Dressing Jane is a fabulous free quarterly e-newsletter containing news and articles about fashion in the Jane Austen era from 1775-1817. Click here to see the first issue. The next one is slated to come out in summer.A Georgian Garden Reborn discusses the function of the private Georgian garden. The one described in this article is located in Bath
The reviews for Miss Austen Regrets keep coming in from across The Pond. One article says this is a drama that depicts a different Jane Austen; and the review from BBC thought it a delicious feast for the senses. This article from the Times Online discusses Jane's acceptance then rejection of Mr. Harris Bigg-Wither's proposal.Musings from a Muddy Island posted a sensitive, well thought out review that offers a mild and reasoned rebuke to bloggers like myself. The author thinks that by and large we Americans view Jane from an unrealistic and romantic perspective. She cautions us to read more English history and Jane biography. As a gentle reminder, some of us do. Please check Jane Austen's World, my other blog. Also, not all of us are enamored with movies like Becoming Jane, nor do we crave a happy ending.
While I thought this production was excellent and intelligently written, and Olivia's acting was sensitive and finely drawn, I still firmly believe that a woman at the height of her creativity, one whose earnings were supplementing her fixed income to the extent that Jane's were beginning to do, would not have dwelled so much and so morosely on the past. I would have preferred to see more balance, with scenes showing Jane actively writing and thinking about her novels and plots, interspersed with those moments of regret (which, yes, are realistic). This woman, who wrote such astonishing work until two months before her death, had a powerful creative urge that would not stop, yet one is barely provided a glimpse in this production of Jane's urgent and insistent will to write.
Posted by Ms. Place
I agree wholeheartedly! Where was Jane's wonderful sense of humour? I am sure she had some regrets but I also think she was not a person to give in to such self indulgence for any length of time.
ReplyDeleteI suppose everyone has their own idea of what Jane Austen was like but to base most of this drama on her letters which were private correspondence does not give a complete view in my opinion.
One of the best programmes about Jane Austen was a small feature the BBC did which was presented by Anna Chancellor. They've only shown it once to my knowledge - they should show it again!