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The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself. |
—Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Grey | |
Shelley Keaton [any pronouns, default: they/them or ey/em] is the next Lorenzo from Isabel, or the Pot of Basil.
They're a Romantic mess, who lives with pretension in their heart, breathes poetry through their lungs, and will die purely for #aesthetic.
Character[]
Personality[]
Call it pretentious, call it cultured, call it what you will, but Shelley Keaten carries themself as if they hail from another time period completely. Always dressed in period clothing - Gothic Victorian and Preraphaelite most common, speaking not in the phrases that a teen would but phrases that seem straight up stolen from works of literature. They appear fanciful, out of touch with reality.
Far from grounded, Shelley is very emotionally-driven. It gets to the point where it’s nearly unreasonable - fainting, bouts of fury and anger. They’re very prone to mood swings, and has a lack of control over what emotions they do express.
There’s a certain laziness present in Shelley. For lack of a better term, they’re a slacker. They play hooky, skipping school because they feel like they’re clever and enlightened about the world already, they seem to demonstrate no care at all in preparing for their future (understandable, as “I will die, so let me live how I wish to live!”).
Such is ultimately destructive, for Shelley sees no purpose in self-improvement. They view the world with a nearly completely hedonistic lens, believing that pleasure in end-all, be-all, particularly once they take their short, destined life into account.
Shelley has a strong belief in fate, in the sense that no matter what you do, it’ll get you in the end. For this reason, they see no purpose in struggle. Live how you wish. There is no time for regret.
Appearance[]
Shelley is of British-Indian descent, with warm medium brown skin. Their hair is dyed a deep, rich red, and they’re quite tall and curvy, with plump lips and wide eyes.
Hobbies, Interests and Other[]
Shelley Keaton seems to live their aesthetic out in full. If it’s Victorian Gothic or Preraphaelite, you can bet your ass that Shelley indulges in that activity.
- reads lofty Romantic literature for the aesthetic.
- does things for the aesthetic
- hangs out in graveyards, for the aesthetic
- gets up to dodgy shenanigans in the graveyard, for the aesthetic
- cries themself to sleep, for the aesthetic
Other[]
- engages in recreational drug use, but only occasionally and only “for the aesthetic”
Fairytale: Lisabetta and the Pot of Basil[]
How It Goes[]
This fairytale was originally in Boccaccio's Decameron, adapted into English verse by Johns Keats (Isabel, or the Pot of Basil).
I found a translation of the original here, and Keats' verse here.
How Shelley Comes Into This[]
Shelley was the third son of a third son. Let me tell you about third sons - in the fairytale world, if you’re one, chances are, you’re either lucky as heck, or unlucky as heck only for the universe to eventually give you your retribution.
As a third son, Shelley thought themself destined for greatness. As a result, they were a slacker, an absolute arse, and hexpected the world to grant them something great. Their parents and siblings were absolutely done with them, and at the first opportunity, resolved to ship them out to Italy for an apprenticeship, a way for Shelley to actually make use of their life.
Said apprenticeship happened to be with the family associated with the tale of Lisabetta. And as they say, the rest is history.
Opinion on Destiny[]
They don’t care.
Better to have lived and loved, as the saying goes. And if Shelley is destined to die, at least they’re going out dramatically, perishing beautifully, and still loved in death as well as life.
They’re fairly convinced that they’re in love with their destined Lisabetta too. I mean, Sylvia’s definitely an image of beauty in Shelley’s eyes, and when you’re young, superficial and living for the aesthetic, all one really cares for romantically is a hot body and a pretty face who reciprocates those opinions.
Besides, what is the point in rebelling when one believes that fate is certain?
Due to their general apathy towards making decisions towards their life and the fact they see no purpose involving themselves in the school, Shelley is decidedly Neutral.
Parallels[]
- Although Lorenzo was from Pisa in the original retelling, Shelley is from England - in reference to Keats' influence on the story's propagation.
- Either way, the part of Lorenzo is played by a foreigner.
- Was heavily inspired by Romanticism and Preraphaelites - two groups of people who vibed heavily with the tale.
- Not intentional, but Keats' poem had a line about "Lorenzo in Indian clove" and Shelley is ethnically Indian.
Quotes[]
TBA
Trivia[]
- Shelley is a nod to Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Keaton is a nod to John Keats.
- Both were English Romantic poets.
- John Keats in particular wrote his own adaptation of the story of Lisabetta.
- Shelley Keaton is not their real name.