Period Drama Week - Sunday: Period Drama Advice Column

Welcome to Period Drama Week! I am very excited about this week and I look forward to everyone's participation in the event!

Our first post is the Period Drama Advice Column. Since the Jane Austen Advice Column was so popular, but it was limited to only Jane Austen characters answering, I thought I would expand the advice column by having it open to all period dramas. Here are the rules:

• Write a letter from a character from a period drama to the "Period Drama Advice Column" asking for advice regarding a problem that they have in their story.
• Then write a letter from a character from a different period drama answering their letter.
• With all letters, try to make the letter sound like the character that is writing them. Use particular words or certain sayings that the characters are known to say frequently. Using direct quotes from the books/adaptations is also a great help. Examples of this: Mr. Dorrit from Little Dorrit would make constant references to his being the father of the Marshalsea; Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice would mention "[his] noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh" who condescension he has been blessed with; Dorcas from Lark Rise to Candleford would say that something is her "one weakness"; and so on.
• If you really like someone's first letter and would like to have another character answer it, feel free to. For example: if I write a letter from Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey and write an answering letter from Molly Gibson from Wives and Daughters, another person could write another answering letter for Catherine by another character (for example, Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility). The letter you add on could reference the other answering letter(s) (example: "I agree with Miss Morland," etc.). If you are adding on an answering letter to someone else's asking letter, you can pick another character from the original answering letter's period drama, but not from the asking letter.
• Post your letters on your blogs! If you do not have a blog and wish to participate, you can post your letters in the comments box. If you are answering another person's letter, be sure to give them credit!
• Post a comment here with a link to your letters.
• Have fun and keep it clean!

Here's an example to get everyone started!

Dear Period Drama Advice Column,

  My name is Scarlet O'Hara and I have a urgent problem. I'm in love with Ashley Wilkes of the Twelve Oaks plantation, but fiddle-dee-dee, everybody keeps telling me that he is going to marry Melanie Hamilton, that pale-faced ninny and I hate her. Ashley Wilkes couldn't like anyone like her: she a silly little fool who can't open her mouth except to say "yes" or "no". What shall I do?

Sincerely,

Scarlet O'Hara

My Dear Miss O'Hara,

  I understand what you must be feeling. There was a man that I loved, but one day I was told by his fiancee that they were secretly engaged for four years. I was told in confidence, so I could not tell my mother or my sisters. It was told to me in a manner forced on me by the very person herself, whose prior engagement ruined all my prospects. It was all told to me with what I thought was triumph. I have had to endeavour to appear indifferent where I have been most deeply interested. It has not been only once;—I have had her hopes and exultation to listen to again and again. If this Mr. Wilkes has told you that he loved you, you may be assured of his regard for you and need not worry about your problem. If not and he will marry this Miss Hamilton, much as you should suffer, think of what you would have suffered if you loved him longer. Would you have no comforts? no friends? Would your loss be such as left no opening for consolation? If such would be the case, an appearance of calmness would do well. If it helps, find other occupations to put your mind to: help your family out or something of that nature. I only hope for the best.

Sincerely,

Elinor Dashwood

There's my example. Good luck with all of yours!

 God Bless,