#byron life and legend

[readingoals]

I started this book back in November last year but with one thing and another didn't finish it until the second week of January.

It's actually been sitting on my shelf since since some time in the early 2010s when I was reading more nonfiction than fiction. But it's page count is in the 600s and while I'm very interested in the Romantic era, I'm mostly drawn to Mary and Percy Shelley. So this biography has been intimidating me for so long and it feels so good to actually get it off my TBR

It's very thorough and a really great introduction to Lord Byron and his most famous works. I really enjoyed reading it, getting a better understanding of why the mad, bad and dangerous to know poet is so remembered today. I think Fiona MacCarthy does a really admirable job of celebrating Byron's achievements and explaining his impact on literature without shying away from the less than admirable things he did. She creates a very complex portrait of the poet, balancing his often contradictory nature, and making him feel very human despite his legendary status.

I also really liked the final few chapters where she delved into what happened after Byron died. Not just in how his friends reacted and the steps they took, but also in how his poems and his death impacted so many other writers, composers, and artists.

[byronnight2]

Names have power, like spells...

名前には呪文のような力がある

#byronnightisback

#remember

[sombredancer]

Asian dramas and my favorite types of characters

There are my favorite types of characters as a list. A villain with a fatal weakness

Drama: The Scholar Who Walks the Night /밤을 걷는 선비 Character: Gwi Screentime: Secondary Gwi is an ancient vampire and a master of puppets (and Joseon's king is the main of them). He is merciless, invincible and scheming all the drama long, until he accidentally kills a girl, who was his hostage and recalcitrant puppet from her childhood on and was the only one who could scold him and deny him. Nothing about it is said directly in the drama, but after her death he goes insane, kills all of his puppets and this way causes his own death. So, I suppose, she was his only weakness, and I like this type of a personal drama for a villain.

Drama: Moonlight Mystique /白月梵星 Character: Mo Li Screentime: Minor The shell of Devil lord Mo Li (which has got his own consciousness) falls in love with the demon girl (and has a very complex enemies-to-lovers relationship with her). Later, Devil lord occupies his shell, cornering shell's consciousness into the darkest corner of his mind, and treats his shell's girlfriend with no particular interest (but better than he could). However, he ends up unintentionally killing her off, and it becomes his doom, because her death releases the ancient weapon, the only thing that can kill him, and the main heroes use it to destroy him. So, she was his only weakness, literally.

Punch-Clock Villain / the Dragon

Drama: 100 Days My Prince /백일의 낭군님 Character: Moo-yeon Screentime: Secondary Moo-yeon works as an assassin for the killer of his father, who is constantly threatening him with the life of his sister. Moo-yeon is a man of a very ill fate: his family was accused of a treason and executed, his sister became a fugitive, he was forced to sell his conscience for his and sister's lives and, as a cherry on the top of this cake, fell in love with the daughter of his captor. And died trying to save her... His story is sooooo sad, but it makes me feel for this character fully. Also, he is the king of whump because the half of the drama he is injured and suffers from his wounds. The whole sad story of this guy is analyzed by me here, here and here.

Drama: The King Loves /왕은 사랑한다 Character: Moo-suk Screentime: Minor Koreans, obviously, like this type of characters, too, so there is another Dragon of the main villain, Moo-suk. In his free from dirty deeds time he h̶e̶l̶p̶s̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶l̶a̶d̶i̶e̶s̶ ̶c̶r̶o̶s̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶o̶a̶d̶ literally saves cute children and restores self-confidence of young ladies. And then he falls in love, rethinks his life and dies from the hand of his master. Predictable and sad. Still a memorable guy, though.

Drama: The Legend of Shen Li /与凤行 Character: Mo Fang Screentime: Minor A son of the main villain has been groomed from his infancy to plot against the main heroes to avenge his father. Later, he falls in love with the main heroine and rethinks things he was taught about. His resistance, however, doesn't help him much - his body ends up being possessed by the evil spirit without even an opportunity to kill himself in order to break free... No HE, as you understand. 50 shades of a Byronic Hero

Drama: The Wolf / 狼殿下 Character: Chu Youwen Screentime: Main A Mowgli boy was adopted by a wicked emperor, brought up like a cruel beast and was forced to do some dirty stuff for the emperor. He is mysterious, severe and you never know what's on his mind. As a true Byronic hero. He is some kind of Dragon, too, but it's a Chinese drama and he is a main hero in it, that's why he doesn't really do anything bad during the series. His soul is kind and his heart is pure, but he hides it from his love and deals with all of his problems on his own. It's the reason why all of this drama is a masochistic tango between him and his love. Whump lovers will be happy, too, because he is constantly in chains, pierced by arrows like a hedgehog or works as a slave in mines. As any other Dragon, he has a BE.

Drama: Lost You Forever /长相思 第一季 Character: Xiang Liu Screentime: Secondary A mysterious demon general, whose name makes everyone shake in fear. A former demon slave, who is true to his word enough to fight for his benefactor even if he knows crystal clearly that it's hopeless and he and his army will die in the end. A man who has huge problems with expression of his emotions in a socially approved way. Edward Cullen of Chinese dramaland. He is enigmatic, with thick vibes of a bad guy, yet very loyal to his benefactor as well as his love and very selfless. Because of this loyalty he will die and the love of his life will never-ever find out about anything he has done for her during the story.

Drama: My Journey to You /云之羽 Character: Gong Shangjue Screentime: Secondary A guy was through trauma in his childhood and it made him look intimidating and unfeeling. A tsundere is born! He coped with his trauma by taking extra responsibilities for everything and everyone and turned to be a walking killing machine instead of a man. But an enemy assassin comes to his life and teaches him how to be a human once more. It's a painful experience, but it`s necessary in order to grow up as a character and is beautifully fulfilled. It was a great joy to know that he survives at the end of the story, it's a rare thing for this type of characters, so even if there is season 2 someday, I will not watch it in order not to spoil my impression of the first one. I wrote about him detailed here, here, here and here.

Drama: Princess Agents / 特工皇妃楚乔传 Character: Yan Xun Screentime: Secondary It's the transformation story, too, like a previous one, but this time it's transformation from an ordinary man to a villain. Prince Yan Xun is a hostage colony prince in a metropolis empire, but he enjoys a noble life along with other nobility youth. The society around him is awful, each of these noble youths is a psycho who appreciate human hunt and so on, but cheerful and easy-going Yan Xun doesn't think their bloodthirstiness could turn against him. When relationship between the metropolis and the colony become tense, though, Yan Xun's friends of yesterday are happy to drink his blood. He loses his whole family and, insanely longing for revenge, slowly turns to one of those monsters himself.

Drama: Fangs of Fortune / 大梦归离 Characters: Li Lun Screentime: Secondary The Great Demon was dumped by his boyfriend because of his aggressive ways of protecting people of his own species and still can't get over their break-up. He goes through all five stages of acceptance of their break-up while being a villain of the story. In the end his obsession brings him to his doom, because he loves his ex-friend too much. He is morally grey yet a versatile and interesting character. I wrote about him here: 1 , 2, 3 and 4.

Drama: A Journey to Love / 一念关山 Character: Li Tongguang Screentime: Minor This guy has got a very realistic personality and background: he is a bastard who was deprived of mother's love since he was a child. The first circumstance made him power-hungry, scheming and outwardly emotionless, the second one made him longing for mother's love on insanely level. So he is invincible outwardly, but turns into a teary mess when it's about his female tutor, who is a mother figure for him. The contrast between these two personalities is enormous and makes this character very alive and interesting. During the drama he will not cope with his Oedipus complex but circumstances will solve this problem for him.

A pure-hearted hero

Drama: Creation of the Gods Ⅰ / 封神三部曲 Character: Ji Fa Screentime: Main It's maybe strange to find this type of characters in the list of my favorite types, but morality and selflessness of a character is very important for me, too. This story is some kind of King Arthur's legend, but in a Chinese way. The emperor is bewitched by a demon and is bringing the kingdom to it's downfall, the Gods are here to find the savior with the help of a magic scroll that can be opened only by a true king. Ji Fa, a hero of this story, doesn't care about scrolls, but his heart is loyal to his kingdom and to his family (in this very order). He genuinely wants to help his friend-prince to be a king his kingdom deserves and, despite awful things that were done to him and his family, doesn`t harden his soul and betray his ideals. And, I suppose, although he isn't aware of this, he IS the future King Arthur of China.

Interesting character decisions

Drama: The Legends/招摇 Characters: Jiang Wu Screentime: Minor This character is something like a rival of the male lead. He is a xinmo - an inner demon of some other character and represents the darkest features of a human's soul. He is a ruthless killer, a dark sorcerer without conscience, but what was very unique, being literary the worst part of a human personality, he values his assistants a lot and genuinely cares for them. A villain is usually a lone wolf. He doesn't trust anyone and doesn't value anyone, his loneliness is usually his weakness and a key to his downfall. So I was pleasantly surprised that sometimes a villain is capable of building healthy relationships with his subordinates.

Drama: Sh**ting Stars / 별똥별 Characters: Do Soo-hyuk Screentime: Minor

This guy truly surprised me. Firstly, he is supposed to be something like a third wheel in relationships of the main couple, but he just calmly got a refusal from the female lead, said "OK" and, absolutely relaxed, proceeded to live his life further. It's something unbelievable for me, because I used to see the insanity caused by an unrequited love to be the plot engine of a lot of dramas. Secondly, he is well-written as a character, straightforward, principled and has tsundere-ish or Byronic vibes - all the character features that I like =) Also you can see: Asian dramas and relationship dynamics (Pt. 1) Asian dramas and relationship dynamics (Pt. 2) Asian dramas and Love tropes Enemies to Rivals/Lovers recipe

[sundove88]

Maestro Lance (Beetlejuice Casting Parody)

After Alma Madrigal and Dru Gru die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to leave the house. When the unbearable Minatos and their teen daughter Yukina buy the home, the spirits attempt to scare them away without success. Their efforts attract Lance, a rambunctious Maestro whose "help" quickly becomes dangerous for them and innocent Yukina.

Three generations of the Minato family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. Still haunted by Maestro Lance, Yukina’s life soon gets turned upside down when her rebellious tweenage daughter discovers a mysterious portal to the afterlife. When someone says Lance’s name three times, the mischievous maestro gleefully returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

In honor of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!

Lance as Beetlejuice (Balan Wonderworld)

Yukina Minato as Lydia Deetz (BanG Dream)

Okabe Rintarou as Charles Deetz (Steins;Gate)

Bayonetta as Delia Deetz (Bayonetta)

Dru as Adam Maitland (Despicable Me)

Alma Madrigal as Barbara Maitland (Encanto)

Malva as Jane Butterfield (Pokemon)

King Dedede as Otho Fenlock (Kirby)

Mama Imelda as Juno (Coco)

Canele Cookie as Maxie Dean (Cookie Run)

Millie Feuille Cookie as Sarah Dean (Cookie Run)

Starscream as Bernard (Transformers)

Mashiro Kurata as Grace (BanG Dream)

Aya Maruyama as Beryl (BanG Dream)

Byron as The Preacher (Brawl Stars)

Bruce Stone as The Janitor (Balan Wonderworld)

Lt. Surge as Road Kill Man/The Messenger (Pokemon)

Lola as Miss Argentina/The Receptionist (Brawl Stars)

Gray as Himself/Miss Argentina’s Co Star (Brawl Stars)

Shadow!Lance as Snake!Beetlejuice (Balan Wonderworld)

Colt as Harry The Hunter (Brawl Stars)

Knockout as Char Man (Transformers)

Gooey as The Minister (Kirby)

Marina Tsukishima as Magician’s Assistant (BanG Dream)

Various Characters as the Netherworld Ghosts

Yuri Brand as Astrid Deetz (Balan Wonderworld)

Sam Witwicky as Rory (Transformers)

Mistress Nine as Delores (Sailor Moon)

Ryotsu Kankichi as Wolf Jackson (Kochikame)

Anxiety as Bob (Inside Out)

N Harmonia as Jeremy Frazier (Pokemon)

Vaati as Richard (The Legend of Zelda)

Here’s your hint for the next casting (It’s Pixar):

💀🎸🥀

[moonbeamlightning]

Westerosi Heights

(A fanfic by me in which Littlefinger tells Sansa the story of Wuthering Heights. It used to be on AO3 but I deleted my account).

***

Alayne was sitting in her father’s study, looking at the fire. They were discussing the participants of the upcoming tournament to be had in Robert Arryn’s honor. Lord Baelish had a glass of wine in his hand.

“Ser Byron is quite handsome,” Alayne said. “Like a knight from a song”.

“Life is not a song, you must remember,” Petyr Baelish said wryly, evidently irritated, slightly drunk.

Alayne remembered, it was the first thing her father had taught her, in another lifetime: “Life is not a song, sweetling,” he had said. “You may learn that one day to your sorrow”.

Alayne bit her lip. “Yes father,” she said, “in real life monsters win”.

Lord Baelish suddenly asked: “What is your favorite story sweet daughter?”

Alayne was puzzled at this question, she thought there were more urgent matters to discuss. “I loved the story of Florian and Jonquil,” she said, thinking that her father must had known about it, thinking of Ser Dontos…

“What is yours father?” Alayne then asked, not expecting an answer. Her father was not one to be interested in songs and stories.

To her surprise, Lord Baelish smiled a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and answered: “I have always been partial to Jenny of Oldstones myself.”

Then he hesitated a moment and continued, not smiling anymore: “But my very favorite is a little known one from the Vale, Westerosi Heights, a ghost story, have you ever heard of it?”

Alayne hadn’t heard of it which surprised her, she thought that she had known every major Westerosi song. Alayne was good with songs and stories.

“I have never heard of it. What is it about?”

“It is about a bastard boy who was fostered at House Eyrnshaw of the Vale”.

“I have never heard of a House Eyrnshaw, father”.

“You wouldn’t, this is just a legend”.

“Why did they foster a bastard if they were a noble house?”

“Lord Brunty of House Brunty of the Vale had no legitimate male heirs as his wench was barren. But he had a bastard son from an Essosi prostitute. He was thinking of legitimizing him when he grew older but before that he had him fostered at the House of Eyrnshaw, as his wife was jealous and didn’t want the poor bastard in her household”.

Alayne thought of Jon Snow.

“Why did House Eyrnshaw accept such an arrangement?”

“Well, that’s a mysterious part of the story. According to the song, Lord Eyrnshaw simply pitied the poor lad’s predicament but I call that a farcical explanation. Some think he was Lord Eyrnshaw’s bastard son in the first place, but I think that has no basis. I personally favor the theory that Lord Eyrnshaw owed Lord Brunty big time and had to accept his bastard son as a fosterling”.

“What happened then?”

“Well, it was difficult for the child to be accepted you see? Little Clyffe Stone was a bastard, but also he was dark-skinned as he had an Essosi prostitute as a mother”.

“Where in Essos had his mother come from?”

“Well, most say that she was a Lhazareen prostitute but some say that she wasn’t a prostitute at all but a high-born lady, the daughter of the Emperor of Yi Ti in fact”.

“That’s fanciful,” Alayne said, finding the idea exciting despite herself.

“Yes, but it is more likely that he was the unfortunate fruit of an encounter Lord Brunty had with some poor Essosi whore at a brothel at Gulltown. Well, the Eyrnshaws weren’t very happy with the arrangement. Lady Eyrnshaw found it distasteful to foster a bastard. Lord Eyrnshaw’s two children mercilessly made fun of the poor Clyffe Stone. Especially the son. They called him Lord Stone as a joke”.

“That’s unfortunate,” Alayne said.

“That’s true,” Lord Baelish answered, again with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “But the Eyrnshaw boy later paid for his bullying with interest. And besides, something miraculous happened and the daughter Cathryn Eyrnshaw took to the poor bastard. She was a rebellious girl who did not heed the conventions of the society. She played all day with the poor bastard on the moorlands of the Vale,” he chuckled, “what would I give to know what they did on the moorland all day”.

Alayne didn’t say anything.

“But well,” her father continued, “Lord Brunty died the year his bastard became a fosterling. Little Lord Stone would never be legitimized. Little Cathryn didn’t care about that a bit. She accepted him as he was. And he accepted her caprices, even ate her mud pies. He felt himself as a member of her family, as her equal as long as her father lived”.

“That’s sweet,” Alayne said, finding it rather unusual that a highborn lady should ramble on the moors all day with a bastard of Essosi origin. But then, this was just a song.

“But then,” Lord Baelish said, suddenly slamming his wine glass to the table, “Little Cathryn had the fate all highborn girls have to endure, being married off to some brute from another noble household”.

Alayne looked at her father, puzzled. She was feeling uneasy, she didn’t like where this story was going.

“She was engaged to a milksop named Eddard Lynton from another house of the Vale,” Lord Baelish said with vehemence.

Alayne’s heart skipped a beat with anguish and nostalgia at hearing the name “Eddard” but she paid attention to not make it obvious to her father.

“I haven’t heard of Lyntons either”.

But father was too drunk and into his story to answer about the historical inconsistencies.

“Old Lord Eyrnshaw had died and his drunk brute of a son was Lord Eyrnshaw now. Cathryn and Clyffe begged her brother to change his mind but he didn’t, he was determined. Soon Cathryn betrayed her own heart by accepting to marry Eddard Lynton and Clyffe ran away. But without a doubt, Cathryn had given her maidenhead to Clyffe and would marry him if society hadn’t stood in the way. In a better world, they would have married”.

“I see,” Alayne said, remembering Lord Baelish’s words about Lady Catelyn. He had said that Lady Catelyn had given him her maidenhead but Family, Duty, Honor meant that he could never have her hand. “In a better world, you might have been mine, not Eddard Stark’s,” he had said.

Alayne was growing more and more uncomfortable and uneasy while hearing this story. Thankfully, it was over now.

“It was a sad story father,” she said.

“Oh, but it isn’t over,” her father said, his eyes glinting. “Clyffe returned a few years later and took up a job under new Lord Eyrnshaw’s patronage”.

Alayne was baffled. “How?” she said, “Hadn’t you said that the young Lord Eyrnshaw hated him? Made fun of him as “Lord Stone”, prevented him from marrying Lady Cathryn and caused him to run away?”

“All true,” Lord Baelish said joyously, “but see, Clyffe had gotten into quite a bit of money in the intervening years. Some say that he had been a paid knight. I find it likelier that he had dabbled in trade at Gulltown. He was now wondrously good at imitating his superiors and giving everyone what they wanted. Well, young Eyrnshaw was a gambler and a drunk and Clyffe lent him a lot of money and when Lord Eyrnshaw was in his deathbed, he convinced him to make him the regent of his son Harrold Eyrnshaw, a little boy with brown eyes who looked a lot like his aunt. After his father’s death, he treated little Harrold as if he were a bastard, even called him Harrold Stone. Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Is it?”

“It is. And Clyffe Stone started to lend to Eddard Lynton, now Lord Lynton, money too, and with that excuse he started to see his beloved Cathryn often too. They had an affair. But Clyffe never forgave his Cat for forsaking him and he struck up an attachment with her sister-in-law and ran away with her and married her. Thus he had a high-born wife”.

“What a weird song,” Alayne said. Normally in songs the young heroes didn’t become moneylenders.

“The best song,” Lord Baelish said.

“Well, was he happy with his new wife?”

“Well, he wasn’t. He only had eyes for his Cathryn, poor chap. But she died in childbirth and soon his wife too died in mysterious circumstances,” Lord Baelish chuckled.

“Oh,” said Alayne.

“But she had left him a son, a sickly one whom he schemed to marry off to Cathryn’s daughter, also named Cathryn, rather obvious don’t you think? But he only called her Cathryn while he used to call her mother Cat. He lured Little Cathryn with letters - our boy Clyffe was good at giving everyone what they wanted, remember - and kidnapped her and married her to his son. Some speculated that the Little Cathryn was Clyffe’s daughter which I am inclined to believe.”

Alayne was doubting the existence of this song more and more every minute. It seemed to her that her lord father was making it up.

“I often wondered why he didn’t marry Little Cathryn himself, and that’s why I am inclined to believe that she was his daughter after all, because otherwise why even bother to marry her to his sickly son instead of marrying her himself, right?”

“I guess so”.

“Eddard Lynton died. The sickly boy died soon too, it was only a matter of time. At that point Clyffe Stone was more or less the de facto ruler of two noble houses. After his son’s death he started to treat little Cathryn as if she was his daughter too and she was in a way, as she was his daughter-in-law. But soon Cathryn fell for her brute of a cousin Harrold and decided to marry him and join their houses. And soon after that Clyffe Stone died in mysterious circumstances. Some say that he was killed by the ghost of elder Cathryn but that’s of course the fanciful part of this ghost story, that can never happen in real life. But it’s impossible even in a story if you ask me. Why would she kill him? She loved him!”

“I guess?”

“No, no, I think he simply died of natural causes,” he sighed, “such a pity, he had risen so far. He could have risen more”.

“He didn’t rise as high as you did”.

Lord Baelish looked as if he was offended by the comparison, “Of course not sweetling. No one had risen as high as your father did, not even in songs and stories”.

“Did he regret his actions?”

“No. The story goes that his ghost and the ghost of the dead Cathryn play on the moors eternally. A poor alternative to worldly success, but still quite romantic, don’t you think?”

“Well, hadn’t he felt bad about hurting her family, especially her nephew and daughter?”

“Oh no sweetling, neither of them cared about all that, they only cared about each other. Besides, why should he feel bad? These houses deserved it for separating him from his beloved”.

“But, he hurt innocents. And besides I find it quite likely that he came to feel affection for her nephew and her daughter himself. The nephew looked like her and he practically raised him himself. He should have loved him, especially when he raised him like he himself was raised”.

Petyr Baelish chuckled. “What a weird logic you have my sweet daughter,” he said, “of course he didn’t care”.

After leaving her father’s study room Alayne went to bed. She was feeling nauseated. She felt that she had a glimpse into her father’s mindset, as the story was clearly a fanciful recreation of his own life. Even some of the names were the same, “Eddard”, “Harrold”… Her lord father too separated people into “pawns” and “players”. He too simply didn’t care who he hurt because he himself was hurt due to his love. But Alayne knew that Lady Catelyn didn’t give Lord Petyr her maidenhead, while the Cathryn of the story loved Clyffe. Clyffe’s actions were inexcusable, but the love motivating him was real. Petyr didn’t even have that.

But she felt that she now knew him better. “When you know what a man wants you know who he is, and how to move him”.

[leucrotta]

Werewolf Watch #1

First of all, Happy New Year, and welcome to the first installment of Werewolf Watch! (Thanks to @7outerelements for the name/tag suggestion.) I’ve taken all the films on my radar and made a numbered list, then used a generator to give me a random one. Today’s werewolf movie is…

SCREAM OF THE WOLF (1974)

There isn’t much information out there about 1974’s Scream of the Wolf. It was a made-for-TV movie, apparently based on a short story by writer David Case, and the screenplay was penned by one of my favorite authors, Richard Matheson. And… that’s about it! No charming production anecdotes, no fun trivia, just: here it is. Doesn’t bode well, does it? Even Matheson’s involvement isn’t necessarily a good sign; while he did write some iconic Twilight Zone episodes and the classic novella I Am Legend, he also wrote Jaws 3-D, so there’s that. Going in, I really have no idea what to expect, but I’m kind of thinking it won’t be great.

The film’s premise follows a retired big game hunter as he returns for another hunt, this time tracking a rogue killer wolf. Or is it a wolf??? Only one way to find out…

(Please be aware that this review WILL contain spoilers!)

The Plot

We open on a neat transition, from some animal’s eyes in the darkness to headlights piercing the fog. An unfortunate man has found himself in the first five minutes of a horror movie, meaning he probably doesn’t have a long shelf-life.

Yeah. His car breaks down on a lonely road at night, and he’s forced to go looking for help. But instead he finds… Something! A snarling creature (that we naturally don’t see) chases him back to his car before smashing its way in and somehow bloodlessly mauling him to death.

Seemingly the entire police force soon arrives on scene, accompanied by some bizarre and funkadelic music. Even after the sheriff (it sounds like his name is Brian?) fetches his retired hunter friend (our protagonist, John,) no one can determine the identity of the killer beast. It’s almost as if its tracks, and its scent, have changed to avoid detection.

And thus we have the general setup for our werewolf story. Twice more we’re treated to hapless expendables wandering around in the dark, and twice more we don’t get to see the monster that so consistently removes their faces. In between these extremely tame death scenes, we see the confused John and his sheriff buddy (is his name Brian? I’m starting to doubt myself) scratching their heads. It’s the typical creature feature cycle: the beast kills, the investigators are stumped. Maybe eventually they’ll wise up and realize that there’s something Extra about this supposed “animal”, but not for most of the runtime. In this regard, Scream of the Wolf is fairly standard, and I prepared myself for another paint-by-numbers werewolf film. But luckily, the movie had a bit of an ace up its sleeve. And that ace’s name is Byron.

Byron is John’s longtime friend and fellow (non-retired) hunter, and he is absolutely unhinged.

That’s his face for most of the movie. Just that same, smarmy expression. Byron refuses to assist his ole buddy John, insisting he’s “too busy”, but that does the opposite of keeping him out of the story. At a chance meeting in a restaurant, Byron encounters what I can only describe as a 1970s caricature of a vegan, who asks him what he gets out of killing innocent, cute little animals. “I can’t tell you,” says Byron, “but I can show you”, eliciting this very goofy response:

I’m pretty well convinced that, had John not intervened, Byron would’ve happily chased this man around the restaurant with a steak knife. He kind of has a hard-on for killing and death, and he really, really wants everyone else to know about it. The actor here, Clint Walker, is an incredible delight.

He perfectly nails Byron’s thin (and ever-cracking) veneer of civility over a gaping maw of complete and utter insanity. From his speech to his gestures, you can just tell at a glance that this dude is always 0.5 seconds away from biting the nearest person, with or without provocation. And speaking of bites...

John’s love interest, Sandy, is convinced that Byron is the killer. (Probably because he continues to say incredibly psychotic things in her presence.) And not only that, he’s also... a werewolf! She cites an old story about he and John’s last hunt together, where Byron was bitten by an enormous wolf. Suspicious. As if to reinforce her fears, she becomes the next would-be victim, saved only by the timely (and confusing) arrival of the police, who scare off the beastly intruder. She repeats her suspicions to the sheriff (VERNON, his name is apparently Vernon) who decides to confront the hunter at home.

Naturally, Byron denies all of these claims, and continues to refuse to help. This time he’s a bit more honest about his motivations; he’s actually enjoying all of this chaos. The townspeople, he says, are more alive now than they’ve ever been. This is definitely a good and healthy thing, believe him. It is at this point that a new suspect is rather intrusively crammed into the narrative: Brant Grant, Byron’s servant (?). Who is… there.

The trouble in town soon escalates, as the sheriff is killed while staking out Byron’s place- wait no, that’s actually just a deputy. The lighting is very bad, okay? A townhall meeting is held. The funky music returns, briefly and inexplicably. John gives Byron one last chance to help, and therefore shirk the allegations of werewolfery. Byron refuses, and reveals just a little more of his thought process: if he helps out, it will make the hunt too easy. He’d rather let John do it himself, perhaps regaining that old thirst for (animal) murder that he once had. They arm wrestle over it. Why? No one knows. Brant Grant is just kind of there again. Despite John losing the arm wrestling match, Byron does eventually show up to assist, on what is to be the last night of the hunt. The two split up, foolishly disobeying D&D rules, and John hears a gunshot, followed by snarling. He runs to aid his old friend, but alas, he is too late! Byron has been attacked, and lies dead. Now John knows that Brant Grant is the killer, and he goes to Byron’s place to confront him- only to find… Byron?!?!

Yeah, Byron’s not dead. Turns out the body was Brant/Grant, which John would have known if he had bothered to turn it over or like, do any sort of investigating. But he didn’t, and now Byron has him at gunpoint. He at last explains his dastardly scheme, in which he manufactured the “werewolf” attacks using a wolf and/or dog that he trained to kill, and some fake footprints. He did it for the same reason he’s already revealed: he wanted John to once again be his peak hunting self, and he wanted the local populace to finally be “alive”.

In the film’s climax, Byron challenges John to one last hunt: in the forest, he will find two bullets. One for the dog, and one for Byron, who will be hunting him in turn. He gets a five minute head start, but it’s barely enough. John manages to dispatch the wolf and/or dog, but he’s wasted both bullets in the attempt. It’s time for a little mano a mano. Of course, as the arm wrestling scene proved, John isn’t as fit as he once was, and Byron is able to easily take him down. “You lose, John,” he says, triumphantly.

At which point John pulls out his SECRET GUN!!!

Turns out he planned this whole final night, knowing Byron would want to have a hunt-off, and baiting him into it. After all, he says, repeating the film’s Important Phrase: “the prey will always do the unexpected”. Defeated at his own game and not very happy about it, Byron turns to go. He knows John won’t be able to shoot an unarmed man in the back. He is sure and incorrect. John kills Byron, finally ending the murder spree, and thus the movie.

The Review

So! That sure was a wild ride, huh? In the end, Scream of the Wolf isn’t technically a werewolf movie at all, but that isn’t actually a bad thing. At the start, I had assumed a very by-the-book, possibly lackluster tale of werewolf hunting, only to be served something fairly decent and certainly different. The movie is competent, especially for a made-for-TV special. The acting (at least the two leads) is believable, and the characters (at least Byron) are interesting. The twist is very much Matheson’s, echoing his earlier works (including one of my favorite of his short stories) as well as other classics like The Hound of the Baskervilles. That’s not to say it’s without its issues.

While the end of the film is a solid “most dangerous game” type situation, it does end up being one (or two, or three) too many twists. Byron’s dead, so he can’t be the killer! Oh wait, actually Brant Grant is dead, and Byron is the killer! John’s sure to lose this climactic fight, but oh wait, he’s actually got the upper hand and planned this all along! The shoehorning in of Brant Grant as a suspect was also pretty obviously a red herring, and needed to come in much, much earlier. There were times when Byron’s obsession sort of waffled between intimidating and goofy. In terms of technical aspects, the film’s many, many night scenes were far too dark to make out anything happening, and the dialogue was at times difficult to understand.

I’m not sure whether the randomly funky soundtrack should count as a good thing or a bad thing, so we’ll just leave it as neutral.

Overall, I found myself pleasantly surprised by this not being a dumpster fire of a movie. It had a coherent plot, decent acting, consistent characters, and that nice twist ending. I can’t say it was great by any stretch of the imagination, but it was quite alright.

I’ve decided to give Scream of the Wolf (1974) a 6 out of 10.

Werewolf Effects

This is where I’d put my thoughts on the movie’s werewolf costume, makeup, or animatronics, as well as the transformation scene… IF I HAD ANY!!!

But seeing as how this movie didn’t have a real werewolf, there’s not much to say here. Does Byron count as the film’s werewolf? Let’s just put the image gallery from Rotten Tomatoes here because it made me laugh.

Werewolf Lore

Again, there isn’t much to say here on this particular film. Not much lore was described throughout; the “werewolf” came out at night, mauled people, and was thought to have been created by a wolf bite. All pretty in line with old lycanthropy tales, which didn’t typically mention moon phases. It was more common for a folklore werewolf to be created by a deal with the devil, but a wolf bite isn’t out of the question. Here's an interesting tidbit: in the famous werewolf case of the Beast of Gevaudan, it is theorized by some that the killings were actually committed by a human with a trained animal. Coincidence? Probably yes, but it's a fun comparison.

Final Thoughts

Would I recommend this movie? Sure, if you’ve got nothing better to watch. There are better films out there, certainly, and they aren’t hard to find. But hey, it’s short (about 1 hour 10 minutes), it’s free on tubi, and it’s not terrible, so there’s that. While it isn’t an instant classic, I am surprised to find that it has generally bad reviews, and that it was never popular. It at least deserves better than that.

Scream of the Wolf was remade in 2022, and that version is also on the watch list. Someday perhaps, we shall see if it’s any better.

And that's all for the first Werewolf Watch! If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to leave them on the post or message me directly. Still working out the kinks here, but it's just for fun, so keep that in mind.

Thanks for reading!

[uwmspeccoll]

Mythical Wonders

This 1928 edition of The Wonder Book of Myths and Legends was compiled by editor and writer William Byron Forbush (1868-1927). It was published in Philadelphia by the John C. Winston Company, where Forbush served as a consulting editor. The edition is adorned with illustrations by Frederick Richardson (1862-1937), an American illustrator most well-known for his vivid and imaginative illustrations in the works of L. Frank Baum.

The book is a treasure trove of enchanting stories of magic and wonder that captivated the ancient world. It explores myths and legends from various cultures, interweaving tales of gods, heroes, and fantastical creatures. The illustrations are a testament to the Art Nouveau movement. His use of striking colors and creative depictions brings the stories to life in a way that genuinely charms the reader.

-Melissa, Special Collections Classics Intern

View other Classics posts.

View our other posts on children's books.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Hot damn! What a teaser!

When it began, I thought I was in for just typical animated movie teaser stuff: Characters against white backgrounds and gags, little else, something similar to ZOOTOPIA's teaser. But no!

There are plenty of flashes of new characters (some of them have really neat designs too, that's where your comma and period buttons come in handy for the YouTube video) and new locations, suggesting that a lot of the action will also take place outside of the city of Zootopia. Perhaps the far reaches of that film's world. Like, for example, that European mountain-looking place with the goats in lederhosen. In the first ZOOTOPIA, we only saw the titular city and Bunnyburrow, some of the surrounding countryside too. The filmmakers also alluded to this a while back, but what else is out there? What's the planet Zootopia is set on? It's seemingly not an alternate Earth, because you'd hear mentions of like America and such. Or maybe it is Earth, but the animals just didn't name any of the continents what we did lol. It's clearly not the all-animals Earths of ROBIN HOOD (explicitly set in England) and KUNG FU PANDA (a fantasized China) and such.

Like really, I'm already in love with this series again. ZOOTOPIA is one of my favorite Disney animated movies of the 2010s and I really dug the animal world they created, and this looks like it'll be just as much of a blast, what with the original director Byron Howard back in the chair and Jared Bush graduating from co-director to main director. This trailer I think shows that they have confidence in it, that it'll be, IMO, a swing-back from WISH and MOANA 2. Two just very nothing kinda movies to me, I'd like to be thrilled by a Walt Disney Animation Studios film again.

Now, checking in on the other big Disney studio... Pixar... Conan O'Brien is now confirmed to be in TOY STORY 5.

Ya'know, that makes all the sense, really. Conan was hitting it big in the 1990s, when TOY STORY was on its way to completion, and he was involved heavily with the best seasons of THE SIMPSONS, he's a comedy legend, and TOY STORY has cast some comedians throughout its existence to great effect... So, yeah, I have little else to say there other than... it's perfect casting. He's apparently playing a character called Smarty Pants. That tells me that he's playing some kind of educational toy or game. Maybe Smarty Pants is one of the apps that Bonnie, now glued to a tablet, plays. I'd imagine the toys interact w/ the characters in the apps, they might come to life in a WRECK-IT RALPH sort of manner when a human isn't around. We'll have to see!

I find it interesting that there's been a steady stream of TOY STORY 5 news over the past few months... But nary a peep on the original Pixar movie that's opening before it... HOPPERS.

That movie is currently penciled in for March 6, 2026, and we learned a little while back that its crew were given notes from Disney overlords about its environmental themes. That they had to tone those down because of Disney's current push to be as respectful of our current president in every way, shape, and form. Given that the whole plot revolves around a land developer who threatens the beaver habitat that the protagonist is trying to protect, yeeeah, I'd imagine such notes have either caused massive story problems or completely flipped the movie upside-down. I wouldn't be surprised if... The movie gets delayed, so that they have time - much like what happened to ELIO - to sanitize it and rewrite it so that they don't have a movie that will be called... Dear lord, "WOKE!" "DEI!"

Or, maybe it's not that at all and I'm just being too skeptical. Maybe it's as simple as "TOY STORY 5 is a sequel, part of one of their largest franchises, so obviously Disney and Pixar are gonna be louder about that than this weird little beaver movie." I only get concerned, because some of the stuff I listen to and some of the word I've heard... I get the implication that the main focus is TOY STORY 5 right now. For example, the Fine Tooning podcast had often said in recent episodes, something to the beat of "Pixar did a screening of TOY STORY 5, that's coming along." Very little about HOPPERS, though. Maybe it's just an oversight on their respective parts. HOPPERS might possibly be something of a B-team production, while TOY STORY 5 is the A-film. Nothing wrong with that if that's the case, after all... TOY STORY 2 began life as a B-picture, and in Disney animation history, there's... Let's see... DUMBO, THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE, THE LION KING, etc. Sometimes the B movie is the more creative, scrappy sort-of movie next to the more prestigious picture.

If the landing is stuck, this will be the first time Pixar **successfully** gets two movies out in a calendar year, one in March and one in June. 2015 and 2017 were both double-headers, but at least one movie of the pack lost money or underperformed. INSIDE OUT and THE GOOD DINOSAUR shared 2015, the former was a beloved hit and the latter a divisive money-loser. 2017: COCO did great, CARS 3 kinda just puttered quietly and barely doubled its budget. They tried again for 2020. In 2020, COVID-19 got in the way, literally. ONWARD opened right before shutdowns, and SOUL went straight to Disney+ the following Christmas. TURNING RED was intended for theaters in March 2022, but got rerouted to Disney+, while June 2022's LIGHTYEAR went to theaters and bombed. 2024 was supposed to be ELIO in March, INSIDE OUT 2 in June, but ELIO got de-queered and delayed all the way to this coming June... Soooo... Yeah, maybe 2026 is when Pixar successfully gets a movie out in March and another movie in June.

But like, any updates, Pixar? Disney? It seems like HOPPERS is like the skeleton at the bottom of the pool here, lol.

[burningvelvet]

Sense you are my resident Byron expert, I was wondering if you've read Byron: The Flawed Angel by Phyllis Grosskurth. I haven't read it yet but a friend of mine recommended it.

I personally am reading Wildly Romantic by Catherine M Andronik. Haven't finished but I've liked what I've read so far

I don't think I've read the whole thing but I would firmly categorize it in the section of pop history Byron books (and therefore probably not entirely trustworthy to accurately assess a historical figure). From what I remember of it, I think the below quotation summarizes my thoughts.

From John Clubbe's 2002 article Byron in Our Time, published in The Byron Journal:

"What does Byron have to offer us in the new century? On the evidence of biographies that have appeared in recent years, SexPower--that is, predation, prowess, performance, deviations, titillations--would seem the compelling draw. Full-length lives--Phyllis Grosskurth's Byron: The Flawed Angel (1997), Benita Eisler's Byron: Child of Passion, Fool of Fame (1999) and now Fiona MacCarthy's Byron: Life and Legend (2002)--rival each other in degrees of luridness and in the copious detail, some of it undocumented or mere surmise, in which they itemize and analyze Byron's amours with old and young, male and female, kith and kin. The authors' obsession with Byron's sex life seems more financially than intellectually driven; oddly, it is conjoined with censorious dislike of their subject. Even including sex, these books tell us little we did not know before. Why, except for sex, we should be interested in Byron today is beyond these authors' ability to grasp. Neglected when not forgotten completely in the three biographies are Byron's impressive feats as a writer, feats that for nearly two centuries have fired the hearts and souls of countless readers and shaped imaginative and political life in Britain, Europe, America, Japan, and elsewhere."

As an alternative to her book I recommend the books and resources that I list here in these posts:

https://www.tumblr.com/burningvelvet/698853736137768960/here-are-a-lot-of-the-biographical-sources-ive

https://www.tumblr.com/burningvelvet/716180738717925376/i-love-the-romantics-esp-2nd-gen-and-was

[vamp-ress]

Gothic Horror Book Recs

@spacecatfrommars asked for gothic horror recs. As evidenced by my username I do like some good horror from time to time. I've been a fan of vampire novels (movies, shows ect) since the early 1990s. Arguably, vampires aren't always horror ... but I like to branch out from time to time.

Spring is probably the wrong time to recommend these books. Somehow, autumn is the better time to read something weird and creepy. But feel free to save this post and return to it in October!

(Additional info for each book comes from Goodreads.)

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein - Anne Eekhout A novel of innocence, young love, and gothic mystery that is a sapphic reimagining of Mary Shelley’s life, and a wonderfully imaginative exploration of the roots of her literary masterpiece, Frankenstein. Europe, 1816. A volcanic eruption in Indonesia envelopes the continent in ash and clouds. Amid the gloom of this “year without summer,” eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley, her lover Percy Bysshe Shelley, their baby boy William, and her stepsister Claire visit Lord Byron and his companion John Polidori at Lake Geneva. The friends spend rainy wine-soaked evenings around the fireplace, exchanging ghost stories. One night, Byron issues a challenge to determine which of them can write the best horror story of their own. Musing over her tale, Mary is reminded of another summer, when she was fourteen. A guest of the Baxter family, Mary arrives in Dundee, Scotland, and quickly falls into a warm friendship with young Isabella Baxter. The girls spend hours together wandering through fields and forests, conjuring stories about mythical Scottish creatures, ghosts, and monsters which roam the lowlands. One day, while deep in the woods, they come upon a real monster, an encounter that leaves them questioning whether the fabulous creatures of their stories are more than just figments of the imagination. As their bond deepens from their secret experience, Mary and Isabella’s feelings for each other intensify. But the girls do not know that someone has been watching them—the charismatic and vaguely sinister Mr. Booth, Isabella's older brother-in-law, another kind of monster who wears the face of a man. That memory inspires Mary’s tale—a story that will become one of the most original, thrilling, and influential works of literature ever written. If you're hoping to read something about Mary Shelley and how she wrote "Frankenstein" you'll probably be disappointed. But I included this here, because the longer this novel goes on, the less sure you'll be about what's actually happening. The plot in and of itself didn't excite me overmuch and the book isn't scary. But the way in which the author confuses the readers and blurs the lines of reality was right up my alley!

Stoker's Wilde - Steven Hopstaken & Melissa Prusi Years before either becomes a literary legend, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde must overcome their disdain for one another to battle the Black Bishop, a mysterious madman wielding supernatural forces to bend the British Empire to his will. With the help of a European vampire expert, a spirited actress and an American businessman, our heroes fight werewolves, vampires and the chains of Victorian morality. The fight will take them through dark forests in Ireland, the upper-class London theater world and Stonehenge, where Bram and Oscar must stop a vampire cult from opening the gates of Hell. Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde (who actually did know one another in real life, so at least this part is not made up) hunt vampires together. What more do you need to make you buy a book? I mean, really! Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde and vampires. This book is absolutely epic. The authors spin a great yarn: This novel marries the plots of both "Dracula" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" while also throwing actual (Henry Irving) and imagined (Lord Ruthven) people into the mix. You can enjoy this if you have absolutely no prior knowledge of Stoker, Wilde or their literary shenanigans. But if you do know your way around in the (vampire) genre you will have a blast with this!

The Collected Works of Algernon Blackwood - Algernon Blackwood This collection contains thirty-one works by master supernatural storyteller Algernon Blackwood, including his (arguably) two best-known short stories, THE WILLOWS and THE WENDIGO and four of novels, including the highly regarded work THE CENTAUR. I've actually not read this particular book. I've read two German anthologies with his short stories years ago and always planned to read more from him, because he's this good. This guy needs a lot more love from readers and the literary community. Somehow, between Poe and Lovecraft he gets forgotten more often than not. And that's a shame! If you'd like a little taste, I can especially recommend The Wendigo. If you're looking for "creepy vibes" this should be on top of your list.

The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson Four seekers have arrived at the rambling old pile known as Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of psychic phenomena; Theodora, his lovely and lighthearted assistant; Luke, the adventurous future inheritor of the estate; and Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman with a dark past. As they begin to cope with chilling, even horrifying occurrences beyond their control or understanding, they cannot possibly know what lies ahead. For Hill House is gathering its powers - and soon it will choose one of them to make its own. Every haunted-horror-house movie owes this novel a huge debt, because it's kind of the original thing. This house is huge, dark, creepy and has definitely a mind of its own. This novel is extremely well written and smartly crafted.

The Silent Companions - Laura Purcell When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure —a silent companion —-that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition--that is, until she notices the figure's eyes following her. I'm generally a fan of Laura Purcell's books, but so far "The Silent Companions" has been my absolute favourite. This one brings classic haunted house vibes complete with the question "is this real or is this imagined"? It's creepy and atmospheric, an absolute pageturner.

The Turn of the Key - Ruth Ware When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family. What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder. Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant. This is a modern take on "The Turn of the Screw" by thriller author Ruth Ware and therefore worth a mention. There's strange kids again, a remote house and creepy shenanigans.

The Turn of the Screw - Henry James A very young woman's first job: governess for two weirdly beautiful, strangely distant, oddly silent children, Miles and Flora, at a forlorn estate... An estate haunted by a beckoning evil. Half-seen figures who glare from dark towers and dusty windows- silent, foul phantoms who, day by day, night by night, come closer, ever closer. With growing horror, the helpless governess realizes the fiendish creatures want the children, seeking to corrupt their bodies, possess their minds, own their souls. But worse-much worse- the governess discovers that Miles and Flora have no terror of the lurking evil. For they want the walking dead as badly as the dead want them. I read parts of this during university and it didn't leave me with a lasting impression. I read the whole novella a few years ago and was absolutely blown away. There's a reason why this is a classic. It's psychological and it plays with the reader in the best way possible. I just love stories where the author doesn't spell everything out for me. And I think "not spelling everything out" is essential for a good horror novel, because that is what will scare a reader. Most of the time you're not scared of what you see but of the things you cannot see!

[victoriadallonfan]

If you were to isekai a member of Breakthrough *besides Victoria*, who would it be and to where?

Okay this sounds like fun:

Sveta: John Wickverse. Why? Because I think it would be interesting for a "grounded" setting with a pretty fantastical culture based on Assassin Politics ruling the world to have to deal with someone who is not only hard to kill and physically an OCP, but also morally anti-thetically against the entire concept. I would probably write a story about her having to protect a child being hunted, with the price rising more and more.

Capricorn: Avatar: The Last Airbender or Avatar: The Legend of Korra. The former if they are trapped in one body still, the latter if they are separated like the epilogues. The former I would work to see about writing a story where they might be mistaken for the Avatar at first and chased by Firebender mooks until running into the Gaang. The latter I'd make it a quest for Byron to try and find Tristan in the Spirit World with Korra Krew, and Tristan coming to terms with his Shard as he traverses the spirit world.

Lookout: SCP Foundation. I'd have the story be about her desperately trying to find a way home, scouring the internet with her Virtual Intelligences, and either finding a bunch of bizarre information or the SCP noticing the act (or both). Now it's a mystery/adventure thriller as Kenzie tries to use every trick in the book to escape the clutches of the Foundation and deal with an Anomalous Universe.

Precipice: Gantz. Because his life is meant to be hell, he's sent to the universe of suffering, summoned by Gantz to play the fucked up alien survival game. I'd put a lot of focus on him both being way too calm about the situation (because this feels like pure cape shit) and completely out of his depth at the type of horror the Gantz balls put him through. Maybe play with the dream room aspect each time he's summoned and he's giving updates to Love Lost and Colt.

Cryptid: My Hero Academia. A world where powered people outnumber the unpowered, where mutations are far more commonplace, and where the government has far more control over them than in Parahumans. There's a lot of ways this could go, if Chris wants to infiltrate the hero school for readings and data, or if he's decided that he wants to continue his "flee Earth" plan and uses the League of Villains to further those goals. Natalie: Better Call Saul. For the memes. THE MEMES.

[sad-lullabee]

🌌 The 1820s Bohemians: Dreamers, Rebels, Revolutionaries 🌌

It’s wild to think that it all began around 200 years ago. The 1820s were a decade of upheaval and awakening—a period when artists, thinkers, and creators dared to break free from convention, pushing back against a rapidly industrializing world. This is where the seeds of the Bohemian lifestyle were planted, fueled by a need to slow down, to feel, and to live deeply.

🔥 Social Critique & Radical Ideas

The industrial era had arrived in full force, transforming lives but at a steep cost. Factory work, long hours, and dehumanization became the new normal. For Bohemians, this was the ultimate betrayal of human freedom and expression. They looked at these societal shifts with skepticism, voicing concerns over labor rights and the crushing effects of industrialization. Their response? A radical critique of a system that prioritized machines over souls, urging a return to simplicity, nature, and authenticity.

🎨 Romanticism: The Heartbeat of the Movement

Emotion, nature, individuality—this was the lifeblood of Romanticism, and 1820s Bohemians were the earliest adopters. Gone were the rigid, neoclassical standards; instead, artists embraced spontaneity and intensity. They craved a deeper connection to nature, seeing it as both mirror and muse—a canvas for their passions and dreams.

Their art became a celebration of love, beauty, and the human spirit, no longer tied to myths or heroic legends but rooted in personal experience. To the Bohemian, life itself was a work of art, meant to be lived as freely and beautifully as possible.

🖋️ Literature & the Search for Self

The 1820s saw a surge in writing that explored the depths of human experience. Think Lord Byron’s dark allure or Mary Shelley’s boundary-breaking Frankenstein—works that wrestled with complex identities, existential fears, and the power of the unknown. Literature became a playground for self-discovery, a place to ask, Who am I? What do I truly want?

In the words of thinkers like Rousseau and Kant, Bohemians found a philosophical foundation for their ideals. Rousseau spoke of the beauty of natural freedom and the chains of society, while Kant delved into the mysteries of perception, beauty, and the sublime. Their ideas pushed Bohemians to embrace personal freedom, question norms, and trust their own minds and hearts.

🕰️ Remnants of the Past, Echoes of Today

Looking back, it’s clear: the struggle remains. Even now, we wrestle with the demands of modern life, craving a slower, simpler, and more meaningful existence. Like the Bohemians of the 1820s, we long to push back—to reclaim our time, our nature, our selves. As Ted Kaczynski and others have highlighted, the need for balance, for a return to something more real, is timeless.

To be Bohemian is to seek a different rhythm—a choice to live on our own terms, where art and thought breathe freely.

[lesewut]

Why have you given me imagery, Lord? Shadows took the form of supple and elastic striding girl's legs. The woman. Pale cheeks of a saint, burning curves of the hips, mouth and voice of the dove. Woman, fragrant as a meadow of flowers, beautiful, wrapped in lace, thin as cobwebs, girl, spun from light and dawn, female with the movements of a cat and the slenderness of biblical harlots, joy, fleeting grace, water nymph, swaying in the water lily, predator with weather-glowing eyes, mountain child of the cactus blossom, shepherdess, rosy in bridal dress, washerwoman with crumpled crimson apron.

Miguel's thinking knew no centre, only a beyond the border and a swinging of the pendulum to one side or the other.

//

You can't become a peaceful citizen with a nightcap who respects and obeys the wise as well as the stupid laws of the land, who begets his children in silence, who doesn't go through life but skulks around it like a beaten dog, who only cares about his food and that his fellow citizens don't notice his flaunted piety and his wretched sinfulness! You can do that! You can indulge in mediocrity and mangy ordinariness. What is left to us, proud heirs of a past glory?

//

Again he ran through the dark alleys, without a destination, jumping over the chains that blocked the streets at night, threatening to suffocate in the sultriness of the night. The whole of Seville breathed spicy scents, was a single love song, the whispers of the lovers became a chorale that rose to the heavens like the sound of the surf - the whole city blazed like a single love torch.

//

Yes, yes, that was it. Through your own labour and care, alleviating the hardship and suffering of thousands into which you have plunged thousands. To alleviate the pain that you have sown and increased. Making amends for evil with good, with action for action.

The story of Don Juan, the legendary libertine and seducer, has captured the imagination of writers, philosophers, and playwrights for centuries. First appearing in Spanish literature, the character has evolved through various cultural and historical contexts, serving as a mirror to society's changing values about morality, freedom, and redemption.

One of the earliest and most influential portrayals of Don Juan comes from Tirso de Molina, a Spanish playwright of the early 17th century. In his play El Burlador de Sevilla y Convidado de Piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest), written around 1616, Tirso introduces Don Juan as a deceitful and sacrilegious seducer who ultimately faces divine justice. This play reflects the Catholic values of the Spanish Golden Age, a period of intense religious orthodoxy. The work's moral message is clear: unrepentant sinners will inevitably face punishment, no matter their worldly success.

In the 17th century, French playwright Molière reimagined the character in Dom Juan ou le Festin de Pierre (Don Juan, or The Feast of the Statue). Molière’s Don Juan remains a bold libertine, but the play is more than a moral tale—it critiques the hypocrisy of religious and societal norms. Written during the reign of Louis XIV, Molière's portrayal challenged the rigidity of the era's moral codes, blending comedy with biting social commentary.

The 19th century brought about significant changes to the Don Juan legend, reflecting the era's Romantic ideals. In 1819, Lord Byron, one of the most celebrated Romantic poets, wrote an epic satirical poem titled Don Juan. Byron reversed the traditional narrative by portraying Don Juan not as a seducer but as someone constantly seduced by women. The poem is an expansive critique of European society, filled with wit, irony, and philosophical musings. Byron’s Don Juan is more of an antihero, embodying the Romantic fascination with flawed, rebellious characters who challenge societal conventions.

Spanish playwright José Zorrilla, in his 1844 play Don Juan Tenorio, took a different approach. Zorrilla's Don Juan is a Romantic hero who undergoes a spiritual transformation. In this version, Don Juan repents for his sins and ultimately achieves redemption. This portrayal aligns with Romanticism's emphasis on emotion, individual struggle, and the possibility of salvation.

The legend of Don Juan has also been a subject of philosophical exploration. Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, in his works The Concept of Irony and Either/Or (1841 and 1843), analyzed Don Juan as a symbol of aesthetic pleasure and hedonism. Kierkegaard explored how Don Juan epitomizes a life devoted to sensuous enjoyment, which he contrasted with the ethical and religious stages of existence. He viewed Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni as the ultimate artistic representation of this archetype, marveling at how music captures Don Juan’s seductive and ephemeral nature.

In the 20th century, playwright George Bernard Shaw revisited the Don Juan myth in his play Man and Superman (1903). Shaw’s Don Juan is no longer a simple seducer but a philosophical thinker. In the play, Don Juan debates profound issues about life, love, and humanity’s purpose. Shaw also included an essay, "The Revolutionist’s Handbook," which further elaborates on his ideas about evolution, morality, and the "Life Force." This version reflects the intellectual spirit of the Edwardian era, grappling with modern questions about progress and human nature.

Josef Toman, a Czech author and playwright, offered a unique and deeply humanized interpretation of the Don Juan legend in his novel Don Juan, first published in 1944. Toman's work stands apart from traditional portrayals by giving the character psychological depth and placing him within a richly detailed historical and cultural context. His Don Juan is not merely a libertine or seducer; he is a man searching for meaning, grappling with love, morality, and the constraints of his time.

In Toman's interpretation, Don Juan is portrayed as a complex and multifaceted individual. Unlike the purely hedonistic figure of earlier traditions, Toman’s Don Juan is driven by a deeper longing—for freedom, connection, and self-discovery. His actions are not solely motivated by lust or selfishness but stem from a desire to break free from societal constraints and hypocrisy. This Don Juan is not a simple villain or antihero but a deeply flawed, tragic figure whose defiance of convention reveals the moral contradictions of the world around him.

The novel is set in the 17th century, during Spain’s Golden Age, a time of intense religious orthodoxy and social rigidity. Toman uses this historical backdrop to ground Don Juan in a specific cultural and political reality, allowing readers to understand him as a product of his environment. Through Toman's vivid descriptions, the Renaissance and Baroque worlds come alive, filled with both grandeur and moral decay. Don Juan’s rebellion against this world, his refusal to conform, and his pursuit of personal freedom reflect a broader critique of the societal and religious hypocrisy of the time.

One of the central themes in Toman’s work is the tension between freedom and morality. Don Juan is depicted as a man who seeks to live authentically, rejecting the oppressive moral codes imposed by society. Yet, this pursuit of freedom often leads him into conflict—not only with others but also with himself. Beneath his outward charm and defiance lies an inner struggle, as he grapples with questions of love, redemption, and the consequences of his choices. Toman explores Don Juan's capacity for genuine love, showing a man torn between his desires and his longing for something deeper and more enduring. This portrayal adds a layer of poignancy and tragedy to the character, making him more relatable and human.

Toman’s Don Juan also delves into the psychological dimensions of the character, offering readers an intimate look at his motivations and inner conflicts. This approach reflects the literary trends of the 20th century, influenced by modern psychology and existential philosophy. Don Juan is not merely a symbol or archetype in Toman’s hands; he becomes a living, breathing individual whose struggles resonate with readers on a personal level.

Written during World War II, Toman’s novel was created in a time of political oppression and existential uncertainty. The themes of freedom and rebellion in the story take on an added resonance in this context, as they can be seen as a reflection of the human desire to resist tyranny and seek individuality in the face of conformity. Toman’s Don Juan becomes, in many ways, an allegorical figure—a symbol of humanity’s enduring quest for meaning and self-determination.

The novel received acclaim in Toman’s native Czechoslovakia and is regarded as a significant contribution to the Don Juan mythos. Its literary quality, psychological depth, and historical richness have cemented its place as an innovative interpretation of the legend. While it remains less well-known outside Central Europe, Toman’s Don Juan is a powerful and thought-provoking work that reimagines the famous seducer as a deeply human character caught between his desires, his ideals, and the realities of his world.

Historically, the figure of Don Juan has served as a cultural mirror, reflecting society’s fears, desires, and moral struggles. From Tirso de Molina’s religious cautionary tale to Byron’s satirical antihero and Shaw’s philosophical thinker, Don Juan’s character has evolved in tandem with humanity’s shifting values. Whether seen as a villain, a hero, or a tragic figure, Don Juan remains a fascinating symbol of humanity's eternal dance with freedom, passion, and the consequences of choice.

Toman’s portrayal of Don Juan invites readers to see beyond the myth, to explore the complexities of a man who defies convention but ultimately cannot escape the consequences of his choices. It is a story of love, freedom, and the eternal struggle between the individual and society, told with richness and poignancy that continue to resonate today.

[ciciciron]

Random Gen 4 Character Hcs cuz I'm Too Sick to Write Anything Good

Ya boy's got strep, gonna do every Gym Leader and the E4, some characters will have more cuz I'm autism but I'll write something for everyone

Roark;

He's the second youngest Gym Leader, like, 18 - 22 at most

That doesn't mean he's inexperienced, no, it's honestly based upon the timeline of whatever I'm writing but I think he's been a Gym Leader for a good few years

I get the vibe that he's just like really nice, like just a good, reliable dude who needs a break and is fortunately likable enough to escape his father's shadow

Gardenia;

She's afraid of like everything, beyond just ghosts, my girl is a coward

She's pretty close with every other Gym Leader because of this, got em all on speed dial to come get the Spinarak out of her house and all that

Such a cringe fail lesbian

Honestly I see her as such a Kobeni (csm) type character, she knows what you are

Maylene;

Girl is 9 get her out of here

My reasoning for that age is because in pokespe it's mentioned that she's younger than Platinum, who is like 12

She's not weak but like someone help this poor girl she don't know what's going on

Crasher Wake;

Bros like, really good with kids, great at entertaining them, they just think he's cool af

He's not very helpful but he definitely tries, like if you cried he would recommend petting Quagsire, which would probably help tbh

He just gives the vibe like he's the type of guy you'd call uncle your whole life only to learn later on he's just a friend of your dads and not at all related to you

Fantina;

She isn't actually French- I know, who would willingly act French? She would, her real name is Heather because I came up with all of this when I was going through my musical theatre phase

She's Jupiter's older sister, naturally they don't talk much anymore

She isn't very lucky when it comes to love, swears after the end of every bad relationship that she's going to give up and become a nun, she is not religious nor does she ever stick to her word

Byron;

Sometimes he just forgets he's a dad, not like- forgets who Roark is, just that if he got called to come bail him out of jail he'd be confused why he was the one getting the call

Himbo energy, not a thought behind those eyes

Wildly irresponsible but on accident

Candice;

Girl's an influencer, she's the only one of them who knows how to properly work Tiktok, she will send you Tiktoks that remind her of you and you WILL receive those links through Instagram DMs because she forgot to save your phone number or just doesn't have it

Adding onto that- she will post fit checks regardless of what is happening in the background, she doesn't care that that man is drowning, this ain't about him

She is really good at remembering things about her coworkers though, she's in charge of every birthday party, if you forget your birthday don't worry she remembered and she is in your house don't ask how she got in

Volkner;

I don't care if he's canonically just some skinny twink he's big to ME. Like- 6'4", at least 200 pounds, guy is just huge and bulky and built like a brick wall, tons of practical strength because,,,

This is more about his Luxray but his name is Oscar and he's massive, think an Alpha Luxray in Legends Arceus, that cat is huge, Volkner is only even slightly strong just to be able to lift him off of his bed at night when he's trying to sleep

Wildly irresponsible but on purpose, he thinks it's funny to endanger himself, no he won't seek help he doesn't believe in therapy because he wasn't properly helped when he was younger

He does care about Sunyshore though, spent a week fixing that black out that stopped you from visiting the city at first in DPPT, he claims it's Team Galactic's fault but like no one believes him

Sorry to give Volkner 5 I mean what to expect from the guy who named himself Volkner but he's related to like every Electric Type Gym Leader and also whoever I see fit. It's a very large family. He makes frequent trips to Unova to visit his only respected similarly aged cousin Elesa so they can trash talk their not respected similarly aged cousin Colress (Long story). Also yes I do believe Palmer is his dad and Barry is his younger brother and I'm deciding today that they all have a good relationship. (Also I want to elaborate on this all so much like smh I didn't even bring up the Shinx based ceremony but that's gonna have to be a different post)

I don't have biases what are you talking about anyways E4 time.

Aaron;

He may or may not be distantly related to this fellow green hair and prong having man named Ghetsis but that's more lore to unpack on my end and I don't want to explain my real life friendships that make Ghetsis relevant here.

He can't be in the same room with Gardenia for too long because she gets freaked out just knowing Vespiquen is there, they have to be cycled out intermittently at every League meeting

He's been in the E4 the 3rd longest despite the fact he's only slightly older than Flint and Lucian, everyone who doubts Bug Types is amazed

Bertha;

She's been here before Cynthia was Champion and was actually the Champion before the guy who came before Cynthia, there's no getting rid of her

The hair makes it obvious but she's related to Agatha of the Kanto Elite Four, sometimes they meet for tea and to trash talk every challenger they've faced as well as their coworkers

She's excellent at comforting people without even realizing what she said half the time, you'll thank her for the advice and she'll accept that without knowing what she told you to do, she was completely out of it

Flint;

He was the Oreburgh Gym Leader before Roark, however many years before depends on the timeline, but he was second choice to join after Volkner declined for reasons I don't actually have outside of my main au

He acts exactly like one of those straight boys pretending to be gay to make fun of gay people expect it isn't acting and everyone can tell aside from him (i.e. jokingly being incredibly affectionate with Volkner)

He's probably the most reliable friend one could have and is like always ready to throw hands, he has too much energy and just wants to punch someone in the face, please ask him to punch someone in the face he will happily do it he's begging you

Lucian;

Guys a fucking ass, like, he's just very rude. That's not because I hate him he just seems kind of stuck up. (I'm mad that he tells me about how much he reads whenever I talk to him in Pokemas because I can't read large paragraphs without my vision blurring and it feels like he's bragging, and also a specific decision I made for my general lore)

He's genuinely psychic, like, telekinesis style, it comes in handy at sorting books and throwing things at people because that guy ain't got an arm on him to save his life

I think that psychic power could be totally nullified by putting a hat on him. Battle tactic.

Cynthia;

Her father was Champion before her, she's a nepobaby, she would get upset if you called her that though because she worked real hard for her position and is tired of people devaluing her

Her slug is named Sharon and she hates men, specifically blonde ones. If you are near that Gastrodon as a blonde man you are about to be hydropumped. You can't out run Sharon don't even think about it just accept your fate.

Meanwhile her Garchomp is named Joan and she's just a large scaley puppy.

She definitely needs glasses but she's very stubborn

She also can't drive. Don't let her do it. She is going to hit another mythical Pokemon.

Cynthia is also incredibly shocked whenever she learns someone doesn't care about history as much as her. She's just like- in awe, she forgot people could have other interests and it's throwing her for a loop, she'll just kind of stand there with her mouth agape until you speak again and even then she'll never look at you the same again

Okay that's...everyone for today, I would do Team Galactic but at that point I'd feel like I have to write something for every single character in the game and I'm neglecting my homework too hard for that.

[tourneys-by-me]

Here is the Bracket!

Match ups were randomized this time so there might be a few coughing babies vs hydrogen bombs, sorry about that

If y’all have propaganda can you please tag it as #propaganda or send it to my inbox so I can see it

(vs template by TotallyNotIncina on DA)

[bracket under the cut]

Round 1 (A)

Sinbad - Magi: the labyrinth of magic vs Weiss Schnee - RWBY

Cure Magical/Riko Izayoi - Precure vs Lafcadio Boone - The Sexy Brutale

Beverly Toegold V - Not Another D&D Podcast vs Carol Malus Dienheim - Symphogear

Lucy Heartfilia - Fairy Tail vs Aaravos - The Dragon Prince

Cure Miracle/Mirai Asahina - Precure vs Traveler - Genshin Impact

God Serena - Fairy Tail vs Joker - Persona

Maruju - TearRing Saga vs Omnath - Magic: the Gathering

Isaac - Golden Sun vs Delsin Rowe - Infamous

Mega Man - Mega Man vs Lord Snicklefritz - Towertale

Kakashi Hatake - Naruto vs Hazel Levesque - Percy Jackson

Mage - Miitopia vs Gill - Street Fighter

Jason Grace - Percy Jackson vs Mario - Super Mario Bros.

Round 1 (B)

Honey Lemon - Big Hero 6 vs Daylon - Dislyte

Donald Duck - Kingdom Hearts vs Y'shtola Rhul - Final Fantasy

Zoya Nazyalensky - Grishaverse books vs Paula - Earthbound

Alina Starkov - Shadow and Bone vs Domingo - Shining Force

Nami - One Piece vs Alatreon - Monster Hunter

Kevin Kaslana - Honkai Impact 3rd vs Omnimon/Omegamon - Digimon

Erin Ruunaser - Aurora vs Percival King - Epithet Erased

Citan Uzuki - Xenogears vs Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi - Bleach

Wairuha - Bionicle vs Mirabelle Chevalier - In Stars And Time

Mr. 104 (John Dubrovny) - DC Comics vs Tlalocmon - Digimon

X - Mega Man vs Robin - Fire Emblem

Sora - Kingdom Hearts vs Sypha Belnades - Castlevania

Round 1 (C)

Carl, the Invoker - Dota 2 vs Eidolon - Worm (Wildbow's Parahumans)

Vince Reynolds - Super Powereds vs Ark - Terranigma

Camille Severin - Muted vs Skylor Chen - Ninjago

Doctor Coyle - ARMS vs Aang - Avatar: The Last Airbender

Clark Kent/Superman - DC Comics vs Magolor - Kirby

Cetrion - Mortal Kombat vs Siffrin - In Stars and Time

Elemental Hero Neos - Yu-Gi-Oh! vs Greencap - Lone Fungus

Castform - Pokemon vs Trisana Chandler - Emelan

Squall Leonhart - Final Fantasy vs Akamai - Bionicle

Rae Taylor - I'm in Love with the Villainess vs Kirby - Kirby

Korra - Legend of Korra vs Cassian - Villain to Kill

Silvally - Pokemon vs Tiamat - Dungeons and Dragons

Round 1 (D)

The Collector - Aurora vs Twinrova - The Legend of Zelda

MOON - Space Funeral vs The Mage - Magicka

Katarina Claes - My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom vs The Dragonborn - The Elder Scrolls

Chu Wanning - The Husky and His White Cat Shizun vs Zagreus - Hades

Teclis - Warhammer Fantasy vs Qiyana - League of Legends

Sasuke Uchiha - Naruto vs The Defect - Slay the Spire

Blackbeard - One Piece vs Ben Tennyson - Ben 10

Manaria Sousse - I'm in love with the villainess vs Koromaru - Persona

Link (BOTW and TOTK) - The Legend of Zelda vs Callum - The Dragon Prince

Patchouli Knowledge - Touhou vs Soren - Fire Emblem

Spring Man - ARMS vs Shouto Todoroki - My Hero Academia

Capricorn (Tristan and Byron Vera) - Worm (Wildbow's Parahumans) vs Dan Heng - Honkai Star Rail

[vesseloftherevolution]

"What makes Byron's journal remarkable is not just the accretion of immediate detail, but the mingling of the inconsiquential and the reflective, the sense of inner harmonies, that brings the writer and the revolutionary in his labyrinth so thoroughly to life."

- Fiona MacCarthy, 2014, Byron: Life and Legend, Chapter 23 - Ravenna 1820-1821, London, John Murray