“So, as I see it, the challenge is the one we were given in the very beginning – to create a persona of a person who “could have lived” in the Middle Ages. And the challenges carried by that phrase are as minimal or enormous as we make them.”
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I suffer from the tendency to try and go in many directions at once, and often trip myself in the process. My husband reminded me of a simple fact: I am trying to develop a persona of someone who could have lived in the Middle Ages, not someone who lived during the entire Middle Ages! I think this is where many of us go wrong. If something was known “in period”, and we like it, we embrace it as our own. This is not necessarily harmful, if you don’t mind the train wreck that happens with some people’s garb choices when they do that. We’ve all seen it, and most of us have done it on occasion, mixing several centuries and cultures (and using a bit of creative license, for good measure) into one smart outfit! Again, it harms no one and is not against any rules (that we, thankfully, don’t have). But, it is a bit hard on the persona. 🙂
I recently had a very enlightening experience. In an attempt to get to know Beathog a bit more, I sought to learn a bit more history from her time period. To begin, I went to one of those On This Day websites, to copy recorded events that happened in Scotland during my century-of-interest. I included items that occurred earlier, especially those that may have had a direct relationship to the Wars of Independence to come, or that might somehow influence what Beathog may think or know.
What should have been a very simple exercise turned out to be a rather hard exercise in self discipline! I kept coming across entries that I was very interested in, and I had to (strongly) fight the urge to include items that were way too far in Beathog’s future for her to have any use of them! I soon realized that Beathog (presently) has a very strong connection to Scotland (generally). I feel very connected to castles that I have visited, and I was being seduced by wanting to include events that occurred in places I have been, as well. Beathog may live to be a very old woman, but she could never have known, or heard of, Mary Queen of Scots!
So, the first step for becoming Beathog is to narrow the search. The Battle of Bannockburn has to be an important turning point in her life. I think, as she shares this experience with Domhnall, it makes sense for that to begin their story together somehow. And, as Joe and Rebecca’s story began as very young teenagers, I think it feels right that Beathog and Domhnall’s story begins there, too. Being a teenager during the Wars for Independence helps Beathog in several ways. First, she can have lived in the Highlands as a young girl (and known a certain lifestyle), but have opportunities, in the years to follow, to live in Edinburgh or some castle or another (and known a different lifestyle). I had to develop a simple persona story to use when doing private demos with Baroness Aurelia, that included my life in a castle. I chose Lochlevin Castle, because I had been there and because I knew Robert I (Robert the Bruce) had stayed there several times. The castle had also been used to store valuables and part of the Royal Exchequer. It made sense to me that Beathog could have traveled there, as well, in Domhnall’s company, and as a part of the entourage.
I think that I have been embracing Beathog as a woman from Scotland, rather than from 14th century Scotland. Part of that is, certainly, because I have so little information relevant to this time period in Scotland. I will probably have to make some decisions in some areas, and determine when my Scottish persona is more important that my 14th century one, and vice-versa.
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I know several people who have decided their persona is much younger than their actual age. While it may be nice to pretend to be younger, I don’t understand this rationale. I’m not interested in putting on my persona face and playing it, like I would play a role on stage. I am interested in getting up on a Saturday morning, grabbing my basket, putting on my coif and becoming Beathog for the day. I cannot pretend that I have not lived for 55 years, and I would not want to. I have had many wonderful experiences and have grown wise as a result of these numerous life experiences. I like to think the same has happened to Beathog. As a girl, she witnessed her people struggle to achieve independence. She has vivid memories of living with her family in the Scottish Highlands and has experienced sadness as some of them were lost in the years to follow. She has lived many years with the man she loves and has traveled and learned many new ways. She is now living in this beautiful kingdom of Caid, where she has seen many new and wonderful things. I cannot imagine why I would want to limit Beathog in such a way that robbing her of all those years might do.