It was the 1840PT scene where Catherine told Bramwell that she was marrying Morgan and why. Barnabas watching from beyond the doors had tears in his eyes. It was after witnessing this scene between C & B that Barnabas came to the realization of his love for Angelique. I thought it was a reminder to Barnabas that he selected Josette to be his bride instead of the person he really loved. A money or status choice for him like Catherine. Perhaps, I was reading more into the scene...
Well, I found the episode in question and watched it again
I have to be honest. I have a very hard time accepting Barnabas' turnaround and sudden realization that he loves Angelique--always have. In light of what he consistently held against her and in light of her actions and behavior from day one of the character's arrival in Collinsport, it just never seemed plausible--too much garbage and pain between two people that was just never going to go away.
Looking at the scene, I'm not quite sure what the writers had in mind here as the impetus for the life-altering revelation/bolt of thunder. It didn't come across to me at all seeing as how Bramwell and Catherine's conversation seemed to have absolutely no parallels to Barnabas and Angelique and it didn't come across in watching Frid either--I could be wrong, of course, but I didn't see tears.
Soooo, I'm going to try and come up with an alternative rationale here, which might also explain why he got involved with Angelique in the first place.
Barnabas is drawn in two opposing directions, which are in turn personified by Josette/the clones and Angelique, and which both seem to have to do with his father (playing Freud here)
1. The quest for the ideal. The Better Homes and Gardens reality. The good girl in an idyllic setting. Being in love with romance. I tend to be cynical about this because of how Barnabas reacted to the Josette clones; he was never really interested in them as people, in what
they wanted. He was content to talk at them and tell them what it was they wanted. I'm really inclined to see this as Barnabas following in his father's footsteps, albeit with a psychotic twist.
2. The quest for the dramatic. Sturm and drang. Fireworks. Being in love with the excitement. Call it a reaction against staid New England life and the staid, conservative life that presumably he's had to live with those wild 'n' wacky folk he calls Father and Aunt. I've always said that Barnabas was a drama addict. Given a quiet situation, he invariably needs to make it worse. Things going well?, he's got to change that. Time to stay out of trouble and easy to do so, he'll find a way. Well, in Angelique, he's got the danger, the excitement, all in one handy, package. They will never be bored, however, anyone within a hundred miles is going to suffer, because these two can't contain their drama to themselves.
Returning to the status/social position issue. Unquestionably, it's something that's a factor for Angelique in all her incarnations. She spends a lot of time talking about how poor and insignificant she is. You don't do that all the time unless it bothers you a lot. And it bothers her. Whether it bothers Barnabas is another question. It's interesting that when he does act like a snob (due to an act of really stupid writing "Fine, take the common name you bear," yeah,
"Margaret" a name borne by queens, royals, and aristocrats for centuries, very common), he's older and acting a lot like his father (again the wackier and more insane version). But now? No, I don't think the fact that Angelique is the maid enters into the equation.
Luciaphil
