Happy Father's Day dear reader! And while I may not be a father, I thought I could celebrate the day just a little by highlighting some of my favorite costume drama fathers. (Warning: We're a little fantasy-heavy this feature, I must still be in fantasy mode.)
Robert Crawley is that quiet type of father. He leaves the mothering to the mothers of his family, but he has no trouble stepping in and parenting himself. He takes Matthew in and accepts him right away. One because he has to, and two because he is genuinely a kind person. And while taking Matthew in may seem like a rather unfatherly thing to do, he is also so loyal to his daugthers it hurts. You can literally feel when he's being protective, or humoring them, or positive they'd made a mistake. And last but not least, how can you not adore a father who lets his daughter where controversial, yet classy, couture?
I think I could just post this picture and everyone would get why Mr. Bennet's on the list. Sure, he's not a hands on father at all, and he absolutely play favorites, but when it comes down to it, and you've run away with a very bad man, he will follow you--and he probably wouldn't do more than shake his head when he got you home. Mr. Bennet is that quiet type of man who keeps his own council and only speaks when he's sure to be heard. Its the tender, little moments that count with this father.
You're yelling, aren't you dear reader? Why is Uther of all people on this list? His hatred of all things magic aside, think about it -- Uther is actually a really good father. His character is made up of three things: pride for Camelot, jerk toward magic, and hard but clearly loving father towards Arthur. (No, I'm not counting the crazy-weird relationship he has with Morgana in season 3 when he still looks at her as a daughter but she loathes him...its crazy...and...weird.) And when he does conflict with Arthur its to protect him, or because Arthur is proposing something outside the traditional. Just like a normal father-son relationship.
Austen tends to have a theme with her fathers: quiet and sweet. Mr. Woodhouse, however, is the only father that is her main character's only parent. And while Emma acts more like a companion in running her father's house than a daughter of it, Mr. Woodhouse is always looking after her. He's a careful father, worried about Emma's health and happiness hand in hand. He's good to Emma's friends, and knows when to give her her space. Mr. Woodhouse is well, he's like my own dad in those ways, so how could I not love him?
Yep, we went super fantasy this time around dear reader. Eddard Stark is a principled father who loves his children, but must temper his love with the duty they all will one day feel. He's raising the next warden of the North, the next queen, and the next alliance makers of Winterfell. But he's still just like all other fathers: unsure what to buy his daughters, unsure what to say to his sons before they go off for war, and unsure how he will live a life without his children near him. He's a father we hate to see struggle, and a father we hate to see lost.
Have a very happy Father Day's with your father's today dear reader. Make those papas proud!