Reviews on all things Austen
Posted in Emma, Magazines, mansfield park on Oct 11th, 2010
In the latest Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine there is an interesting article (by Paul A Bethel) on the similarities between Emma and Mansfield Park. Here’s a small excerpt: Rather, she [Austen] simply began with the premise: “What if a character much like Mary Crawford should have grown up in a small village outside London? [...]
Posted in Criticism, mansfield park on Jun 9th, 2010
As part of my Mansfield Park re-read, I’ve read the Mansfield Park chapter of The Improvement of the Estate by Alistair M Duckworth. It is very accessible I recommend it to anyone interested in Austen’s novels. To my mind his chapter on Mansfield Park is really a defense of it and to prove that is [...]
Posted in mansfield park on Jun 8th, 2010
In the past I have thought Mary very similar to Elizabeth Bennet, but after my last reading I have decided she is too worldly and materialistic. ‘Matrimony was her object, provided she could marry well, and having seen Mr Bertram in town, she knew that objection could no more be made to his person than [...]
Posted in mansfield park on Jun 1st, 2010
I’ve been reading Mansfield Park – I’ve changed my mind about Mary. In the past I thought her witty and interesting, but this time I’ve noticed her selfishness and worldly views.
Posted in Contemporary Authors, mansfield park on May 13th, 2010
On second thoughts I shall just direct you to a marvellous post by Ellen Moody here – I think she has written everything I wanted to write (and more) much better than I could.
Posted in Contemporary Authors, mansfield park on May 12th, 2010
I’ve been reading Lovers Vows. I downloaded it as an e-book from here. Definitely worth a read (and surprisingly easy to read). There are parallel between the plot of Mansfield Park and Lovers Vows. I’ll try to write more on this in another post.
Posted in Everything Austen Challenge, mansfield park, Television on Oct 12th, 2009
This is a six part adaptation that is very faithful to the novel. It first aired in the UK in 1983. Check out the IMDb site. To a modern audience familiar with the beautiful recent Austen adaptations, such as Sense and Sensibility, this seems dated and dull. And very quiet – there is no music [...]
Posted in Contemporary Authors, Everything Austen Challenge, mansfield park on Sep 30th, 2009
I’m still here. At the moment I’m working my way through Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster (and I’m up to Stage Three). I’ve also watched Mansfield Park and shall write some comments later.
Posted in mansfield park on Sep 1st, 2009
Mansfield Park is my least favourite Austen novel. I’ve always secretly preferred Mary Crawford, didn’t think the theatricals was that bad and hoped that Fanny and Henry Crawford would get married. I thought the Everything Austen Challenge was a great opportunity to read it again. It contains some fabulous Austen quotes – such as … [...]