No, you're right; "claim" wasn't the right word. But when he said he loved her, I don't know that he even hoped that she would say it back. (Has she?) It was very much the knight pledging himself to an unattainable lady. Will has a certain amount of fatalism about him; he may mind that things aren't fair, but the moment when he shows up to save Jack in CotBP is such a big moment for him because it's the first moment he really fights against that. Whereas Elizabeth is all push, push, push, from the very beginning. If she doesn't get what she wants, it's not for lack of trying/asking/demanding. It's a factor of her being spoiled, and his fatalism is the fatalism of the lower class who never catch a break so don't go looking for one, but what it amounts to is a gaping power differential. At least the way I see them. I don't know that he would ever have asked for Elizabeth's hand if she hadn't grabbed him by it, so to speak.
And I do think that's part of what she likes about Will, subconsciously at least. He would spoil her, just as Daddy does. I haven't seen him rein her in yet (although maybe he will try in AWE.) He would give her that freedom she wants, as much as he was able--even if it was the freedom to wreak havoc in both their lives--because that's what she wants: not because he's weak, but because he loves her, and because his judgment when it comes to her is just not that good. And part of it, too, is what you said: he is forbidden, he is another way to push, outside of the realm of her proper life and "destiny." Which isn't to say I don't think she loves him and admires his courage and goodness and sweetness; but I don't think she loves him because she understands him, which would be the right reason. I think she loves him because he's hers, and always has been. And conversely, I think he may love her because she's never been his, and will probably never be, not completely. They fulfill one another's expectations about the world and the way it treats them.
(Sorry, I didn't mean for this to become Why Elizabeth and Will Don't Work, but that conviction is pretty strongly connected to how I see their characters. And while I love Elizabeth, I very much think that Will is too good for her--not the other way around.)
There needs to be more of a balance than we've seen so far, I guess.
I agree...although I don't think I'm going to like the balance they end up striking in DMC.
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And I do think that's part of what she likes about Will, subconsciously at least. He would spoil her, just as Daddy does. I haven't seen him rein her in yet (although maybe he will try in AWE.) He would give her that freedom she wants, as much as he was able--even if it was the freedom to wreak havoc in both their lives--because that's what she wants: not because he's weak, but because he loves her, and because his judgment when it comes to her is just not that good. And part of it, too, is what you said: he is forbidden, he is another way to push, outside of the realm of her proper life and "destiny." Which isn't to say I don't think she loves him and admires his courage and goodness and sweetness; but I don't think she loves him because she understands him, which would be the right reason. I think she loves him because he's hers, and always has been. And conversely, I think he may love her because she's never been his, and will probably never be, not completely. They fulfill one another's expectations about the world and the way it treats them.
(Sorry, I didn't mean for this to become Why Elizabeth and Will Don't Work, but that conviction is pretty strongly connected to how I see their characters. And while I love Elizabeth, I very much think that Will is too good for her--not the other way around.)
There needs to be more of a balance than we've seen so far, I guess.
I agree...although I don't think I'm going to like the balance they end up striking in DMC.