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"Supposedly clever people doing stupid things very slowly", 20. Mai 2000
Rezension bezieht sich auf: The Scarlet Pimpernel (Bantam Classic) (Taschenbuch)
There are few things that activate my gag reflex like Baroness Orczy. The Scarlet Pimpernel has been called "a stirring tale of romance and adventure set in the French Revolution." Historical accuracy in this work was that there was indeed a Revolution in France in the late 18th century and that England is, in deed, separated from France by the English Channel. Obviously not content to incorporate reality into her story, the Baronness totally fabricated the brutal bloodthirsty Reign of Terror of 1792. So unfortunate for her that it began in September of 1793. Furthermore, she ignores the fact that the historical Chauvelin was a *marquis* and that by the time the Reign of Terror started England and France has ceased to be on diplomatic relations (hence, the fact that they were at war...). In this book, the entire French Republic is assumed to have the collective IQ of a giant turnip, a stereotype of the French people which may explain why Marguerite, supposedly the "cleverest woman in Europe", takes half of the novel to discover that her husband is, indeed the elusive Pimpernel himself....despite the fact that Sir Percy wears a pimpernel ring, and that pimpernels are the family flower. Perhaps Marguerite is bright in other ways. Furthermore, I find the Baronness' fulsome, if not particularly well-written, nostalgia for the Ancien Regime absolutely sickening. You notice how Sir Percy never dirties his hands rescuing commoners who are wrongly accused...oh no, certainly not. But I am not a pedant normally when it comes to books, as long as they have literary merit or an interesting plot. So sad for the Pimpernel that it really lacks both. If one cannot guess by the 5th page that a) Percy is the Pimpernel and b) he will rescue whatever aristo he's after and be quite fine by the end of the novel then perhaps one should consider repeating the 6th grade. In place of in-depth characters, Baronness Orczy's relies on absolutely nauseating stereotypes; Chauvelin "evil, fanatical, and, lest we forget, fox-like and shrewd revolutionary", Sir Percy the unsinkable Englishman, and, of course, there is Orczy's revolting anti-Semitism in dealing with Percy's disguise as a "loathesome" Jew. I am at a loss to explain for the popularity of this novel. It is just a Hungarian aristocrat reveanging herself on the world for chasing her family out of their 36-bedroom-chateau when she was a child. As the venerable Hilary Mantel (if you want to read real French Revolution stuff, try A Place of Greater Safety) said so well, "The plot of the Scarlet Pimpernel is weak; it depends on people who are said to be clever and quick-witted doing stupid things very slowly, and dropping messages, saying 'I will be in the supper room at one o'clock precisely.'"
Sink me if the lady isn't right.
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Flair for the Dramatic, 16. Juni 2000
Everybody loves a good play--especially one that dabbles with intrigue and romance. In The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy displays an incredible flair for the dramatic. Her book contains all the elements of a good play. For example, the plot's conflicts are clear from the first scene, and these conflicts heighten as the action moves along. The characters are very specifically drawn, and they develop as the conflicts heighten. The climax finds readers biting their nails, and the finale leaves them smiling in relief. As a senior interpretative speech major at Bob Jones University, I have chosen to perform The Scarlet Pimpernel as my Performance Recital. Baroness Orczy has made the task of performing this story a joy because of the dramatic elements she has skillfully woven into the fabric of her plot. This fabric forms a tapestry of romance, intrigue, and adventure--a tapestry that performers and readers alike cannot help but stand and admire.
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Surprisingly a good read, 26. Mai 2000
Von Ein Kunde
I had to read this book for English class. Instead of it being the usual trash, I found it to be very entertaining and engrossing. Sir Percy Blakney, is percieved as a stupid nobleman by most of his peers. However, that is only a cover for his true identity, the Scarlet Pimpernel. He rescues French nobility who are about to be decapitated by Madame Guillotine. The peasants hate him and the nobles love him. Great love story too. Excellent book and won't take too long to read.
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