Beware the Ides of March
If I were to compare the way Liz has been acting today and yesterday in For Better or For Worse versus Liz describing her relationship with Anthony to Candace Halloran, I would say that we have for once seen a situation where Liz’s description of her love life is the way it actually is. Ironically, it appears that Liz herself did not seem to know it. Otherwise she would not be doing her damage control from Warren Blackwood picking up her phone last week. I imagine that what Liz described to Candace is the relationship as she imagined it would be, and then in today’s strip, she seems to be surprised that the relationship is the way she imagined it. Anthony appears to be "at ease" with her and "trusts" her, just the way Liz described. It’s a good thing too, because Liz lied to Anthony about why Warren was there at her apartment late at night, and is in fact not worthy of his trust.
It was spoiled in the comments to my column yesterday, that we are headed toward a proposal and engagement by Friday of this week, and it is my sincere hope that we don’t have a sequence where Liz and Anthony confess their love to each other in the car, followed by a marriage proposal. I spent a long time calculating my marriage proposal so that it would have a symbolic significance in addition to being a unique romantic experience. Frankly, I think that is what every woman receiving a proposal deserves. Having a proposal come out of a situation involving an ex-boyfriend certainly cheapens the romantic effect of it. I can’t imagine proposing to a woman right after she found me in an awkward situation with my ex-girlfriend.
Anthony is going on and on about how he wants Elizabeth to be sure about what she wants and whom. It’s nice to know he considers her feelings; but that’s not very romantic at all. You want to know that the other person wants you too. It’s the old “I love you. Do you love me?” business. What we have with Anthony is, “I believe you. I want you to be sure about what you want (even if it isn’t me).” After all, when you get down to what went wrong in Anthony’s first marriage, there wasn’t a problem with Thérèse being sure what she wanted. Thérèse wanted Anthony, a career and no kids, and if anything, her initial portrayal was that she was insanely jealous over Anthony. The problem was that Anthony wanted Elizabeth, or what she represented as a woman who would take of the children and household. If Liz is smart, she will ask Anthony to be sure what he wants, before he proposes.
I am also enjoying the irony that of all the days for which this proposal to coincide, Lynn Johnston has picked the Ides of March, symbolic of the dramatic change that occurred in Roman society thanks to the assassination of Julius Caesar. With a proposal, we have essentially set the timer for the end of the strip and the beginning of the reprints, also a dramatic change in For Better or For Worse. It does match up pretty well with the changes that occurred with Julius Caesar's death.
It was spoiled in the comments to my column yesterday, that we are headed toward a proposal and engagement by Friday of this week, and it is my sincere hope that we don’t have a sequence where Liz and Anthony confess their love to each other in the car, followed by a marriage proposal. I spent a long time calculating my marriage proposal so that it would have a symbolic significance in addition to being a unique romantic experience. Frankly, I think that is what every woman receiving a proposal deserves. Having a proposal come out of a situation involving an ex-boyfriend certainly cheapens the romantic effect of it. I can’t imagine proposing to a woman right after she found me in an awkward situation with my ex-girlfriend.
Anthony is going on and on about how he wants Elizabeth to be sure about what she wants and whom. It’s nice to know he considers her feelings; but that’s not very romantic at all. You want to know that the other person wants you too. It’s the old “I love you. Do you love me?” business. What we have with Anthony is, “I believe you. I want you to be sure about what you want (even if it isn’t me).” After all, when you get down to what went wrong in Anthony’s first marriage, there wasn’t a problem with Thérèse being sure what she wanted. Thérèse wanted Anthony, a career and no kids, and if anything, her initial portrayal was that she was insanely jealous over Anthony. The problem was that Anthony wanted Elizabeth, or what she represented as a woman who would take of the children and household. If Liz is smart, she will ask Anthony to be sure what he wants, before he proposes.
I am also enjoying the irony that of all the days for which this proposal to coincide, Lynn Johnston has picked the Ides of March, symbolic of the dramatic change that occurred in Roman society thanks to the assassination of Julius Caesar. With a proposal, we have essentially set the timer for the end of the strip and the beginning of the reprints, also a dramatic change in For Better or For Worse. It does match up pretty well with the changes that occurred with Julius Caesar's death.
posted by howard at 12:18 AM
16 Comments:
howtheduck:
It’s a good thing too, because Liz lied to Anthony about why Warren was there at her apartment late at night, and is in fact not worthy of his trust.
And she's still lying to him. Anthony, despite what I said on the post on the Foobiverse, probably doesn't realize that an Warren still thinks he has
some sort of claim on Elizabeth's affections becuase she probably gave him a rather weak repsonse to his statement Saturday. As he drives her to wherever he plans to pop the question, he has no idea that Blackwood plans to derail the Settlepocalypse train. We'll be able to judge his worthiness by how well he handles the results of Liz's spinelessness.
Heh, the Ides of March indeed. Gah, I wouldn't be surprised if Anthony did do his proposal in the car. My first thought on seeing today's strip--before even reading the dialogue--was "WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN IN THE CAR?" I want them to be somewhere not on their way to somewhere. Cars are not visually interesting, Lynn.
aprilp_katje:
At least he's not driving her to 'their' tree. It would be somewhat horrifying if he were to propose under the same branches where he implored her to wait for him.
dreadedcandiru2,
At least he's not driving her to 'their' tree. It would be somewhat horrifying if he were to propose under the same branches where he implored her to wait for him.
Horrifying to you. Excellent plotting for Lynn Johnston. It would be so appropriate. And the best part would be that Lynn would be too lazy to look up the old strip to see what the tree looked like and would draw something completely different and claim it was the same place.
Yes, now we have a "you've had your adventure and now you can settle for me".
I mean, really, Anthony is just such a slumph. The more Lynn tries to make him all mature and humble, the more he looks smug and controlling. Well, he will be the perfect daddy for Liz.
debjyn,
I mean, really, Anthony is just such a slumph. The more Lynn tries to make him all mature and humble, the more he looks smug and controlling. Well, he will be the perfect daddy for Liz.
True. His line of “Elizabeth, you’re free to talk to whomever you wish. I want you to be yourself.” could have just as easily come from John Patterson as from Anthony Caine.
howtheduck:
His line of “Elizabeth, you’re free to talk to whomever you wish. I want you to be yourself.” could have just as easily come from John Patterson as from Anthony Caine.
As has been mentioned upthread, he shares something else with John in the both men are manipulative creeps with tapioca pudding for brains.
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But he'll propose to her on Friday, and Friday is the 14th...I thought the Ides was the 15th?
Muzition,
But he'll propose to her on Friday, and Friday is the 14th...I thought the Ides was the 15th?
The Ides is the 15th, and we know this daily strip sequence for this week will end on the 15th. I do not know for sure, but it is my sincere hope that Liz will accept the proposal on the 15th. After all, it doesn't matter that Anthony proposes to Liz. Men have declared their love for her before. The significant difference would be that Liz has never, in the history of the strip, told a man she loved him to his face right after he declared his love to her.
Why would a proposal in the car be surprising? After all, Anthony wrecked his marriage over Liz and was abused Liz mentally following the "going after." He's a stalker, a philanderer, a terrible father and a creep.
The car is where the proposal should be. That way if she says "No," Anthony can lock the doors and drive her to the ravine where he will murder her and dispose of the body.
It would be great to see the "acceptance" be as prissy as their entire relationship.
"Why, Anthony...I am so overcome with emotion. I have been waiting for this day when we could pledge our devoted love in front of the world."
Going to their "tree" would be awesome also. Then we could have their commemorative "Wait for Me!" tree AND dead Farley's commemorative tree. Then the Pattersons could all celebrate Arbor Day.
Well, we don't know for certain that the proposal won't be under the "wait" tree--which would be awful and therefore thoroughly appropriate. ;)
James,
That way if she says "No," Anthony can lock the doors and drive her to the ravine where he will murder her and dispose of the body.
Can’t use the ravine. The dogs would pull her body back just in time for her to be saved and for them to die of little doggy heart-attacks.
debjyn
It would be great to see the "acceptance" be as prissy as their entire relationship.
I expect nothing less than the worst romance language and I know Lynn Johnston will not disappoint us.
aprilp_katje,
Well, we don't know for certain that the proposal won't be under the "wait" tree--which would be awful and therefore thoroughly appropriate. ;)
The only real question is whether or not Lynn thought of a different spot which is even worse than the “wait” tree.
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