Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 5 Resurgam

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

Director: William McGregor

Writer: Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: April 5, 2015

One of the starkest differences between the Poldarks of Trenwith and the Poldarks of Nampara was how the couples tend to respond to difficult times. Francis and Elizabeth grow apart, whilst Ross and Demelza strengthen their bond. Francis appeared to genuinely want the happy marriage Ross and Demelza have; he simply did not know how to achieve it. His choices were often self destructive. Losing money, he still spent it freely on gambling and gifts to his mistress. In an effort to recoup his losses, he bet Grambler on a game of cards in a house party hosted by George Warleggan. He lost.  

The loss of Grambler meant more financial difficulties for Trenwith, but it was nothing compared to the miners and their families dependent on the mine for daily survival. Everywhere, hunger abound as mines kept closing. On a trip to the dressmaker that was a cover concocted by Demelza so Verity and Captain Blamey could see each other again, they witnessed miners in desperate poverty rioting on the streets. Meanwhile, the Warleggans continued to line their pockets.

That Poldark speaks to contemporary hardships is both part of its appeal and a reason why it might not reach the height of global popularity of shows like Downton Abbey. Ross's stand against the unscrupulous pursuit of profit by the Warleggans is something we who struggle to eke a decent living every day can recognise and appreciate. At the same time, I understand the need to tune out the difficulties of daily life at the end of the day, and just watch a good TV show. To be honest, part of the appeal for me of historical TV shows is how far removed it is from my own life. Poldark has a dreamy hero in Ross and Aidan Turner, but it does not have the purely escapist quality of a show about an aristocratic family living in mouth watering luxury in the post-Edwardian era.  

There is much escapism to be had, still, in Poldark. Joining Ross in Cornwall was the young, handsome Dr. Dwight Enys, the man who treated him when he was wounded in the war. Unlike Dr. Choake, Dr. Enys actually cared about his poor patients, and endeavoured to prescribe treatments they could afford. He wanted to practise medicine to help people, not to live comfortably. He was already a hit with the ladies in Cornwall, including Keren, the ambitious new wife of Mark, one of Ross's workers.

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

Meanwhile, Ross had learnt that George Warleggan purchased the shares to Wheal Leisure previously held by Dr. Choake. Determined not to allow any more shares of his inheritance to fall into the hands of the Warleggans, Ross wanted to come up with the money to buy out other nervous shareholders. The only way he could do this was to mortgage Nampara, which he would rather not do, especially now that Demelza had given birth to their daughter Julia.

What made life more difficult for the mine owners was that the smelting companies collude to keep the price of copper low. Ross had a passing idea of the mine owners forming their own company, to bid, buy, refine and sell their own products. A fellow mine owner overheard this, and encouraged others, including Ross and Francis, to actually form the company. Francis, up to his eyeballs in debt to the Warleggans, could not consent to join. The members of the company resolved that the names of those who owed money to the Warleggans must be kept secret.

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

Five episodes in, and there was this sense that life was becoming more difficult for everyone in Cornwall, except for the Warleggans. The relationship between Ross and Demelza remained solid, but the cracks were more visible. Demelza had now lied to and kept a secret from Ross. Ross, for all his talk of devotion, still left Demelza's side after Francis announced the closure of Grambler so he could offer his assistance to Elizabeth. He told Demelza he knew he was lucky to have her, but with Elizabeth around, he was still cataloguing what his wife lacked, and what his youthful love had.

Strays

■ The besotted Mark barely knew anything about Keren when they married. She demanded a house and, when he saw the cottage Ross provided and Mark fixed up, her face visibly fell. At the wedding reception, she already had her eye on Dr. Enys.

■ Verity: 'The curse of the Poldarks. Once given, our hearts are not easily withdrawn.' She was referring partly to herself and partly to Ross, who has an incredible wife in Demelza but who could not help but still look longingly at Elizabeth sometimes.

■ Demelza's hyper religious father and stepmother arrived at Julia's christening and stirred up trouble.

■ Ross and Demelza still disagreed about Verity's love life. Demelza was convinced that if they loved each other, they ought to be together. She persuaded Jud to accompany her in secret to see Captain Blamey. Verity was initially resistant to see Captain Blamey again, but they clearly were still very much in love.

■Ross did not realise how disappointed Demelza was when he told her not to go to George Warleggan's house party. Ross was right, of course, but Demelza had also hoped to be a proper gentleman's wife, one he could take with him to such gatherings.

■ The man who bankrupted Francis at cards was Matthew Sanson.

■ Resurgam is Latin for I shall rise again.