Pamela Poole
Since there are no parameters on this question as to time period or media, I'm going to assume it's intended to be about a classic literary couple. People who read my novels might expect me to pipe up with my second favorite, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice." But my all-time favorite fictional couple is Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler.
You're probably chuckling at the contrasts in my taste. Could any two choices for first and second place be more contradictory?
I've read scathing blogs about Scarlett and Rhett, written by opinionated people with no concept of the historic and cultural setting these two characters functioned in. Many human traits are timeless and universal, but to truly grasp why characters behave as they do in a situation, we have to remember the constraints of their society. Scarlett and Rhett are superstars for rising from the ashes of the historical stage their love story was enacted on. They are survivors.
Scarlett O'Hara is Exhibit 1 for the fact that charm and confidence will trump being pretty nearly every time. Yes, she was attractive, but the reason she owned every space she walked into was because of her presence, not her beauty. She played to win in the feminine games of her time. While she is highly intelligent, more so than many men around her, she pretended empty-headed helplessness because she'd identified what she wanted and worked toward it. Men of that day wanted to court and marry a dainty woman who needed protection.
Scarlett had flaws, but the most crippling was that she created an imaginary hero out of a man who wasn't one. She stubbornly made up her mind to love someone who didn't exist. Women don't always know what's best for them, but they won't listen to the wisdom of everyone who tries to point it out.
Scarlett's friendship with Rhett is liberating for her. I've read some silly blogs about how he demeaned her and insulted her, but in reality, he simply used humor and frank honesty to call attention to her issues. She was the one dishing out spite and manipulation. He valued her as an equal, looking past her immaturity to see the rare woman she'd someday become. As an older man, he'd been around long enough to know that life was sure to polish the diamond.
The admiration that Rhett has for women like Melanie Wilkes and Mammy speaks volumes about him. He valued honesty, respect, honor, and many other things that were burning away in the chaotic, war-torn times he found himself struggling in.
Rhett was captivated by Scarlett's vibrancy and sheer will to survive. She was a gamble, dangerous to love, and gave nothing until she had the security of a ring on her finger. She was the one woman he wanted that he coudn't buy or charm, and it made him desperate to have her. Scarlett created a sense of being a prize worth winning. Women today could learn a lot from her!
I was so glad for the satisfaction of the sequel to their love story when "Scarlett" came out in the early 90's. In it, readers get to savor what was bound to happen: Scarlett became a woman worthy of a spectacular love story.
But in the years after I read "Gone With the Wind" for the first time, not knowing there would be a sequel, I never doubted that's what would happen. Scarlett's life was one of determination and hope. "After all, tomorrow is another day."
You're probably chuckling at the contrasts in my taste. Could any two choices for first and second place be more contradictory?
I've read scathing blogs about Scarlett and Rhett, written by opinionated people with no concept of the historic and cultural setting these two characters functioned in. Many human traits are timeless and universal, but to truly grasp why characters behave as they do in a situation, we have to remember the constraints of their society. Scarlett and Rhett are superstars for rising from the ashes of the historical stage their love story was enacted on. They are survivors.
Scarlett O'Hara is Exhibit 1 for the fact that charm and confidence will trump being pretty nearly every time. Yes, she was attractive, but the reason she owned every space she walked into was because of her presence, not her beauty. She played to win in the feminine games of her time. While she is highly intelligent, more so than many men around her, she pretended empty-headed helplessness because she'd identified what she wanted and worked toward it. Men of that day wanted to court and marry a dainty woman who needed protection.
Scarlett had flaws, but the most crippling was that she created an imaginary hero out of a man who wasn't one. She stubbornly made up her mind to love someone who didn't exist. Women don't always know what's best for them, but they won't listen to the wisdom of everyone who tries to point it out.
Scarlett's friendship with Rhett is liberating for her. I've read some silly blogs about how he demeaned her and insulted her, but in reality, he simply used humor and frank honesty to call attention to her issues. She was the one dishing out spite and manipulation. He valued her as an equal, looking past her immaturity to see the rare woman she'd someday become. As an older man, he'd been around long enough to know that life was sure to polish the diamond.
The admiration that Rhett has for women like Melanie Wilkes and Mammy speaks volumes about him. He valued honesty, respect, honor, and many other things that were burning away in the chaotic, war-torn times he found himself struggling in.
Rhett was captivated by Scarlett's vibrancy and sheer will to survive. She was a gamble, dangerous to love, and gave nothing until she had the security of a ring on her finger. She was the one woman he wanted that he coudn't buy or charm, and it made him desperate to have her. Scarlett created a sense of being a prize worth winning. Women today could learn a lot from her!
I was so glad for the satisfaction of the sequel to their love story when "Scarlett" came out in the early 90's. In it, readers get to savor what was bound to happen: Scarlett became a woman worthy of a spectacular love story.
But in the years after I read "Gone With the Wind" for the first time, not knowing there would be a sequel, I never doubted that's what would happen. Scarlett's life was one of determination and hope. "After all, tomorrow is another day."
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