Lady Business

'Also, it bugged me that what being an evil queen translated into in the real world was being a single working mother in a position of political power.'

I'd never thought of this, until you suggested the link between the queen's evil nature and Regina's modern role as a powerful, single woman, but that link is really smart. That interpretation totally works for me for the first six episodes, but this weekend's episodes was the one where Regina kills Graham. Up until now I wasn't sure if Regina knew she was the evil queen, but now I know for sure that she does because she keeps fairytale hearts in her family crypt. To me that fact that she's aware of the fairytale life, means her role as powerful career woman and single working mother might be one she has chosen for herself, not one the curse has selected as an appropriate modern facsimile for her fairytale existance. So maybe it's not so much that her narrative forces her into an equivalent role and inserts sexism into that role, but that she chooses the most powerful role available to her...Not sure, what do you think of that idea?


'I was uneasy with the way the show started hinting that he might be the one *really* in charge, which would make Regina no more than a pawn in his game.'

See, I kind of do think he's the one in charge. Personally, I think of Rumplestiltskin as a deus ex machina character, like he's an agent of fate and chaos who directs everyone's lives. As Gold his manipulation is much more human and I don't think he's in control in Storybrooke, Regina rules that place. In fairytale land, however, his interventions are (to me at least) less human meddling for advantage and more like a god, or fairy pushing figures round a board for entertainment. The queen may think she's in control, but she lives in fairytale land and...I think it's really hard to escape the intervention of fate in fairytales. Really R isn't so much in control, he's more a conduit/a mad prophet for the energies of fate and destiny which are everywhere in that land. I feel like I'm going to depress you with that interpretation :O

Anyway, because I read him as that kind of character, I guess I haven't really been seeing the gender implications of him being in control. Odd as it might sound, to me, Rumplestiltskin feels non-gendered, because of his associations with the whole deus ex machina, god/sprite intervention deal. But of course that doesn't take away the fact that he is actually gendered, because he's played by a male actor and that does mean we end up in the same old 'the man's really in charge' position that permeates tv.

I'm sad that Regina isn't going to become more human (or that the narrative isn't going to make her humanity really clear, like I said I totally sympathise with her). I felt so bad for her when Graham left her, with all hi 'I don't feel anything' stuff. How mean to be so hard, when it really wasn't her fault he didn't feel love with her. Kind of glad she squished his heart (although Emma loves him, so I suppose it's a bit sad).