Juliette Wells the Burke Austen Scholar-in-Residence at Goucher College gave a lecture – For the Love of Jane Austen – which is now available for download – here – it’s about an hour long and I thought it was very interesting.
Longbourn’s Unexpected Matchmaker – Emma Hox
This lovely book arrived in the mail – I’m looking forward to reading it…
Filed under Miscellaneous
Sense and Sensibility
It’s been a while since I last read Sense and Sensibility I needed to be reminded of Austen’s wonderful prose. For those of you who haven’t read it here is a plot summary (from Wikipedia).
While I was reading it I highlighted a few things I thought brilliant …
They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and resolved against ever admitting consolation in future.
This was Mrs Dashwood and Marianne after the death of Mr Dashwood.
No sooner did she perceive any symptom of love in his behaviour to Elinor, than she considered their serious attachment as certain, and looked forward to their marriage as rapidly approaching.
Mrs Dashwood’s thoughts on Elinor and Edward.
…and she was reasonable enough to allow that a man of five and thirty might well have outlived all acuteness of feeling and every exquisite power of enjoyment. She was perfectly disposed to make every allowance to the Colonel’s advanced state of his life which humanity required.
Marianne’s thoughts on Colonel Brandon.
…her favourite authors were brought forward and dwelt upon with so rapturous a delight, that any young man of five and twenty must have been insensible indeed, not to become an immediate convert to the excellence of such works, however disregarded before.
Willoughby and Marianne.
In hastily forming and giving his opinion of other people, in sacrificing general politeness to the enjoyment of undivided attention where his heart was engaged, and in slighting too easily the forms of worldly propriety, he displayed a want of caution which Elinor could not approve, in spite of all that he and Marianne could say in its support.
Elinor’s thoughts on Marianne (and this seems to be her guiding principle).
She was without any power, because she was without any desire of command over herself.
Marianne after Willoughby leaves.
… and sometimes displeased ith his uncertain behaviour to herself, she was very well disposed on the whole to regard his actions with all of the candid allowances and generous qualifications, which had been rather more painfully extort from her, for Willoughby’s service, by her mother.
Elinor deceiving herself.
Her thoughts were silently fixed on the irreparable injury which too early and independence and it’s consequent habit of idleness, dissipation and luxury, had mae in th mind, the character, the happiness of a man who, to every advantage of person and talents, united a disposition naturally open and honest, and a feeling, affectionate temper. The world had made him extravagant and vain. Extravagance and vanity had made him cold hearted and selfish.
Elinor’s thoughts on Willoughby after he comes to try to redeem himself in their eyes.
Austen has created charming characters who are witty and enjoyable company but prove to be immoral (the Crawfords in Mansfield Park, Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice). This novel contrasts Marianne’s ‘sensibility’ with Elinor’s ‘sense’ and it’s clear Austen endorses ‘sense’. It’s also about being mindful of other people – paying them the proper amount of respect. It is not right of Marianne to indulge her grief because it upsets her family (and makes herself ill).
You can download an e book version of Sense and Sensibility from here. There are also audio books available (a free on from here)
I’m aware of three adaptations:-
Sense and Sensibility BBC (1981)
Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson and Ang Lee)
and the latest BBC version
I have these three adaptations and I think I will watch them all again. My current thinking is that I prefer the latest version, but we will see.
You might also be interested in the Sense and Sensibility page at Pemberly.com.
Filed under Miscellaneous
Resolutions
It’s new year’s day time to make resolutions. This year I plan to re-read Austen’s novels – starting with Sense and Sensibility. I’m going to read one of the biographies I own (possible the one by Claire Tomalin). I’m also going to read some of the books of criticism I have – starting with Malcolm Day’s Voices from the World of Jane Austen.
I’m also going to watch the adaptations I have – starting with Emma (E1).
What I’m not going to do is read any prequels, sequels or re-interpretations.
Filed under Miscellaneous
Emma the DVD (the new BBC adaptation)
I saw the first episode of this adaptation and thought ‘oh dear!’ and wasn’t sure if I would continue. However, the second episode was better and by the end I was hooked.
The screen play was written by Sandy Welch, who also adapted North and South. As I loved North and South and Emmais my favourite Austen novel, I had high hopes for this adaptation. First, it is beautiful – the locations and costumes are magnificent. It has a very modern feel to it despite the period costumes and I think this is what I didn’t like at first. Also, Romola Garai (who I think is a fabulous actor) doesn’t seem to play Emma with enough dignity – she seems a bit too school girl giggly. I thought Jonny Lee Miller as Mr Knightley was fabulous (possibly the best out of the later Adaptations, i.e Emma 2 (Jeremy Northam) and Emma 3 (Mark Strong)). In fact I thought all of the other actors were excellent.
The dancing at the ball wa a bit too like barn dancing for my liking …
Some more screen shots …
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Mrs Elton and Mr Weston picking strawberries.
Emma and Mr Knightley.
Emma and Frank Churchill at Box Hill.
Emma and Mr Knightley …
 If you start watching it and you don’t like it, I recommend persevering because by the end I really liked it and I think it’s now my favourite Emma.
Also, if you live in Australia you can buy it from the BBC store because it is region 2 and 4.
Here is the link to the Internet Movie Database.
Filed under Adaptations, Recommended, Television
The Importance of Being Emma – Juliet Archer
I bought this book based on the review in the Jane Austen Regency World magazine – they were very favourable. Just by looking at the cover I should have known better.
Mark Knightley – handsome, clever, rich – is used to women falling at his feet. Except Emma Woodhouse, who’s like part of the family – and the furniture. When their relationship changes dramatically, is it an ending or a new beginning?
Emma’s grown into a stunningly attractive young woman, full of ideas for modernising her family business. Then Mark gets involved and the sparks begin to fly. It’s just like the old days, except that now he’s seeing her through totally new eyes.
While Mark struggles to keep his feelings in check, Emma remains immune to the Knightley charm. She’s never forgotten that embarrassing moment when he discovered her teenage crush on him. He’s still pouring scorn on all her projects, especially her beautifully orchestrated campaign to find Mr Right for her ditzy PA. And finally, when the mysterious Flynn Churchill – the man of her dreams – turns up, how could she have eyes for anyone else?
With its clueless heroine and entertaining plot, this modern re-telling of Jane Austen’s “Emma” stays true to the original, while giving fresh insights into the mind of its thoroughly updated and irresistible hero.
This novel started off so promisingly – The Woodhouses run ‘Hartfield Foods’ and the Knightley’s ‘Donwell Organics’, Miss Bates is a PA and Jane Fairfax ends up on a work placement at Hartfield Foods’. Flynne Churchill is a brash celebrity chief who lives in Australia (with his Aunt Stella).
However, my Mr Knightley would never say ‘you get wet and I get hard’! Mr Woodhouse, Batty (Miss Bates) and  Gusty (Mrs Elton) were brilliant and worked well in this new setting. My main problem with this novel was Emma and Mr Knightley – Emma was aware way too early ofher feelings for him and I thought Mr Knightley was repellant. Also, it’s a brave person who adds characters to Austen (Tamara – Mr Knightley’s lover), George Knightley (Mr Knightley’s father – just to be a bit confusing she’s named Mr Knightley Mark and his father George) and Saffron (Mr Knightley’s step-mother).
If you’re an Austen fan, I would recommed giving this one a miss.Â
Filed under Contemporary Authors, Dreadful
The Absentee – Maria Edgeworth
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel – it’s very readable (unlike some of Fanny Burney’s work).
Here’s what’s on the back …
Maria Edgeworth’s sparkling satire about the Anglo-Irish family of an absentee landlord is also a landmark novel of morality and social realism.
The Absenteecentres around Lord and Lady Clonbrony, a couple more concerned with London society than their duties and responsibilities to those who live and work on their Irish estates. Recognising this negligence, their son Lord Colambre goes incognito to Ireland to observe the situation and trace the origins of his beloved cousin Grace. To put matters straight he finds a solution that will bring prosperity and contentment to every level of society, including his own family.
Although the time period and the phraseology is very similar to Austen, this novel lacks the sparkling wit and is very didactic – I occasionally felt I was being beaten over the head with the message.
But it is worth reading for the social history. Also I think it’s a good thing to read things Austen read and to realise how extraordinarliy talented she was (i.e in comparison with the predecessors).
The Absentee – Maria Edgeworth
 I’ve had this book in my ‘to be read’ pile for quite some time. I thought the Everything Austen Challenge would be a good opportunity to force me to read it.
At the moment I’m about a third of the way through and I have to admit that I like it. Edgeworth has none of Austen’s wit, but her phraseology is eerily similar. I will write a proper review later.
Northanger Abbey the Play!
I saw a theatrical adaptation of Northanger Abbey. It was adapted for the stage by Tim Luscombe and directed by Theo Messenger.
I thought the adaptation was fabulous – bits of The Mysteries of Udolpho was mixed in and it seemed to cover all of the major plot points.
The play I saw an amateur production (this one) and it was obvious that the actors were nervous (I thought they were all great) – it took them a while to warm up and you could hear a bit of backstage noise and the costumes were dreadful – ill fitting, wrong style at times and crinkled. I know they don’t have a lot of money, but surely they could have altered the items to fit and what about using an iron? Having said all of that, it was a great evening’s entertainment.
Filed under Adaptations, Northanger Abbey
Lady Susan as an E Book
My local Jane Austen group are reading the Juvenilia for our next meeting. I’ve always liked Lady Susan and thought it would be good to try an ebook on my Ipod Touch (I have the ereader application).
I found a copy at Girlebooks – I do like the portability of an ereader. My ipod goes everywhere with me (it has my calendar as well as contact details in it), so I always have a book with me. The application is great – you can change things like the font and the colour of the background – however the screen is really too small and I’m not sure I would want to carry around a bigger version (might as well have the book).
Back to Girlebooks – they have a fabulous section of women writers – Austen, Gaskell, Montgomery, Burney etc.
Filed under Miscellaneous