h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In reply to a post on www.h2g2.com April 27, 2003.

I am new to h2g2 having been recently introduced by the big wrap given in Douglas Adam's post-mortem publication "Salmon of Doubt". As the last post on this item was almost 3 years ago so I feel a little like Ford Prefect must have felt sending off a new entry to the Guide to his editors. Is it relevant? Will anyone care? Does it still work? Is the universe still out there or am I all alone?

Well, on to the purpose of this post.

Has anyone else noticed the amazing similarities between the 1944 film "Jane Eyre" and the characters from the modern TV comedy "Frasier"? I must be fairly alone in my interest about this as a search on www.google.com for "Jane Eyre" "Daphne Moon" revealed only 4 hits. Probably most people would think it fairly geeky to consider such matters. For my own sanity I have to think about these things, as "Frasier" is my wife Sabina's favourite TV show, and with cable TV there are sometimes 3 or 4 episodes on each night.

One night recently I was channel surfing (trying to avoid the multiplicity of Frasier episodes) and I came across Jane Eyre on the ”Old Fogies Channel". I usually skip right past such things as my wife has a penchant for the old black and white movies and if I don't move quickly I could get stranded in black and white land instead of watching some decent show on the National Geographic channel (which Sabina generally hates). On this occasion though Sabina said "Get rid of it", so with this endorsement in mind and in view of my contrary nature I stuck with Jane for a while and it turned out to be not too bad.

The version of Jane Eyre I saw was the 1944 version with Orson Wells playing Rochester. That’s when the idea struck me! The characters from Frasier are cleverly lifted from Jane Eyre. This can be no accident! My respect for the army of Frasier writers increased.

Jane Eyre = Daphne Moon

Daphne is English, effectively the housekeeper, lovelorn but ultimately falls in love with the boss (Niles in his amalgam with Frasier).

Maris = the mad wife

Maris (Nile's wife) lives locked away in a castle, is never seen and is mad. Just like Rochester's mad wife, Bertha Mason. When Niles eventually leaves Maris he has a very difficult divorce and is left destitute. Just like Bertha Mason as the mad wife, burning down the castle.

Frasier = Orson Wells

Anyone who sees Orson Wells as Rochester must see that Frasier Crane IS Orson Wells. Think about the posh pseudo Englishness, the wealth, the romance with Daphne (transferred to Frasier's brother Niles).

Frasier, Niles and Martin = Rochester

The 3 men of Frasier are an amalgam of Rochester and take on different aspects of his character. Niles is the feminine side that Jane / Daphne falls in love with. Martin is the injured Rochester who is looked after by Jane / Daphne. Frasier is the authoritarian Orson Wells type (in looks, speech and mannerisms). Frasier's many romantic failures are just like Rochester. Even Frasier's producer Ros, fits in here as Blanche Ingram, the aristocratic woman who is more suited to Rochester / Niles / Frasier in a social sense than Jane / Daphne.

The hound = Martin's Dog (scaled down for apartment living)

Clutching at straws now I know but it's still obvious isn't it?


Alan