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A big undertaking I know, but it must be done. If you can read words then you've heard of Jane Austen, and you're likely to have deep feelings about her work. Her books have legions of die-hard fans and there is a reason for that. Like female writers throughout time, she wrote for women from their own perspective- arguably at a time when it wasn't as easy or popular to do so. So there is a pioneering energy to her work, one that must be respected regardless of how one feels about the actual work she produced. That, coupled with the success of the on-screen adaptions of her work and it's clear that her star power is unlikely to dim anytime soon. I wanted to read and review her works outside of this influence, to simply read the books and enjoy them as they were meant to be enjoyed, and then to see what I felt about this legendary author with regards to her craft. Full disclosure, I came in as a fan of the movies having never actually read any of the books. So, naturally, I assumed I would come out as a fan of the books and more importantly, the author. Well, life doesn't always go according to plan, does it?
"Indulge your imagination in every possible flight."
— Pride and Prejudice.
As a true giant of literature, you may have first encountered Jane Austen's work by picking up one of her books or by watching an on-screen adaption of one of them. Everything she has ever published has been turned into some kind of on-screen production because tv and movie executives quickly discovered that there exists in the world an endlesshunger for the old world, and in particular old English romanticism. Even before the story; the setting, the costumes, and the accents have millions of people already predisposed to like the production. In cases like this- where the subject matter has a preexisting following of its own- it's difficult to judge how much of the success of these adaptions is a result of the brilliance of the work written by Jane Austen vs the longstanding hysteria for all period pieces. That is the particular thing I mean to tackle here- I want to assess Jane Austen the writer for myself, without being influenced by the success of the adaptions of her written works. I feel strongly that, although linked, these two things are very different and should be judged as such.
"When pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure."
— Emma.
The books I read in the Barnes & Noble collection I picked up are Pride & Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion. Now, this list is clearly not exhaustive, Jane Austen wrote two other novels namely Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, however, the four that I read are arguably the four most popular. I do promise to make a new review once I've read the other three novels, where I can give a more thorough review of Jane as an artist in the fullness of her (published) artistry. For the sake of completeness, I've included summaries of each of the novels I read that informed this blog post. These are from https://austenprose.com/ and I couldn't have done them better myself, so I didn't.
Sense and Sensibility- is a wonderfully entertaining tale of flirtation and folly that revolves around two starkly different sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. While Elinor is thoughtful, considerate, and calm, her younger sister is emotional and wildly romantic. Both are looking for a husband, but neither Elinor’s reason nor Marianne’s passion can lead them to perfect happiness-as Marianne falls for an unscrupulous rascal and Elinor becomes attached to a man who’s already engaged.
Pride and Prejudice – Austen’s own ‘darling child’ and arguably her most beloved novel– tells the story of fiercely independent Elizabeth Bennet, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just twenty-one years old.
Emma- tells the story of the handsome, clever and rich Miss Emma Woodhouse who, thinking herself impervious to romance of any kind, tries to arrange a wealthy marriage for her poor friend Harriet Smith, but refuses to recognize her own feelings for here gallant neighbor Mr. Knightley. What ensues is a delightful series of comical, scheming escapades in which every social machination and bit of “tittle-tattle” is steeped in Austen’s delicious irony.
Persuasion- follows the romance of 27-year-old spinster Anne Elliot and a handsome naval officer Captain Frederick Wentworth. They were happily engaged until Anne’s friend, Lady Russell, persuaded her that Frederick was “unworthy.” Now, eight years later, Frederick returns, a wealthy captain in the navy, while Anne’s aristocratic family teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, retrenching to Bath. They still love each other, but their past mistakes threaten to keep them apart.
So Then, What's the Verdict?
I loved the dialogue. I think Jane Austen's gift is writing dialogue that comes alive and crafting scenes around this dialogue that draw you in. As a device, I really feel her use of dialogue should be studied because, without fail, it was my favorite part of each of her books. Her characters felt real and their diction true and I loved that they had characteristics that came through in these scenes of just dialogue. Whatsmore, her characters were consistent, even in the way that they evolved, which made them feel even more real. Perhaps because I appreciate just how difficult this is to do, I know that what Jane Austen does with dialogue is amazing, it's a skill. And as a result, we have some of the most memorable characters in litarature- who wasn't captivated by Elizabeth Bennet the first time they encountered her quick wit and irresistible charm? I also think that this ability to write fantastic dialogue is the reason that her books have done so well as film adaptions. To put visuals and give movement and life to dialogue that already jumps off the page will always be a winning combination. It's almost too easy.
"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."
― Emma.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading the books, I have a certain enjoyment for old English, the (what now feels like) rigidity in the structure that makes fluidity stand out and allows the reader to truly savor it. So, I like the wordiness of the books, and in moments where it was done well, I loved finding myself getting lost in the story. The only issue was that, for me, this didn't happen often, and because I've stated how I love old English and wordy text, I know that's not why. I just found the writing around the dialogue to be rather dense, so much so that it pulled me out of the story and it felt like work to get, and sometimes, even suffer through. I found myself longing for the dialogue, paging forward to see when it would start up again to give me the steam I needed to get through the non-dialogue parts.
Now, this isn't a general consensus for all the works and I will say that I didn't feel it to be equally as bad in all of them. In my favorite novel, Persuasion, I didn't have this issue at all. I loved just about every part of the book, even the parts when dialogue was nowhere to be seen. I felt lost in the unfolding of the story, for whatever reason, this narration felt to me like it was done with the most delicate hand and as a result, it flowed ever so beautifully. It helped that her main character, Anne Elliot, was perhaps the most likable of all for me, and the love story between her and Captain Wentworth the most simple at its core. I must also profess that I am a sucker for second-time-around love and a slow burn romance- and this story gifts me both. However, although I loved all these things, I am not swayed by them in my evaluation of the writing. I just simply feel like in this book, Miss Austen was her best. The best part is that she's given us so much material that we can (and must) debate this until the end of time.
"But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever."
— Pride and Prejudice.
I think what I enjoyed the least by the time I finished the last novel was the predictability of the stories. Jane Austen seemed to almost write to a formula that she tweaked a little bit, but every story fit comfortably within a mold. (describe the mold). Perhaps it was the time, maybe these were the only stories that she felt or was told she could and should write. Maybe it's all she wanted to write. However, as an artist, I can't help but feel like she didn't grow and evolve and whether by choice or not, this just makes me sad. I know she's come to be known as a great romance writer, and romance writing does fit into a formula- but I think this distinction is in hindsight. I don't imagine she set out to be the celebrated romance writer she is today- particularly because a great argument can be made that she didn't actually write romance, romance just featured strongly in all her books. What she wrote was amazing coming-of-age stories that were honest and connected with the core of womanhood in a way that has proven to be timeless. That was her true talent; the wit, the charm, the beautiful sentences- all that was extra. And yet, as lovely as that is, I still wish she allowed us (and herself) a wider scope within which to enjoy those talents. I may have to eat my words once I read her remaining three novels and I sincerely hope I do, but for now, that is how I feel.
"What is right to be done, cannot be done too soon."
— Emma.
So in conclusion, I fully understand why Jane Austen's collection of books have and continue to amass a legion of loyal supporters, I really do. I'll even go so far as to say that I am a fan, I will be picking up another one of her books again- I really do plan to read her full collection of works- it's just not at the absolute top of my list. It's perhaps bizarre, but in the end I think I enjoy Jane Austen more as a screenwriter or playwright than an author. That is to say that I love her work, but I enjoy it more as live/ on-screen adaptions because she was so brilliant at dialogue, and bringing characters to life. On screen, I get this brilliance without interruption while in the books I sometimes get pulled out by the writing around it and, well...I'm not crazy about that. So while I won't be joining any Jane clubs anytime soon, I will continue to quietly appreciate her from over here.
What are your thoughts on Jane Austen? Do you agree with me or are you a die-hard fan who hates me now because I've confessed that I'm not exactly? I'd love to know.
Happy reading,
Noni
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