and miles to go before i sleep

Matthew Rhys as Mayor Tom Loftis in Season 1 of Widow's Bay

"People back then always married young it's natural!!!" Every single 1800s guide I've ever met casually mentions that, of course, you really shouldn't get married before you're at least 20, and waiting until 25 is usually better.

Or, like. Okay here's a long segment:

Just firmly going "it is crazy sexist to blame The Wife for overspending when thirty seconds of asking questions will immediately establish that her husband was outright lying to her about how much money they had. Talk to your wife like a normal person."

Or--okay, here. A section on being honest and not writing love letters in secret, because that's usually a good sign that there's something untoward going on....

....except that he then immediately acknowledges that sometimes, the reason you're hiding this from your parents is that your parents suck. That there are parents who frankly have not earned the right to approve or disapprove of your partner.

"Men and women being friends with each other is literally normal. Don't be a controlling freak."

"If you have to abuse a child to keep order in your classroom then you're a bad teacher."

Jack had no idea where he'd gone. Anne did.

in act one, elisabeth is played by the younger actress, and death by the elder. here, death acts as a symbol of freedom via being old and maturing, getting to make your own decisions. later in the act, death is the idea that elisabeth, should she only get older, will one day be able to make her own decisions, will one day get out of the court and be her own person. death says to her, I am what you could be. I am what you will be.

and it is the elder actress who sings ignm reprise, taking elisabeth's place as the character decides that she will become this person, will grow up and mature and be free that way. that that's how she's gonna gain control. but death now takes the form of the younger elisabeth, now beginning to taunt her. in a way, Elisabeth has, by becoming this person that death had shown her, given into them.

through act two, the elder elisabeth is now taunted by death in the very opposite way; death, now appearing young and free, says to her, I am what you could have been. I am what you never knew you had and will never have again. I am everything you should have taken advantage of. and elisabeth chases this figure, now, as she did before, desperate to regain something, anything, of her youth, her beauty, and her capability.