Jane Austen Quote - Week 45

This week's quote is taken from Persuasion Volume II Chapter XI (Oxford edition, 2004, p. 196), Captain Wentworth’s words to Anne Elliot:

‘…You were single. It was possible that you might retain the feelings of the past, as I did; and one encouragement happened to be mine. I could never doubt that you would be loved and sought by others, but I knew to a certainty that you had refused one man at least, of better pretensions than myself: and I could not help often saying, Was this for me?’

Ahem. Sorry that I go back to Persuasion again… I promise that I will get another Austen book for my turn next month. But ah…Captain Wentworth’s trepidation is so recognizable here… who would not tremble when one is faced with hope again? For with hope, comes fear… fear of being rejected and hurt again… that the scar that is not yet healed properly will gush open again. But I am sure that Wentworth (or Jane Austen herself) also thought that…that if he/she didn’t seize the opportunity and have another try, he/she would regret it for the rest of his/her life.

So, there you go. ‘Was this for me?’…and Carpe Diem. Wentworth wrote the famous letter, and saw Anne Elliot flying (or running across Bath) over to him. Sigh…

Coming back to Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy… I am certain that Jane had a bit of Tom-moment when she wrote it. I just wish… I just wish things would be different… but it never was, was it not?

Pic: A very lovely photograph of (supposedly) Captain Wentworth’s letter to Anne Elliot (written and photographed by Sodabug), from Flickr.com

Marvel's take on Pride & Prejudice!

Well, thanks to Michelle, who has spotted this one earlier and who understands my fascination towards comic world, here's Pride & Prejudice by Marvel Comics! You know Marvel, don't you dear friends?

Oh well... most definitely NOT Jane Austen. Marvel usually dwells on Spiderman, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Thor, the Hulk... Iron Man... you got the idea... all superhero stuffs. So, it's a surprise for me that they chose to adapt one of Jane Austen's most famous novels, Pride & Prejudice. But rest assure, dear friends, it seems that the author, two-time Rita Award-Winner Nancy Butler and acclaimed artist Hugo Petrus are taking care of PP seriously. Here's what Ms. Butler says about her project:

"I've tried to keep the flavor and sly humor of the story, and modernized the language only for better understanding," explains Butler. "Wherever space allowed, I've used Jane Austen's own words. This is your grandmother's PRIDE & PREJUDICE, and your mother's and your own."

Ah well... methink it's a refreshing take... though I honestly think that the art is too modern for Jane Austen. I can see Mary Jane Parker (Spiderman Peter Parker's wife) as Lizzy Bennet due to her hair colour etc. I wouldn't mind if the art is toned down a bit to make it more Georgian style. Not the hair style or clothes, I think Hugo Petrus got it right... the pen strokes. Too... too bold for a Georgian era. Still, a lovely comic, I might say...

Click here for the 5 pages sneak peek of PP#1 by Marvel Comics.

Pic: Part of the cover to Pride & Prejudice #1 by Marvel Comics

Anne Hathaway is nominated for Academy Award's Best Actress!

I have to apologise for this post for I created bias by not displaying proper Oscar news about James McAvoy's Atonement Oscar achievements last year (didn't mean to... was just too busy with life... and still now...). I should've done or suggested a post about JMA last year, but just didn't think of it. Now I think we should post any exciting news about James MacAvoy and Anne Hathaway as the main actor and actress for Becoming Jane (plus other supporting casts).

Anyway, I also have to apologise for the belated news, for surely many of you have been following Oscar news this year... I just didn't realise that four of five nominees in this year's Oscar is my favourite actresses. This is the complete list of Oscar 2009 nominees for Best Actress in alphabetical order:

Anne Hathaway - 'Rachel Getting Married'
Angelina Jolie - 'Changeling'
Melissa Leo - 'Frozen River'
Meryl Streep - 'Doubt'
Kate Winslet - 'The Reader'

I don't have an opinion about Ms. Leo, but that's more attributed to my lack of knowledge of her. But the other actresses are my fave (particularly Anne, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet), and I'm so proud of Anne for her achievement! What a great girl she is!

So, I don't care if Annie doesn't win this year's Oscar, which will be announced tomorrow... she's still my fave actress. I wouldn't mind seeing Meryl or Kate winning either...

See this for the complete profile of 'Rachel Getting Married'.

Pic: Anne Hathaway as Kym from Wikipedia's 'Rachel Getting Married'

'Lost in Austen' series will be adapted into movie

Thanks a lot Mariana for the news, here's a very exciting news for 'Lost in Austen' fans like myself (my apologies to the ladies who dislike the ITV series, hehehe...). LIA will be made into a movie.

From Broadcast Now:

Sam Mendes to exec Lost in Austen movie

ITV's Jane Austen time-travel drama Lost in Austen is to be turned into a movie, with Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes as an executive producer.

Indie Mammoth Screen will develop the movie version with Revolutionary Road producer Neal Street Productions for Sony Pictures, the studio behind the Spider-Man franchise and more recently the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

The original four-part series, starring Jemima Rooper and Gemma Arterton, aired on ITV1 in September last year, drawing a mainly ABC1 audience of around 4 million per episode.

The show's original writer, Guy Andrews, is currently working on the movie script.

He will also act as executive producer alongside Mammoth Screen's Damien Timmer and Michele Buck, and Neal Street Productions' Mendes and Pippa Harris.

There are no casting details as yet for the movie adaptation, although Mendes' wife Kate Winslet could be a contender.

Winslet won a Bafta and was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of the lovestruck Marianne Dashwood in Ang Lee's big screen adaptation of Austen's Sense and Sensibility in 1995.

Pic: Jemima Rooper (Amanda Price) in 'Lost in Austen'

Quote of the Week 44 by Linda

I thought I might do something a bit different this week by collecting a group of tidbits of wisdom from “Emma”. Jane Austen's words are still true today as they were then. People have not really changed in all those passing years. We still say, believe and do the same things. I believe the quotes are self explanatory.

Chapter 9:

"And then their uncle comes in, and tosses them up to the ceiling in a very frightful way!"

"But they like it, papa; there is nothing they like so much. It is such enjoyment to them, that if their uncle did not lay down the rule of their taking turns, which ever began would never give way to the other."

Chapter 11:

There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves.

Chapter 32:

Miss Hawkins perhaps wanted a home, and thought this the best offer she was likely to have."

Chapter 46:

So unlike what a man should be! None of that upright integrity, that strict adherence to truth and principle, that disdain of trick and littleness, which a man should display in every transaction of his life."

And two from Chapter 49:

A man would always wish to give a woman a better home than the one he takes her from; and he who can do it, where there is no doubt of her regard, must, I think, be the happiest of mortals.

-------------

What did she say? Just what she ought, of course. A lady always does.

END OF QUOTES


We do thank you, Miss Jane Austen, for giving us so many wise words. And Thank You all for your concern during the last few weeks of our illness. We are all recovered and feeling much better now.

Hugs,
Linda the Librarian

Pic 1: Kate Beckinsale as Emma from: Strangegirl

Pic 2: Kate Beckinsale & Mark Strong as Emma & Knightley from: Strangegirl

Quote of the Week 43 - Valentine Edition - by Rachel

As its Valentines Day today I prepared my quote before I departed on my travels to reflect this special day. I hope that you are all celebrating in style.....single or attached!

My quote is taken from Persuasion (Chapter 23), in which Anne and Captain Harville's discuss the male versus the female heart. Captain Wentworth overhears Anne's dialogue, which leads to the famous love letter (quoted earlier on the blog) and the rest is history! I know that we have used many Persuasion quotes lately but they are all so fantastic and etch in our brains with permanent marker due to their brilliant construction and delivery, and of course their connotations. Calling Jane a special lady is an understatement.

" 'Oh!' cried Anne eagerly, 'I hope I do justice to all that is felt by you, and by those who resemble you. God forbid that I should undervalue the warm and faithful feelings of any of my fellow-creatures! I should deserve utter contempt if I dared to suppose that true attachment and constancy were known only by woman. No, I believe you capable of everything great and good in your married lives. I believe you equal to every important exertion, and to every domestic forbearance, so long as--if I may be allowed the expression--so long as you have an object. I mean while the woman you love lives, and lives for you. All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.' "

"She could not immediately have uttered another sentence; her heart was too full, her breath too much oppressed."

But I particularly love the lines :

"I mean while the woman you love lives, and lives for you. All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone." "She could not immediately have uttered another sentence; her heart was too full, her breath too much oppressed."

I feel that this statement is so so representative of the love between Jane and Tom, I am so completely sure of it. "Her heart was too full"- As Jane was writing this, I KNOW that she was referring to her own feelings and memories.

I have chosen pictures from the 2007 tv version of Persuasion as I like Sally Hawkin's Anne and Rupert Penry- Jones' Wentworth. I know that the other ladies on this site may disagree but that allows a greater variety in pictures!

Happy Valentines Day!!

Pic 1: Sally Hawkins Anne + Rupert Penry-Jones' Wentworth from visitbath
Pic 2: Anne Hathaway + James McAvoy in: abc

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 42

I really uhmmed and ahhed over my quote this month - it is so hard to pick just one out of Jane's wealth of wisdom and all-around awesomeness. But this week my quote is from Mansfield Park, and I've chosen it just because I love it. ;)

The quote is from chapter 42. Fanny Price has been shipped back to Portsmouth, and is deep in coversation with the persistant Henry Crawford, who is pressing/flattering Fanny up a storm:


(Henry) '... Shall I go? Do you advise it?'

'I advise! - you know very well what is right.'

'Yes. When you give me your opinion, I always know what is right. Your judgment is my rule of right.'

'Oh, no! - do not say so. We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be. Good bye ...'

Mansfield Park, Chapter 24


Ah Fanny, what a beautiful brush-off.

But isn't it a fantastic and thought-provoking statement? I am always struck by Jane's frequent comments regarding personal conscience / responsibility for ones self, etc (although now pressed I can't think of a handful of the bat), but my choice this week was partly inspired by Linda's earlier quote from Pride & Prejudice: 'That is a question which I hardly know how to answer. We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing.'

I think what the character's are saying here in P&P relate back to Fanny's statement - that there are some things we need to decide in our hearts, for ourselves - that no one can make that choice for us, or instruct us what to do (life choices, moral choices, etc) - the conscience must guide - does this make sense? (It has been a ridiculous day ...)

Anyway - they are ideas I like to think about. Thank you Jane!

Have a great week, friends. :)


Pic: Fanny & Henry in Mansfield Park 1999 (yes, this pic is contrary to what the quote is getting at, but how hard to find Fanny & Henry pics online!) from: Jim and Ellen