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Played in a Ladylike Manner
Oct. 19th, 2014 04:31 pmYesterday got to try out my new card game, Marrying Mr Darcy, where the players are the heroines of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in search of husbands. They endeavour to improve their characters by increasing their scores of certain attributes favoured by the suitors, i.e. you must have a Wit of 5 for Mr Darcy to even consider proposing to you.
On one level the game is hilarious, especially if you know the book, when divergences begin to occur. We had three players. I took the role of bookish Mary Bennet, who in the game somehow attracted the notice of Darcy, who surprise-proposed to her right at the start, but was then talked out of it by his sister Georgiana. Then poor Mary took to the drink and socialising with "all the officers" and at some point was compromised by Wickham, who was later bribed to marry her. Elizabeth ended up with Mr Denny and I think Georgiana got Col. Fitzwilliam.
On another level, of course, it's rather unsettling as a modern person to be faced with the complete subservience of the female characters to the male. The females must suit themselves to what the males want and the suitors don't have to do anything. Once the elopement card appears, that female's fate is sealed. She has to marry; there is no other option.
Despite this, the game was a lot of fun and I look forward to trying it with more people. It is especially weird when you use the Undead Expansion cards, which factor in zombies to 1800s England.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
leecetheartist and I tested this out in a two player when Rob had to leave for work. There was also a dramatic storm overhead during this later game. Great atmosphere.
On one level the game is hilarious, especially if you know the book, when divergences begin to occur. We had three players. I took the role of bookish Mary Bennet, who in the game somehow attracted the notice of Darcy, who surprise-proposed to her right at the start, but was then talked out of it by his sister Georgiana. Then poor Mary took to the drink and socialising with "all the officers" and at some point was compromised by Wickham, who was later bribed to marry her. Elizabeth ended up with Mr Denny and I think Georgiana got Col. Fitzwilliam.
On another level, of course, it's rather unsettling as a modern person to be faced with the complete subservience of the female characters to the male. The females must suit themselves to what the males want and the suitors don't have to do anything. Once the elopement card appears, that female's fate is sealed. She has to marry; there is no other option.
Despite this, the game was a lot of fun and I look forward to trying it with more people. It is especially weird when you use the Undead Expansion cards, which factor in zombies to 1800s England.
leecetheartist and I tested this out in a two player when Rob had to leave for work. There was also a dramatic storm overhead during this later game. Great atmosphere.