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The royal family

Meghan Markle vs Le Père Goriot

48 replies

hepsitemiz · 02/06/2025 11:22

If you studied French, or comparative literature, you might be familiar with Le Père Goriot, one of Balzac's more digestible tomes about a naive but doting father who sacrifices money, health and dignity for his two daughters.

Anastasie and Delphine Goriot use their father - and arguably others - to climb the social ladder... and discard him when he is of no further use. He dies after a long illness, lonely and destitute.

Neither of the sisters, iirc, turn up to his funeral - he is too beneath them by now for them to want the connection to be known. One of them deigns to send one of her fancier horses to add a touch of class to the funeral parade. I may be misremembering this bit...

All in all, there are quite a few parallels between the Goriot sisters and MM, though a couple of divergences too, for example at no point does Monsieur Goriot try to use his connection to his daughters to raise his own profile, as some say Thomas Markle did with Meghan.

There must be other literary references out there - there so many books I have not read, of course, while the themes of betrayal, filial neglect and the corrupting effect of money have always been powerful ones to explore. I thought this might make an interesting discussion to see whether there are any others with similar thoughts.

OP posts:
BemusedAmerican · 03/06/2025 15:38

Burnett did wonderful parodies of "Rebecca" and ""Gone with the Wind", too.

UniReunion · 03/06/2025 18:40

MaturingCheeseball · 03/06/2025 10:36

Mildred Pierce… (although how I shuddered when upon mentioning this previously a Fan objected to the comparison with a Netflix drama …)

Even at the time of first reading. I thought Mildred Pierce needed the Wide Sargasso Sea treatment.
Philipp Carey is such a detestable man.

Serenster · 03/06/2025 23:08

BemusedAmerican · 03/06/2025 15:38

Burnett did wonderful parodies of "Rebecca" and ""Gone with the Wind", too.

Is that the one with the green dress with a curtain pole across the shoulders? 🤣 if so

BemusedAmerican · 04/06/2025 02:17

Serenster · 03/06/2025 23:08

Is that the one with the green dress with a curtain pole across the shoulders? 🤣 if so

Yes, that was the GWTW parody. "I saw it hanging in a window and I just had to have it." 😂

mathanxiety · 04/06/2025 03:12

MaturingCheeseball · 03/06/2025 13:06

Why do we have to go back to our books and our ponderings? Who says?

I believe that it was less TM’s appearance that was bothersome, than his memory - ie it might be too good, eg “Well, Your Majesty, this is certainly a classier set-up than Megsy’s last wedding - can you believe I had to pay for all the weed for the guests and I downright refused to do beach wheelbarrow races…”

Why?

Because that would be the classy thing to do.

Duh.

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 13:37

mathanxiety · 04/06/2025 03:12

Why?

Because that would be the classy thing to do.

Duh.

You don't understand!

The story of Meghan and Harry to me has mythical potential. Archetypes?? It's got the lot:

the feuding brothers
the evil enchantress
the spurned father(s)
the ungrateful son (and grandson)
the flight to another land, far, far away (and a weird and wonderful place it is, too)
the dead 'fairy' godmother (Diana?) who blesses their union (yeah, right)
the cruelly-treated, saint-like lady (Catherine)
the royal prince who gave up everything for love
the 'greatest love story of all time' which may be anything but (see also the Duke and Duchess of Windsor)

...to name just a few. Personally I think they've caused at least as much trouble as the Abdication Crisis and they're ravenous for publicity - of any kind, it would seem.

So yes, looking for parallels in literature - or even mythology - isn't that big a stretch, and is a lot of fun!

User14March · 04/06/2025 13:52

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 13:37

You don't understand!

The story of Meghan and Harry to me has mythical potential. Archetypes?? It's got the lot:

the feuding brothers
the evil enchantress
the spurned father(s)
the ungrateful son (and grandson)
the flight to another land, far, far away (and a weird and wonderful place it is, too)
the dead 'fairy' godmother (Diana?) who blesses their union (yeah, right)
the cruelly-treated, saint-like lady (Catherine)
the royal prince who gave up everything for love
the 'greatest love story of all time' which may be anything but (see also the Duke and Duchess of Windsor)

...to name just a few. Personally I think they've caused at least as much trouble as the Abdication Crisis and they're ravenous for publicity - of any kind, it would seem.

So yes, looking for parallels in literature - or even mythology - isn't that big a stretch, and is a lot of fun!

Wicked Stepmother

NotMeghanMarkle · 04/06/2025 13:56

I prefer Père Ubu who wandered around shouting “fckkk.”

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 14:53

CurlewKate · 03/06/2025 15:38

What is it people say? “I’m just not interested in H&M-I wish they’d just go away and never come back. But they keep popping up everywhere. I mean, I was just trying to have a conversation about Balzac, and there they bloody were. They should stay in their lane!”

Edited

I never said I wasn't interested though. I've confessed on here several times to being fascinated by the Harry and Meghan Saga - you couldn't make it up. Just to repeat (ad nauseam) though, that that's NOT the same as hating them.

There was a stage play a decade or so ago called Charles the Third (after W & C's wedding, but before H & M's) and before the late Queen's death. It imagined all kinds of things happening in the RF...but came nowhere near the dramatic, soap-opera-level sensations of the last 7 years.

And you expect us all to pretend not to be interested!!! Have you no soul?

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 14:57

User14March · 04/06/2025 13:52

Wicked Stepmother

Ooh - spot on - I missed that one. Poor old Camilla!

Also - the 'lost' prince and princess who don't know they're royal. OK, I'm sure Meghan has told/will tell them, but what I mean is - they're far away from their kingdom in an alien land where the sun always shines, everyone smiles with dazzling white gnashers, and people talk with a strange accent.

User14March · 04/06/2025 15:17

@CoffeeCantata or anyone that likes parodies - this one on ‘Rebecca’ brill.

You could do Snow White with MM in titular role with singing animals.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/Tr59DKnFKx0?feature=shared

PhonicsShmonics · 04/06/2025 15:33

Ummm I think more king lear/ Balzac and I don't recall old man Goriot turning his daughters wedding into a self pitying Saga about himself.

OrchardDoor · 04/06/2025 15:37

Le Père Goriot sounds like he was a good dad who did his best for his dds. We don't know that to be the case with Mr Marckle. I think often you reap what you sow where your dc are concerned.

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 15:43

Thanks User!

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 15:49

OrchardDoor · 04/06/2025 15:37

Le Père Goriot sounds like he was a good dad who did his best for his dds. We don't know that to be the case with Mr Marckle. I think often you reap what you sow where your dc are concerned.

We don't know and we may never know, but I think it's hard to deny that the whole Markle clan are a very dysfunctional lot.

They seem like a nest of vipers to me. Thomas Senior (from all I know) appears to be a not-very-dignified but basically harmless man, and someone who, on the face of it, Meghan should have been proud of. I acknowledge we don't know much about their actual relationship over the years.

But Meghan's half-siblings come over as very nasty pieces of work. They clearly loathe her and again, I'm reminded of fairy-tale archetypes. Is Meghan the Cinderella to their Ugly Sister/Brother act? I get the impression they were bitterly jealous even before she won the Great White Prince - possibly Thomas Senior had more cash in his second marriage and indulged her as a little princess? I know we don't know - but their general awfulness as a clan must have one heck of a back-story.

PhonicsShmonics · 04/06/2025 15:52

@CoffeeCantata definitely Cinderella to older deeply jealous siblings

User14March · 04/06/2025 16:18

CoffeeCantata · 04/06/2025 15:49

We don't know and we may never know, but I think it's hard to deny that the whole Markle clan are a very dysfunctional lot.

They seem like a nest of vipers to me. Thomas Senior (from all I know) appears to be a not-very-dignified but basically harmless man, and someone who, on the face of it, Meghan should have been proud of. I acknowledge we don't know much about their actual relationship over the years.

But Meghan's half-siblings come over as very nasty pieces of work. They clearly loathe her and again, I'm reminded of fairy-tale archetypes. Is Meghan the Cinderella to their Ugly Sister/Brother act? I get the impression they were bitterly jealous even before she won the Great White Prince - possibly Thomas Senior had more cash in his second marriage and indulged her as a little princess? I know we don't know - but their general awfulness as a clan must have one heck of a back-story.

Yes, certainly if truth in million equivalent today in cash lottery win of 1990 especially. There’s a chance TM overly indulged her. He wanted to live a ‘Hollywood’ life perhaps vicariously through her or rather for her to get that acceptance & golden ticket for life. Could she achieved ‘Married with Children’ stardom in front of camera? Indeed she could & did beyond his dreams. Samantha seems full of envy & spite in particular. Always tricky with step siblings & big age gaps where parent has much more £ second time around.

hepsitemiz · 04/06/2025 17:48

I agree, Coffee - Meghan's sister and brother seem awful. They must be seething with resentment, but above all they appear to be completely classless.

I love all the fairytale tropes people have found, going so far as the wicked stepmother no less.

To get back to Le Père Goriot, it is heartbreaking to read, especially the closing chapter when he dies a pauper - and neither of his daughters attends his funeral.

OP posts:
Quirkswork · 04/06/2025 18:00

The Markle clan do seem keen on washing their dirty linen in public. The apple definitely doesn't fall far from the tree in Meghan's case.

User14March · 04/06/2025 18:02

hepsitemiz · 04/06/2025 17:48

I agree, Coffee - Meghan's sister and brother seem awful. They must be seething with resentment, but above all they appear to be completely classless.

I love all the fairytale tropes people have found, going so far as the wicked stepmother no less.

To get back to Le Père Goriot, it is heartbreaking to read, especially the closing chapter when he dies a pauper - and neither of his daughters attends his funeral.

I am yet to read but both sending a token, emblemed, liveried carriage to his funeral despite their absence is the ultimate symbol re: be careful what you wish for.

HonoriaBulstrode · 04/06/2025 18:03

Meghan's sister and brother seem awful. They must be seething with resentment, but above all they appear to be completely classless.

Well that makes three of them...

StartupRepair · 05/06/2025 10:52

The collapsing on the floor weeping is like an illustration from a fairy tale.
Also the evil squads of paparazzi. The singing seals.

CoffeeCantata · 05/06/2025 19:05

StartupRepair · 05/06/2025 10:52

The collapsing on the floor weeping is like an illustration from a fairy tale.
Also the evil squads of paparazzi. The singing seals.

True! The paparazzi as demons or dementors. It's all falling into place!

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