Asterix in Britain
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| Asterix in Britain | |
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| French Title: | Asterix Chez les Bretons |
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| Story: | Rene Goscinny |
| Illustrations: | Albert Uderzo |
| French Edition: | 1966 |
| English Translation: | 1970 |
| Preceded by: | Asterix and the Big Fight |
| Followed by: | Asterix and the Normans |
Asterix in Britain is a comic book, the eighth in the Asterix comic book series. The original in French was called Astérix chez les Bretons and published in Pilote issues 307-334 in 1965 (published in album form in 1966).
Much of the humour in the original French version rests on errors commonly made by British people in attempting to speak French, literally translating English proverbs, and using English grammar combined with French words e.g., in French, adjectives are usually placed after the noun. In the English version, the translators adopt a humorous stereotypical British upper class style of speech to distinguish their language from that spoken by Asterix and Obelix.
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[edit] Style and content
By this volume, the artwork for Asterix books had become well established and standardised along with the plot and character conventions. The colouring and production are of a higher quality than earlier volumes but not quite with the polish and gloss of later ones such as Asterix in Switzerland.
The authors worried that, as had occurred with some of their other books set outside of Gaul, they might receive complaints from British readers about the portrayal of their country. The following message was included in the original English release:
- "As usual, we caricature what we are fond of, and we are fond of the British, in spite of their strange way of putting Nelson on top of their columns instead of Napoleon. However, when it comes to presenting this skit on the British to the British, we feel we owe them a word or two of explanation. Our little cartoon stories do not make fun of the real thing, but the ideas of the real thing that people get into their heads, i.e., clichés.
- We Gauls imagine the British talking in a very refined way, drinking tea at five o'clock and warm beer at the peculiar hours of opening time. The British eat their food boiled, with mint sauce; they are brave, phlegmatic, and always keep a stiff upper lip. Suppose we were British, caricaturing the Gauls, we would say they all wore berets, ate frogs and snails and drank red wine for breakfast. We might add that they all have hopelessly relaxed upper lips, and that phlegm is not their outstanding characteristic. And most of all, we should hope that the Gauls would have as good a sense of humour as the British."
They reported that they received no complaints regarding the book.
The book is considered to be one of their best. Its interweaving of panels and text in the Tower of London sequence is ingenious while the plot thread that holds the book together — the search for the barrel of magic potion — is among their most sustained gags. The sight of Roman legionaries getting drunk off Gaulish wine in the cellar of the Roman Governor's Palace is one of the more memorable episodes in the Asterix series.
[edit] Plot summary
Julius Caesar has invaded Britain and succeeded, mainly because the British soldiers under Cassivelaunos stop fighting every day to drink hot water (with a drop of milk), and refuse to fight over the weekend. As with Gaul, a single village remains independent, defying the Romans. One member of the village, Anticlimax, is dispatched to Gaul to enlist the help of Getafix the druid in providing magic potion for the British rebels. It is decided that Asterix and Obelix should accompany him back to his village to help transport a whole barrel full of the potion.
In Britain, the barrel of potion is confiscated from a pub cellar along with all the "warm beer" (bitter) by the Romans, who set about tasting all the barrels to find the right one. Asterix and Obelix steal back all the barrels but Obelix gets drunk and starts a fight. During the fracas, a thief steals the cart with all the barrels. After a brief stay in the Tower of London the three heroes hunt down the potion, which is being used as a pick-me-up for a Rugby team. Eventually the potion is lost in the Thames after an attack from a Roman catapult.
Finally reaching the independent village, Asterix eases the Britons' disappointment by claiming he carries herbs to remake the potion; these are later revealed to be tea. With a psychological boost, the village prevails against the Romans. Asterix and Obelix return home to the inevitable feast. The Britons like the tea so much, they proclaim it shall be their national drink.
[edit] Film adaptation
The book was adapted into a film of the same name, which was released in 1986. The adaptation is mostly faithful to the book (the main difference being that Dogmatix doesn't stay back in Gaul), and is considered by many to be the best of the Asterix films.
[edit] Trivia
- In French, Obelix remarks on the tweed worn by Asterix's Briton cousin, asking, "Is it expensive?" ("c'est cher?"); the Briton replies, "My tailor is rich" ("mon tailleur est riche") — an allusion to basic lessons in English, available in many European states. It has been said that "My tailor is rich" was the very first spoken phrase said in the first Assimil "English without Pain" (Anglais sans Peine) English learning vinyl record volume released circa 1960.
- Later there's another gag with the same basic premise in reverse: when Asterix remarks that his cousin's boat is small, Anticlimax replies obscurely, "It's smaller than the garden of my uncle, but larger than the pen of my aunt," a phrase used in English texts of the period when teaching French.
- The famous cliché of England's terrible reputation for cooking is referenced several times. (See British cuisine).
- In the French version, Anticlimax speaks French but with literally translated English expressions as "I beg your pardon," "Isn't it?" and "I say!" In addition, the grammar is changed to resemble English language. For instance, "potion magique" becomes "magique potion" (magic potion). In the English version all the British talk like characters out of a P G Wodehouse novel, saying "What" at the end of every sentence. Obelix asks Anticlimax "What do you keep saying 'What' for?" Anticlimax replies "Don't you know what's what sir?"
- Rugby, the weekend, toast, umbrellas, The Beatles, double-decker buses, rain, fog, and, of course, pubs are referenced.
- Asterix asks Anticlimax if he isn't driving on the wrong side of the road. Anticlimax then accuses Asterix of the same thing. People drive on the left side of the road Great Britain whereas in other European countries, people drive on the right. In Caesar's times, people drove on the left side of the road in the whole Roman Empire. Driving on the right side of the road was implemented by Napoleon Bonaparte in the 19th century.
- Typical British gardens are also mocked.
- Anticlimax says to Obelix that they "measure in feet".
- Anticlimax is from Cambridge "who are known to be excellent rowers," according to the text. This is a reference to the rowing games held between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
- Obelix remarks that a tunnel between Gaul and Britannia would be useful. Anticlimax says they are working on the idea, "but it looks like taking a jolly long time, what?" This is a reference to the Chunnel, which wasn't built yet in 1966 when the comic was made. The plan to build a tunnel between England and France was however a popular idea for centuries, but due to wars and other conflicts the project did not come to fruition until 1994. Therefore the idea that there would ever be a tunnel between both countries seemed very unlikely at the time.
- The very popular group of bards are caricatures of The Beatles.
- The place where Obelix and Dipsomaniax are imprisoned is a parody of the Tower of London.
- References to the Five Tribes tournament are to the 5 Nations Rugby tournament (held between France, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland—plus Italy since 2000). In the British edition however they refer to the "tribal crown" instead - if any of the teams from within the British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland) defeats the other three it is said to win the "triple crown." The game of rugby is insanely violent and Obelix says that they must get this "nice game" played in Gaul.
- At the end of the book, when the Romans are beaten in battle, Anticlimax exclaims; "Victory," while making the V sign, a reference to Winston Churchill.
- Throughout the comic book, the stereotypical British equanimity is satirized several times.
- The British habit of drinking tea is referenced in the comic, although they drink hot water with a little milk until Asterix introduces tea. This is assumed to happen after the book ends as it is something that Asterix promises to send them later, and, which the Druid says is called "Tea."
[edit] In other languages
- Croatian: Asterix u Britaniji
- Dutch: Asterix bij de Britten, formerly Asterix en de Britten
- German: Asterix bei den Briten
- Italian: Asterix e i Britanni
- Latin: Asterix apud Britannos
- Polish: Asteriks u Brytów
- Portuguese: Asterix e os Bretões
- Spanish: Astérix en Bretaña
- Swedish: Asterix och Britterna
