Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: Lady Pole is NOT Amused!
Episode 2: How is Lady Pole?
This series is clipping along, a year having passed in the story since last week’s season opener. Our title characters meet and begin their complicated relationship as teacher and student. Norrell seems genuinely delighted to meet another magician, and as they begin to share experiences, we see him crack a rare smile. However, this fast friendship may not last long, since he is not used to sharing, and clearly conflicted over parting with a few of his closely-guarded and precious books.
Their relationship is fraught with challenges for Mr. Norrell, who is a bit insecure and somewhat threatened by Strange’s natural magical abilities. To secure his spot as an apprentice, Strange performs magic of his own creation, delighting Norrell with new knowledge of the subject. Strange’s magical repertoire is based on the single book he owns: The Raven King, which Norrell regards as disreputable, demanding that English magic does not need anything the Raven King previously discovered. Norrell even denies having any materials on writings having to do with faery magic (the same magic he invoked to revive Lady Pole). As the Lady’s condition continues to worsen, we begin to understand why Norrell is so against it with such emphatic posturing…or is that fear?
In fulfillment of the faerie Gentleman’s bargain, half of Lady Pole’s life now belongs to him. We find out that her half-life sentence is to be served as she sleeps, spending every sleeping moment forced to dance at a grand ball in Lost Hope, the land of the faeries. She is suffering from exhaustion, and enchanted so that she can never tell anyone about her predicament. When she tries to tell anyone what’s happening to her, she can only spout nonsensical babble, further frustrating her and leading many to fear that she is going mad. Mr. Norrell is consulted, but denies that this condition has anything to do with his magical services, and to Sir Walter’s dismay, avoids further questions on the subject.
During a visit, Lady Pole pleads with Arabella to be wary of Mr. Norrell, and to share her caution with Jonathan. Wary indeed, as Norrell is a self-preserving man, and a bit of a misanthrope; but there are other schemes afoot that may threaten both of the magicians and Arabella, too.
Stephen Black (Ariyon Bakare), the head of the service staff, is called by bell service to a long-abandoned room in the Pole Estate. In it, he finds the Gentleman, needing a shave and valet service to prepare for a dance. Stephen is invited by the Gentleman to join them at the Lost Hope soiree; however, he doesn’t realize that to accept the invitation constitutes a magical contract with the Gentleman that cannot be broken. Stephen joins Lady Pole each night at the ball, dancing away their sleeping hours, and finding it more difficult to tend to his daily duties. The estate staff begin to resign their posts, convinced that the house is haunted, and Sir Walter is at his wit’s end. Norrell refuses to meet with him on the subject, and so he turns to Strange for help.
Strange continues to study under Norrell, and defers to his tutor for all official business; however, Norrell has taken to using headaches as an excuse to get out of inconvenient situations. When Norrell is indisposed during a time-sensitive need by the military, Strange is called upon to help and they recognize an opportunity to post a magician closer to the war, and ask Strange to accompany them to Portugal. Norrell, not wanting to be upstaged by Strange’s talents and willing demeanor, refuses to give his permission for his pupil to leave.
Then, as if by some miracle, Norrell has a change of heart. It’s no miracle — it’s Norrell at his selfish best. In sending Strange away, Norrell effectively reduces his competition for a handful of rare magical books to be sold publicly at a pending auction. Reminiscent of the dog and its reflection story, Norrell’s plan backfires on him when he realizes that by sending Strange away to obtain a handful of new books, he must in turn relinquish 40 books from his library as references for Strange during his deployment. Strange departs with a good chunk of Norrell’s collection (and a little bit of his pride), and very much in the good graces of the military leaders of England. Meanwhile, Arabella decides to help her husband build his own library by attending the auction in his place, but is outbid for the rare volumes by none other than Gilbert Norrell.
In addition to great acting and dialogue, the special effects in this episode are superb. From the simple reverse mirror trick to the stampeding sand horses on the beach, these fit into the scenes seamlessly without being overtly showy or overdone.
Strange is a natural when it comes to magic, unusually tuned into things around him that are both of, and not of this world. He is also a good judge of people — seeing through Norrell’s lies about faery magic. Even so, Strange seems mildly amused by Norrell, being careful not to tread on the toes (or ego) of his only mentor, especially while he still needs his tutelage.
