Jane Austen Throwdown

Some of Jane Austen's heroines had terrible experiences in London. Think of poor Marianne, who came to the realization that Willoughby had been willfully ignoring her letters and avoiding her visit. We will consider the London experiences of two ladies who are more restrained than Marianne: Jane Bennet and Elinor Dashwood. Both ladies kept their anguish to themselves. In your estimation whose London experience is worse? Jane's or Elinor's?

Jane Bennet understood that Mr. Bingley had removed himself from Netherfield Park with no immediate plans for a return visit. Her heart was broken already when she visited her aunt and uncle Gardiner on Gracechurch Street in Cheapside, but little did she know how thoroughly she would be rebuffed by Caroline Bingley, who she still regarded as a true friend. For someone as gentle as Jane, unable to think ill of others, the insult that Caroline finally gave her (visiting her beyond the prescribed time period that manners dictated, failure to give a reciprocal invitation, and staying for such a short length of time as to be almost insulting) opened Jane's eyes to the situation. Mr. Bingley was meant for Georgiana Darcy, and Jane had no role as either friend to the Bingley sisters or as Mr. Bingley's romantic interest. Only Elizabeth understood how well Jane was able to hide her broken heart from her family.

Imagine how you would feel if Lucy Steele told you about her secret engagement to the man you are interested in and extracts a promise from you to remain silent about the relationship. Imagine Elinor's having to witness Edward and Lucy in the drawing room in her presence and then watch them leave together (reluctantly on his side). Not only does Edward choose to remain with Lucy when his mother finds out about their clandestine relationship, but Colonel Brandon asks Elinor to tell Edward about the living he is willing to give him. The scene is poignant and sad, and we feel for Elinor, who bears these events with fortitude as she supports Marianne in her grief.

Jane Bennet in Annie Get Your Gun

Not really -- but doesn’t actress Rosamund Pike aka Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice 2005 look like Annie Oakley the famous sharpshooter of the American west in this photo?

Actually, Rosamund will play the title role in Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, considered one the greatest dramatic roles in theater where guns play a major role – thus the need for the publicity people to emphasize the violence in Ibsen’s story to connect a classic play to a modern audience. For all you lucky Brits, the UK tour will begin at the Theatre Royal Bath, running February 23 - March 6 and continue to Brighton March 8-13, Richmond March 15-20, Nottingham March 22-27, and Oxford March 29 - April 4. It is expected that the production will then transfer to the West End.

Along the way Miss Bennet will be having tea with Catherine Morland in Bath, Lydia Bennet in Brighton, Mrs. Churchill in Richmond, Mr. Darcy the Sheriff of Nottingham in Nottingham and Edmund Bertram in Oxford. Honestly, we couldn’t be more pleased for her, but advise her leave the guns at the theater.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Jane Austen Character Throwdown

My, oh, my. Last week's voters were decidedly for Darcy's sweet young sister, Georgianna, even though Ms. Harriet Smith was equally deserving of the title. Let's face it: You've been waiting for Miss Jane Bennet to appear. I have been wracking my brains all week to come up with a character who is worthy of standing up against Jane's popularity. It is my fervent hope that sweet, agreeable Miss Fanny Price will give Jane a run for the money. Let's see, shall we? Again, please vote for the character most deserving of the title, not your favorite one.

Sweetest Lady #3

Miss Jane Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

Was ever a more compliant and loving character devised by an author than Lizzy Bennet's older sister? I'd like to confess that I find Jane's sweetness almost treacly. Her saving graces are her intelligence and steadfast loyalty. No one seems jealous of her beauty precisely because she is so agreeable. How could she possibly have stomached Miss Caroline Bingley and Mrs. Hurst for as long as she did? She also shows her mother great forbearance during a time of emotional distress. One imagines that Jane's marriage to Mr. Bingley will proceed placidly without a single kerfuffle to mar their relationship, even with his sisters as in-laws. For Jane to have found her male counterpart in sweetness was a lucky and fortuitous stroke of Miss Austen's pen.

Miss Fanny Price, Mansfield Park

Shall I have to make a case for Fanny as the sweetest character or are there enough of us rooting for her to make this a close contest? She had a tougher row to hoe than Jane, living among a group of people who considered her more a lackey than a cherished relative. Except for Edmund, no one truly cared for her emotional well being. Fanny manages to retain her sweet disposition despite Mrs. Norris's spiteful bullying and Lady Bertram's dependence on her for every little thing. She remains loving towards Sir Thomas Bertram, even when he sends her packing to Portsmouth to mull over her decision to resist Henry Crawford's proposal, and manages to keep her misgivings about Mary Crawford under such tight control that neither Edmund nor Mary ever suspect her of anything but devoted friendship. Fanny has been tested time and again. That she remains sweet, forgiving, and generous-hearted despite her emotionally deprived background seems miraculous to me.

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Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Sweetest Lady #3

Miss Jane Bennet Miss Fanny Price

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World