Victoriana & Assorted Ramblings

[bradygirl_12]

Well, as it’s only a month before my Story Writing Process essay is due for superhero_muses, I figured I’d better start writing some notes, so I got that accomplished today. :)



Also, icarus_chained has inspired me to consider writing my own DC Victorian AU after reading so many of her lovely works! She knows I love the era and it would be a delight to write the manners and charms of the day while delving into the harsh realities under a cultured surface.

I have just a glimmer of an idea and it may come to naught or months down the road, but would people be interested in reading any Victorian hi-jinks from me? ;)

My parents gifted me with books like Little Woman and Five Little Peppers when I was a child, and I fell in love with the era. Most Americans think post-War when thinking of the Victorian era, though of course it stretches throughout Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837-1901. Our mindset divides the 19th century into pre-and-post-Civil War, however, with antebellum America being pre-War.

Even though there was the War of 1812, The Mexican War of the 1840s, and the Spanish-American War of 1898, THE War is the one that raged from 1861-1865. It’s also capitalized in works of the times, from letters to histories to diaries. One needed only to say, "The War" and it was understood which one.

It was an era of incredible grace and unspeakable cruelties, and the excitement and belief that science could bring a better world also sparked progressive movements in politics, the arts, and sociology. There was optimism that the 20th century did its best to crush later on.

Women agitated for the vote, and the abolitionist movement was a driving force in the 1850s. Exploration of the American continent was necessary in the early part of the century, and archeology flowered in Egypt and Greece. There were grand balls and magnificent scientific expositions and grace and charm. ‘Boston marriages’ between women and flowery, poetic letters exchanged between male friends was often the norm.

There was also a thriving pornography industry, just below the surface of Victorian respectability.

I’m feeling restless. I am doing well with finishing prompts and other projects but am not sure if I can keep up the pace, which has been pretty much white-hot all week. I’ve been revising and typing like crazy.

I fear that I’ve lost my ability to write a true drabble! Every time I do fic requests I can’t do quick turn-arounds, but just full-fledged fics!

I really should be trying to decide some future Classic Fics and type them up to have in reserve.

I’m also thinking of doing a poll that isn’t fanfic-related but could be fun. :)

Can you tell I’m rambling? :) But restlessness will do that to a person, I suppose.

Comments

[bradygirl_12]

Depending on what the character focus was, I think your take on a Victorian AU would be really fascinating! Well, actually I'm sure it would be fascinating no matter who the characters were, I'd just be more likely to read it with some permutations than others. :)

*grins*

Right now some of my characters are Clark/Bruce and Steve/Diana (and knowing me, I'm sure I'll get Dick in there somewhere!). ;)

It's going to take me awhile to get it together. I may combine it with a prompt I was thinking of for my dcu_freeforall Diana/Steve Table, but I was really thinking about that in modern times, so I'm not sure. I want to make a definite decision one way or the other before I start writing. :)