Austen in August

I've read at least one Austen book every year since 2002. I worked my way through her six novels, then I reread them, then I read all of her juvenilia. I just love her work. I just realized that I didn't read ANY Austen last year! I'm horrified. In my defense, I did have a baby and not get a lot of sleep, so all of my reading suffered last year. 

Anyway, I'm back and obviously miss Jane. Roof Beam Reader is once again hosting the annual Austen in August reading event and I'm thrilled to have an excuse to just back into her work.  I'm planning on rereading my very first Austen, Pride & Prejudice, this month. If you want to join in the fun you can see the details here. 

Lots of previous Austen in August posts here.

Love and Freindship

Love and Freindship

by Jane Austen

★★★★

At this point I’ve read and reread all of Austen’s novels. Each time I dive into her work I discover new things to reflect upon. This was my first foray into her juvenilia and I was surprised to find her sharp wit and sense of humor were already developed. She clearly improved her character and plot development with age, but these early works still have her tone.

I’d already read Lady Susan, which is included her, but the rest was new to me. I have to say the Penguin Clothbound Classics edition was excellent. The introduction includes information about the pieces in the book and Austen’s life, which provides context and depth.

"A remarkable feature of the juvenilia is its ability to subvert limitations imposed on young women, especially in the field of education."

Each of the tales focuses more on a single plot point than on character development. There's the girl who accidentally gotten engaged to two different men, and then commits suicide because she felt so bad. Another flirts at a ball and is scandalized. There are also quite a few glimpses of her later novels. In "From a Young Lady crossed in Love to her freind" we meet a young woman who is overwhelmed with heartbreak when she is betrayed by a man named Willoughby, just like Sense and Sensibility.

Austen’s sense of humor is particularly obvious in “The History of England”. She declares it is written by "a partial, prejudiced, and ignorant Historian". It includes lines like…

"During his reign, Lord Cobham was burnt alive, but I forget what for."

Her dedications at the beginning of each story became one of my favorite parts of the book. They’re intentionally overly serious and very amusing.

BOTTOM LINE: Austen’s juvenilia is playful and fun, but it also shows the promise of the writer that she will become. I loved having the chance to learn more about one of my favorite authors through her early work. A must for any true Austen fan!

Emma

I love participating in Austen in August each year. Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors and I never tire of returning to her work. This year I reread Emma.

Emma

by Jane Austen

★★★★☆

When I read through Austen’s main six novels, this one was the last one I read. It was 2006 and after reading Persuasion and Pride & Prejudice, Emma did not become my new favorite. Rereading it, as always, has given me a greater appreciation for the book and for what Austen was able to do with the character.

Oh Emma, you are so self-involved and sure of yourself. I loved this one so much more the second time around. The first time I just had such a hard time liking Emma. That’s not a bad thing; in fact in this case it means there is a lot more room for the character to evolve.

Emma is treated like the mature woman of the house because her older sister is married and her mother past away. But in so many ways Emma is still a young, immature girl. She thinks she’s always right and that her pleasure is the most important factor in most situations. So many of her decisions and matchmaking choices are based on what she wants and who she wants her friends to marry. She was raised in environment where she always got what she wanted and that selfishness continues to permeate in her 20s.

I adore the fact that Mr. Knightley is the only one who will call Emma on her BS. While everyone else is fawning over her he is challenging her to be a better person and think about her actions and influence on others. In my opinion, that’s the kind of partner every person needs. Mr. Knightley isn’t charming or entertaining, but he is the best kind of man. He lets his actions speak for themselves and is always looking out for the people around him. I’ve noticed that in Austen’s novels she has a lot more respect for men like this (Darcy, Knightley, Ferrars) than she does for those that immediately charm (Willoughby, Wickham, Crawford).

Speaking of the charmers, Frank Churchill is such a jerk. As I reread the book, knowing how it was going to end, I was so frustrated by his behavior. The way he manipulate situations and takes advantage of people’s good nature is horrible. I also thought it was interesting that Mr. Elton is often shown as the villain or at least someone you don't end up liking, but he really didn’t do anything wrong. He’s not a character I particularly like and his choice of a spouse is abominable, but I think most men would've thought Emma was interested in them based on her actions.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s Austen, so it’s delightful. I definitely have a great appreciation for this book now and I loved Knightley even more this time around. I think that Austen did a wonderful job showing character growth in this novel, second only to Anne’s in Persuasion.

“One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”

“I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control. ”

“I cannot make speeches, Emma...If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am. You hear nothing but truth from me. I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it.”

 
I think of all the Austen novels, Emma has led to some of the greatest film versions. Clueless is just amazing, Emma Approved actually made me appreciate the novel even more, and the 2009 miniseries was just beautifully done.

Austen in August

Adam at Roof Beam Reader is hosting Austen in August again this year! I've read all Austen's major novels (multiple times) so this month I'm going to be reading this gorgeous edition of Love and Freindship (how she spelled it) and rereading Emma. I hope you'll join us!

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey

by Jane Austen

★★★★☆

 

It’s been a decade since I read Northanger Abbey for the first time. Re-reading it was such a delight.

 

Catherine Morland is a young woman who lets her imagination run wild and loves to get lost in novels. While staying in Bath with family friends she meets two sets of brothers and sisters. The first is the Thorpes, Isabella and her brother John, who become insufferable as their true nature is slowly revealed. One of my favorite parts in the novel is when Catherine finally stands up to them, refusing to go along with their plans and cancel on her other friends again.

 

The other pair of siblings is Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor. Austen does a wonderful job comparing and contrasting the two sets of siblings, demonstrating a false nature vs. a genuine one. After getting to know Henry and Eleanor in Bath, Catherine is eventually invited to stay at their home, Northanger Abbey. There the young woman’s love of gothic novels gets the best of her as she imagines dramatic tales unfolding around her.

 

One thing that set Northanger Abbey apart from Austen’s other work is the relationship between Catherine and Henry. In most Austen novels the heroine and her eventual match don’t like each other or have some huge obstacle to overcome at the beginning of the novel. In Northanger Abbey, Catherine and Henry like each other from the start. I love their sweet flirtation. Henry is patient with her and teases her in a kind way. He also rises above his father and his brother when it comes to his priorities and moral compass. He’s a truly good man and one of my favorite male Austen characters.  

 

A Few Things That Stood Out to Me This Time:

 

- Henry is a word nerd! At one point in the story he corrects Catherine in the way she uses the word “nice.” He does it in a playful, teasing way, but I love that he is a grammar lover.

 

- Eleanor was only 13 years old when her mother died. I was only 14 when mine passed away and what she said about the loss rang true to me…  

 

“Her death must have been a great affliction!”

 

“A great and increasing one,” replied the other in a low voice. “I was only thirteen when it happened; and though I felt my loss perhaps as strongly as one so young could feel it, I did not, I could not then know what a loss it was.”

 

- I’m reading Trollope right now as well and the goal of marrying for money is prevalent in both books. It never ends well for anyone.

 

- I love Austen’s jab about putting down other novelists. She pokes fun at the fact that high-brow authors of her time period often bash the authors of novels. She suggests that instead they should all stand up for each other.  

 

BOTTOM LINE: Northanger Abbey is fun and sweet. It’s a quick read and a great way to meet Austen for the first time. It’s not my favorite of her books, but Austen is my literary pizza, you can’t find a “bad” Austen novel.

 

I read this as part of the Austen in August event hosted by Lost Generation Reader.

 

Mansfield Park Readalong: Final Post

Mansfield Park

by Jane Austen

★★★★

In the second half of the book the relationship between the Bertrams and the Crawfords becomes much more complicated. Henry has decided he’s interested in Fanny and Edmund wants to pursue a courtship with Mary. After a complicated back and forth with necklaces Fanny feels more lost than ever. She received a necklace from Mary, but she’s worried it’s really from Henry but she doesn’t want to offend her friend. Poor Fanny has no interest in Henry and turns him down multiple times.

Her uncle is incredibly disappointed in her decision, thinking it a wonderful match. He decides to send her back to live with her family so she can understand how valuable a comfortable lifestyle is. While with her family she realizes just how little she has in common with them. Meanwhile her letters from Mary are beginning to make her understand her friend’s true shallow nature. When Edmund’s older brother Tom becomes ill Mary is more concerned with whether Edmund will benefit from his death than anything else. Henry visits while she is with her family and we begin to see a more genuine side to his personality beneath his flirtatious exterior.

All of that becomes a moot point when he runs away with the now married Maria. The scandalous act horrifies both Fanny and Edmund. Mary makes excuses for her brother causing Edmund realizes how blind he has been to her true temperament and he breaks off any understanding between them. Then in a shocking turn of events Edmund falls in love the Fanny and the two are married.

My Thoughts:

Mansfield Park seems like the book that Austen fans love to hate. I feel as though my opinion of it has changed through rereading it. The first time around I found Fanny whiny and moralistic. The second time around I took into account her situation and the strength it takes to stand your ground regardless of peer pressure.

I think that because I already knew what decisions Fanny was going to make I was able to pay more attention to the reasons why she made them. Her reasons for refusing Henry Crawford’s advances are incredibly valid, but it's incredibly difficult for Fannie to stand up to Sir Thomas and try to explain why she doesn't want to marry Henry. He loses all respect for her thinking that she just doesn't like Henry as much as she might.  She feels she can't be honest about her reasons for refusing him without implicating her cousins in Henry's bad behavior. Yes she still stands her ground saying that she doesn't want to marry despite her Uncle’s pressure. That's an impossible position to be put in considering Sir Thomas has given her a home for the last almost decade of her life.

The section where Fanny returns to her family is heartbreaking. She no longer feels like she knows her parents and siblings. She doesn’t feel at home there despite the fact that she’s been calling it home for a decade. It’s hard for her to realize it, but Mansfield Park is her true home.

I was also impressed with the big issues Austen tackled in this one. Adultery was an incredibly scandalous subject during that time period and Austen makes it a focal point of the book. Everything hinges on Henry’s actions and when he runs away the entire Bertram family is thrown into chaos.

The one part of the book that still doesn’t sit right with me is the marriage at the end. It’s too neat and tidy. The entire second half of the book Edmund has been telling Fanny that Mary is the only woman he could ever love. Then when that doesn’t work he decides he can’t live without Fanny? It doesn’t feel right. The two were raised in the same house, just like brother and sister. It feels like a marriage of convenience and I just hate that. I think Fanny could do so much better. There’s one bit from the final chapter that makes me think even Austen thought the quick turn around of Edmund’s feelings was a bit of a stretch…

“I purposely abstain from dates on this occasion, that every one may be at liberty to fix their own, aware that the cure of unconquerable passions, and the transfer of unchanging attachments, must vary much as to time in different people. I only entreat everybody to believe that exactly at the time when it was quite natural that it should be so, and not a week earlier, Edmund did cease to care about Miss Crawford, and became as anxious to marry Fanny as Fanny herself could desire.”

BOTTOM LINE: I’m so glad I reread this. It’s still not my favorite, but I gained such an appreciation for it this time around. Fanny is not just a moralizing condescending character. She's a strong woman who sticks by her principles even with unbelievable pressure from those around her. I respect that. I may not love her and the way I love some of Jane Austen's other heroines but I feel like I understand her better now.

Mansfield Park: Midway Point

Mansfield Park: Chapters 1-25

Plot summary so far:

In the first half of the book we meet the Bertrams, a wealthy family that decides to take in the eldest daughter of their relation. They’ve decided her presence will cause very little inconvenience for them and their status will give her a much better life. Little thought is given to how difficult it will be for the 10-year-old girl to leave her family and move in with strangers. The young girl is Fanny Price and as she begins her new life with her Aunt and Uncle’s home she is timid and shy. She cries every day until she finally finds a kindred spirit in her cousin Edmund. She desperately misses her older brother and Edmund fills that role for her.

As the story progresses and Fanny grows up she begins to form her own opinions about the people she lives with. In addition to Edmund she has two female cousins, Maria and Julia, and another male cousin, Tom. Her uncle, Sir Thomas, is gone for much of the first half dealing with his business in Antigua. His eldest son Tom is with him for part of that time. While he is gone two young people, brother and sister Henry and Mary Crawford, move in the area and begin to spend time with the Bertrams. Their presence causes the tightly knit world of Mansfield Park to begin to unravel.

Despite being engaged, Maria becomes interested in Henry Crawford.  Edmund also develops a bit of a crush on Mary Crawford. He has always seen himself as a bit of an outsider with his family. He disapproves of the dismissive way they treat Fanny and their shallowness. When Tom returns the Bertrams and Crawfords decide to  put on a play. This is a turning point in the story, forcing everyone to make their first major moral choice. The racy content of the chosen play causes both Fanny and Edmund to decide not to be involved with its production. Edmund later changes his mind to prevent someone from outside their home getting a role.

For the first time Fanny’s company is actively sought by someone, namely Mary Crawford, and she is not excluded. She can’t bring herself to participate in the rehearsals, but she watches the others performing.

In addition to Fanny’s inclusion, Edmund changes drastically as well. He begins to compromise his beliefs to justify Mary Crawford’s behavior and Fanny becomes more stubborn and condescending in response to his actions. Sir Thomas arrives home and casts a dark air over the whole house, the feeling of playful joviality disappears as the Crawfords leave.

My Thoughts:

On that note I stopped for write a midway post. I will say I’m enjoying this more than I did the first time around, but I think that’s because my expectations were so low.

Brona made a great point that the early parts of the story have the same feel of Jane Eyre. I couldn’t help but think about that as I read the first half. Both women are taken in by their relations at a young age. Both are treated as charity cases. Jane Eyre is much more tormented, but Fanny is neglected. I think it’s interesting that both women go on to become strong and to form their belief system on a high moral ground, always standing firm in their beliefs.

For some reason Jane Eyre is much more likeable in this action, but they are truly similar. I was wondering if there’s something about being raised in that environment that would encourage that end product. Maybe being raised by people who are cruel or neglectful and watching those same people value money and status over relationships and kindness makes the individual value the opposite in the extreme.

I’m a little more understanding of Fanny’s difficult position this time around. She’s feeling 18th Century peer pressure and is struggling with a desire to be included, while at the same time not wanting to compromise her beliefs. I will say that my impression so far has enforced my negative thoughts about the final romantic connection in the book. I didn’t like it the first time around and I don’t think I’m going to like it any more this time.

So a few questions:

If you’ve read Jane Eyre, did you find any similarities between the two books?

Do you think Edmund agreed to be in the play to protect the honor of his sisters or because of Mary?

What do you think of Maria’s scandalous flirting with Henry?

p.s. This is part of Adam's Austen in August event! 

Mansfield Park Readalong: Austen in August

I decided to host this readalong in August to coincide with Adam's awesome annual Austen in August event. It will be very relaxed. This is the sign-up post. I'll post my thoughts on the first half on Friday, August 16th. Then I'll post my final thoughts on August 30th. Join in if you'd like and post whenever you want! 

I read Mansfield Park at the height of my Austen love. At that point I'd read all of her major novels except Emma. I loved every single one of her books that I'd read and so my expectations were high for Mansfield Park. I was incredibly disappointed. Fanny was an annoying, moralistic heroine and the final romantic pairing just didn't work for me.

Since then I've always wondered if I gave MP a fair shake. It's not usually anyone's favorite Austen novel, but it's often called her most complex novel. For years I wanted to reread it and see if I could get past my first impression (bonus Austen points for a Pride & Prejudice reference).

So, I know that's not the strongest recommendation for reading along with me, but Austen in like pizza, even if it's bad it's still good. You'll never regret reading one of her books. I'm looking forward to rereading MP with a bit more objectivity and some good discussion this time around!