January 29, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: The Most Frustrating Characters Ever

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they post a Top Ten list that they answer and invite every blogger to share their own answers.

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is about the most frustrating characters ever. At the outset, I must emphasise that I have almost never been annoyed by stupid, mischievous, cunning, or even evil characters. I might laugh at them or even hate them, but I wouldn't throw a book across the room (metaphorically speaking) because of them. By contrast, there are sympathetic and tender-hearted characters who sometimes give me the feeling of frustration so much that I want to shake them...

A very wise person told me once that our feeling of annoyance with somebody might stem from our very similarity with the person in question. In other words, we are annoyed because in the other person we recognise our own weaknesses, bad habits, and negative traits, which we have secretly been battling against. There is,  I must admit, a grain of truth in what this person told me; why would I otherwise have chosen female heroines only?! And, I must confess my mistakes and these characters mistakes share certain similarities... Anyway, here are my Top Ten Most Frustrating Characters Ever in no particular order:
  1. Juliet Capulet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
  2. Romeo and Juliet (1968)
    Dear Juliet! I know that you are young and naive, and you think that your love for Romeo is so deep and great that it is inimitable, but trust me, there’s no love that is worth killing yourself. Even if you believe Romeo to be dead, you should cry and grieve for him, but for goodness sake, do not kill yourself! You are young and healthy, you will survive the loss of Romeo and you will be able to find love and happiness again! And don’t forget that there’s a strong possibility that Romeo isn’t dead at all! So, would you be so kind as not to commit suicide? Thanks!

  3. Scarlett OHara from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind
  4. Gone with the Wind (1939)
    Scarlett my dear! You know I love you, but why on earth would a strong and independent woman like you want to be wasted on a man who obviously doesn’t value her?!! What happened to your self-respect and self-assurance, dear? Ashley is such a bore anyway; you would doze off in his company. By contrast, Rhett loves you just as you are, with your good and bad habits. He wants you! So, please don’t treat him badly and unfairly, because you might lose him, and, believe me, that’s what you really don’t want.

  5. Meggie Cleary from Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds
  6. The Thorn Birds (1983)
    Dear Meggie! Let me tell you this: There is some kind of men whom you never should get involved with ever. So, you better avoid men who are (a) married or engaged, (b) gay, (c) living with their mothers, or (d) criminal. And, you should never ever fell for a man who wants to become a Catholic priest. I know what I’m talking about, as I’ve been there... But, believe me, you should not have s-e-x with but break away from men who are seriously considering taking the vow of celibacy or men who take the vow and break it (they’re not trustworthy). And, you should certainly not spend your lifetime grieving for such men! Get yourself together and go and find someone else who is worth loving and who is able and willing to return your love.

  7. Marianne Dashwood from Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility
  8. Sense and Sensibility (1995)
    My dearest Marianne! We’ve got such a lot in common; hence, I truly understand how and why you could have fallen in love with Mr Willoughby. But, between you, the gatepost, and me we can agree that you shouldn’t have behaved so frivolously... Anyway, now that you know the real Mr Willoughby, do you really think he is worth of torturing, sickening, not to mention killing yourself? Don’t you think that the best way to “punish” him is to show him what he’s lost out and how contented you are, even without him? So, please take care! And, you shouldn’t envy Elinor; she guards a secret...

  9. Mercédès Mondego from Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo
  10. The Count of Monte Cristo (1998)
    Dear Mercédes! I have to admit that I am sympathizing with you, though at the same time I am terribly angry with you. I mean why oh why didn’t you follow the basic principle that you shall never marry your fiancé’s friend, even if your fiancé is dead? What good could have come from that? Moreover, how is it possible that you did not feel deep in your heart that the man who you’re going to marry is deceitful, self-centred, and arrogant? And, that he is prone to kill other people? You disappointed me, but what is even worse, you brought unhappiness upon yourself. I wish your love would have been more steadfast and you would have been more patient and didn’t marry so soon and the wrong person at that.

  11. Emma Wodehouse from Jane Austen’s Emma
  12. Emma (1996)
    Emma darling, you’re renowned for your cleverness and beauty, but I must be brutally honest with you: Because of your self-centred, stupid, and ugly behaviour in love matters, I began to think that you’re neither clever nor beautiful. First, why do you think that every handsome man should necessarily be in love with you? There are certainly many women in the world who are as attractive and kind as you are. Second, why do you believe that unattractive and stupid men know better than to have a crush on you? They might very well have feelings for you, even if you find the idea of marrying such a man ridiculous. But above all, please consider this: A man who tempts you into ridiculing a poor and middle-aged woman (who, by the way, he will be related to by marriage) is the very kind of human being whose company you should rather avoid. I feel truly sorry for the woman who marries such a cruel man!

  13. Anna Karenina from Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina
  14. Anna Karenina (2012)
    Dear Anna! I’ve just wrote a letter to Juliet Capulet in which I explain her how silly a woman is who kills herself because of love. But, I must tell you that Juliet’s suicide doesn’t annoy me as much as yours does. I mean how can a mother kill herself because of a man, however passionately she loves him, and not to care about the fate of her child?!! How stupid and selfish is such a woman! I’m so angry with you that words fail me!


  15. Bridget Jones from Helen Fielding’s  Bridget Jones’s Diary
  16. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
    Dear Bridget! You know that we are best girlfriends but sometimes I’m quite annoyed by your handling of love relationships. I mean I know that Daniel Clever is a sex god in your eyes, but do you really want to lose Mark because of Daniel?! Has nobody ever warned you to run away from men who are not able or willing to commit themselves? And, do you really think that a truly bad cheat will ever change? It’s absolutely OK to make mistakes, but one should learn from one’s own mistakes and not keep repeating them indefinitely!

  17. Corinne from Germaine de Staël’s Corinne, or Italy
  18. Madame de Stael as Corinne
    by
    Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun
    Dear Corinne! I can only repeat what I told Scarlett and Marianne. First, you shouldn’t care at all for a man whose love “alters when it alteration finds,” who marries another woman who is “simple” as opposed to “complicated” and who therefore doesn’t value you! And you certainly shouldn’t grieve for him endlessly and make yourself that sick that you die in the end. He’s not worth it! God has given you exceptional talents and you should make the most of those and forget Oswald the coward!



  19. Rose Feller from Jennifer Weiner’s In Her Shoes
  20. In Her Shoes (2005)
    My dear Rose! May I give you some good advice? I think it’s about time to speak up for yourself, because if you don’t, nobody else will do it for you! Your sister has to sort herself out on her own and you should concentrate your efforts on changing your attitude. You don’t have to be a “stick insect” to look attractive and sexy, some nice cloths and a natural make-up can do wonders! And, how do you dare to keep your Jimmy Choo shoes locked in in your closet? I mean some of us would die for being able to own at least one pair of those shoes and you own many and don’t wear them? Are you being crazy?!

12 comments:

  1. A great list! You would think football was on TV the way I've shouted at some movie characters. I suppose we are meant to learn something from their mistakes ...

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    1. LOL. Yeah, I too think that the purpose of these books or the not so hidden aim of their authors is to teach us important lessons. :-D Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. I could probably make a complete list composed strictly of irritating female book characters. All of them would have been placed on this list because of the reason you cited.

    Here's my Book Characters Who Could Use a Session With Dr. Phil. I'd love to have you stop by!

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    1. Dear Deb! Thanks for stopping by and I've just checked your list out and found it hilarious!

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  3. I agree with about Juliette and Bridget Jones. Ugh.

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    1. Yeah, definitely "ugh". :-D

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  4. I enoyed reading your advice to these characters -- it made me laugh. Great post! :)

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    1. Thanks. :-D And, I'm happy it made you laugh.

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  5. Hahahah Bridget does do an awful job at handling her relationships! And oh Marianne. I really wish she didn't let a man affect her as much as she did! Great list :)

    Here's my Top Ten!

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    1. Hi Jessica! Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. You're right, Anna Karenina is selfish, so much so I didn't really care when she died. Also agree with Juliet, Marianne and Bridget!

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    1. Dear Julianne! Thanks for stopping by! I'm so glad there are other people who are somewhat annoyed about the love story of Romeo and Juliet. I mean Shakespeare could write, there's no doubt, but the story?!! It certainly isn't the best love story ever in my eyes...

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