Death and Nightingales

[beanaseireann]

Did anyone watch it ?

I think her mother died when she was pregnant with stepdad's baby when Bet was 12 (?). The stepdad was talking about it this episode..

All the acting is great, but the stepdad is brilliant. And what a refreshing change to have a three-parter. Some of the dramas are stretched out for far too long.

I saw the last episode last night. Looking forward to your views. When is the BBC showing it ?

How?

It's on RTE on a Monday night - the Irish national broadcasting channel.

Just seen it!

Ive been watching it as recordings at such a vaiety of times and taking a look ar this thread I thought the BBC were ahead!!

I shall wait. (Impatiently.)

I enjoyed it, love Matthew Rhys.

Matthew Rhys was superb in it.

Well, not quite sure what to make of that last episode!

Me neither SealSong.

Me neither. it was kind of something and nothing really. Very tense and very well acted but it all achieved nothing. Not sure what I would want to have happened but I was left a bit meh at the end

The book is hated by many kids who have to study it for the Irish Leaving Certificate.

All 3 episodes are on i player. Just about to start watching

Did she go back with him and play happy families ? Bleugh !!

Did she die there and then ?

Heartbreaking that her choice was kill or be killed. The man she really loved.

Jamie Dornan doesn't play likeable characters does he ?
The Fall
50 Shades ( I haven't seen it but I've heard about it)
and now Liam Ward.

I loved this until the end when it all just sort of stopped. The story isn't concluded at all! Very unsatisfactory, I feel cheated!

I agree Bonfires. It all went a bit strange with Bet speaking to herself and no resolution, except perhaps that she believes all men are bad. I also found that the sctress who plays Bets whispery voice started to annoy me and her reactions and intonations were a bit off. The last episode felt like a slightly badly cast play.

I felt Liam Ward was underwritten, no idea of his real feelings. When her stepfather said he'd care for her in a different way from now on after witnessing her distress and seeing the results of his beating, I thought he meant platonically, but no, he wanted to marry her! She'll have to go back, won't she? and it'll be 10 times worse trying to get some money to runaway with with a pregnancy on the way. Poor child (and Bet)if she stays with Winters.

What were the terms of her mother's will, I couldn't quite hear the actress at that point. I know she inherited the island and her mother's dowry if she married a protestant but what was she disinherited for a child out of wedlock/ children with a catholic?

The "dummy" wasn't so dumb after all.

I thought she was pretending to be pregnant I'm still not convinced that she actually was.

I think that was Billy's will not her mothers. He wanted her to marry a protestant man or she wouldn't get anything. Her mum just left her the island without any caveats.

bonfires we saw her bump when she was getting dressed. It wasn't big but it looked like a baby bump. I like Matthew Rhys so much that I felt sorry for him in this.

Oh I didn't notice that, i might rewatch as I couldn't hear a lot of the dialogue yesterday either.

Poor lass - she stood up for herself the best she could. There needs to be a sequel.

I didn’t really understand the ending but I interpret it as meaning that her only option is to marry her stepfather so no happy ending for her. Just history repeating itself as she will marry a man who isn’t the father of her baby just like her mother did, in fact, the same man. So a sad ending but at least she and her baby will live. So it’s exploring how women are controlled by men in that era.

Yes her life was controlled by men. Who'd want to be a woman in those days. At least she was feisty and put up some resistance. I'd like to think she didn't sell out to the step father in the end - and kept her boundaries. Or maybe had another go at poisoning him - this time when he was more hungry.

What happened at the end of Death and Nightingales?
To sum it up, having been betrayed by Liam who was planning on killing her, Beth kills him by causing him to drown.
She swims to Corvey Island and lies beside the hearth where they first made love and where they came up with their plan, which of course was a ruse by Liam to get Billy’s money.
The island for Beth symbolises freedom and independence.
But when Billy finds her there and tells her he wants to marry her, she realises that she is trapped “unto death” and faced with a life of being controlled by men.
Death and Nightingales episodes 1 to 3 are available on the BBC iPlayer

Thanks. Still do not understand it - Winters says "Are you sick Beth?" and she replies "Unto death Mr Winters. Unto death". So it means she will be sick until she dies???Anyone read the book? Does it have a more definite end event?

No haven’t read it but the previous poster explained that ‘ sick until I die’ must mean that there is no escape for her and she will never find happiness. I’m assuming that she has to marry her “father” now and has no choice.