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Post by bennettgirl on May 18, 2011 20:57:48 GMT -5
I actually do use my real name for my persona. My name just happens to be Julia Bennett which is in my humble opinion a perfect regency name, people always ask me if it's my real name when they first meet me. I also try to make my character a little like myself I find it easier than pretending to be someone else completely. My character is like myself a businesswoman, she's widowed,I'm not but my husband refuses to come along to event's so I'm a regency widow so to say, being widowed also enables me to run my business myself. my character also has a German mother and English father and was raised on the continent, I grew up in Germany myself and i needed a way to explain my slight accent. So here we go, meet Julia Bennett DOB: September 9th 1780 AGE:25 BIRTHPLACE: Mainz, Reinhessen RELIGION:Catholic OCCUPATION: Merchant ( I run both my fathers and my husbands business which i as the only remaining relative inherited) MARITAL STATUS:widowed in 1803 my husband Brian Nelson Bennett was my uncle's ward we where married mainly to keep the money in the family so to say... KNOWN RELATIVES: Daughter: Charlotte (3) Husband: Brian Nelson Bennnett ( deceased ) Father: Richard Bennett ( deceased) Mother: Anneliese Bennett nee' Mayer (a German wine merchant's daughter.) and my very distant relatives the Bennet's SOCIAL STANDING: Upper Middling Sort Upper Class (New Money) I'm quite wealthy but i do work so I'm not sure where I fall... EDUCATION: convent school, later my father took me along on his business trips and taught me his trade. HOBBIES/INTERESTS: dancing, singing, drawing, painting, horseback riding, reading. needlework sewing. HOME ADDRESS: Berkeley Street London England SKILLS: Tradeswoman, speaks german,english and some french and italian, is talented with her needle. also an accomplished singer. MOTIVATIONS Personality Traits: outgoing, friendly, can be gossipy at times, hot tempered, determined,loyal. Person you value most: my daughter, beauty What you value most:honesty and loyalty How you feel about most people: i distrust most people. Your most valued possession: my business, and my mother's jewels
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Post by ladylisette on May 23, 2011 16:58:51 GMT -5
I've fleshed out my persona a bit more and feel more comfortable sharing it now.
CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: Dowager Duchess Lisette Michelle Lammé of Shelton
DOB: June 10, 1775
AGE: 35
BIRTHPLACE: Chateau de Cheverny, Loire Valley, France
RELIGION: Christian
OCCUPATION: None
MARITAL STATUS: Widowed
KNOWN RELATIVES: My son, the Duke of Shelton, Alexander, and daughter adopted from China. Many of my French relations have been killed in the people’s revolution. I have a much older brother who is a German Graf (Count) Wilhelm Charles Roche, five nieces and one nephew.
SOCIAL STANDING: Nobility/Upper Class (Old Money)
EDUCATION: Governess and tutors
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Artwork, writing, reading, horseback riding, dancing, travel
GROUP AFFILIATION: JASNA, Kansas City Metropolitan Group
MOTIVATIONS:
Personality Traits: Kind and compassionate with manners expected for my station. I dearly enjoy traveling and also welcoming visitors to my home. As a widow, my time is mostly devoted to managing my son’s estates until he reaches the age of majority. I also direct activities of my adopted daughter so she is prepared to go out into society in a few years.
Persons you value most: My son, my daughter, and my dear friends
What you value most: My standing in society and membership at Almack’s
How you feel about most people: I consider myself to be most amiable though cannot abide ill manners or crude and boorish behavior. Time spent with dear friends is always a welcome distraction and I enjoy attending the theatre, concerts and balls.
Your most valued possessions: The estates left to me by my grandmother, father, and Godmother, my favorite horse, jewelry and wardrobe
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Post by The Major on May 24, 2011 8:18:56 GMT -5
Mine is still a work in progress. Although I am close to a draft that I may be comfortable in sharing
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Post by Eleanor on May 24, 2011 10:17:15 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to seeing yours, Major!
I'm working on mine as well. It's a little more complicated since I have to coordinate it with my husband's persona, and he hasn't figured his out either. :-) He is still stuck on coming up with a name for his ship!
One thing I worry about (well, two actually) is making my background either too fantastic, or going too far the other way and making it too bland.
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Post by The Major on May 24, 2011 16:14:36 GMT -5
Okay, I think this is just a rough draft and still a work in progress, but I'll share it for now and may revise later. To coincide with my other living history persona and having no current desire to portray someone of another nation (even though my ancestry is English), at least until I am able to build civilian clothing, I will remain an American Army officer. It is early in the year of our Lord 1812 and war is on the horizon. I am on detachment from my regiment and currently serving in England (or the U.S., or Canada, depending on the Regency event being attended) with a diplomatic envoy to England. I have been fairly well accepted in English society, and enjoy it immensely. As much as society in England is different than America, it is the same as well. BIRTHPLACE: Waterbury, Conn. RELIGION: Protestant OCCUPATION: U.S. Army Officer, Major (a long time rank needing something to spark my career, such as a very noticeable success like the diplomatic mission currently serving, or even a war would provide…hmmm…) MARITAL STATUS: Married KNOWN RELATIVES: Wife, son and daughter, parents, one older brother, one younger sister and her…ahem…husband (a downward marriage not well accepted by the family) SOCIAL STANDING: Second son of upper class old money. This means I inherit little, except for what Mother passes along to me since I’m her favorite. So, following my education, I have had to make my own way in the world which is why I am in the Army and not running the family business as that is my brother’s lot in life. (Being the second son, or subsequent, is an interesting station in life to look into for portrayal. One can come from wealth but has little or none, yet is still a gentleman, etc.) EDUCATION: New Haven’s Grammar School for Boys, New Haven, Conn. Danbury School for Boys, Danbury, Conn. (Due to a few…cough…issues at New Haven, father thought it best to send me away for awhile.) Yale College, New Haven, Conn. HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Fishing, shooting, hunting, horse riding, dancing (not very skilled at it though enjoy it immensely), attending the theatre and concerts, cards and other social endeavors. A mild interest in fencing, more so in Singlestick. Attending and wagering on other martial arts (prize fighting of the period) that a gentleman would not actually participate, and ladies would not be privy to, such as boxing, cudgeling, and wrasslin' (c’mon gentlemen, you know you do to, the ladies need not be aware ) GROUP AFFILIATION: United States Army HOME ADDRESS: New Haven Connecticut on New Haven Harbour on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. Family summer home in Waterbury, Conn. WORK ADDRESS: United States Army, when not on envoy duty traveling to England my regiment is located primarily in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. SKILLS: Military arts, engineering, shooting (reputation of being an excellent shot with all kinds of firelocks), cards. MOTIVATIONS: Personality Traits: Somewhat reserved and tend to be quiet around people until I get to know them. Not especially outgoing but comfortable in most social occasions. Being a military man I value my privacy yet enjoy the company of others as well, particularly at small social gatherings. The Major is fiercely loyal and dedicated to his family and friends, faith, and country. I have often been accused of being a bit of a romantic, but I deny it, it simply cannot be true. Person you value most: My true love, my bride. What you value most: Family and friendship. How you feel about most people: Sometimes skeptical, but tend to assume honestly and trustworthiness until proven wrong. Your most valued possession: Being a second son all possessions are valued, so it depends on the circumstance of the time. It could be my fishing pole, my fowler, my home, or my pistols and sabre. Standard disclaimers apply: All information may or may not be complete and accurate, yet subject to change. Not valid in all states. See store for details.
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Post by Eleanor on May 24, 2011 18:42:46 GMT -5
Well done, Major! (Hmmm... still no name.....)
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Post by Eleanor on May 24, 2011 18:49:48 GMT -5
The Major said: I have often been accused of being a bit of a romantic, but I deny it, it simply cannot be true.
Person you value most: My true love, my bride.
I think you have given us proof, sir. ;-)
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Post by The Major on May 25, 2011 12:50:44 GMT -5
Well done, Major! (Hmmm... still no name.....) Thank you. (Oops! I must have forgotten. Darn the luck. Perhaps next time. )
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Post by The Major on May 25, 2011 12:53:00 GMT -5
The Major said: I have often been accused of being a bit of a romantic, but I deny it, it simply cannot be true.
Person you value most: My true love, my bride.
I think you have given us proof, sir. ;-) Yes indeed. As I stated, it cannot be true...can it?
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 14, 2011 8:07:44 GMT -5
Yes, VERY well thought out Major!
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Post by The Major on Jun 15, 2011 8:42:59 GMT -5
Yes, VERY well thought out Major! Thank you, sir. Coming from the Doctor, I take it as very high compliments indeed!
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Lady Sarah
Officer
"I cannot make speeches, Emma. If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more." Mr. K
Posts: 77
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Post by Lady Sarah on Aug 20, 2011 0:08:53 GMT -5
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about everyone's characters . I was inspired to write my own. I know not weather I will continue on with my story, however I derived much enjoyment from writing down my history. My sister, who took it upon herself to look over my history, was so overjoyed that she may be persuaded to join our society and write a history as well. CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: Lady Sarah Burton DOB: December the 31st in the Year of our Lord 1786 AGE: 24 BIRTHPLACE: Ramsgate, England (within good walking distance of the Sea) RELIGION: Christian and Spiritual OCCUPATION: Companion to my old friend Lady Christine Josselyn, daughter of the Marquess of Chelmsford MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried. With a lack of eligible men of sense in company, the feminine urge to procure a husband has given way to the human instinct to better ones station in life by oneself. KNOWN RELATIVES:Father: Lord George Burton, Earl of Halstead (1799 entered King's Bench Debtors Prison, released just) Mother: Lady Eliza Burton neé Kunstler (d. 1795) Siblings:Viscount Charles Burton m. 1791 Viscountess Mary Burton neé Bringstrom The Honorable James Burton m. 1810 Sharron Burton neé Trevelyan Lady Joanna Tilmont neé Burton, Baroness of Oswestry m. 1798 Lord John Tilmont, Baron of Oswestry (d. 1800) The Honorable Albert Burton m. 1805 Blythe Burton neé Blake (d. 1810) SOCIAL STANDING: Upper Class (Old Money) EDUCATION: As father was in King's Bench during the years of my formal education and all availiable moneys were sent to pay his debts, I was not allowed a governess or the masters. All education was taught to me by my sister, Lady Oswestry or learned from the ever patient Lady Christine HOBBIES/INTERESTS: The Theater, reading, dancing, cross stitching and writing letters to my sister, Lady Oswestry. HOME ADDRESS: Wherever Lady Christine should wish me, but for pressent, we are spending the season in London. SKILLS: Consoling others, sound thought, creating pretty bonnets and needlepoint, daydreaming. MOTIVATIONS:Personality Traits: Mainly silent. Typically inclined to think well of everyone and upon further aquaintance I am loyal to those who are deserving of it. Person you value most: Lady Oswestry and Lady Christine What you value most: Honesty, the niceties, and fair dealings with others. How you feel about most people: While immediately inclined to think the best of others, I dislike being in the company of those who have proven themselves to be unworthy of my attention or affection. Your most valued possession: A shawl given to me by my late mother.
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Post by crowderhouse on Aug 30, 2011 11:06:08 GMT -5
We have been working on promotional characters for a new project ( www.heritageholidays.ca/our-people.html). Here is mine: CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: The Countess of Crowder DOB: April 13, 1780 AGE: 31 BIRTHPLACE: She claims it to be Montacute House, but rumour has it to be a simple home in Yeovil. RELIGION: Anglican, of course, but has a fondness for iconography OCCUPATION: Wife to land owner in Upper Canada. MARITAL STATUS: Married KNOWN RELATIVES: Husband: Lord of Crowder, only distant relatives of dubious connections, some believe her to be the bastard child of Count Nikolai Petrovich Sheremetev, a patron of the arts known for his love of commoners - he actually married an actress later on in life. SOCIAL STANDING: Upper Class (Old Money), dubious claims to birth and standing, married into an old family by guile, many say. EDUCATION: Again difficult to verify, but the Countess claims to have been educated by many masters, and indeed, speaks several modern languages (German, French, Italian and Russian); she dances, sews and paints; having an affinity for the letters, the Countess also reads voraciously, some might say too much for a true lady. HOBBIES/INTERESTS: The Countess is known for her political intrigue, which might account for her banishment to the colonies with the Lord of Crowder. GROUP AFFILIATION: The Countess does not believe in groups, seeing them only as a means to achieve an end. However, the Lord is thought to belong to the Freemasons, a yet not well-known secret order. HOME ADDRESS: Mainly in Montreal out of boredom of life in the colonies, but owning land purchased from Silas Cooke and others near a mill and growing settlement some call Spencerville after Peleg Spencer who built and runs the sawmill in the back of the township. SKILLS: An uncanny ability to network and move upwards socially, very unique skill set for the period, but brings many enemies with it. MOTIVATIONS: Personality Traits: The Countess comes across as prudish and a snob, beneath this exterior she is a calculated and ambitious woman, who believes life to be short and worth living well. Historical person you value most: Catherine de Medici, with whom she shares the same birth date. What you value most: Excitement, entertainment, experience How you feel about most people: Very little, really, expectations beget disappointments, thus the most interesting bring with them a great delight in having discovered them to begin. Your most valued possession: That must remain a secret.
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Post by The Doctor on Oct 3, 2011 8:26:33 GMT -5
This is a worksheet for first person impressions laced together from many by Kathleen Kannik. She has given me permission to disseminate it. The purpose of it is to add bits and pieces as you go, you do not have to sit down and fill it all out and once.
Character Development Worksheet © 2004 Kannik’s Korner
This is a worksheet to develop a character. Do not use your own personal information, except as it may apply to your character. Keep this worksheet and review it at least once a year to keep your character/s fresh and up to date with your research and experience. Use it as a guide to improving, adding to, or changing your period clothing and accessories, and as a gauge for what to buy, make and use.
Character’s Name: Birth date: Age now: Birth place:(location, building, etc.) Circumstances of birth: (during a snowstorm, in wartime, etc.) Birth order: (oldest, youngest, middle... of how many?) Brothers and sisters: Living? Dead? Mother's name: Born: When? Where? Any special activities, achievements, profession, etc. Father's name: Born: When? Where? Any special activities, achievements, profession, military service? Maternal grandparents: Names: Where were they from? Any special activities or achievements? Paternal grandparents: Names: Where were they from? Any special activities or achievements? Were your parents together at your time of birth? Did they stay together throughout your childhood? If not, why? (separated, divorced, abandoned, died, etc.) Were you raised by your parents? If not, by whom and why? What significant circumstances were there during your childhood? Enough food, clothing, shelter? Why, why not? Moved, traveled, stayed in same place? Why? Were your physical and emotional needs met? Were you educated? Learn to read, write, cipher? From whom? What are the emotional and psychological influences of your childhood circumstances on your adulthood? (What "imprints" or "scars" do you carry?) Do these influences cause you to: Drink? Take snuff? Shuffle in your walk? Smoke? Scratch nervously? Twitch? Other nervous habits? Always defer to someone else? Back off at the slightest confrontation? Be overbearing and always pushy? Fight over small things? Speak loudly to be heard above the crowd? Get in other peoples faces? Etc.
What is your physical condition? Are you sick? Have you been? What influence has this had on you? Do you cough? Limp? Tire easily? Have aching joints? (Please watch your physical characteristics so as not to cause the public, or first-aid/security to become falsely alarmed, i.e. don't fake a faint, choking, heart attack, fall or similar injury, unless it is a pre-planned part of programming.)
What is your 20th century appearance and physical condition? Can you use this? Need to disguise it? What is your present family situation? Are you single? Why? Married? To whom? When? Where? Why? Widowed? From whom? Why? What circumstances? Abandoned? Why? By Whom? Previously married, abandoned, widowed, divorced? Do you have children? How many? How old? What were the circumstances of their births? Etc. Do you have step-children? Grandchildren? Nieces? Nephews? Do you have family members at the event? Why? Why not? How do you feel about your present family status? Are you happy? Content? Discontent? Angry? Sad? Fearful? Jealous? Resentful? What is your religious affiliation and how has this affected your current situation? Were you baptized or christened? Do you attend a church or meetings? How has this affected your family and your relations with them? What is your professional status? What is your profession? (Housewife, preacher, blacksmith, beggar, etc.) Do you have the respect of other trades people? Do you expect respect? Want respect?
Why are you at this particular event? (This is good to know if it is a fair or other period gathering, but may need to be varied according to the particular event or situation.) Are you there for fun? Entertainment? Curiosity? To visit others? Seek out others? Trade or economic reasons? To pick pockets? To do business or make transactions?
What motives do you bring to the event? (get rich?) Do you have things that need to be done at the event? (Sharpen knives or scissors, buy a lantern, shoes repaired? Marriage blessed, baptism performed, books blessed? Trade goods with another?) [REAL transactions can be performed IN CHARACTER!]
How do you feel about being at the event, or place, or situation? Excited? Scared? Thrilled? Anxious? Shy? Bored because your father made you come? Afraid because you'll be punished if you don't sell all the apples your uncle sent you with?
Is this the first time to let loose and be someone you usually are not? (this is about your character, remember!) How do you respond to the activities scheduled on the agenda each day of the event? (the carriages, cannon fire, etc.) What do you like about the event? Dislike about the event? Where do you live? How did you get here? How long did it take? Have you been here before?
How often do you come to this event? Do you stay here? Where? Where do you sleep? In what? With what? With whom? What do you eat and drink? With what? How do you acquire your food and drink? How long will you be here?
What do you do when you are not at the event, or place? Is this your permanent residence? Temporary residence? Workplace? (Are you a farmer who came to sell cooked sausages? A housewife who came to work in a booth to get extra money? A soldier on campaign? A hunter, trapper, explorer? Roaming highwayman?)
Which interactions do you plan to have with other people at the event/s? 1. 2. 3.
List 3-6 significant conditions or events in your life: In a paragraph, describe your character in terms of personality, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, values and relations with others. Have personal papers on hand to help you remember character’s dates and other information – could be a letter from someone who tells all the dates from your family, or documents of when you became an apprentice or were indentured or purchased goods;
Your appearance and dress: Keep in mind that fashions change from decade to decade, and that you will need to place your character within a 10 to 20 year time span, at the widest. Be sure what date range the event/s or site/s are where you will portray this character! If it is a wide time frame (“pre-1840” for example), choose a short time span to portray and keep to that for developing the character’s clothing and accessories.
How are you dressed? Why are you dressed this way? How does your social and economic status influence your clothing? Have any recent circumstances altered your situation and your dress? Does your occupation influence your dress and accessories? What do you carry with you? Why? How is it used? (How can these items help make your character more believable? More interesting?)
How did you acquire your clothing and accessories? Do you have other clothing, or is this all you own? What and Why? If you are traveling, how do you carry your clothing and personal items? Did you pack yourself, or did someone pack for you? Are you fashionable, slightly out of fashion, in the fashion of your youth (usually your twenties)?Why or why not? Does your health influence your dress? Why and how? (Examples: Easily sunburned, chilled, overheated; allergic; pregnant; amputation; injury or lameness)
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Post by lastbloom on Oct 21, 2011 23:11:02 GMT -5
Thank you, Doctor! I greatly admire Ms. Kannik's books, and this worksheet is a treasure.
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 22, 2012 15:30:57 GMT -5
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Post by katherine15 on Sept 5, 2012 6:00:14 GMT -5
I am working on mine. My husband is interested in playing as well and each time I have started writing something up, he has seen something he would prefer to wear. Thank goodness in this group we have a far shorter time period to pick from...once I finish it and flesh it out more I will post it.
Katherine
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Post by Miss Cecily on Jan 16, 2013 23:50:20 GMT -5
CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: Cecily Joanne Roberts
DOB: June 11th, 1781
AGE: 19, going on 20.
BIRTHPLACE: Bath, England
RELIGION: Christian
OCCUPATION: Aspiring authoress
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
KNOWN RELATIVES: David (Scottish father), Juliana (English mother), Rebekah (younger sister), Mary (grandmother)
SOCIAL STANDING: Upper middling sort
EDUCATION: Cecily was brought up on her governess's teachings, but now she likes to learn new things on her own, and try things with her own hands.
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Writing, reading gothic novels and Shakespeare, history, singing, dancing, daydreaming, music, imagination, observing people's character, spending time alone in deep thought, theories, spending time with her very few closest friends whenever possible.
HOME ADDRESS: Cecily is about to move from Bath to County Durham, England.
SKILLS: Knitting, sewing, dancing, cheering people up, piano playing. She's fluent in Welsh and English.
MOTIVATIONS:
Personality Traits: Shy and quiet when someone first meets her. But get to know her really well, and her true colors will show. She's very sensitive. She has a wild imagination that easily gets her distracted. She tends to procrastinate, and it takes her a long time to finish a job. A lot of the time she gives up on projects she starts. She has an artistic eye. She's good at perceiving the motives behind things people do, and she can sometimes perceive the consequences of making certain decisions. She's very illogical, but very intuitive.
Person you value most: Too many to list!
What you value most: Family, creativity, imagination, friendship, love, compassion, generosity.
How you feel about most people: She finds people in general extremely perplexing.
Your most valued possession: Her pianoforte given by her parents, an old necklace given to her by her grandmother.
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Post by Daveeda on Mar 14, 2013 4:12:05 GMT -5
Good day to you all,
And for what it's worth, I'd like to thank you for the assistance and most informative article regarding the structuring of character depiction. There's always a detail or two unconsidered as yet, and that incredible listing includes quite a few! I do have a persona that I'm working on, and would be most appreciative of any assistance determining certain factors. There is quite a bit of length to the telling of it, but for those who should feel so inclined, it does have a little drama to it as well (although I do hope that it's not too much) for interest.
The element in question, relates to the financial standing of Rosanna. I'm not altogether certain where she and her mother stand financially considering her grandfather is still alive, and what inheritance there would be from who. I would like to hear any ideas you should happen to have, and thank you again most sincerely.
And so, may I introduce to you Rosanna Barrington..
CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: Rosanna Jane Barrington
DOB: May 15, 1786 AGE: 20 BIRTHPLACE: (not yet determined)
OCCUPATION: none ... although I do, however, consider becoming a professional artist… he did say there was one he met in France…
MARITAL STATUS: Unattached/unmarried
KNOWN RELATIVES: my beloved Father- John Barrington (d. 1801), Mother, Uncle, his wife (and a silly cousin who’s not worth much mention), and Grandfather- Fitzwilliam Barrington.
SOCIAL STANDING: Upper Middling
EDUCATION: I was given the education of a governess along with my cousin (who of course made little use of it)
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Painting, Drawing, Singing, Writing Letters to my father, and taking walks to escape my mother’s notice. I would perhaps also enjoy becoming a professional artist and studying further elsewhere… Traveling to new places has captured my interest, though I am shy, and hence I carry the fear of doing so and would never dare do so alone!
GROUP AFFILIATION: I am not of the opinion that they are necessarily safe, considering what father spoke of and witnessed in France
HOME ADDRESS: (not yet )
SKILLS: The inherited skills of an artist- painting, drawing, and seeing the world with fresh eyes
MOTIVATIONS: My father was a first born son of family and fortune. However, my grandfather, Colonel Fitzwilliam Gerard Barrington, maintained that his focus should be on the military as he had so dedicated his life, and not on the painted canvases before him. To have him better dedicated, he had my father wed to my mother, but it did little to bring John Barrington to heel. With this opposition to his dream to study in France, my father began to enact dubious means to engage his artistic education. There came a time where my father’s overnight stays in London were revealed to be in the presence of women not at all of good society, and it was “not for a night of whimsy,” I have heard it said. Fearing for the reputation of the family, Col. Fitzwilliam Barrington had his eldest son sent into the arms and revels of Paris where he could take up the teachings of the painter Jacques-Louis David. And he in turn left his doting wife; heavy with child, in the care of her brother. The severity of the man my father sought instruction from suited his creative tastes; however, the effective dictatorship with which his mentor held to the morals of the newly created French Republic proved too much for my father, and so after another floundering final year, he quit Paris in 1793 and returned to Britain. By that time I was the tender age of seven. My grandfather, a man of his own morals as he was, did not welcome him warmly, and instead felt it best that he remain detached from the family. His poor circumstances remained with him until my fifteenth year, at which time he went beyond my reach and into the waiting arms of death. It was hard for me to bear witness, for his illness and circumstances left him close to nothing. Perhaps not even his dignity. I spent many a happy hour by his side learning to draw and paint during the few years I came to know him, but never was I to live with him or know him as another might. I was raised in the great house of my uncle on my mother’s side, and so relying on the generosity of our relations, she and I are of little to moderate fortune and no importance. She has borne it all with stoic resignation, and instead occupies her time with the reprimand of my every action.
Personality Traits: Shy and reserved in the company of a new acquaintance, I try most adamantly to follow decorum.. and fail often enough to bring trouble upon myself nevertheless. I also welcome friendship with warmth and enthusiasm, but have found myself alone and of little note in my current circumstances (to my dismay). In truth I am kind with an open heart full of creative aspirations, but it is not imparted as I am seldom acknowledged.
Person you value most: my dear, late father
What you value most: truth, honesty, honor, dedication to what is truly important, learning, friendship, and bonds of the heart
How you feel about most people: I hope to gain new friendships, and would seek out others if not for my shyness. I dislike the unfair treatment of others, and feel that people should be given a chance, for there are more people with kindness in the world than circumstances and other people allow for. I find it a gift to trade smiles and joys with another.
Your most valued possession: My paintings and drawings. And perhaps my letters to my father. The teachings he gave me, along with the memories, are the only things of his I have remaining.
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Post by Miss Cecily on Mar 14, 2013 14:21:05 GMT -5
I must say, I do like your persona's construction very much! With regards to her financial standing, did her father inherit any money? or does her grandfather still hold the inehritance? Does Rosanna have a dowry waiting for when, or if, she does marry?
After reading how well you answered these, I've decided to refine my persona a bit.
CHARACTER’S FULL NAME: Cecily Joanne Roberts
DOB: June 11th, 1781
AGE: 19, going on 20.
BIRTHPLACE: Derbyshire, England
RELIGION: Christian
OCCUPATION: Aspiring authoress
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
KNOWN RELATIVES: David Roberts (father), Juliana (mother), Rebekah (younger sister), Mary (grandmother), a second cousin and two estranged aunts of bad society.
SOCIAL STANDING: Upper middling
EDUCATION: I was brought up on my governess's teachings, but now I like to learn everything on my own. It seems so much easier that way.
HOBBIES/INTERESTS: I love to write, read (gothic novels) and Shakespeare, medieval and renaissance history, singing, country dancing, daydreaming, music, imagining, observing people's characters, spending time alone in deep thought, theories, spending time with my very few closest friends whenever possible (for I prefer quality over quantity), knitting, sewing.
HOME ADDRESS: A lovely estate in County Durham, of medieval origin. I often wonder the stories it could tell.
SKILLS: The skills of an author; I try to write in a way that captures people's attention, and so far I seem to have succeeded in doing so. I have yet to be published, however. I also knit and sew a lot, and although I am not much for parties, I do dance, and sing.
MOTIVATIONS: My father was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, firstborn to an upper middle class family. His father wanted him to join the militia, but my my father would not. For a while my grandfather withheld the inheritance that my father rightly should have already had in his possession. However, he has since decided to give it to him and we now live happily, despite our very little correspondence we share with one another.
My beloved mother was born in the Isle of Wight, England, to a lower middle class family of no title. Over ten years ago, when I was only about eight or nine, her sisters (for I really hate to call them my aunts) began to bring shame upon the family by becoming...well, I dare not say. Their behaviour has drastically changed, very improperly. I will say, however, that is began with my mother's eldest sister, who was married to an abusive man. She, unlike most women, left him and degenerated very much, and then my mother's older sister decided to imitate her. So, my mother, who is the youngest daughter of the family, has received all of the inheritance.
Just a month ago we moved here to County Durham, and I absolutely love it here. The city is full of curiosities and things that always catch my interest. I just love taking solitary walks through town, in the country, admiring ruins from afar; but I do miss Laura greatly, though we continue to write to each other.
Personality Traits: I am painfully shy and quiet when someone first meets me. But if one gets to know me really well, you will know how I really am. I am very sensitive, with a wild imagination that easily gets me distracted at times. I tend to put things off longer than I should, and it takes me a long time to finish a task. A lot of times she give up on projects that I start, which is very irritating. I look at the world through an artistic eye. I can sometimes perceive the consequences of making certain decisions may bring about, yet I am very illogical; I am, however, very intuitive, and because of that I tend to wear my family out with my frequent habit of analyzing anything that is around me. I have my own principles and strong beliefs, and I stick closely to them. I fight for good causes. I hate conflict and unfair treatment of others, and I get very irritated at proud people.
Person you value most: My dearest mother, my sister, my closest friends Amy and Laura.
What you value most: Family, creativity, imagination, friendship, love, compassion, generosity, equality.
How you feel about most people: People, in general, are extremely perplexing to me.
Your most valued possession: My journal, because in it lie the written chapters to my possible future.
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