Jane Austen discussion

I just read Northanger Abbey, which I used to think my least favorite Austen book, for the second time, and I got so much more out of it. Re-reading Austen is essential, and I've read the others 2 or 3 times. Her books reveal more with every read.

NA in particular is multi-layered. The version I have is the Barnes & Noble Collector's Library, and in it there's an Afterword that talks about the meaning of NA as well as its history. Austen was satirizing the most popular genre fiction of her day ('Udolpho', Gothic horror) and making a distinction between that and literary fiction. If you recall, the heroine, Catherine Morland, is a fanatical reader who was reading 'Udolpho's Mysteries', and she concocts a crazy story about her host at NA. She was also completely naive, being only 18, and deceived by Isabella Thorpe. The Afterword (no writer's byline to it) says:

"The implication is that friends, like books, are to be both enjoyed and understood for what they are. A keen but uncritical mind is a more dangerous thing than no mind at all, perhaps."

After this reread of NA, I have to say Austen is just brilliant!
(And I hope it's okay that I posted a similar comment in the NA topic.

I completely agree. Austen must be re read to be fully appreciated! I loved NA when I read it for the first time - I think it helped that I could relate to Catherine! I just found it so brilliant how she made fun of the then popular gothic novels, she is so clever!

Hey, I'm from Germany.
so I read Jane Austen in both: english and German. It is totally amazing how it change by some parts. But I Agree: rereading can change the mind after a first impression.

Janine, that is awesome to hear! Just yesterday I was thinking about Reading P&P in Spanish, I think I'll definitely add it to my list!

I get so much out of P&P every time I read it!

I think Austen's books and the characters are a wonderful companion for one's life journey. What is interesting is how my views have changed with age. For example, when I was young I found Mrs. Bennet so embarrassing; I felt Lizzie's mortification and so on. But as I continue to grow up (and I'm pretty far along the number line now) I can see how Mrs. Bennet - and other annoying characters - had a point. For example, Mrs. Bennet, near the end of P&P, manipulates the situation to make sure that Mr. Bingley and Jane have some time alone. Lizzie and Jane may be embarrassed by this - but the time alone is needed so that Mr. Bingley can propose. Which he does.

Victoria, I've changed my views of Mrs Bennett and Mr. Collins.

Mrs. Bennett was doing exactly what a mother of her class (by marriage) should have been doing--trying to find husbands for her daughters. JA *choose* to paint her as an object to cause mortification and inspire ridicule. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what objective was--to marry off her daughters to eligible men.

JA did the same to Mr. Collins. This man was very sensitive to the fact that he would be inheriting a property that should stayed in the family, if only there had been a son. Out of an unbelievably generous impulse, he made up his mind to marry one of the probably dowerless Bennett girls. He was under no obligation to concern himself with what would happen to Mrs Bennett or the daughters when Mr Bennett dies. JA chose to obscure his generosity by making him very, very ridiculous.

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: "I get so much out of P&P every time I read it!"

I find it ironic that people change their first impression of a book that is about the danger of first impressions. Maybe JA planned it that way?

In a similar vein, my view of Mr. Bennet keeps changing. My “first impression” was always that he was spot-on about all the other members of the family, and justifiably put-upon about all the interruptions of his intellectual pursuits. Over time, I’ve become much more aware of his abdication of responsibility, in a world in which women are totally vulnerable without a male protector.

More about MR. Collins.

I just finished a BR of S/S in September where Edward (a truly awful hero) who wants to be a clergyman, is offered a living by Col. Brandon worth £200 per year. The Colonel understands that this is very small, and not at all suitable to use as an inciome in support of a wife and family.

Now outside of JAs book, the clergyman Rev. Fairbrother in Middlemarch has a living worth £40 per year. With this small sum, his widowed mother, her sister and his sister make their home with him-supported by him. He is very popular in the neighborhood and is frequently invited to dinner parties and gatherings with men where he gambled at whist-he's very good at it. He supplements his is income via winning at cards!

I suspect that though JA makes MR Collins look very ridiculous whenever Lady Catherine de Burgh is mentioned, and she is an overbearing, controlling woman, that he has a good and generous living from her lady ship. I think he is better off with his living than Edward Farrars and poor Rev. Fairbrother are with theirs.

Mr. Collins is greatful and knows that he is very fortunate in his living.

Edit. The author of

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "More about MR. Collins.

I just finished a BR of S/S in September where Edward (a truly awful hero) who wants to be a clergyman, is offered a living by Col. Brandon worth £200 per year. The Colonel..."

But he is soooooo boring. Would you want to be stuck with an intellectually stimulating poor person or someone who you didn't enjoy spending time with, who lives far away from you family, but has a moderate income?

Who is boring? Edward? I thought him very boring.

If we're talking about Edward Ferrars, he is boring in the book. But a lot of characters are really boring in S&S. I like the heart of that story, but struggle with the writing style and semi-flat characters.

Edward has potential as a character, but he'll never be the "ride the white horse, save the fair maiden" type of hero. I liked how they developed his character in the movie (the one with Emma Thompson playing Elinor). In that adaption, Edward is considerate and kind which is "nice and esteem-able." He's still quiet, but his actions and looks tell a lot. Maybe that's what Jane Austen forgot to tell us about him? There are so many little details she leaves out...

Andrea, I typed out details on income levels from an excellent placard at the Jane Austen Centre in Bath. It's here (http://sophie-turner-acl.blogspot.com...) if you want to take a look, but to sum up, 40 pounds a year is well below what would be considered gentry status.

I think perhaps Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins don't serve quite the degree of dislike they've got from most readers, but I can't agree that Mrs. Bennet was just doing exactly what a mother of her class should have been doing.

She was, perhaps, attempting to do it, but the whole of her attempting to marry off her daughters was in scheming to get them introduced to or to have time alone with single young men, and in caring about their dress. At the risk of going all Lady Catherine on this, if she had really been serious about marrying them off, she would have been more serious about their manners and accomplishments, and even simply in ensuring they could keep a house. And she would have not had all of them out in society at the same time -- she would have focused her efforts and expenditures on the eldest until they were married.

I guess it would be argued that she did the best a silly woman of little intelligence could do. But personally I think all of the girls would have been married much sooner if both Bennet parents had put in more effort.

Mrs. Bennett I didn't mean to say that Mrs Bennett want about it the right way, but her intent was correct, I think.

And yes, I still think she is silly. But JA made light of a serious situation. As we who live JAs work know, marriage was the best option for women.

Woe betide a woman who didn't marry and didn't have any money to support herself or a relative who would take her in!

Thanks for that link about incomes! Very enlightening!

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Who is boring? Edward? I thought him very boring."

Mr. Collins is boring. And creepy in his obsession with someone who's entire life is telling people what to do and butting in on their life.

On the odd occasion I feel sorry for Mr Collins...he obviously lacks a filter that stops him from saying the most ridiculous things and is stuck with his benefactor Lady Catherine.

I think Mr. Collin's is "obsessed" with lady Catherine bec her living that she gave Mr. Collins is a good one.

I think Mr. Collin's is "obsessed" with lady Catherine bec her living that she gave Mr. Collins is a good one.

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Victoria, I've changed my views of Mrs Bennett and Mr. Collins.

Mrs. Bennett was doing exactly what a mother of her class (by marriage) should have been doing--trying to find husbands for her daug..."

You would enjoy my blog, "In Defense of Mr. Collins," https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

I wrote it without seeing your post, so great minds think alike!