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Sunday, September 14

Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Sweetest Lady

Our readers voted and the verdict is in: General Tilney is the Worst Father, beating Sir Walter Elliot by a 6:4 margin. Our next throwdown takes us in the opposite direction - to sweetest lady. We will visit two secondary characters for the first vote in this category, and then will move up to the main characters in later contests. For your consideration, please vote for the character who best fits this category:
Sweetest Lady

Miss Bates, Emma:
Yes Miss Bates' runaway mouth can be infuriatingly irritating, but this endearing spinster has not a mean bone in her body. Sweet without fault, she finds the good in people and enjoys their companionship. She is grateful for the slightest bit of attention, and though she is materially poor, she feels blessed and contented. When Emma petulantly makes fun of her at Box Hill, Miss Bates' reaction is one of hurt, not blame: - "but, when it burst on her, it could not anger, though a slight blush shewed that it could pain her. 'Ah!—well—to be sure. Yes, I see what she means, (turning to Mr. Knightley,) and I will try to hold my tongue. I must make myself very disagreeable, or she would not have said such a thing to an old friend.' "



Miss Eleanor Tilney, Northanger Abbey:
A true lady, gentle and sweet, she is a loving sister, obedient daughter, and devoted friend. Eleanor exudes an older sister's influence over Catherine Morland, genuinely liking the naive and inexperienced girl, and taking her under her wing. When General Tilney banishes Catherine from Northanger Abbey, Eleanor gives her money to get home. Jane Austen's description of Eleanor is telling: Miss Tilney had a good figure, a pretty face, and a very agreeable countenance; and her air, though it had not all the decided pretension, the resolute stylishness of Miss Thorpe's, had more real elegance. Her manners showed good sense and good breeding; they were neither shy nor affectedly open..."

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Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Sweetest Lady



Miss Bates Miss Eleanor Tilney



Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I so enjoy your blog. I have it RSS'd to me and am vastly entertained. Thank you for the time you take to amuse the anonymous masses.

Like me!

Vic said...

Laurel Ann and I say - you are so very welcome!

Anonymous said...

I love your Blog, thank you so much for your time and sharing these things with us all.

Vic said...

Thank you, Sherri! You and Sandi made our day.

Nigel said...

Eleanor Tilney for me!
Yum yum.

Stephanie Perkins said...

Hi ladies! I gave you an "I love your blog" award on my blog tonight. It's a tag thing -- don't worry about passing it on, I won't be offended! I just wanted to thank you for all of the Jane Austen-y goodness. A visit here always brightens my day!

Vic said...

Thank you, Stephanie! We are honored!

Anonymous said...

I love these voting things ('tis the season, after all, at least in the States) but you didn't include Jane Bennett in the "sweetest ladies" competition! I would have voted for her. Because in addition to being sweet, she is bright and perceptive.

Anonymous said...

Ah, Catherine, we are saving her for last. Great minds think alike!!