something I'd like to see. . .
Jul. 30th, 2013 10:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliOpened a novel recently and the first scene presented was a woman desperately pleading with a willful princess that she must learn how to sew.
Someday I'd like to read a novel where the parents' response is to threaten to disinherit her (or him, if it's a dreamy prince instead). If she's utterly unwilling to learn the duties of her station, why on earth would they let her ascend to it?
For that matter, why on earth are they standing free meals, clothes, and lodging to someone who admits of no obligations to them? There are very few cultures where the princess's handiwork is of vital importance to keep things going, but no doubt there are some. At least for diplomatic obligations -- Helen in the Odyssey gave Telemachus a gift made with her own hands, and how important that was. Even in others, idle princesses are not much admired. At the very least, in most of them she has to be able to properly supervise a castle.
Someday I'd like to read a novel where the parents' response is to threaten to disinherit her (or him, if it's a dreamy prince instead). If she's utterly unwilling to learn the duties of her station, why on earth would they let her ascend to it?
For that matter, why on earth are they standing free meals, clothes, and lodging to someone who admits of no obligations to them? There are very few cultures where the princess's handiwork is of vital importance to keep things going, but no doubt there are some. At least for diplomatic obligations -- Helen in the Odyssey gave Telemachus a gift made with her own hands, and how important that was. Even in others, idle princesses are not much admired. At the very least, in most of them she has to be able to properly supervise a castle.