Emma 2009! Casting, News & Set Photos

Last November we blogged about rumours that the BBC were producing a mini-series of Emma for 2009. I am embarrassed to admit that I forgot about this project (yes, I know! my fave. Austen, too) but after googling Austen during the week, discovered that Emma 2009 is currently filming!

The cast is:

Romola Garai as Emma

Johnny Lee Miller as Knightley

Michael Gambon as Mr Woodhouse

Jodhi May as Mrs Weston

Christina Cole as Mrs Elton

Blake Ritson as Mr Elton

Rupert Evans as Frank Churchill

Louise Dylan as Harriet Smith

(more info at IMDB's Emma 2009 & BBC Press Release)

Thanks to AustenBlog for the head's up: here are some set photos: Emma Filming in Kent

Ironically enough some of these faces are not Austenly-unfamiliar: Johnny Lee Miller (Knightley) was Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park 1999, and Blake Ritson (Elton) was Edmund Bertram in MP 2007. Christina Cole played Caroline Bingley in Lost in Austen.

It looks like it'll be four parts, 240 minutes, with a release date of October 2009.

So ... opinions?? It's a pretty 'young and sexy' lineup, I think. I'm a bit deflated by Garai as Emma to tell the truth, for I don't really like her as an actress, but I think she was marvelous in Atonement. Johnny Lee Miller? Couldn't believe it at first, but I am very curious. I love Michael Gambon. Not too hot on the look. The hair scares me. But still, more Austen to look forward too! (Should I say now that Beckinsale's Emma is my favourite?)

But ... the hair, Louisa!

Pic 1: Romola Garai as Emma (2009) from: Pemberley

Pic 2: Romola Garai and Jodhi May as Mrs Weston from: Pemberley

Quote of the Week - Week 53 by Rachel

As you all know, I have been away but I have come back to some amazing quotes posted by the other ladies. The quote I have chosen for this week may not have the same depth but it is from our dear Emma and I love it nevertheless.

It is taken from chapter 12, Emma, and it appears after Frank Churchill promises Emma two dances at the next ball. Emma then receives a letter from Mrs Weston warning her that Mrs Churchill is ill and that Frank had been called home by his uncle. Prior to departure, Frank pays a visit upon Emma:

"But you will come again," said Emma. "This will not be your only visit to Randalls."

"Ah!- (shaking his head)- the uncertainty of when I may be able to return!- I shall try for it with a zeal!- It will be the object of all my thoughts and cares!- and if my uncle and aunt go to town this spring- bit I am afraid- they did not stir last spring- I am afraid it is a custom gone for ever."

"Our poor ball must be quite given up."

"Ah! that ball!- why did we wait for any thing?-why not seize the pleasure at once?-How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!- You told us it would be so.- Oh! Miss Woodhouse, why are you always so right?"

"Indeed, I am very sorry to be right in this instance. I would much rather have been merry than wise."

The highlighted line is sooooooo Emma! So passionate, so forthright and so wise. I only wish that we would all take heed of her wisdom. Especially in the world where we live now; everything is revolved around our schedules and our limited time! Why prepare to be happy? Everyday should be filled with pleasures as life is too short to plan happiness in our diaries!! This quote just leaped out at me as I know for sure that I want to be one of those people who "seize pleasure at once."

Pic 1: Jane Austen Today
Pic 2: Emma by C.E. Brock (1908), Pemberley.com

Jane Austen’s forgiveness

I’ve been thinking about forgiveness as of late, particularly of forgiving myself and also others that have hurt me. I realise that forgiveness is not easy to achieve, and I often wonder how Jane fared on the subject. I also remembered that I had a very dusty file about Jane’s forgiveness towards Tom Lefroy. Still a theory of course, but Linda’s question in the last week’s quote made me realise that it was time for me to dust off the file, sit nicely, and finish it. Hence, this article, very belatedly.

So the theory is simple: that prior to her death, Jane Austen has forgiven Thomas Langlois Lefroy for leaving her to marry Mary Paul. True, after reading her novels and letters, I cannot deny that Jane felt very bitter about Tom leaving her, and it was rather inevitable. But I firmly believe that she gradually understood why Tom left her, and the process was reflected in her novels. Please be mindful that I believe that Miss Austen was not only inspired by Tom Lefroy; no… she was too smart just to obtain her inspiration from a single person. But I firmly believe that Tom Lefroy was still Jane’s major influence in her novels, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Therefore, it is important for me to chronologically visit Jane Austen’s novels one by one and extract supporting hints. Looking back and forth to our own JA/TL timeline and having a better understanding of another main character, i.e. Anthony Lefroy (Tom Lefroy’s younger brother) will also help first readers here. I also have to stress out how subjective this article is, and that I analyse Jane Austen’s perceptions on Tom Lefroy and Anthony Lefroy that influenced her characters in her own novels. My gratitude in advance for various people that have contributed to the thinking and sleuthing processes of Team Jane during the last two years.


Northanger Abbey


In this context and in a nutshell, Northanger Abbey was Jane's memory of Tom Lefroy when they were still young, when hope still lingered in the air. Yes, yes, I hear you… NA was written circa 1797, and the general knowledge is that Jane and Tom were never in contact anymore after January 1796. So…?

Well, several Austen investigators, e.g. Jon Spence (‘Becoming Jane Austen’) and Claire Tomalin (‘Jane Austen’s Life’), paired with various research in this blog have strongly indicated that JA and TL still resumed their contact well beyond 1797. See JA/TL timeline for details. So, as I said earlier, NA was the fresh scent of JA/TL romance if I may say so. By the first time she wrote NA, Jane Austen was still full of love and hope for TL, and thus TL was effused in the personification of Henry Tilney (clergyman, gardening, clever conversation...). November 1798 brought the nightmare for Jane Austen, for Tom left to Ireland (not to see Mary, but to see his family) – and I believe that it was in strong association with Anthony Lefroy’s elopement (might never been proven, but I strongly believe it was an elopement instead of a sweet and nice marriage). Hence the beautiful drama in Jane Austen’s life ended.

Bottom-line of NA: Henry Tilney = Tom Lefroy. Catherine Morland was of course Jane Austen. Happy thoughts. No young black goat here... only the scary old General Tilney. He might be the great uncle Langlois...


Sense & Sensibility


Written circa 1811, well beyond her final separation with Tom Lefroy circa November 1798, Sense & Sensibility was the first novel which clearly indicated Jane Austen’s mixed opinion of Tom Lefroy. Here, Jane saw Tom as BOTH John Willoughby and Edward Ferrars. Our dissections on Mansfield Park led me to believe that Tom finally disclosed the true nature of Anthony Lefroy’s elopement. I am still uncertain of the approximate time, but most definitely I believe that Tom finally confided in Jane about his brother (see this post). We will eventually arrive in MP, but before that I just want to know that by the time SS was written, Jane still had troubles in grasping the fact that Tom had to leave her to save his family.

Yes, deep inside, Jane believed that Tom would not leave her for money like that. But Tom did not give her enough information (eh, typical man… thinking that all women are from Venus, hence possessing the ability to read minds); hence Jane also saw him as Willoughby (how come Willoughby and Wickham all start with W? As in Wicked?). This John Willoughby of Allenham was a coward who left Marianne for a very rich Miss Grey and thus still deserves age-old spankings.

Nonetheless, Jane Austen still had soft spot for Willoughby, for then she made him calling on Marianne... well, Elinor, and confessed to the elder Miss Dashwood that he still loved Marianne despite everything. Jane still believed that Willoughby had a good side…that Tom Lefroy had a good side. Her believe was magnified by Edward Ferrars' character; a character that fell in love with a good, smart woman (Elinor) after engaging with a silly girl (Lucy Steele). From an observer’s viewpoint, I see that Mary Paul was so NOT Lucy Steele; Miss Paul was too good a woman to be the model of Miss Steele. I am more inclined to see Mary Paul as the inspiration of Miss Grey. But again, that was Jane's perspective at that time, and I do not judge her at all (she could just create Lucy Steele ‘just for fun’... not referring to Mary Paul directly).

Bottom-line of SS: John Willoughby + Edward Ferrars = Tom Lefroy


Pride & Prejudice


Before I resume with PP, I have to thank Arnie Perlstein for his discussions with me more than a year ago. In relation to my article here that Anthony Lefroy was the main reason for Tom Lefroy to return to Ireland in November 1798, Arnie’s theory was simply put as: George Wickham = Anthony Lefroy. Both conducted elopement and both had forced two gentlemen (Fitzwilliam Darcy/Tom Lefroy) to clean up their messes. Makes no sense? Read on…

Somehow, between 1811 -1813, Jane came to terms with the role of Anthony Lefroy in changing the entire course of her life with Tom Lefroy. Hence, as she revised First Impression into Pride & Prejudice, she added the character Wickham - who to me was worse than Willoughby, for at least Willoughby loved Marianne, though he loved Sophia Grey's money better. I’m not sure if the first drafts of First Impression had Wickham (or someone akin to him) in it… worth checking…

In 1812/1813, Jane saw Anthony as Wickham - a bastard who ran away with an immature girl and disturbed the growing interactions between Darcy and Lizzy. In the real world, Anthony Lefroy was this young man who ran away with a girl (Elizabeth Wilkin) and hence disturbing the budding romance between JA and TL. In Wickham’s case, Darcy (who shared a bit of Lefroy in his seriousness) had to go down the streets of London for damage controls (did Tom do the same thing? Only in the streets of York instead of London?).

But Jane did not know back then that Tom did that NOT only because he had to, but also because he wanted to. Tom loved Anthony, I believe, hence his action was a brotherly love action, and not only out of responsibility. The evidence of Tom's affection towards Anthony was not only him helping little brother Anthony to gain the title of Barrack Master (see Fay’s ‘Jane Austen’s Letters’), but also Tom's closeness with Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy (TEPL). For why would he share such a bond with his nephew if he was not in good terms with Anthony? That would be awkward. Had Tom Lefroy been in a bad speaking term with Anthony Lefroy, Tom would not commission TEPL for the Cadell letter, and hence there would be no MOTIVE for TEPL to obtain the Cadell paper.

And who was Tom Lefroy in PP? Well, I tend to see Tom not only as Darcy/Lizzy combo (see Jon Spence for more info), but also as Charles Bingley (and hence Jane Austen herself as Jane Bennet). See this old post as another reference.

Bottom-line of PP: Tom Lefroy was NOT George Wickham. Lefroy was more of Bingley instead. Now the case went directly to Anthony Lefroy, who was more or less portrayed as Wickham here. That brings us to Mansfield Park.


Mansfield Park

Written in 1814, MP is indeed Jane's tribute to Tom Lefroy; hence the weird, unmatched feeling with other novels (thanks to Nadia Radovici for her amazing, out-of-print book!). I sense that before writing MP, Jane truly came to terms with the true nature of Tom's leaving to Ireland in Nov 1798 (and hence, also Anthony Lefroy's marrying Elizabeth Wilkin).

I see Tom's characters were split into both Fanny Price (shy and reserved but smart) and Edmund Bertram (kind, serious, an excellent clergyman-to-be). Michelle and I had dissected MP in a rather lengthy fashion here; hence I am not to repeat it again. And what of Tom Bertram? Ah…Wikipedia says:

Tom Bertram: The elder son of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram; he is seven years older than Fanny. Tom is principally interested in carousing in London society and enjoying the pleasures of the theatre with his friend Mr Yates. Tom incurs large debts, forcing Sir Thomas to sell the church position that was to have gone to Edmund, Tom's younger brother. One celebratory journey leaves Tom with a fever.

Tom Bertram had a bit of Anthony Lefroy, again to me in Jane's perspective. I don't know how well Jane knew Anthony's character, hence I keep saying 'perspective'. Because marrying to an undesirable woman does not equal to a bad guy. Anthony might be bored with all the society pretence and scruples, and he wanted to break all the rules by marrying Elizabeth Wilkin. But Jane would not know this. Jane started to see Anthony as not the 100% wicked guy… he was just a lost case here. A poor, lost soul. She also reduced his importance in the story, unlike Wickham's role in PP.

Bottom-line of MP: Fanny Price + Edmund Bertram = Tom Lefroy. The black goat Anthony Lefroy was now Thomas Bertram instead.


Emma


In 1815, after the strange, rather out of place MP, came Emma. Now, Emma was very cheerful compared to MP, and to me, she's on par with PP in the brilliance. More, perhaps. And Emma, correct me if I'm wrong, has NO direct reference to a character akin to Willougby, and no Wickham or Tom Bertram either. All good and happy, despite the hidden mocks, puns, and jokes. Emma has Frank Churchill, who to me was Tom Lefroy himself. In Emma, Jane Austen had come to understand Tom in almost perfection. By now, she might have seen Anthony in different light, hence her understanding towards Tom's difficulty and her forgiving him for leaving her. See this post for more reference of Tom Lefroy (and Ireland) in Emma. Oh, and Frank Churchill was about three and twenty when he was introduced in Emma (Tom Lefroy was twenty years old when he met Jane Austen), and he (like Tom Lefroy) had a good singing voice as well!

Bottom-line Emma: Tom Lefroy = Frank Churchill + Charles Dixon. Anthony Lefroy? Uh, I couldn’t find him. Perhaps some of you could…


Persuasion

The last punch and evidence of Jane's understanding and forgiving Tom was Persuasion. There, we find no Willoughby and no Wickham/Tom Bertram, not even Frank Churchill (who despite him lying to everybody, everybody still loved him. Like Jane to Tom). In Persuasion, we find only Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot. Back to the first dot of the cycle: Northanger Abbey. Back to Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland.

In Persuasion, Jane came to terms with Anthony's marriage and Tom's actions towards it. She had forgiven Tom (and also Anthony for that). There was William Elliot, who according to Wikipedia, was 'a relation and the heir presumptive of Sir Walter, who became estranged from the family when he wed a woman of much lower social rank, for her fortune.' Sounds like Anthony Lefroy to me… but I don't think William Elliot was even 25% Anthony now. But Miss Austen still had to have an antagonist in her story, and hence poor William Elliot’s role.

By the way, I think dear Charles Musgrove is Harris Bigg-Wither. You know Charles… a nice guy, husband of Mary Musgrove (nee Elliot) and heir to the Musgrove estate. He originally wanted to marry Anne but had to settle with Mary (much to the disappointment of the Musgrove family, and to his misfortune) when Anne refused him due to her eternal love for Wentworth.

Bottom-line Persuasion: Tom Lefroy = Captain Wentworth. Jane Austen = Anne Elliot. Here, Jane had finally forgiven Tom Lefroy for leaving her. She had finally come to terms with the past. Tom Lefroy left Jane Austen for family honour, and Miss Austen respected and forgave Tom for that.


Bottom-line for me: Forgiveness can be extremely hard to do. But if it brings peace to us… like I believe it did Jane… why can’t we forgive others? And most importantly, ourselves… for our stupid past?

Pic 1: Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy) and Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) in 'Becoming Jane'

Pic 2: Northanger Abbey 2007, from fanpop.com

Pic 3: Sense & Sensibility 2008 cast, from BBC UK

Pic 4: Pride & Prejudice 2005 wallpaper, from vistawallpaper.com

Pic 5: Mansfield Park 2007, from fanpop.com

Pic 6: Emma 1995, from photobucket.com

Pic 7: Persuasion 2007, from videodetective.com

JA-inspired Sci-fi movies

Okay Janeites, don't kill the messenger. It's a few months old news anyway, but it might worth knowing, in case some of you (like myself) are avid fans of both Jane Austen and sci-fi. So the story from sci-fi site io9 goes... that we are to have three JA-inspired sci-fi movies. Claps or collapse, your choice my dear friends.

First is the Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, a movie based on the recently published (ahm, rather twisted) novel of the same title. Amazon.com informed me about this book yesterday, and the first few pages of the novel caught my attention to the point of me laughing merrily...so honestly, I'm tempted to read more (just don't shoot me...). I am uncertain of my degree of affinity to the book, so I might tell you much later on...

Second is the Pride & Predators, to be produced by Elton John (yeah, that Elton John the song writer and singer). It's about alien attack in the Regency world... etc etc etc... ahem, and shooting is to begin in London later this year. Again, don't shoot the messenger.

Third is the movie version of Lost in Austen by Columbia Pictures, as we have reported earlier. Well, since LIA incorporates time warp journeys elegantly, I am very much looking forward to this one... perhaps by the end of the year? Not sure. I know for sure I love the ITV series version tho!

I guess, in spite of everything, I'm still happy that Jane Austen's works reach far into the 21st century, and even to the stars and the alien world!

Pic 1: Keira Knightley now must face the Predator! Pic from io9

Jane Austen Quote - Week 52 by Linda

A lesson in Love from Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 26.

Elizabeth is responding to her aunt’s request for information about Wickham which she detailed and then continues:




Quote

All this was acknowledged to Mrs. Gardiner; and after relating the circumstances, she thus went on: -- "I am now convinced, my dear aunt, that I have never been much in love; for had I really experienced that pure and elevating passion, I should at present detest his very name, and wish him all manner of evil. But my feelings are not only cordial towards him; they are even impartial towards Miss King. I cannot find out that I hate her at all, or that I am in the least unwilling to think her a very good sort of girl. There can be no love in all this. My watchfulness has been effectual; and though I should certainly be a more interesting object to all my acquaintance were I distractedly in love with him, I cannot say that I regret my comparative insignificance. Importance may sometimes be purchased too dearly. Kitty and Lydia take his defection much more to heart than I do. They are young in the ways of the world, and not yet open to the mortifying conviction that handsome young men must have something to live on as well as the plain."

End of Quote

Let’s see what Jane has to say about “Love”. First, it is a “pure and elevating passion”. I would equate that phrase with our modern day saying about the experience of “falling in love”. Okay, I know about that. It happened to me, and it is a bit different from a crush, puppy love, admiration of Darcy's wet shirt scene, etc.

Next, Elizabeth says her “watchfulness has been effectual”. Well, I didn’t know about that part. Nobody in my experience talked about being ‘watchful’, nor what to ‘watch out’ for. Only recently have I run across the idea of first knowing a potential ‘boyfriend’, and then you proceed to ‘date’ him. The point being that you really get to know a person before any manner of intimacy is begun. By that I mean to say the opportunity for intimacy or putting yourself in danger of being ‘used’.

This brings us to being ‘distractedly in love’. It seems that there is the possibility of suddenly finding oneself in an undesirable situation due to not paying close attention, e.g. being distracted by all that ‘love’ stuff. You may find out that the other person is not honorable, truthful, etc as you first thought. So, we need to proceed very carefully, especially if you are ‘young in the ways of the world’. Believe me, I am old, and the ‘world has many ugly ways’ to beware of. Do you need a list?

Lastly, if things are not correctly done, we can find ourselves with ‘mortifying convictions’ and I have a few. My daughters keep telling me to write a book. Fortunately, there are some already out there.

I am sure Jane has lots of advice for us strewn throughout her works on the subject of ‘love’, and all we have to do is pay attention. End of Lesson.

Linda the Librarian

Pic 1: The beautiful Jennifer Ehle as Lizzy Bennet in Pride & Prejudice 1995, from Pecuniarities.com

Pic 2: Tom Riley as (the dashing!) George Wickham in 'Lost in Austen'.
(Icha's note: Forgive me dearest Linda, but you did not specify which Wickham pix I should put here, and since Lizzy was talking about Wickham, and the only dashing Wickham for me is the LIA version, so here he is!). Pic taken from Austenprose.com

Jane Austen Quote - Week 51

My quote this week is about selflessness, from Sense & Sensibility. It ties in well with Icha's post about selfishness. :)

Sense & Sensibility Book II, Chapter 37

Elinor was to be the comforter of others in her own distresses ...

It's very short, but I think that's all I need quote. The context is that Elinor is finally telling Marianne of Edward's past history ...

I love it. It speaks to me of an abundance of character - of a heart that gives, and continues to give, even when it's not 'receiving' in return. The more I read of Elinor, the more I love, admire and respect her. Don't you think it's beautiful? I think this quote shows human nature at its finest ...

Have a wonderful Easter!

Pic: Elinor & Marianne from: Pecuniarities

Easter Wishes from Team Jane

Since Easter is upon us, I couldn’t help but wonder if Jane Austen had referred to it somewhere in her novels. So I went ‘hunting’ and found the following. From P&P, in Mr. Collins letter in Chapter 13:

My mind, however is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.

Elizabeth visits Charlotte in Chapter 30:

In this quiet way the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away. Easter was approaching, and the week preceding it was to bring an addition to the family at Rosings, which in so small a circle must be important. Colonel Fitzwilliam visits in Chapter 31: Colonel Fitzwilliam's manners were very much admired at the Parsonage, and the ladies all felt that he must add considerably to the pleasure of their engagements at Rosings. It was some days, however, before they received any invitation thither -- for while there were visitors in the house they could not be necessary; and it was not till Easter-day, almost a week after the gentlemen's arrival, that they were honoured by such an attention, and then they were merely asked on leaving church to come there in the evening.

There are two mentions of Easter in Emma, twelve in Mansfield Park, one in Sense and Sensibility, none in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. What is so strange is that upon first readings, I never noticed “Easter” at all.

So Happy Easter to one and all from Team Jane!

Linda the Librarian

Pic 1: Jane Austen from: Express Night Out

Pic 2: Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett from: BBC

The 2009 Regency World Awards!

Thanks to Linda, here we have the 2009 Regency World Awards by Jane Austen Centre in Bath, UK!

Voting will continue up to the 30th of June after which time the link will be closed. There are seven awards and the winners will be announced and awards presented at a black tie dinner event at the Hilton Hotel in Bath on Wednesday July 8th 2009.

The interesting thing is, in addition to picking up the best (or favourite) actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, best adaptation, best JA-inspired book, etc, this year's Award also picks The Best Mr. Darcy EVER!

Well, am not really a fan of Mr. Darcy (I'm more of a Knightley/Brandon combo), but I was also happy to click one of the options, and keen to know who comes up the best! Though, perhaps the tally is a bit predictable anyway...

So, what are you waiting for Ladies and Gents? Click away!

Oh, and Happy Easter, everyone! May love, peace and harmony reign the Earth!

Pic: Lizzy playing piano, Darcy staring at her, poor girl...by C.E. Brook from Pemberley.com

Jane Austen Quote - Week 50

Our apologies my dear friends, seemingly Team Jane is a bit mixed up with our schedule this weekend... hence the lateness of the Quote of the Week installment. Anyway, pulling up from the various cyber sites again, I found an intriguing one:

"Every man is surrounded by a neighbourhood of voluntary spies"

Northanger Abbey, chapter 24, my dear friends. How vigilant Jane Austen was! Thanks to Wikipedia for the direct quote.


And for the commentary: Well, it has been happening to me these last few days. I've been escaping to my mother's house in a traditional community... and have set a habit of taking a morning walk since a few days ago. But since it's not a cold place, I deliberately put a pair of shorts for walking. Not really short... but is still grouped as shorts. And it seemed that I've made some people around the house upset because... it wasn't usual for them to see a woman of thirty plus plus taking her morning walk alone... with a pair of (not so short) shorts. I did not really care about it... but it reminded me of how Jane Austen's own defiance in her own time...

Perhaps I might attempt to walk with a long Georgian dress and a lacy parasol tomorrow... I think I have some in my luggage. Might they think that I am polite enough, or still too strange? ^_^

Pic: Just for a giggle... from this site

Jane Austen Quote of the Week – Week 49

This time, I found something that Elinor Dashwood said about selfishness. It is taken from Sense & Sensibility Chapter 47, when Elinor and Marianne were talking about Marianne’s past with Willoughby. I first have to say that I took these quotes from the Wikipedia site, for I don’t have the book with me, so I hope that the quotes are faithful to the book.

QUOTES BEGIN

Marianne's lips quivered, and she repeated the word "Selfish?" in a tone that implied--"do you really think him selfish?"

"The whole of his behaviour," replied Elinor, "from the beginning to the end of the affair, has been grounded on selfishness. It was selfishness which first made him sport with your affections; which afterwards, when his own were engaged, made him delay the confession of it, and which finally carried him from Barton. His own enjoyment, or his own ease, was, in every particular, his ruling principle."

"It is very true. MY happiness never was his object."

"At present," continued Elinor, "he regrets what he has done. And why does he regret it?--Because he finds it has not answered towards himself. It has not made him happy. His circumstances are now unembarrassed--he suffers from no evil of that kind; and he thinks only that he has married a woman of a less amiable temper than yourself. But does it follow that had he married you, he would have been happy?--The inconveniences would have been different. He would then have suffered under the pecuniary distresses which, because they are removed, he now reckons as nothing. He would have had a wife of whose temper he could make no complaint, but he would have been always necessitous--always poor; and probably would soon have learned to rank the innumerable comforts of a clear estate and good income as of far more importance, even to domestic happiness, than the mere temper of a wife."

QUOTES END

What can I say? Elinor – or Jane, rather – was right. Willoughby was selfish, for his regrets for not marrying Marriane came later after he found out how terrible was to live with a rich Ms. Grey that he loved not. So, it was all about his gain, not Marianne’s. So different from – sigh, swoon – Colonel Brandon, who truly cared for Marianne’s wellbeing.

Anyway, to link this quote with Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy, many people think that Willoughby was mostly taken from Tom Lefroy’s story. I disagree. I think Tom Lefroy did not marry Ms. Mary Paul out of selfishness; he did that to save his family. Lots of posts from this blog already indicated so, notably Tom’s relationship with his little brother Anthony Lefroy (father of Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy, to whom the old Tom Lefroy later confessed his deep feelings towards Jane Austen). See also JA/TL timeline to have a better idea of why I disagree that Willoughby was 100% Tom Lefroy.

So, yes, I think Jane Austen did tap into Tom Lefroy’s story to spin it into Willoughby, but she also took other parts of Tom and infused it to Edward Ferrars, who was rather helpless in his prior engagement to Lucy Steele.

Pic: John Willoughby and Marianne Dashwood from Sense & Sensibility 2008, taken from Boston.com

Jane Austen Quote - Week 48 by Linda

This week we shall endeavor to discern what Jane Austen really thought about ‘novels’ as described in Northanger Abbey.

In chapter 1 she tells how Catherine preferred other pursuits

“…. to books — or at least books of information — for, provided that nothing like useful knowledge could be gained from them, provided they were all story and no reflection, she had never any objection to books at all.”

If we take the opposite view, that we should prefer, or that novels should be, ‘books of information’ with useful knowledge and reflection, we now have a description of what to look for in novels.

With that in mind, let’s continue from last week’s paragraph in Chapter 5 which should be read in its entirety, from which we shall distill only a few gems.

Jane is lamenting the fact, through Catherine’s ‘voice’, that other novelists write very degrading thoughts about novels. However, Jane goes on to say:

And while the abilities of the nine–hundredth abridger of the History of England, or of the man who collects and publishes in a volume some dozen lines of Milton, Pope, and Prior, with a paper from the Spectator, and a chapter from Sterne, are eulogized by a thousand pens — there seems almost a general wish of decrying the capacity and undervaluing the labour of the novelist, and of slighting the performances which have only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them.

Though I was a bit familiar with the others, I had to do a search to find out who Prior was. Now here is the key to ‘novels’ – they must “have only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them”. And that, my friends, is what Jane put in hers.

In addition, Jane says this:

“It is only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda”; or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best–chosen language.

That is Jane’s description of those novels. Then she sarcastically says about the periodical, “The Spectator”:

the substance of its papers so often consisting in the statement of improbable circumstances, unnatural characters, and topics of conversation which no longer concern anyone living; and their language, too, frequently so coarse as to give no very favourable idea of the age that could endure it.

I say ‘sarcastically’ because the opposite is true. It does have probable circumstances, natural characters, timeless topics of conversation and pertinent language.

Now, let’s put all that together and here is what we have. A novel should be books of information with useful knowledge and reflection, with only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them, in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are to be conveyed to the world in the best–chosen language, and with probable circumstances, natural characters, timeless topics of conversation and pertinent language.

In my opinion, Jane followed her own advice, and I think that just about covers it!

Linda the Librarian

Pic: a very gorgeous art of Catherine Morland by Palnk from Deviantart.com

Jane Austen Quote - Week 47 by Linda

From Northanger Abbey we have a two part definition/explanation/description of ‘friendship’.

First in Chapter 4:

‘Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.’

Next in Chapter 5:

The progress of the friendship between Catherine and Isabella was quick as its beginning had been warm, and they passed so rapidly through every gradation of increasing tenderness that there was shortly no fresh proof of it to be given to their friends or themselves. They called each other by their Christian name, were always arm in arm when they walked, pinned up each other’s train for the dance, and were not to be divided in the set; and if a rainy morning deprived them of other enjoyments, they were still resolute in meeting in defiance of wet and dirt, and shut themselves up, to read novels together.

Such has been the friendship that has blossomed between the managers and contributors in this Becoming Jane blog. However, our ‘disappointed love’ was in the Jane Austen/Tom Lefroy affair. Of course, we called ourselves by our Christian names. We have exchanged personal confidences and pictures so we know each other as intimately as can be done via the internet. Also, even though we are separated by many miles and busy lives we do read novels together, as well as the biographies of Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy, of course. I might add that this friendship includes our readers who have posted their comments and shared their writings. I am continually amazed that such friendships can be made world wide!

To quote Icha from a previous ‘quote of the week’ HERE:

'But, just to recall the friendships we have shared in this blog, some of them getting to sisterhood level even…'

Strangely, by coincidence, I must remark on the happenstance of choosing ‘friendship’ this particular week because I chose Northanger Abbey at random and noticed my previous highlighting of the above quotes. Those quotes captured my attention because the inspiration only came to mind a couple of weeks ago that I have two ‘particular’ friends who needed to be most gratefully ‘Thanked’. The occasion to do so occurred last weekend when I flew to New Jersey to attend the wedding of my best friend’s son. While there, I made a heartfelt presentation of my gratitude to my dearest friend and her husband for their care and concern through the past 43 years for myself in the times of my troubles. Needless to say, there were tears and hugs. Next weekend I will have the opportunity to express the same gratitude to my dearest sister and brother-in-law for their care and love, in spite of the fact that when we were growing up she was the most aggravating ‘little sister’. Just as Catherine’s friendship grew, so did ours as we became adults.

Let us make this week “Thank a Friend” week to show your own gratitude. Which brings to mind, I have a few other friends who should be remembered with a “Thank You”! We are grateful for all our ‘friends’!

Next week I will continue with the rest of the ‘Friendship Paragraph’ which discusses “Novels”!

Linda the Librarian

Pic: A classic Northanger Abbey picture from this site

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 46

I realised today, when looking at my bookshelf, that Sense & Sensibility is my least-read Austen. In moves to fix that, I've decided to quote from it this week. :)

I think that I would have been good friends with Elinor - I am good friends with Elinor. She inspires me, I think.

From Sense & Sensibilty Chapter 21, as the Dashwoods visit with Mrs Jennings:

Marianne was silent; it was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion; and upon Elinor therefore the whole task of telling lies when politeness required it, always fell.

I love this portrayal of the two sisters, and I sympathise with Elinor for being landed with the unlucky lot! I recognise in this passage elements of myself, my mum, and my younger sister. They - while not being like Marianne (just as I am not like Elinor - more Mrs Jennings!) - are unable to express anything they consider not true to themselves, which is something that I admire. Whereas I seem to have landed the Elinor lot ... And paradoxial as it seems - I do not consider Elinor to be hypocritical, perhaps diplomatic in that she doesn't cause a row/draw attention to something that all things measured, is trivial? On her own principles she stands, we know that. Ah, different personalities, don't you love them?

(And I'll probably never learn not to write my blog post late at night - sorry for any confusion of post - am sure I'll be back tomorrow to clarify)

I have another S&S quote (re: Elinor) but I think I will save it for next time.

Have a great week!

Pic: Emma Thompson as Elinor from: janeausten.co.uk

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