Well my friends, we are coming to a close on Jane Austen week. On this, our final day, I want to give you all a peak into the little known creations of our literary genius.
Jane Austen's novels, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Emma, were published to wide acclaim, and have maintained their popularity. However, there is one book that was published that is relatively little known. I have this book my Dad got be for Christmas one year of the "complete works of Jane Austen," and it contains all the above novels, and this story: Lady Susan.
Lady Susan is somewhat of a bizarre novel. For one thing, it is written in the form of letters, from various characters, to other various characters, in the story. Also, the main character of the entire novel is, in essence, the bad guy of the story. She is, in modern day terms, a cougar; a beautiful lady set on marrying a sweet (but gullible) young man ten years her junior for his fortune. She has a strained relationship with her daughter, who is in everything the total opposite of herself, and when the young man that Lady Susan has designs on begins to fall for her daughter, choas, drama, and clever manipulation ensues. The story is full of all the subtle Jane Austen wit that we love in her stories, but it also calls for a heightened degree of attention and intelligence on the part of the reader. That's what I love. Through telling the stories with letters,we only get peices of the story, and peices of the characters and their relationship with eachother, at a time. We are therefore the detectives of the story, which makes the end seem further away, but makes it all the more worthwhile when it finally arrives. A very interesting and intelligently peiced story, even though a man caught between a mother and her daughter initially seems rather uncomfortable. It has been heralded as Austen's "wickedest tale". The etext is available, but I would recommend you find a printed copy. If not, here it is: http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ladysusn.html
Another one of Jane Austen's works is an unfinished story called "Sanditon". The original version has only the first 11 chapters, as jane Austen died before it could be completed. What Jane Austen had in store for these characters is tantalizingly uncertain. Let me say this: I read all 11 chapters, was hooked, and when I turned the page and found there was no more, I froze with uncomprehensable dissappointment. If you are able to get your hands of a book of Jane Austen's other works, which come in many forms, make sure it includes the 11 chapters of this fresh and new story, which had SO much potential, dealth with new issues (there is a mulatto heiress in there I think), and was young and witty. Apparently I am not the only one who was dissappointed with its not having an end. Someone completed it. That's right. It is now a novel, called "Sanditon: Jane Austen's Last Novel Completed" by Jane Austen and Another Lady (marie dobbs). I wish I could say that I have read it - but I can't!!!! Based on my perusal of the reviews on Amazon however, it would appear that the other lady did a remarkably good job of staying true to Austen's language and wit. One reviewer complained of Charlotte, who in Austen's beginning had all the marks of a strong character, began to weaken throughout the book (which would indeed be dissappointing, although unfortuantly suchthings occur in real life as well), and also that the novel contains an abduction scene that is far fetched from Austen's style. However, all other reviews, including the rest of the critics, are full of praises for Dobbs' efforts and results, and I am quite determined to get myself a copy so I can judge for myself.
Another very sweet and promising tale she began is entitled "The Watsons," which I believe she began in her youth and abandonned.
Jane Austen also wrote some Juvenalia, small stories in her youth, which have been published. There are several, and I am including a link to a site that has them, for anyone interested in peaking: http://www.austen.com/novels.htm
And finally, for all who have read or watched Mansfield Park, have you ever wondered about the infamous play, "Lover's Vows"??? Wonder no more! I am including a link to a site where someone has summarized the plot of the play, and also included a helpful analysis of several reasons Edmund may have had objections to it: http://www.austen.com/mans/vows/
And there you have it folks, Jane Austen week is at an end! Somewhere in the near future I may take some days to go through Elizabeth Gaskell, and will definitly be doing a C.S. Lewis frame down the line. Happy Austen week, go read the books, and definitly watch the movies!!!!
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