We have been watching some rather enjoyable movies lately(more on this lately) and recently took out The Duchess from the DVD shop. I love period movies, had seen the trailer for this particular movie a few times and had fancied the look of it. The movie stars Kiera Knightley and Ralph Fiennes and tells the story of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. She is in an unhappy marriage, with pressure to produce a male heir. It made me think of how rough woman had it in those times. You had no rights, formal education, could not vote and were pretty much solely viewed and judged for your child-rearing abilities. I don’t really want to say too much incase you watch it but what I wanted to write about was a scene that really moved me and made me think. At one point she is forced into giving up a child. That scene just broke my heart into a thousand little pieces. I have always been an emotional person, but ever since having had children I am even more so. When there is anything to do with motherhood, babies etc, I just feel even more empathetic and emotional. I guess it is because I can relate now. One thing I know for sure is that I would never have been able to give up a child. I just don’t have it in me. I get too attached and would feel as if a part of me was being torn off. I would fight with every inch of my being to keep my baby. I think what also gets to me is knowing just how vulnerable little babies are and how much they need their mothers. To be taken away, is just plain cruel and unnatural. It made me remember a story someone told me about their own mother and how she had fallen pregnant at age 15 and had been sent away to live in a nunnery (and this was only about 35 years ago!) until she had given birth. It was a baby girl and this young mother got to hold, feed and stay with her baby for 3 days until they came to take the baby away! Imagine that? Three days of feeding and bonding with your child and then they take it away from you. Yes, she was young but how even more damaging for a young teenager to go through something like that. A year later she was pregnant again and this time she told everyone she was keeping the baby – my friend, who told me the story.
The Duchess
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A friend of ours was at the funeral of his last surviving parent. A rather old lady came up to him and introduced herself as his sister. The story goes that before their parents married the young woman fell pregnant and they were forced to give the baby up for adoption even though they planned to marry anyway. I don’t know how the family were reunited but wow! how harsh stuff.
Yes, I struggle to watch anything like that now. What really kills me is watching anything on tv or in movies about dying children in hospital. I have to turn it off because it just turns me into a mess. Sounds like a good movie though – I also love period movies x
When I was young I could not watch movies with animals…still cant actually, especially if I know bad things happen to them….and then I had Wendy and now I cannot watch anything with babies or children in them as the memory stays with me, so unfortunately I have limited viewing capabilities….Happy Endings for me I am afraid…not really reality but I don’t watch the movies for reality anyway I watch for fun and enjoyment. Now I am not sure if I should watch this movie….I love Keira and Ralph though!!!
Thank heavens for modern day rules. And thank heavens for those brave enough to give up their babies. They will never, however, forget that baby on the anniversary of its birth nor will I forget the giver.
Don’t be put off – it is a good movie!