He is so different than the Mother or the brother and didn't really seem to show the obvious hate/indifference in the way that they did. Could they have made it happen? Would his family get in the way? This is all assuming that she had not found true love thru Devinnier.
shareHe found her interesting, pretty and exotic. But it was her fortune that would give him consequence in society and that was her main virtue. In exchange for her money, he would have given her an important name and her children could marry into the best society.
This is pure cold reality.
This film deals in fairy tale.
The real Dido experienced far less exciting but I do believe she was happy and she married the man she wanted. She wasn't an heiress (Elizabeth Murray was left the majority of the their Uncle's money minus the property). But she was taken care of with a yearly annuity (l00 pounds a year which would equal about 3000 today).
Elizabeth Murray was left the majority of the their Uncle's money
According to this Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dido_Elizabeth_Belle
Murray left 10,000 to Elizabeth Murray. He only left Dido 500 with a 100 annuity. All the property and whatever money was left was given to Elizabeth Murray's father since he was the next male heir. Perhaps Lord Murray didn't leave her as much because it is claimed Belle worked for him as a kind of law clerk for many years. He gave her a salary for it.
Her father left her 500 pounds because she supposedly had a half-brother who received the other 500. The unmarried aunt, who lived with the Murrays, left her 100 pounds.
Even though she didn't receive anywhere near the money that her cousin did, it was still a lot for the time. It was enough to raise a family on in comfort, which she did.
Thanks, strange though for you to claim Wiki as your source; it confirms neither of your points.
Surely E.Murray got not a majority of her Uncle's money;
And Belle only helped her Uncle with his correspondence, far from being a law clerk.
She got her salary egual say that of housekeeper, surely not enough to make a fortune. And got 500 (plus 100 from another relative) with 100 annuity from her Uncle, but nothing from her father. Sir Lindsay produced several children with other women - and they were to inherit his money. Not Dido. It was another Elizabeth - Palmer when married, who got 1000 pounds from her father (equal to her brother's part). I'm in no doubt the aristocrats of the time were pretty sure that the illegitimate mulatto girl got more than enough, and to raise her even more higher wasn't a reasonable thing. She married to a manservant, and hardly lived as comfortable as in Kenwood House for previous 30 years.
Wiki is practically the only source on this woman. Her only claim to fame was that she had aristocrat ties and her guardians commissioned a beautiful portrait of her. Even the family today doesn't know too much about her.
She married a Steward which isn't the same job as today. He was more like an accountant who directed the family finances.
Belle received enough money that she had a big wedding at a fashionable church in the elite circle and she remained a member of that church. Neither she nor her family were hurting for money. And what she did receive amounts to quite a bit when translated into today's money.
In regards to the father, Lindsay, there are numerous stories about him. Some say he left money to Dido, others say his legitimate children.
There are more stories that he lived with Dido's mother and had her travel with him. There is evidence that he purchased land in Pensacola Florida and gave it to Dido's mother.
However it seems the family at the time kept most of the story hush, hush since it was kind of scandalous. Hence we have no information of any worth about Belle.
If you can't prove your statements with solid links - then, you just the person who makes those "more stories", without giving a damn that you deceive people here.
Those are just nonsense -
a Steward ... was more like an accountant who directed the family finances.
Belle .... had a big wedding at a fashionable church
There are more stories ... There is evidence...
Wiki is practically the only source on this woman
The links all over the web are sketchy in detail and most of them lead back to Wiki
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/05/05/belle-true-story- movie-details-changed/8419041/
Links about Stewards in medieval households and during the time period of Belle are there for anyone to read.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10314618508595712?journalCo de=rahs19
http://www.sfsu.edu/~medieval/Volume6/steward.html
The job required more than being a glorified servant that it is today.
Again, what are your sources for all that pretty petty tales?
I want to say to those who thanks this film was so carried away with the impression that Dido was such a grand dame, of great importance, nearly abolished the slavery in all the world - calm down, please.
In the end she got the place that suited her best.
I'm beginning to understand you
I believed he did care for her, but a product of his time. Did he have the courage to fight everyone daily for the insults, probably. He was rational and reasonable. There would be places were he would not be allowed because of his wife and family. But he had the makings of rising above his prejudice for the color of her skin. But maybe never for a woman. John treated her as his equal, be it his moral foundation or whipped into him from experiencing marginalization first hand.
Your second life is never like your first. Sometimes it's even better
First things first
We watched this film yesterday and the way Oliver Ashford was taken by Belle, thought he sees her as a desirable woman which she was. I know in those days it was social standing as that does apply in some cultures today.
Then when I saw the incident between Dido and John Davinier, my mind quickly changed. He just seemed a better match for her (regardless of social standing).
As the film unfolds, the poison spurting out of the mouths of James Ashford and Lady Ashford was downright degrading (can’t find the right words here).
Then the meetings between Dido and John, they were getting closer and closer together and it was so natural that they fell in love.
Also like you say First things first, he treated her as an equal.
Look upward... and share the wonders I have seen, John Crichton, Farscape
I agree with the exception of Lady Ashford. I took away that James and his mom had different opinions on ethnicity. Lady Ashford would tolerate it for monetary gain. That's not saying a lot, but I expect she would follow rules set forth and treat Belle as Lord Mansfield did. Informal settings she could attend, but formal settings were a restriction in her home. In those formal setting would she treat Belle as property, probably. James on the other hand was vile, inconsiderate, and greedy. Not only did he humiliate Belle, he treated Elizabeth as property too.
Your second life is never like your first. Sometimes it's even better
Yes in the long ring their marriage would not have been a happy one. His toxic family and Oliver's comment about her mother's blood were good reasons not to marry him.
shareAs soon as he said, "Your better half" and called her "cultured," the answer was obviously, NO.
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