Crushworthy Characters: Jamie Fraser

Art by *roryalice

Thanks for all the Ezio love on the last post. Today’s post is a continuation of one my first articles on Fandomania. It’s a humble ode, so to speak. In honor of the Outlander series being made into a television series, I give you its hero, Jamie Fraser! Be warned, there are some minor spoilers.

Stats:

Full Name: James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser
Age: 23 at the beginning of series
Job: Outlaw, Laird, Jacobite, soldier, and  many other career choices

Who is He?

Jamie is the main male protagonist in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. He is Claire’s romantic interest when she time travels, by accident, into the past. He will be portrayed by Sam Heughan in the upcoming show on Starz. Just typing in his name in Google brings up numerous Jamie and Outlander fansites. It’s hard to pin down Jamie in one role. Jamie’s character has gone through so many changes in the series yet, through these changes, his character is unforgettable.

Fun Facts:

1. Jamie’s left hand was tied down to make him learn to write with his right hand. But writing with his right hand gives him a headache.
2. Jamie’s clan kilt colors are black and red.
3. Jamie can’t wink.
4. Jamie’s relatives are pretty scandalous for the time. His mother ran off to marry his father and his grandfather stole someone else’s wife.
5. Jamie gets violently ill on boats. He almost died on one boat journey.

Art by ~Captivated2

Why So Popular?

Sassenach, I’ve been stabbed, bitten, slapped and whipped all since supper, which I didn’t get to finish. I’m tired. I’m hungry. And I am sore. If you have anything like womanly sympathy about you, I could use it about now. -Jamie Fraser

Jamie looks like the epitome of all those burly, kilted, unrealistically handsome Highlander men you see on romance novel covers. But if Jamie had the personality of those virile heroes in those cheesy novels he would not stand out as a character. Jamie is a good man. Instead of cutting a swath through fainting maidens he only wants to find the right woman. He is very smart and well educated for his time. He is funny and charming. He will run a sword through anyone who tries to mess with you. This was a great virtue for the time period. His relationship with Claire is also swoon worthy. The two actually start as friends and it builds to something meaningful as the books go on. Most Highlander heroes would have ravished first and asked questions later. Then again, the first time Jamie met Claire he was bleeding from a gunshot wound and had a dislocated shoulder. He treats her as an equal in a time where women were considered property. Any handsome kilted man who treats you with respect is a great catch.

Why Do I Love Him?

I could have easily laughed at how perfect Jamie met the canon of a romantic hero when I first cracked open Outlander. I didn’t because, as I kept reading, I realized he was not a stereotype. I think if Jamie had been sent into the future, he would have ended up a lawyer. I liked that he was not all muscle and good lucks. I thought it was cute that he couldn’t wink, along with his other quirks. Diana crafted herself timeless characters when she made Jamie and Claire. The biggest thing I love, excepting one incident, is how he treats Claire. Sure, they had a romance but it isn’t the bosom-heaving passion in many romance novels. I could not have made it through the book otherwise. I always wondered what sort of actor could be Jamie in a series. I am eager to see how Sam will become Jamie Fraser. Fans of the book will be watching.