Showing posts with label Jane Austen Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jane Austen Week. Show all posts
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Note
My Jane Austen Week Questions Part 2 have been published, but for some reason they're having trouble showing up on dashboards? So you can find them in the archives, or click here. :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Jane Austen Advice Column
As part of Jane Austen Week over at Elegance of Fashion, I'm participating in the Jane Austen Advice Column game. :) You can read about it here.
Dear Jane Austen Advice Column:
I have a problem. Here in my town, living very near me, is a beautiful young woman with three sisters. Her name is Meg, and I have quite fallen in love with her. I wish to marry her and she wishes to marry me. My question for you is, should I get married? Or is it much better to be single? Also, how am I to make enough money to deserve her?
Anxiously awaiting your reply,
Mr. John Brooke (Little Women)
Response 1:
My dear John:
It is by far best to be married. What your reasons for marrying are, I cannot know. However, I had three primary reasons before I married my dear Charlotte. They were as follows.
My gracious patroness, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, told me that all clergymen ought to be married. This was my most important reason. Because my situation in life is dependent on her extreme kindness, I naturally took her words to heart. She told me, "Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. -- Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her." Charlotte, my darling wife, was perfect.
My second reason for marrying was that obviously, every clergyman in good circumstances should marry. We must help those young women who are less fortunate than ourselves. It is also setting an excellent example for those who look up to us.
Finally, I married Charlotte because I knew it would add greatly to my own happiness.
John, because of my noble patroness, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, this was made possible. If you have no patroness and are still in need to an income, I should mention that Lady Catherine is in need of a gardener and a butler, and would be glad to help you in this hard time. I have told her of your distress, and she kindly offered to help you. Perhaps it would be best to marry your woman after benefitting from Lady Catherine's kindness.
With all hope of a closer acquaintance,
Mr. Collins (Pride and Prejudice)
Response 2:
Mr. John Brooke,
Land, what a name! Brooke...not nearly as nice as Wickham, or Denny. But about your questions. I should say if you wish to marry Miss Meg, do so by all means! I wish you as much happiness as I've had thus far with my darling Wickham. And as to the question of money, why, I always try not to think about it. I suggest that you elope as soon as possible! It is cheap, and provides a thrill. I believe that you can marry easily at Gretna Green in Scotland, though I did not go there myself. Marriage is a most happy position and is greatly to be desired. Only do be sure that you marry someone pretty enough, and quite exciting enough for you. Meg Brooke...land, what a name! I'm sure I don't know what she's thinking if she marries you...but then, I'm sure the very idea of eloping will fill her with as much excitement as it filled me! Pray, do it soon. You may come and visit my dear Wickham and me. We are currently staying with my sister, Jane Bingley, and her husband Charles. They have such a large house, I'm sure there is more than enough room for a whole regiment of soldiers, not to mention just you! Do come by any time. You will be most welcome.
So glad to help,
~Mrs. Lydia Wickham (Pride and Prejudice)
Dear Jane Austen Advice Column:
I have a problem. Here in my town, living very near me, is a beautiful young woman with three sisters. Her name is Meg, and I have quite fallen in love with her. I wish to marry her and she wishes to marry me. My question for you is, should I get married? Or is it much better to be single? Also, how am I to make enough money to deserve her?
Anxiously awaiting your reply,
Mr. John Brooke (Little Women)
Response 1:
My dear John:
It is by far best to be married. What your reasons for marrying are, I cannot know. However, I had three primary reasons before I married my dear Charlotte. They were as follows.
My gracious patroness, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, told me that all clergymen ought to be married. This was my most important reason. Because my situation in life is dependent on her extreme kindness, I naturally took her words to heart. She told me, "Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. -- Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her." Charlotte, my darling wife, was perfect.
My second reason for marrying was that obviously, every clergyman in good circumstances should marry. We must help those young women who are less fortunate than ourselves. It is also setting an excellent example for those who look up to us.
Finally, I married Charlotte because I knew it would add greatly to my own happiness.
John, because of my noble patroness, Lady Catherine DeBourgh, this was made possible. If you have no patroness and are still in need to an income, I should mention that Lady Catherine is in need of a gardener and a butler, and would be glad to help you in this hard time. I have told her of your distress, and she kindly offered to help you. Perhaps it would be best to marry your woman after benefitting from Lady Catherine's kindness.
With all hope of a closer acquaintance,
Mr. Collins (Pride and Prejudice)
Response 2:
Mr. John Brooke,
Land, what a name! Brooke...not nearly as nice as Wickham, or Denny. But about your questions. I should say if you wish to marry Miss Meg, do so by all means! I wish you as much happiness as I've had thus far with my darling Wickham. And as to the question of money, why, I always try not to think about it. I suggest that you elope as soon as possible! It is cheap, and provides a thrill. I believe that you can marry easily at Gretna Green in Scotland, though I did not go there myself. Marriage is a most happy position and is greatly to be desired. Only do be sure that you marry someone pretty enough, and quite exciting enough for you. Meg Brooke...land, what a name! I'm sure I don't know what she's thinking if she marries you...but then, I'm sure the very idea of eloping will fill her with as much excitement as it filled me! Pray, do it soon. You may come and visit my dear Wickham and me. We are currently staying with my sister, Jane Bingley, and her husband Charles. They have such a large house, I'm sure there is more than enough room for a whole regiment of soldiers, not to mention just you! Do come by any time. You will be most welcome.
So glad to help,
~Mrs. Lydia Wickham (Pride and Prejudice)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Jane Austen Week Questions! Post 2!
In the end, I couldn't get them all in one post without it being really long. So here's another one!
Remember, click on the button to go to Elegance of Fashion! And click here to see the all questions.
7. Top three Jane Austen characters that "take delight in vexing" you? Oh my. There's more than three. To be exact, I thought of five off the top of my head. I think I'll do three, plus two honorable mentions. Now mind you, these are the ones who bug me, not necessarily who are the worst. First off:
Caroline Bingley from Pride and Prejudice. Her snide comments...wow. Remember the part where she's tearing Elizabeth down to Mr. Darcy after Elizabeth's walk to Netherfield to see Jane? How could even she think that THAT would make Mr. Darcy like Caroline herself? She's unkind to Jane too. I can't stand her.
Evil sisters annoy me. Obviously. The above is Fanny Dashwood, from Sense and Sensibility. She is excessively unkind to Mrs. Dashwood, but more so to her sisters in law: Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret. In the 1995 movie version, she even carries around an awful dog! I'm not saying all her sisters in law (especially Marianne) were very nice to her, but she was simply terrible.
Finally, a man! Frank Churchill, from Emma, is simply awful. If I were Jane Fairfax, I would not have married him, especially after the way he behaved with Emma. I understand that he was trying to keep their engagement quiet, but he overdid it. Can you imagine how hurt she must have been? Ugh.
Honorable mentions:
Willoughby from Sense and Sensibility. He cared too much about money and really quite used Marianne.
And Edward Ferrars, also from Sense and Sensibility. He needed a bit more backbone. Though it was good he didn't back out on his promise to Lucy Steel!
8. Jane Austen sequels...do you like them or not? There are very few I like. I really haven't actually read many. But the ones I've enjoyed were not actually sequels! Let's say the only Jane Austen companions I've liked were the diaries by Amanda Grange. You can find reviews by clicking her name under "Authors" on my sidebar.
9. Do you have a favorite spot to keep all your Jane Austen "stuff?" Not really. I keep all my books by Jane Austen together, except Emma, which is in my bed since I'm reading it out loud.
10. Which Jane Austen character do you think you're most like? Elinor Dashwood Ferrars.
She's an oldest child, and a leader. She's strong for her family. I'm not like in her every way, but Elinor is said to have a strength of understanding and a coolness of judgement. Whether I have that...don't know. She's level-headed. She keeps her deepest feelings hidden (as do I), but she definitely has deep feelings. And besides, I turn out to be Elinor on most quizzes. :)
Remember, click on the button to go to Elegance of Fashion! And click here to see the all questions.
7. Top three Jane Austen characters that "take delight in vexing" you? Oh my. There's more than three. To be exact, I thought of five off the top of my head. I think I'll do three, plus two honorable mentions. Now mind you, these are the ones who bug me, not necessarily who are the worst. First off:
Caroline Bingley from Pride and Prejudice. Her snide comments...wow. Remember the part where she's tearing Elizabeth down to Mr. Darcy after Elizabeth's walk to Netherfield to see Jane? How could even she think that THAT would make Mr. Darcy like Caroline herself? She's unkind to Jane too. I can't stand her.
Evil sisters annoy me. Obviously. The above is Fanny Dashwood, from Sense and Sensibility. She is excessively unkind to Mrs. Dashwood, but more so to her sisters in law: Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret. In the 1995 movie version, she even carries around an awful dog! I'm not saying all her sisters in law (especially Marianne) were very nice to her, but she was simply terrible.
Finally, a man! Frank Churchill, from Emma, is simply awful. If I were Jane Fairfax, I would not have married him, especially after the way he behaved with Emma. I understand that he was trying to keep their engagement quiet, but he overdid it. Can you imagine how hurt she must have been? Ugh.
Honorable mentions:
Willoughby from Sense and Sensibility. He cared too much about money and really quite used Marianne.
And Edward Ferrars, also from Sense and Sensibility. He needed a bit more backbone. Though it was good he didn't back out on his promise to Lucy Steel!
8. Jane Austen sequels...do you like them or not? There are very few I like. I really haven't actually read many. But the ones I've enjoyed were not actually sequels! Let's say the only Jane Austen companions I've liked were the diaries by Amanda Grange. You can find reviews by clicking her name under "Authors" on my sidebar.
9. Do you have a favorite spot to keep all your Jane Austen "stuff?" Not really. I keep all my books by Jane Austen together, except Emma, which is in my bed since I'm reading it out loud.
10. Which Jane Austen character do you think you're most like? Elinor Dashwood Ferrars.
She's an oldest child, and a leader. She's strong for her family. I'm not like in her every way, but Elinor is said to have a strength of understanding and a coolness of judgement. Whether I have that...don't know. She's level-headed. She keeps her deepest feelings hidden (as do I), but she definitely has deep feelings. And besides, I turn out to be Elinor on most quizzes. :)
11. What was your introduction to Jane Austen? Well, a few years back my mom watched the 1995 Pride and Prejudice and loved it. She started by showing us the dance scenes
...and just kept going. We had finally seen almost all of it, except a few scenes here and there. In the end, we watched the entire movie on a trip. Shortly thereafter, I read Pride and Prejudice aloud to myself. After that, we watched various other adaptions of Jane Austen's stories. Now, I've read all the full-length books, plus one of the un-finished stories, and seen film adaptions of all except Northanger Abbey. I love Jane Austen.
Thank so much, Miss Elizabeth, for hosting this awesome week of Jane Austen!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Jane Austen Week Questions! Post 1!
This week I am participating in the awesome Jane Austen Week that my friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, is hosting on her wonderful blog, Elegance of Fashion. I already told you all about this week. It's August 7-13. I'm sure you want to participate!
So, here we go on the questions that she posted for us all to answer!
1. What is your favorite thing about Jane Austen? Why? Oh my. These are going to be hard. :) Well, I love her humor, her writing style, and her characters. Her humor is actually laugh out loud sometimes! This kind of ties in with her charcters. Elizabeth Bennet and Emma Woodhouse are both witty girls and often come out with wonderful lines! For example:
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. ~Emma Woodhouse
But not only the female characters are humorous! Mr. Collins, from Pride and Prejudice, is a hilarious character!
Her writing style. Another thing that's just so fun! I love the words she uses and the way she expresses what her characters are thinking or doing. Take, for example, this quote from Emma.
2. What are your top three Jane Austen novels and why? Oh. My. It's easy to come up with the first two. Definitely Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Then probably, Sense and Sensibility is next. But I like the first two much better.
Pride and Prejudice is such a classic. Who hasn't heard of Mr. Darcy? Yet, it's still a timeless story that totally deserves classic status. Every time I re-read it, or watch the 1995 adaption, I fall in love with the story again.
Emma is different. While I don't love that she marries a man who's, what, 16 years older than her? I don't mind it either. It's not a classic romance, the kind you come across in every romance novel, but it's witty. Emma is also a different Jane Austen heroine. She's rich, spoiled, and not uncommonly smart. But you love her anyway!
Sense and Sensibility is fun too. Elinor and Edward's romance is very sweet. Again, I usually feel that Colonel Brandon and Marianne's romance is a little weird, but I still enjoy it. Honestly, isn't he about old enough to be her dad? But it is an exciting story.
3. Who are your top three favorite Jane Austen heroines and why? Okay. Emma Woodhouse. Elizabeth Bennet. And Elinor Dashwood. And an honorable mention, but later. :)
I love Emma because she's different. Her personality is the kind that I can't help but enjoy reading about. She has her faults, certainly, but overall she does her best to be good.
I love Elizabeth Bennet because she's Elizabeth. As Pride and Prejudice tells what she's feeling when, for example, Lydia elopes, I'm feeling it right along with her. Her personality is so sweet. And so is her romance.
I don't love Elinor so much, but I think I may be the most like her. She's someone who takes charge of her family during a hard time, and pulls them through it. She has a strong personality, yet she's sensitive and loving. She's someone you could lean on. And she's a little bossy.
4. Who are your top three favorite Jane Austen heroes and why? Mr. Darcy. Mr. Knightley. Edmund Bertram.
Mr. Darcy. I think I would clash with him. But when paired with Elizabeth, he works. I love that he changes from stuck-up to loving. Though I think being proud is probably a life problem for him, I believe he works to change it. And besides, Colin Firth as Darcy was SO handsome. :)
Mr. Knightley has a very sweet personality. Emma says that he's the only person who ever saw faults in Emma herself, and the ONLY one who ever pointed them out. While I don't like that he's so much older than her, their romance is still a timeless one. I think, personally, I would get along, both in general and if I was married to him, with Knightley than with Darcy. He's smart, but doesn't force it.
Finally, Edmund Bertram. It was hard to think of a third one. :P I'm not real fond of any of the others. He's out of Mansfield Park. And I couldn't find a picture I liked. That wasn't Jonny Lee Miller. Anyway, I like him because he was kind to Fanny when she was young. In general, I'd say he tried to be a good guy.
5. Any honorable mentions for 3 and 4? Anne Elliot.
While she isn't a top favorite of mine, she was a sensible woman as she grew older. I know, you laugh, but I admire sensible women.
6. Top three Jane Austen adaptions and why? Okay. They are Pride and Prejudice (1995), Emma (2009), and Sense and Sensibility (1995).
And now, because this post has gotten unbelievably long, I'm going to save the remaining questions for another post, another day. :) Check back for them later this week!
So, here we go on the questions that she posted for us all to answer!
1. What is your favorite thing about Jane Austen? Why? Oh my. These are going to be hard. :) Well, I love her humor, her writing style, and her characters. Her humor is actually laugh out loud sometimes! This kind of ties in with her charcters. Elizabeth Bennet and Emma Woodhouse are both witty girls and often come out with wonderful lines! For example:
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. ~Emma Woodhouse
But not only the female characters are humorous! Mr. Collins, from Pride and Prejudice, is a hilarious character!
Her writing style. Another thing that's just so fun! I love the words she uses and the way she expresses what her characters are thinking or doing. Take, for example, this quote from Emma.
The other circumstance of regret related also to Jane Fairfax; and there [Emma] had no doubt. She did unfeignedly and unequivocally regret the inferiority of her own playing and singing. She did most heartily grieve over the idleness of her childhood -- and sat down and practiced vigorously an hour and a half. She was then interrupted by Harriet's coming in; and if Harriet's praise could have satisfied her, she might soon have been comforted. ~Emma
It's just delightful. :)
Finally, the characters. From Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley to Anne, Elizabeth, Emma, Elinor...all of Jane Austen's characters are different and unique. Each one is fun to read about.
2. What are your top three Jane Austen novels and why? Oh. My. It's easy to come up with the first two. Definitely Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Then probably, Sense and Sensibility is next. But I like the first two much better.
Pride and Prejudice is such a classic. Who hasn't heard of Mr. Darcy? Yet, it's still a timeless story that totally deserves classic status. Every time I re-read it, or watch the 1995 adaption, I fall in love with the story again.
Emma is different. While I don't love that she marries a man who's, what, 16 years older than her? I don't mind it either. It's not a classic romance, the kind you come across in every romance novel, but it's witty. Emma is also a different Jane Austen heroine. She's rich, spoiled, and not uncommonly smart. But you love her anyway!
Sense and Sensibility is fun too. Elinor and Edward's romance is very sweet. Again, I usually feel that Colonel Brandon and Marianne's romance is a little weird, but I still enjoy it. Honestly, isn't he about old enough to be her dad? But it is an exciting story.
3. Who are your top three favorite Jane Austen heroines and why? Okay. Emma Woodhouse. Elizabeth Bennet. And Elinor Dashwood. And an honorable mention, but later. :)
I love Emma because she's different. Her personality is the kind that I can't help but enjoy reading about. She has her faults, certainly, but overall she does her best to be good.
I love Elizabeth Bennet because she's Elizabeth. As Pride and Prejudice tells what she's feeling when, for example, Lydia elopes, I'm feeling it right along with her. Her personality is so sweet. And so is her romance.
I don't love Elinor so much, but I think I may be the most like her. She's someone who takes charge of her family during a hard time, and pulls them through it. She has a strong personality, yet she's sensitive and loving. She's someone you could lean on. And she's a little bossy.
4. Who are your top three favorite Jane Austen heroes and why? Mr. Darcy. Mr. Knightley. Edmund Bertram.
Mr. Darcy. I think I would clash with him. But when paired with Elizabeth, he works. I love that he changes from stuck-up to loving. Though I think being proud is probably a life problem for him, I believe he works to change it. And besides, Colin Firth as Darcy was SO handsome. :)
Mr. Knightley has a very sweet personality. Emma says that he's the only person who ever saw faults in Emma herself, and the ONLY one who ever pointed them out. While I don't like that he's so much older than her, their romance is still a timeless one. I think, personally, I would get along, both in general and if I was married to him, with Knightley than with Darcy. He's smart, but doesn't force it.
Finally, Edmund Bertram. It was hard to think of a third one. :P I'm not real fond of any of the others. He's out of Mansfield Park. And I couldn't find a picture I liked. That wasn't Jonny Lee Miller. Anyway, I like him because he was kind to Fanny when she was young. In general, I'd say he tried to be a good guy.
5. Any honorable mentions for 3 and 4? Anne Elliot.
6. Top three Jane Austen adaptions and why? Okay. They are Pride and Prejudice (1995), Emma (2009), and Sense and Sensibility (1995).
This was the first Jane Austen adaption and it remains one of my all-time favorite movies. :) Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy is perfect. He's definitely the model Mr. Darcy. Jennifer Ehle is a wonderful Elizabeth. Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine, Mr. Bingley, also all stood out to me. It's true, the dresses in this one are fairly low, unlike the 2005 P&P. However, I think this one might be more historically accurate? I'm not saying immodesty is good by any means, though. I do like the costumes and sets better in here. And the Mr. Darcy is WAY better. I am sure that the Bennet's were not the type of family to have farm animals in the house. And I'm equally sure that Mr. Darcy didn't propose in, well, a state of undress.
When I first watched Emma, the 2009 version, last October, I knew right away that I had found a new favorite film. It's about four hours long, and follows the original book quite closely. Romola Garai was just like what I had always pictured Emma herself to be. Michael Gambon was the absolute exact father that Emma is described as having in the book. And Jonny Lee Miller was an excellent, calm, peaceful Mr. Knightley. I don't know...does he look that much older than her? I love the outfits, the sets, the actors. It's the best adaption of Emma that I've seen.
This one certainly isn't as much a favorite of mine as the first two are. But it's an excellent adaption of Sense and Sensibility. Emma Thompson, who acts as Elinor, actually wrote the screenplay! Overall, it's fairly good about following the book. I haven't yet seen the 2008 S&S, but I've heard that it's mostly good...
Extra honorable mention: Okay, I wasn't supposed to do this. :) But I need to add that the 1995 Persuasion wasn't bad either. :)
And now, because this post has gotten unbelievably long, I'm going to save the remaining questions for another post, another day. :) Check back for them later this week!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Check Out Jane Austen Week!
My wonderful blogging friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, is hosting a Jane Austen week from August 7-13! I know you'll want to participate. Each day, she'll do a special post concerning Jane Austen, plus she'll have questions for other bloggers (like you and me) to fill out! I know you'll want to participate. Go and check out Miss Elizabeth's post about it by clicking here or on the button at the top of this page! Or the one below. I had to include it somewhere...it was so hard to decide between putting up an Emma button or a P&P one!
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