The Satis House

"...Miss Havishams home, which was of old brick, and dismal, and had a great many iron bars to it. Some of the windows had been walled up; of those that remained, all the lower were rustly barred. There was a court-yard in the front, and that was barred; ..." 

- Pips description of the outside of the house (Dickens, C. (1986) Great Expectations  (page  52- chapter 8),  Marshall Cavendish Partworks Ltd, 58 Old Compton Street, London  WIV 5PA)

Restoration House, Rochester, Medway, UK

Photographer: Philip Rainbird

30th Jan 2011

(source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/47331115)

"We went into the house by a side door - the great front entrance had two chains across its outside - and the first thing I noticed was, that the passages were all dark, and that she had left a candle burning there."  
-Pips first impression of the house (Dickens, C. (1986) Great Expectations  (page  54- chapter 8),  Marshall Cavendish Partworks Ltd, 58 Old Compton Street, London  WIV 5PA)


The Satis House is a Gothic mansion, Miss Havisham's and Estella's home. It looked quite scary and dark, and not at all what Pip expected it to be. The estate was unkempt, and the house was closed up with iron bars. The stairs, halls and rooms were dark and lit only by wax candles. It felt very cold and ghostly. There was a wedding cake and wedding breakfast set on the long table in the dining room, but it didn't look like they were having a feast anytime soon. Miss Havisham instructed everyone that the table will not be cleared until dies. Everything was covered with dust. mould and cobwebs. The daylight was excluded from every room, and there was an airless, awful smell everywhere. 

Although this was a fictional house that Dickens created, it is a name of a real mansion in Rochester, Kent, near where Dickens lived. Queen Elizabeth l stayed there as a guest of the owner Richard Watts. As she was leaving the house, Watts asked her how was her stay and she replied: 'Satis.' 'Satis' is a latin word for 'enough'. When Pip asked Estella about the name, she said that it meant that whoever lived in the house could want nothing more. The name is ironic because of the way Miss Havisham failed to keep the house in good condition and it is no longer good enough for anyone else to live in other that the spiders, mice and black beetles. 

The owner of the Restoration House, that got the name from the stay of King Charles II on the eve of the Restoration of the monarchy, was Henry Clerke. This house was also an inspiration for the Charles Dickens' Satis House.   

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/47331115

http://www.gradesaver.com/great-expectations/q-and-a/describe-satis-house-though-its-a-mansion-what-other-type-of-building-does-it-seem-to-resemble-83537

reference found on Jan 30th 2015

Miss Havisham - Character Analysis

Miss Havisham fist appears in the book when she invites Pip to come to the Satis House to play with her adopted dauther Estella. The first thing he noticed were the clocks - they were all set at 8:40. He refered to her as 'the witch of the place'. She was a very wealthy, but broken woman, because of the tragic even that has happened to her years ago. Her fiance sent her a letter on their wedding day, in which he had left her. It broke not only her heart but she could again never trust men. She thinks they are the same, and wants a revenge. That is why she raised Estella to be cold hearted and insulting towards men. To her, Estella was a form of weapon to teach them all a lesson. So what was her plan? She incouraged Pip to fall in love with Estella, and she kept on breaking his heart over and over again.

"In an arm-chair, with an elbow resting on the table and her head leaning on that hand, sat the strangest lady I have ever seen, or shall ever see. 
...
It was when I stood there before her, avoiding her eyes, that I took note of the surrounding objects in detail, and saw that her watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine, and that the clock in the room had stopped at twenty minutes to nine."  - Pips first impressions (Dickens, C. (1986) Great Expectations  (pages 54/55- chapter 8),  Marshall Cavendish Partworks Ltd, 58 Old Compton Street, London  WIV 5PA)

Even though she was dressed in rich materials; satin, lace and silk, she looked lifeless. The wedding dress that once used be beautiful white is now yellow, dirty and smelly. She had only one shoe on her foot, as she got the news as she was putting them on.  A long white veil (half arranged) and bridal flowers were still in her, now white, hair, and bright jewels sparkled around her neck and hands. There was also a prayer book on the dressing table as well as the other shoe, gloves, a handkerchief, and her watch and chain. She hadn't seen the daylight in years, the only light in her room was coming from a candle. Everything that was one new, white, beautiful and shiny was now old, yellow and had lost its sparkle, even her eyes.

I think Miss Havisham is a very honest and real character, but out of touch with reality. She openly shows her brokeness and sadness, she wears her feelings and has no desire to move on. That is what, in my opinion, what makes her honest and real. When other people experience this kind of loss, they spend a certain amount of time being sad and depressed and then try to move on. Everyone wants to forget something as devastating and life changing as this. They want to find someone new, believe that there are happy endings after all and to live a happy life. But not her. Isolated from the world, she keeps living in that horrible moment when her heart was broken. Even the clocks set at 8:40 are there to remind her of the time when she stopped to live a happy life and turned into a living corpse. She went from a victim of being left at the altar, to a victim of her own mental illness. Trapped in this sad little world of her own, with no desire to move on, or to live, for that matter, she sits alone, tourtering herself, in a dark room, slowly waiting for death. 

'Great Expectations' Film Review

This is a film based on C. Dickens' novel Great Expectations. It is directed by Mike Newell and produced by Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley. David Nicholls wrote the screenplay and it was released in 2012.

The story starts around 1810. A young orphan Philip Pirrip (Pip) lived with his sister and her husband, Joe Gargery who was a blacksmith in a little village in England. On Christmas Eve the boy goes to visit his family grave where he meets an escaped convict. The convict, Abel Magwitch, scares the boy into stealing him food from home. The next day the soliders capture the convict and return to prison. 

Miss Havisham invites Pip to come play with her adopted daughter Estella. She was a wealthy, but broken hearted woman that lived in the Satis House. Her fiance, who was a con astist, tricked her and left on their wedding day. She was always in her wedding dress, with only one shoe (as she got the news when she was putting them on). Ever since that day, Miss Havisham hadn't seen the daylight. She raised Estella to 'have no feelings' and to be cold hearted towards all men. Pip goes to the Satis House a few times and falls in love with Estella.

One day, Pip gets a visit from a lawyer, Mr. Jaggers, who informs him that a mysterious benefactor wants to give him a lot of money, to move to London and to become a gentleman. Pip left for London the next week. That was where he met Herbert Pocket, who he actually met before, at the Satis House. He gets educated and becomes a gentleman. Estella comes to London, but instead of falling for Pip, like he planned her to, she decides to marry Bentley Drummle, the richest man in the Gentleman's Club. 

Soon, Pip find out that his mysterious benefactor is the convict whom he helped years ago, Magwitch. Since Magwitch was still an escaped convict, he had to be cautious not to get caught. Shortly before the escape, Pip goes to visit Miss Havisham, after their 'fight' she accidentally sets herself on fire with a candle. Pip tries to save her but she gets burned to death. With the help of his friend, Herbert, Pip plans a way for Magwitch to flee by boat, but they get caught and Magwitch goes to prison. He finds out that the daughter he taught died a long time ago (Estella) is alive and that Pip loves her very much. Magwitch dies before his execution.

Pip had an unpayed debt and Joe helps him, even though Pip hasn't treated him very nice through the past few years. He realized what he'd done and returns home to ask for forgivness. Joe forgives him. Pip lost all of his money and was no longer a gentleman. 

Years gone by, Pip goes to the Satis House to visit Estella. She lost her husband 2 years ago and is now a widow. For the first time ever, Estella opened her heart to Pip, told him how he was his only friend she ever had and finally admited her love.

Estella (Holliday Grainger) and Pip (Jeremy Irvine)

2012

(http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00006902/great-expecations-still10.html)

This story had a clear contrast between the rich and poor, and the unconditional and unrequited love. Taking the amazing oportunity that he gets, Pip tries to make a better life for himself. Unfortunately, he gets caught in the world where he doesn't really belong. Even though he lost all his money, he still wasn't poor, he had Estella and Joe and that is what made him richer than all the men in the Gentleman's Club.

Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham

2012

(source: http://leblow.co.uk/fashspiration-of-the-week-miss-havisham-our-favourite-miserable-chalky-faced-style-icon/)

There were three MUA's and hairstylists colaborating in this film; Zoe Brown, Hannah Edwards and Marc Pilcher, and Jenny Shircore was the designer. There was also a wig maker, a prostetic supplier, contact lens opticians etc. Costume designer, Beatrix Aruna Pasztor, was nominated for the BAFTA Film Award for the best costume.

Personally, I think it is a great film, as well as the book. 

Here is the link to watch this film online:

http://putlocker.is/watch-great-expectations-2012-online-free-putlocker.html





http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/great_expectations
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836808/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ql_1

reference found on Jan 20th 2015

Victorian beauty ideals

The Victorian Era, named after Queen Victoria, was the period between 1837 and 1901 (19th century). Looking back at the Elizabeth era, and comparing women's make up, hair and clothing on the Victorian, I would say that a lot, but at the same time it hadn't changed much. 

Portrait of Queen Victoria (study)

oil on canvas, 1838

artist: Thomas Sully

Metropolitan Museum of Art

(source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sully_-_Portrait_of_Queen_Victoria.jpg)

Make up and Complexion

The biggest difference between the two eras is that Queen Victoria was strictly against make up. The Victorian Era was a time dominated by a strict moral code, modesty and religious values, therefore, make up was considered immoral. Only acctresses and prostitutes openly wore strong make up, while other ladies used very little, barely noticable make up products in soft, natural tones. 

Pale complexion (a sign of nobility and wealth) was still in fashion as well as emphasizing and drawing on veins to make the skin look more translucent. To lighten the skin, women used Zinc Oxide, a white mineral powder, which was a lot safer than the mixtures used in the past, but had the same effect on the skin. They drank vinegar and used parasols when going outside to protect their skin from the sun. Also, some women would emphasize their dark circles to get almost a sickly look, and they would apply red rouge on lips and cheeks. To prevent shine they would use powders. 
Eyeshadows they used were made out of lead and antimony sulfide and lipsticks out of mercuric sulfide. Beet juice was applyed as blusher, but very sparingly so it wouldn't be noticable. 

Also, they believed the 'science' of using a person's head to determine their personality and inteligence. Moleoscopy is a subgenre of the practice, which claims to identify that based on the mole placement. For example if someone had a mole on the right side of their forhead, they were considered extremly intelligent and competent.

DIY Skincare

Women would make their own skincare products by mixing natural ingredients found in the kitchen. They mosty made tonics out of water and scents of lilies, roses or violets and creams with waxes, almond oil and scents. To cover up scars or acne they used mostly pastes, but also powders and paints to smooth their complexions. These products were sold at the local pharmacy or through doctors. The very wealthy could afford to even order the products from abroad, but the poor mostly used home-made products.

Hair

As well as in the Elizabethan era, to women (but also men), hair was everything. 
Women would usually pull their hair back in buns and chignons, and a few curls were let loose at the back and sides to emhasize their faces. They would only cut their hair when they were ill and false hair was applyed for the hairstyles to look bigger and fuller and decorate it with combs and clips. Oils were used to give the hairstyles a sleek apperance.
Men started wearing much shorter hair in this era but beards and moustaches were still in style.

Style and Clothing

In the 19th century it was all about the hourglass shape. Having a small waistline and wide hips was considered sexy. 
To achieve 12-inch waistline was every womans dream. They would wear corsets and tighten them so hard to the point they could hardly breathe or sit down. Some women would even break their ribs by doing this. Girls would start wearing them at a young age, before puberty and they were called reform corsets. The most expensive corsets were made out of satin and whalebone.

Corset, Artex

1888-1895
Museum no. T.234-1968

(source: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/corsets-and-bustles-1880-1890-from-over-structured-opulence-to-the-healthy-corset/)

To make their hips look bigger and wider they would wear layers of petticoats, hoops and bustles. Bustles came in all shapes and sizes. Some were mostly made out of steel and some had big 'cushions', often stuffed with horsehair.

Skirts were wide and long, reaching the floor. In 1856 the cage crinoline came back in fashion, but bigger and wider than before and had huge round-shaped hoops. Jacked bodice was also popular and it usually covered the hips. Daytime clothes covered their cleavages and arms, but in the evening the necklines were off-the-shoulder.

http://www.katetattersall.com/?p=3735http://stylecaster.com/timeline-sexy-defined-through-ages/ http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/offthepedestal/otp7.html
http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2010/08/06/beauty-in-the-victorian-age/
http://vintagefashionguild.org/lingerie-guide/corsets-early-19th-century-edwardian/
http://trulyvictorian.com/history/1855.html
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/corsets-and-bustles-1880-1890-from-over-structured-opulence-to-the-healthy-corset/
http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/photo-gallery/18372937/image/18373738/Victorian-Era

reference found on Jan 20/21 2015