding of her as a historical figure. But I fear their performance is let down by the writing—something Wolf Hall certainly didn’t do. Also, the actor who plays her, Lilit Lesser, is phenomenal.

The issue is that Mary seems unable to exist without Cromwell. Like many of the women in this show, she is completely and utterly taken with him, which… is a choice. I wouldn’t be opposed to a depiction of Mary having a one-sided admiration for Cromwell—I could see that working with a different script—but unfortunately, that’s not what I got. I find the show’s take on their relationship deeply unsatisfying, and worse, it completely consumes Mary’s character.

She’s also depicted as rather quiet and withdrawn, which feels like an odd choice given what we know about the real Mary. On a more positive note, I loved the mention of Mary buying gifts for Elizabeth. It didn’t actually happen, but it’s a nice touch that highlights both Mary’s poor financial habits and her genuine affection for little Elizabeth. Also, the costuming in the second season is absolutely gorgeous.

I feel bad being so negative about this show because I do genuinely enjoy it, and Lilit is fantastic casting for Mary. But as a depiction of the historical figure? It’s just not successful.

#4 LADY JANE

I admit i may have placed this one slightly higher then it deserves but i have a mile wild soft spot for this movie despite it’s rather egregious historical inaccuracies (There’s little evidence that Jane even liked her husband, let alone that their relationship was some grand love story, and she certainly wasn’t a social reformer concerned with the plight of the poor) What can I say? I’m a sucker for cheesy enemies to lovers romances, and I’m not ashamed of it.

But that’s beside the point because we’re here to talk about their Mary! And she’s… actually sympathetic —gasp!— played fantastically by actress Jane Lapotaire in a movie that depicts Jane as our heroic lead it would be so easy to make Mary a mustache twirling (which they absolutely do with Francis Grey, who gets the full abusive, women-hating portrayal here) but Lady Jane takes a far more interesting approach, portraying Mary as a deeply complex figure. She doesn’t want to execute Jane and instead shows genuine sympathy for the young girl in front of her. She acknowledges Jane’s youth, treats her with a strict yet maternal air, but is still allowed moments of humour and softness.

The film makes it clear that Mary does everything in her power not to have Jane executed, and her insistence that Jane convert is framed as a desperate last resort rather than an act of cruelty. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend watching the movie just for Mary as she is in very little of it but, but her portrayal is definitely a highlight and one of the reasons I enjoy the film as much as I do!

#3 THE TUDORS

For a long time, The Tudors’ Mary was the gold standard against which every other depiction of her was judged. But does it still hold up? …Well, mostly.

Sarah Bolger feels like she was possessed by the spirit of young Mary in some scenes. Despite her lack of physical resemblance to the real Mary, she fully inhabits her essence—from the way she speaks to the way she moves.

That said, I do find the writing, especially in the later seasons, leaves me wanting. It feels like the writers realized they wouldn’t be able to depict Mary’s most well-known period, so they tried to cram elements of it earlier into her life. As a result, she seemingly decides to burn Protestants with little political motive an absolutely inaccurate portrayal. That misstep is what ultimately pulls down an otherwise fantastic depiction from the top two.

#2 MOTHERS DAUGHTER

Now, I can hear you all saying… what? Mother’s Daughter is a play written by Kate Hennig that focuses on Mary’s life and queenship. It specifically highlights her relationships with Elizabeth, Jane Grey, and the ghost of her mother. I adore how this play characterizes Mary—not as an evil tyrant, but as a deeply human figure, which is a luxury she’s seldom afforded, especially once she becomes queen.

Set after the death of Edward, it transforms Mary into a deeply tragic character. She’s forced to make difficult choices and question the motives of those around her, including her own family, all while facing xenophobia and religious nationalism. Shannon Taylor’s portrayal of Mary captures her evolution from a hesitant claimant to a resolute monarch. Taylor’s Mary is allowed to be funny and witty, while also reaching almost Shakespearean levels of tragedy. The depiction is both complex and effortlessly engaging.

In my opinion, Mother’s Daughter offers a deeply nuanced exploration of power, family, and identity. It highlights the struggle of a queen striving to reconcile her sense of duty with her personal convictions. I’m being a bit vague in my description because I really want you to read or watch this play—it’s beautiful, heart-wrenching, and fantastic. I highly recommend it to any Mary fans out there!

#1 BECOMING ELIZABETH

And, shockingly to no one, my number one spot goes to Becoming Elizabeth. What can I say about this show that hasn’t been said by every single Mary fan on the planet? Romola Garai is breathtaking in her role as Mary and absolutely blows every other member of the cast out of the water.

If you haven’t watched it, Becoming Elizabeth focuses on the period following Henry’s death and throughout Edward’s reign, highlighting Elizabeth’s development and her relationships, especially with Thomas Seymour (though they don’t handle that particular relationship well, so heads up if you’re planning to watch).

Garai’s performance is a standout. She captures Mary as a woman hardened by years of uncertainty and betrayal, while still remaining witty, funny, and headstrong. She’s fiercely Catholic and unwavering in her beliefs, but the show avoids turning her into a one-dimensional zealot. Instead, Becoming Elizabeth presents her faith as both a source of strength and a cause of isolation, especially in the Protestant-dominated court of Edward VI. If you want a clip that really highlights how good this depiction of Mary is, I’d recommend the scene where Edward asks her to convert. It’s heartbreaking and just so well acted.

When I think of Mary, I picture Garai’s performance. She, more than anyone else, truly captures Mary’s essence—her tragically complex relationship with her siblings. Mary is both deeply protective of them, but there’s such an obvious lack of trust between them. Despite my issues with the show as a whole, their portrayal of Mary is, without a doubt, the best and most accurate depiction of her in my mind.

之前因为股票而哀叹苦的是民众 过两天又打了鸡血了

虽然但是 一打开群看到反人类言论还是挺伤心

Maybe the London Transport Museum?

Just some boring detail to add to my last post: the London Transport enamel badges were actual worn by London Underground workers. However, I can’t find an exact match even with that detail. I’ll assume it belongs to the BBC / has been with them for a while, or it belongs to a museum and I simply can’t source it because it’s not online. There’s a close version of what I’m on about here

对他

就是说有一点做梦女的念头我都真物理性脸红