Buying Austen Books a Disagreeable Duty? Never!

Since I wrote last, my 2nd edition (Sense and Sensibility) has stared me in the face. Mary tells me that Eliza means to buy it. I wish she may. It can hardly depend upon any more Fyfield Estates. I cannot help hoping that many will feel themselves obliged to buy it. I shall not mind imagining it a disagreeable duty to them, so as they do it. Mary heard before she left home that it was very much admired at Cheltenham, and that it was given to Miss Hamilton. It is pleasant to have such a respectable writer named. I cannot tire you, I am sure, on this subject, or I would apologise. Letter to Cassandra Austen, 6 November 1813, Jane Austen’s Letters 

Jane Austen jokes to her sister Cassandra that it is a disagreeable duty for her public to buy her books. If so, then we should all be so unhappy to bear such a burden. 

Being the attentive Austen book buyer, I felt compelled to fulfill my duty to Miss Austen and purchase a few volumes with a Barnes & Noble gift card that happened my way. I could not be happier with my recent selections. Here is a peek at my choices. 

Jane Austen’s Letters, (third edition) collected and edited by Deirdre Le Faye, Oxford University Press (1995). The Sunday Telegraph claimed that it is “Indispensable to all genuine Austen enthusiasts” and I could not agree more. It is a pleasure to have the definitive collection of Jane Austen’s letters together in one volume. The unique benefit of this updated edition is Le Faye’s intriguing annotations and insights to the events, places and inside stories of each of the letters affording the reader instant understanding to the meaning of terms and implications that might otherwise allude the modern reader. ISBN 978-0192832979 

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, edited by Harold Bloom, Chelsea House Publishers, (2007). Part of the Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretations series edited by the renowned Yale University professor Harold Bloom, this volume is comprised of an insightful introduction by the editor and eleven essays by a variety of respected Austen scholars. I must confess that the benefit of the Bloom’s series to me is that it is accessible to this “dull elf” since Bloom writes for students and not other scholars like some of the other essay collections about. I can actually understand and enjoy their analysis! La! What hooked me on purchasing this book was the first essay entitled “What are Men to Rocks and Mountains” by Stuart M. Tave, and it is as delightful as its reference. ISBN 978-0791094372 

The Darcy’s Give a Ball: A Gentle Joke Jane Austen Style, by Elizabeth Newark, Sourcebooks, Inc. (2008). This Pride and Prejudice sequel is one of a plethora of re-issued Austen-esque novels published by Sourcebooks over the past year. One must commend them for their support of Austen-esque authors who greatly lengthen our expanding reading list to the point of explosion! I have not had the chance to read this one yet, but the story looks interesting in that the next generation from P&P is of courting age, and the mating dance begins. The book is peppered with Jane Austen quotes that support the storyline, which is always a good thing. You can read a review of it on Austenblog, and stay tuned for our own reflections. ISBN 978-1402211317 

CONTEST: Win a free copy of The Darcy’s Give a Ball, by Elizabeth Newark by entering our contest. Leave a comment with this post between May 14th and May 21st, and the winner will be drawn at random on May 22nd. Good luck to one and all. Happy reading!

HOT TIP: Check out the new subject index of the Le Faye Edition of Jane Austen’s Letter at Mollands. Compiled by Del Cain, a retired librarian living in Orlando, Florida, the index is a fabulous campanion to the letters. Find a topic or quote by Jane Austen in a flash! Thanks Mr. Cain for your thorough research and generous spirit that will benefit the enjoyment and scholarship of Jane Austen.

A Memoir of Jane Austen: The Beginnings of a Pop Icon

“The Memoir of my Aunt, Jane Austen, has been received with more favour than I had ventured to expect. The notices taken of it in the periodical press, as well as letters addressed to me by many with whom I am not personally acquainted, show that an unabated interest is still taken in every particular that can be told about her.” James Edward Austen-Leigh, A Memoir of Jane Austen, Second Edition, November 17, 1870 

When Jane Austen’s nephew Rev. James Edward Austen-Leigh wrote and published a family memoir of his aunt in 1869, he unknowingly opened the door to her modern popularity, sparking public interest and critical acclaim far beyond the family expectations, planting the seed of a future pop icon. 

His publisher Richard Bentley & Son who also held  the copy write on Austen’s six major novels quickly saw the advantage of promoting an author already within their catalogue, and issued the second edition with a new preface by the author, additional content, letters, the fragment of the novel The Watson’s, the canceled chapter of Persuasion, and the novella Lady Susan in 1871. 

The quote above is from the second edition preface which Austen-Leigh wrote in response to the public and critical reaction. At this point over fifty years had passed since Jane Austen’s death and her books had continued in print without interruption, yet her family is caught unawares, still amazed by the interest in her life and work! 

A new edition of the memoirs combined with other family material entitled A Memoir of Jane Austen and Other Family Recollections was edited by Kathryn Sutherland and issued by Oxford World Classics in 2002. It expands on the original memoir and brings together several other family biographies and recollections, making it the definitive authority on her life written by her family members. 

In the face of Jane Austen’s current popularity, it appears that she was a bit of a dark horse in her families eyes. One is reminded by Austen’s character Emma Woodhouse that, “one half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”  

• Read what could quite possibly be the first modern publicity plug for Jane Austen and the Memoirs that her nephew wrote in the 1870 edition of Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, the ‘People Magazine’ of it’s day!
• You can also read the second edition of A Memoir of Jane Austen online at Project Gutenberg

*Illustrations from the second edition of A Memoir of Jane Austen, by James Edward Austen-Leigh, Richard Bentley & Son, (1871)

Austen’s Regretted Mischance to See Mrs. Siddons

“I have no chance of seeing Mrs. Siddons.  - She did act on Monday, but Henry was told by the Boxkeeper that he did not think she would, the places, & all thought of it, were given up. I should have particularly liked to see her in Constance, & could swear at her with little effort for disappointing me. Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra, 25 April 1811, London, The Letters of Jane Austen 

Jane Austen took every opportunity to enjoy the London theatre scene when she stayed in town with her brother Henry Austen. In 1811, she was looking forward to seeing the great tragedienne actress of the day, Mrs. Siddons, who was currently playing Constance in King John at Covent Garden. Imagine her excitement at the prospect of seeing the icon of British theatre who was nearing the end of her long and infamous career. When their best laid plans were spoiled by a misinformed Boxkeeper, (an attendant at the theatre who was responsible for managing the box seats), I pity poor Henry the arduous task of breaking the bad news to his sister. Their disappointment must have been doubled when they later learned that Mrs. Siddons had performed, but in another production! No wonder Jane Austen wants to swear at her! 

Sarah Siddons (1755-1831) and Jane Austen (1775-1817) share three coincidences together; 1.) They both resided in Bath and Southampton, but not at the same time; - Mrs. Siddons lived in Bath early in her career and in Southampton after her retirement in 1812. 2.) They also shared an affinity for Shakespeare; - Siddons by her portrayals of his tragic heroines such as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Desdemona in Othello, Rosalind in As You Like It, and Ophelia in Hamlet, and Austen by reading and studying of his works, and referencing them in her novels. 3.) They are both considered by critics and the public to be early icons of their genre; Mrs. Siddons as the first modern ‘star’, and Miss Austen as the first modern novelist.   

 

Siddons’ meteoric fame resulted in a demand for her portraits by the prominent painters of the day, including Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Lawrence and Joshua Reynolds. I have had the great good fortune to see Mr. Reynolds’ interpretation of her as the character Melpomene, in the portrait entitled Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic Muse (1784) many times. It resides at my favorite place in the world (so far) The Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino, California. The painting is huge, and takes up the prominent position alone on the far wall of the long gallery, a room filled with some of the most incredible Regency era paintings outside of Britain. In 1999, the painting herself became a muse, inspiring an 1999 exhibition and book published by the Getty Museum, A Passion for Performance: Sarah Siddons and Her Portraitists (Robyn Asleson, ed) 

Sarah Kemble Siddons has been considered the first ‘modern’ star; strikingly beautiful with large expressive eyes, deeply talented and a clever publicist of her accomplishments and acclaim. She was famous just being famous and people flocked to her performances, stalked her about town and invaded her home. Sound familiar Brittany? When she died in 1831, 5000 mourners attended her funeral. She is buried in Saint Mary’s Cemetery at Paddington Green (central London), and in 1897 a marble statue was commissioned portraying her in the ‘Tragic Muse’ pose and erected near the cemetery. 

Even though Jane Austen missed her opportunity to see Mrs. Siddons, if fair weather and fine roads are at hand, you can visit her as the ‘Tragic Muse’ in the newly renovated main gallery at the Huntington Library and Gardens when it reopens on the 28th of May, 2008. Janeites will be lined up for blocks to see all of the ‘improvements’ to one of the most beautiful Georgian residences this side of the pond. Oh, and if you are so inclined, you can see other Regency masterpieces such as the Blue Boy and Pinkie, and Mr. Romney’s coyish portrait of Emma Hart, (later Lady Emma Hamilton) the renown mistress of Lord Nelson, which is my avitar image! 

Trivia tidbit. For fans of the classic movie All About Eve, Sarah Siddons is a key figure in the opening scene of the movie. Writer, director and producer Joseph Mankiewicz was also inspired by the ‘Tragic Muse’ portrait. You can read more about it here.  

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict Winner!

Congratulations…

to cbrunette, who is our lucky winner of a free paperback copy of the book Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict in our give-away. She has also accepted our offer to write a review of her impressions of the Austen inspired novel. Have fun. Courtney Stone is a hoot. 

Jane Austen Campaign 08: Her wish is nature’s command…

Janeites: You have been been summoned…

As part of the Jane Austen national campaign for president tour, the cherry trees in Washington have bloomed on her command. We were honored by her highnesses recent visit to our humble neck of the woods and snapped this photo to commemorate the occasion. (see new banner above)

Check out her latest campaign ad on Youtube. We think it quite fitting!

Jane Austen ‘08 (Parody)

Oxford World Classics Reveal New Jane Austen Editions

 “Be satisfied,” said he, “I will not raise any outcry. I will keep my ill-humour to myself. I have a very sincere interest in Emma. Isabella does not seem more my sister; has never excited a greater interest; perhaps hardly so great. There is an anxiety, a curiosity in what one feels for Emma. I wonder what will become of her!”  

“So do I,” said Mrs. Weston gently; “very much.” Mr. Knightley and Mrs. Weston discussing Emma Woodhouse, Emma, Chapter 5 

The Austen book sleuth is afoot again and happy to reveal new discoveries for our gentle readers! The news is quite exciting, and like Miss Emma Woodhouse, we are always intrigued with a piece of news.   

Oxford University Press is rolling out six new Jane Austen trade paperback editions of its Oxford World Classics series in June. They will include full unabridged texts, new introductions, notes on the text, selected bibliography,  chronology, biography, two appendixes, textual notes and explanatory notes on each of the major novels; Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey with a bonus of Lady Susan, The Watson’s and Sandition included.  

Oxford World Classics launched its new re-designed classics line in April, and the improvements are quite stunning both visually and texturally. With over 750 titles of world literature to choose from, their commitment to scholars and pleasure readers is nonpareil. You can browse their catalogue here.  

Here is a description of the new edition of Emma 

‘I wonder what will become of her!’ 

So speculate the friends and neighbours of Emma Woodhouse, the lovely, lively, willful, and fallible heroine of Jane Austen’s fourth published novel. Confident that she knows best, Emma schemes to find a suitable husband for her pliant friend Harriet, only to discover that she understands the feelings of others as little as she does her own heart. As Emma puzzles and blunders her way through the mysteries of her social world, Austen evokes for her readers a cast of unforgettable characters and a detailed portrait of a small town undergoing historical transition. 

Written with matchless wit and irony, judged by many to be her finest novel, Emma has been adapted many times for film and television. This new edition shows how Austen brilliantly turns the everyday into the exceptional.  

Product Details: Edited by James Kinsley, with a new introduction and notes by Adela Pinch, the author of Strange Fits of Passion: Epistemologies of Emotion, Hume to Austen (Stanford UP, 1996) and numerous articles on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century English literature and culture. 448 pages; ISBN13: 978-0-19-953552-1, retail price $7.95 

Five of the beautiful new cover images are taken from classic paintings of Regency era women, and Northanger Abbey includes an image of Gothic architecture. You can read further about the re-design at the Oxford University Press website. Don’t miss taking the fun literary quiz, and discover which character from Oxford World Classics you are most like. I was surprised to learn that ‘today’ I am Emma Woodhouse! Who would guess?

Some Say that Gaskell is Austen embellished with Dickens…

“A comparison (of Elizabeth Gaskell) to Jane Austen for its combination of humor and moral judgment in the observation of character and conduct is often made, not unjustly, though Mrs. Gaskell’s canvas is larger than Austen’s bit of ivory.” Edgar Wright 

Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) has been said to have a “wit to challenge Jane Austen’s, a conscience of social struggle unrivalled by Dickens, and charm and values to enrapture George Eliot’s fans”. This is high praise indeed to be mentioned with such exalted literary company, and we are fortunate that several of her novels have been recently adapted into movies by the BBC; Wives and Daughter (1999), North and South (2004) and now Cranford, which will be presented on the next three Sundays (May 4th, 11th and 18th) on PBS. 

Cranford is a combination of four of Elizabeth Gaskells’ stories; Cranford, Dr. Harrison’s Confessions, My Lady Ludlow aka Round the Sofa, and The Last Generation in England;  that were written as short stories for her employer Charles Dickens’ magazine Household Words between 1851- 1853. It offers us a glimpse of Victorian life in a rural English village circa 1842, introducing us to many memorable characters that revolve around the lives of Misses Deborah (Eileen Atkins) and Matty (Judi Dench) Jenkyns; - two spinsters who live a seemingly quiet life full of “busy nothings” with their mostly female community of Cranford as they face adversity and change. 

The characters are so engaging and finely drawn that comparisons to Miss Austen are inevitable, and we see a bit of Miss Bates (Emma), Mrs. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) and Lady Bertram (Mansfield Park) in Mrs. Gaskells’s characterizations. Life in the village of Cranford has it’s similarities to Meryton (Pride and Prejudice) or Highbury (Emma), but Gaskell’s narrative is more expansive than Austen, introducing a wider social and economic sphere into her characters lives, and we feel the influence of her contemporaries such as author Charles Dickens’ deeper social commentary and moral sensibility throughout the story. 

The new adaptation of Cranford aired in the UK last fall to rave reviews, so this series is highly anticipated by many Masterpiece fans, and a fit finale to the Classic portion of the re-modeled Masterpiece Theatre which began last January with The Complete Jane Austen series. You can prime yourself for the premiere at these fine sites… 

• Biography of Mrs. Gaskell
• Cranford: Masterpiece Classic
• Cranford Episode One: Mrs. Elton Sez…
• Cranford fansite at Cranford Chronicles 

*Image of the miniature portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell, circa 1832 by William John Thomson (Scottish, born circa 1771-1845)

Pemberley Chronicles Winner

Congratulations and hello Amy P.!

You are the lucky winner of Rebecca Anne Collins’ book Pemberley Chronicles in our give-away, so please e-mail us for your prize! Cheers Laurel Ann

Top Ten Reasons to Read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, - Again!

WIN A FREE COPY OF

CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT

 

Today is the official release date for the paperback edition of one of my favorite Austen-esque novels,  Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, by Laurie Viera Rigler. Hurrah! You can read a synopsis of the book here. 

This novel received a most  ‘favourable’ response from reviewers and Janeites when it was released in hardcover last summer. Here are a few highlights… 

This is Laurie Viera Rigler’s first novel and she’s done a wonderful job. Charming characters, matchless plot-lines and a great Austen flavor make this debut a must-read. Fans of Austen will love Rigler’s style and Austen newbies will have no trouble following the story even if they aren’t familiar with all of Austen’s work. Blog Critics Magazine 

…the fans that adored Jude Devereaux’s Knight in Shining Armor or the time travel movies Somewhere in Time, Kate and Leopold, and Big will definitely have a rollicking good time. Jane Austen Today 

Ms. Rigler knows her Jane Austen and sprinkles the book with loving references….This book is a fun, light, fluffy bit of “chick lit” for any Janeite - a good read for a plane trip or a rainy weekend. The Austen Intelligencer 

I absolutely loved the creativity of this novel and admire Ms. Rigler’s bold and inventive plot and characters, which is made all the sweeter since it is just so darn funny. 

So Janeites, inspired by modern comedic brilliance, and Miss Austen’s character Emma Woodhouse who demands from each of you “one thing very clever, be it prose or verse, original or repeated — or two things moderately clever — or three things very dull indeed, and she engages to laugh heartily at them all“, I put to you my top ten reasons to read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, again, - and challenge you to add your share! 

Top Ten Reasons to Read 

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, Again…

 

10.) Your cat became a critic and coughed up a hairball on your copy of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife.

9.) Your boss caught you watching the new adaptation of Northanger Abbey on your computer at work, and has restricted your Austen addiction to lunch room reading. 

8.) Your VCR just ate episode 4 of Pride and Prejudice (1995), and your new DVD will not arrive from Barnes and Noble for three days! 

7.) Your wannabe Captain Wentworth just asked that stick insect cheerleader to the spring prom, and now your last minute blind date is your mother’s second cousins, manicurist’s minister’s, step son who is Mr. Collins’ doppelganger! 

6.) Your 13 year old little sister was just offered a modeling contract with the Wilhelmina agency in New York.   

5.) Your husband has just learned that you are being audited by the IRS because you talked him into claiming your purchases of Jane Austen books, DVD’s and conferences as a charitable contribution on your taxes.      

4.) Your debate team teacher will not let you argue the merits of Colin Firth vs. Matthew McFadyen to prove ‘who is the hottest Mr. Darcy ever’ at the state debate finals next month. 

3.) Your parents think you are crazy for refusing to go on vacation with them to Hawaii because Regency ladies never wore bikinis. 

2.) You have just learned that the movie Lost in Austen has been put on the back-burner, and now there are no pending movies of Jane Austen inspired biographies, spin-offs or adaptations in the immediate future.  

And the number one reason to read

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict again is… 

 

Your new boyfriend thinks that your ‘Darcy on a pedestal’ addiction is out of control after you ask him to bow when he meets your parents for the first time!

Be sure to visit Laurie’s web site devoted to everything addictive about Jane Austen, janeaustenaddict.com and explore the question, what would it be like to live in Jane Austen’s time, read about her latest insights for Jane Austen addicts on A Great Deal of Conversation Blog, or have your share of the conversation on the forum. 

CONTEST: Win a free paperback copy of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by stating your unique reason for needing to read the novel in the comments by 11:59 pm on Wednesday May 7th, and the winner will be drawn and announced the next day! Good luck Austen addicts.       

Austen’s Emma: Dear Miss Woodhouse, do advise me.

“I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him. If she can hesitate as to “‘Yes,’” she ought to say “‘No’” directly. It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart. I thought it my duty as a friend, and older than yourself, to say thus much to you. But do not imagine that I want to influence you.” Emma Woodhouse, Emma, Chapter 7 

Have you ever been in the position to advise a friend on a serious decision knowing full-well what the practical decision should be, - but held back your true opinion for fear of it turning around and biting you in the rear? I was faced with such a dilemma this week, and I was reminded of this passage in Emma. Did I take the high road you ask, or the Woodhouse way? 

Jane Austen’s heroine Emma Woodhouse knows the power of a friendly omission, actually taking it one step further adding clever manipulation to achieve her goal. She advises her friend Harriet Smith by not advising her at all; - asking well placed questions that prompt Harriet’s insecurity, and skillfully guides her toward the decision that Emma wants her to make. Scary stuff! 

This scene was one of the earliest examples in the novel of how full of herself Miss Woodhouse can be. I have often wondered how a young woman raised without a mother and in a secluded environment learned how to be so conniving beyond her years. The way she moves the conversation away from her having to give Harriet a direct answer to Harriet coming to the conclusion that she should decline Robert Martins proposal is disturbing. 

Some people might admire her strength of conviction and say her cunning was ingenious, but it just throws up a big red flag for me. How can we like a heroine who is so controlling? What will she do next to poor naïve Harriet and the rest of the Highbury community? Was Jane Austen correct in warning her family that she had created a heroine “whom no-one but myself will much like.”? 

Anyone who has read the novel or seen one of the movies knows the answer, but did you also remember the lesson that Jane Austen gave us about advice and when it turns to avarice? I did, and it may have saved me from a very uncomfortable situation. 

*Illustrations by Philip Gough, Emma, McDonald & Co, London, 1948

Miss Austen Regrets Review: No Regrets Here

 

In anticipation of Miss Austen Regrets airing in the UK on Sunday, April 27th, I have resurrected my review that was posted on the PBS blog, Remotely Connected for the US premiere in February. The movie is a treat, and it was a pleasure to write about it.  I hope that the UK viewers enjoy it as much as we did in the US.

Miss Austen Regrets Review

 

It takes spirit and resolve to write a biopic on the life of Jane Austen. In the face of her incredible talent and renown, it takes pure pluck to write a review of a movie about it. 

Miss Austen Regrets is a new film that bravely portrays the latter years of famous literary figure Jane Austen. Born the daughter of an English Anglican minister in 1775, she died in 1817 at age forty-one, unmarried, unexalted, and poor; her clever mind and acerbic wit left us with six completed novels acclaimed by many to be literary perfection. Now, after worshiping her for centuries, we are offered the simple reality of her life, foibles and all. For the converted, this could be as hard to watch as her character Charlotte Lucas marrying Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. 

I hope that Jane Austen’s most beloved character, Lizzy Bennet, can send some strength and quick wit my way in support. She would know exactly what to say, and keep us all laughing in the bargain. But I must not confuse characters in a novel with real life, and that is the point that Jane Austen expresses early in the film to her niece Fanny Austen Knight. “My darling girl. The only way to get a Mr. Darcy is to make him up.” 

Well, that just popped a big balloon for many of us! Mr. Darcy only a figment of Jane Austen’s imagination? Half of the world just collectively gasped in disbelief. No! 

Facing the reality of Austen’s life on screen can be a bit uncomfortable to many Janeites after last summer’s controversial biopic Becoming Jane. Shudder. Advance publicity on Miss Austen Regrets made no wild statements of her supposed love life. That was a relief. It only alluded to her “lost loves,” which may be taken either way. Regardless, I confess to still being a bit nervous. 

Traditional views on Jane Austen’s love life vary, and little evidence still exists today to support much of a story. What we do know survives from her personal letters and family recollections of a quiet 18th century life, shrouded in privacy and decorum. With the exception of the one known proposal by Harris Bigg-Wither, no other known romances or love affairs were documented beyond the healthy flirtations at which she excelled.  

We may never know the complete truth. Sadly, much of Jane Austen’s personal correspondence, that could have supplied more intimate details, was destroyed after her death by her sister Cassandra. The possibility of more evidence may exist. From what we do know, the compelling question surrounding Jane Austen’s life is how an individual with little personal experience of romance and love could write with such insight and perception about the nature of the human heart? Who indeed? 

This mystery has never been answered to my satisfaction. Was the screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes also inspired by this enigma? She certainly presents a convincing explanation that happily succeeds on many levels through thorough research, respect, and honesty. No screen biographer has ever been challenged with a more scrutinized and speculated upon life. I fear that no other screen biography may have to bear more criticism of a writer’s interpretation of such a sensitive subject.

The story opens with Miss Austen’s favorite theme, marriage. However this is not a scene in one of her novels, but the reality of her own life. In 1802 she (Olivia Williams) hastily accepts the marriage proposal of wealthy Harris Bigg-Wither (Samuel Roukin), and after an uneasy night of reflection with her sister Cassandra (Greta Scacchi), breaks the engagement and quickly departs for home. If she had married Mr. Bigg-Wither it would have meant financial security for her and her family. But Jane stands on her principle of only marrying for love, even though the consequences of her actions are not welcomed by her parents or by society. Her departing statement to herself, “Dear God let me never regret this day,” will echo throughout the film. 

Thirteen years later, maiden Aunt Jane is advising her niece Fanny Austen Knight (Imogen Poots), daughter of her elder brother Edward Austen Knight, on courtship and marriage. Fanny has a possible suitor in mind, a young and pious John Plumtre (Tom Hiddleston), and wants her aunt’s advice. Here we are presented with the resounding question. Like Jane Austen’s famous heroines, should one only marry for love? Jane thinks so and warns, “Fanny, do anything but marry without affection.” 

Addressing Fanny’s questions regarding love presents Jane with the reality of her own unmarried status. She is now forty, not a young girl, but not quite out of the marriage market. We see her at the family evening meeting a flattering admirer Mr. Washington, and the young girl still alive in Jane Austen kicks in, as she thoroughly enjoys the evening, dancing, drinking and flirting. 

Soon after, my favorite scene in the movie places Fanny and Jane outside of the manor house frolicking around the gardens and peering in a window at the gentlemen playing cards. Their conversation humorously analyses the marriageability of each of the men according to their assets or physical charms. When they are discovered by Fanny’s uncle, a former flirtation of Jane’s, Rev. Brook Bridges (Hugh Bonneville), Fanny explains that her aunt was offering her moral guidance. “In the shrubbery?” asks Rev. Bridges. Jane replies, “As good a place as any for leading a young lady astray”!  

At this point in the movie the narrative and framework have been established by the screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes and director Jeremy Lovering. The loves or flirtations of Jane Austen’s life - Mr. Lefroy, Mr. Bigg-Wither, Rev. Papillon, Rev. Bridges, and Dr. Haden - all come and go adding insight, amusement and a whiff of romance, but hardly developing into love affairs. The reasons for unattached status are multilayered but in her usual casual fashion Jane makes a joke of it to her niece. “Fanny, you have at last uncovered the true reason why I never chose a husband. I never found one worth giving up flirting for.”                    

 

Actress Olivia Williams shines in this difficult role. She makes Austen approachable, lively, sharp as tack and as funny as one of her finest heroines; not that dour spinster envisioned in 19th century portraits. Hurrah! Imogen Poots shows great promise as young Fanny Austen Knight, relaying her energy and edginess deftly.  Greta Scacchi as Cassandra Austen looks far older than the two years that spanned Jane and Cassandra’s ages. Her part is small, and her talent not applied to much beyond allowing us to really dislike her for burning her sister’s letters. 

The two standout performances of Miss Austen’s suitors were Hugh Bonneville as Rev. Bridges, who is the most interesting of Jane’s lost loves and played with sensitivity and reserved pathos, and Jack Huston as the charming and smooth Dr. Charles Haden who lights up the screen and Jane’s interest. Phyllida Law as Mrs. Austen plays the disapproving mother so sourly that one is relieved not to live in her household.  

I admire how the story succeeds in interweaving moments that parallel scenes or lines from Jane Austen’s novels, or is it scenes or lines from her life that make it into her novels? Art imitating life and it is believable. We see Jane represented honestly and with integrity as a strong woman who made a decision to write instead of marrying without love. Her choices would be against the norms of society, disappointing her family and adding pressure and financial stress in her life. How could anyone not regret the outcome of such adversity? We feel her pain and understand her proclivity to enjoy a bit too much wine. In the end, she is resolved that she has lived the life that God chose for her. When she dies tragically at age forty-one, we feel the incredible loss of a dear daughter, sister, aunt and friend, whose ultimate writing potential will never be known. 

*Screencaps by Sarah at Three Nails in her gallery Awoke the Dawn