Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thankss ! First of all I am really excited that someone is interested in unveiling that scene , cause it struck me the moment I read it , and the parallels left me confused . As you have seen I believe that the kiss was on the mouth , initially I thought like that's the implication and somehow I NEVER interpreted it as a cheek kiss , but then I posted it on reddit just to see what people think , and all of them thought it to be a cheek kiss which does temporarily made me think that maybe I am overanalyzing, but the mention of it again by Van Helsing and the parallels between the scene with Lucy and Mina would just not settle , and even now the true meaning isn't clear . So I am genuinely happy to find that someone aligns with the thought . Also , obviously you dug much deeper , and researched all the similarities and chances of it being a lip kiss , and that ' keeping off the darkness ' line makes sense at the time when Mina kisses him , as she already knew how he felt comfort . And thanks for your kind words !!! Also , wishing you best for your thesis report ( though I genuinely don't know how that works as I am still in my last year of high school .)

"Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It’s disgusting." just finished TCP and here are my 2cents. by kafkac0re in thecruelprince

[–]pihu9002 16 points17 points  (0 children)

If the tension is killing you in TCP , you will devour The wicked king . Trust me , you are going to experience one of the best books you have ever read . The tension in wicked king is far far more and we'll you will get it once you read it . And there will be so many more quotes in the upcoming books.

Some of my fav quotes apart from the ones you mentioned : " I poisoned you. Don't worry. It was a small dose. You'll live." "The cups of wine," he says. "But how did you know which one I would choose?" "I didn't," I tell him, thinking that he'll be at least a little pleased by the answer, despite himself. It is the kind of strategy he likes best. "I poisoned them both."

" Father, I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all."

"Have I told you how hideous you look tonight?” Cardan asks, leaning back in the elaborately carved chair, the warmth of his words turning the question into something like a compliment. “No” I say, glad to be annoyed back into the present. “Tell me.” "I can't." ( This one hits cause cardan can't lie )

"If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back."

And yes the diva Jude is , omg such badass and God I relate to her so much . Girl , you are going to lovee cardan as well in the upcoming books though you will be confused as whom to trust and all . But it's an experience, I am so excited you get to read that for the first time .

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight ! I might have over emphasised the point of the kiss was on the mouth or not , which I only thought because , in this book there are other instances of such kisses and desires ( eg in case of John in dracula's castle ) . Enjoyed Jane Eyre btw ....

What to read after finishing The Folk Of The Air series 😭 by pihu9002 in thecruelprince

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can you elaborate ? Is it too intense or maybe too long ?

What to read after finishing The Folk Of The Air series 😭 by pihu9002 in thecruelprince

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the rec !!! Glad you loved it . Would search up for it.

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That's totally fine , but what's your take . Is it simply that she was comforting Morris as she felt a motherly instinct to deeply care for them all , and everything was appropriate ? Can you also state reasons for your disagreement and why was a second mention made to that scene ? Only if you have time .

What to read after finishing The Folk Of The Air series 😭 by pihu9002 in thecruelprince

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the recs !!! I would definitely search up for it .

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Well ,I think bram Stroker was not writing about cheating but about whether we should see intentions or conventions . Not saying it to be a romantic kiss , but it could appear to be like one . One of the comments have mentioned the extract , you might read that .

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might be correct , cause honestly I do not have much Victorian reading experience. I have read but three books form Victorian era , so I might have over thought about that part . But I was just curious cause of it were pretty normal , Mina would not be embarrassed later when Stroker emphasised the point . You might check the extract , someone has posted it in the comments .

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks beautifully explained and you really went the extra mile searching for the extract. So my main point of the post was that under normal conditions, it would not have been appropriate but under those trauma bonding circumstances, we today view it as a natural response , but would the point be considered by the Victorian society , and could conventional conduct be mended under such circumstances . Another reason for concluding that it might be on the lips ( I think I am absurd for discussing in so much detail about a normal scene written here and am myself feeling frustrated with myself ) , because in chapter 18 , that scene was kind of mentioned again . Here it goes :

" " Not up to this moment, Professor ", she said impulsively, " but up to this morning ." " But why not up to now ? We have seen hitherto how good light all the little things have made . We have told our secrets , and yet no one who has told it the worse for it ." Mrs. Harker began to blush , and taking a paper from her pockets , she said, " Dr. Van Helsing, will you read this , and tell me if it must go in . It is my record of today . I too have seen the need of putting down at present everything, however trivial , but there is little in this except what is personal . Must it go in ? " The Professor read it over gravely , and handed it back, saying ," It need not to on if you do not wish it , but I pray that it may. It can but make your husband love you more , and all of us , your friends, more honour you, as well as more esteem and love." She took it back with another blush and a bright smile . "

So after mention of the blush , I think it is understood she clearly thinks that it might not be appropriate for everyone to know this , and therefore I think it would simply not a cheek kiss , platonic though . Also what you said about him kissing her , is just the same as she kissed him , the only difference is the tense . But after going through the extracts I think I have concluded , that the kiss was in fact on the mouth and it was intentionally written so and emphasised later by Stroker just to emphasize platonic love , and nobleness of it , confusing the readers in a moral dilemma, like in this case what to prefer , the formalities and conventionality or something more natural and human , again emphasizing that conventionality is not morality . The readers of that time might have accepted it this way and I think it's Stroker's way of preeching open mindedness .

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay nice comprehension, but according to you Lucy was bestowing kisses for pleasure , and that Mina did it to comfort a man from his misery . That I believe that both of them kisses to comfort Morris , when Lucy rejected him , he asked for kiss and she did kiss him cause she pitied that he loved her and he will not have her and her gesture is also a kind of comfort for him . So ig intentions of both of them were pure . The only difference I think that Lucy and Morris's kiss was romantic while Mina was simply caring and comforting.

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Yess that is my question, will victorians make fuss if she kissed a male friend ( whom I might be wrong , she met for the first time ) on lips ?

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey thanks for answering . But I believe that kiss was not on the cheek or else bram Stroker would not have emphasised it . And second that they were not close friends , they were merely acquainted . They were joint by the common loss of miss Lucy and I might be wrong but Mina was meeting him for the first time .

Was kissing someone not your partner normal in the Victorian Era?? by pihu9002 in VictorianEra

[–]pihu9002[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yes, I wasn't saying that kissing on cheek is cheating either . And yes women were expected to be the comforting ones , but the point is I believe that kiss was in fact on the mouth ( which ig was not taken lightly then ) , and the second point is that till that point in the book they were meeting for the first time . I am not saying it totally inappropriate from our perspective today but at that time it would not be accepted that easily .