Betty Neels Junkies discussion
The Sex Life of Betty's Heros
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Hey Mo! No, I never thought they were as pure as the heroines- but when Betty alluded to their pasts, they were sometimes married, or sometimes engaged, and the past girlfriend left the hero for another man.Or, she tastefully says they "never wanted for company" as friends were always trying to marry them off or they were often pursued by beautiful, sophisticated women. I always figured serious affairs when they were young men, but they didn't last, the woman lost interest and moved on, something like that.
By the time they meet the heroine in a Betty book, they have become sophisticated professional men often "married to their work" in need of a wife to keep distractions from work at bay. Whatever past experience they had, it would've been, above all, discreet! That's my take on it, anyway!
Susan
Susan in NC wrote: "Hey Mo! No, I never thought they were as pure as the heroines- but when Betty alluded to their pasts, they were sometimes married, or sometimes engaged, and the past girlfriend left the hero for an..."Yep I agree with you Susan - they certainly aren't as pure as the heroines. However I often wondered why Betty hinted that they weren't intimate with their OW fiancées.
Mo wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Hey Mo! No, I never thought they were as pure as the heroines- but when Betty alluded to their pasts, they were sometimes married, or sometimes engaged, and the past girlfriend ..."True - in fact, the fiancées are often cold fish, "darling, don't crush my hair/mess my lipstick/wrinkle my dress! Take me somewhere expensive and buy me something!" I'm always reminded of the fabulous Madeline Kahn in "Young Frankenstein" as the rich, snooty fiancée - "taffeta, darling!"
LOL!!! But, changes dramatically when she meets her true lover boy, Frankenstein!!!BTW, great topic, Ladies. I'd like to weigh in.
For the most part, Betty wrote classy, discreet, men who had sown their wild oats earlier in life. They certainly had been around the bases a few times, but not to the extent of the more modern HP "man whores". Which for the life of me, I don't understand the appeal. After all, aren't those women afraid of catching something. ; -)
Give me a Betty hero any day, except for Professor Radnick in "Caroline's Waterloo". I so despised that man.
Funny you mention, that was one of my dear mother's favorite Betty books - I never liked it either!I agree, she always implied they were very worldly, just not disease-raddled pervs- just like they always know great restaurants in whatever city they're in, how to get around a country, etc. Dashing, men of the world, indeed!
And they liked to go out dancing--classy ballroom Fred and Ginger style dancing, where they demonstrated their ability to move well for such a large man! And they were always appreciative of how well the heroine danced.I am a gal who loves to dance, married to the dearest non-dancer. Oh well...
You never know, sometime you and hubby might be out for dinner and when the band strikes up, a handsome Dutch doctor might sweep you off your feet for a spin around the dance floor!
Susan in NC wrote: "You never know, sometime you and hubby might be out for dinner and when the band strikes up, a handsome Dutch doctor might sweep you off your feet for a spin around the dance floor!"Susan--thank you for the image! Unfortunately, due to multiple knee surgeries, my dancing days are in the past! Sigh, the perils of getting old--my chance to be Ginger to anyone's Fred is about zilch!
Nuts, I forgot about that, sorry...well, you can sit there with your darling and snicker at the crazy dancers Betty always describe our heroines getting stuck with before the hero sweeps in for a waltz or foxtrot! She always says they're "shocking dancers", which automatically makes me think hip-hop video twerking or something!
Nice observations Ladies!!! Indeed Betty's heroes are dream boats. And as you say Leona, I will never understand the appeal of the whore heroes in more modern HP. Give me a classy, brilliant, kind-hearted sophisticated guy with restraint any day!!
And the fact that he knows the best restaurants in town is an added bonus!
While we know that the adorable heroines were completely innocent, do you think the Heros live as monks?
Somehow I just don't imagine them sleeping around. And a few times Betty goes out of her way to indicate that the hero wasn't sleeping with the OW. For example, in Mathilda's Wedding, while we are told that the OW (hero's fiancée) came to spend weekend at the hero's house, Betty also points out that OW's brother accompanies her on these visits. A similar indication was made in Only by Chance - in this case the OW's mother accompanies her.
What do you think?