Reading Jane Austen

In this bonus mini-episode, Harriet has a discussion with three of the co-creators of webseries Rational Creatures .  This series, based on Persuasion , started in 2019, but then had to go on a long and unexpected hiatus due to the global pandemic. Just as Jane Austen used her books to shed light on social issues of her time, RATIONAL CREATURES reflects the world around us now by including complex...

In this episode, we read Chapters 40 to 45 of Mansfield Park . We talk about the plot of a girl brought up in privileged circumstances returning to her family, Mary’s letters and how Fanny responds to them, the success of Henry’s visit, Edmund’s letter to Fanny, and Tom’s illness. We discuss the Price family (with a slight digression into the idea of disposition and principle), then Ellen talks ab...

In this episode, we read Chapters 35 to 39 of Mansfield Park . We talk about how Edmund and Mary dismiss Fanny’s concerns about Henry, Sir Thomas’s decision to send Fanny back to Portsmouth, Fanny and William’s journey, the comedy of the arrival in Portsmouth, Fanny’s reaction to the house, and the very realistic and grounded nature of the Portsmouth scenes . We discuss Edmund Bertram, then Harrie...

In this episode, we read Chapters 31 to 34 of Mansfield Park . We talk about Fanny's initial failure to realise she has received a true proposal, the amount of pressure placed on her to accept, the picture everyone has of little, modest Fanny, and the difference between Sir Thomas and Fanny's views of marriage.  We discuss Henry Crawford, then Ellen talks about ordination, and Harriet lo...

In this episode, we read Chapters 26 to 30 of Mansfield Park . We talk about Fanny’s preparations for the ball, the amber cross, her emotion reactions after Edmund gives her the chain, her post-ball meeting with Mary, and the scene where Henry tells Mary he plans to marry Fanny. We discuss Lady Bertram, then Ellen talks about what is meant by being ‘out’, and Harriet follows this with some informa...

In this episode, we read Chapters 22 to 25 of Mansfield Park . We talk about the friendship between Fanny and Mary, the tension between Mary and Edmund, Henry’s plan to make Fanny fall in love with him (and Mary’s reaction), William’s view of Fanny, the tour de force of Chapter 25 (the Speculation chapter), and Ellen’s articulation of why she cares about what happens to Fanny. We discuss Dr and Mr...

In this episode, we read Chapters 17 to 21 of Mansfield Park . We talk about Fanny’s moral trajectory during the theatricals, Mary’s casual acceptance of Henry’s behaviour with Maria, the cliffhanger ending of Volume 1 in the first edition, and Fanny’s question to Sir Thomas about the slave trade (with Harriet’s theory as to why she asked it). We talk about Sir Thomas, first considering how he is...

In this episode, we read Chapters 12 to 16 of Mansfield Park . We talk about why Fanny refuses to act, why Edmund agrees to join in, the sheer amount of comedy in the scenes of the theatricals, and the Cinderella aspect of the plot. We talk about Tom Bertram, and then Ellen looks at theatre in the Regency period, and why Fanny and Edmund disapprove of the the theatricals. Harriet talks about the p...

In this episode, we read Chapters 8 to 11 of Mansfield Park . We revisit the issue of how Jane Austen opposes Fanny and Mary, and look at the flirting techniques of Mary and Henry, Fanny’s expectations of Edmund, whether there is symbolism in the scene at the ha-ha, and Mary’s criticism of Dr Grant. The characters we talk about are Maria and Julia, and then Ellen looks at the idea of improvement o...

In this episode, we read Chapters 4 to 7 of Mansfield Park . We talk about the character-revealing scenes, how the presentation of Fanny may make some readers dislike her, why Maria became engaged to Mr Rushworth, and Henry Crawford’s behaviour. We discuss the character of Mary Crawford – who is perhaps almost as divisive as Fanny Price – and then Ellen talks about baronets, Members of Parliament,...

This is a bit of an in-between episode. About two months ago, when we were getting ready to record Episode 2, Ellen came down with a bad virus – not COVID, but recovery has been a slow process. We’re just about to start recording again, but it means there’s going to be more of a gap before Episode 2, and probably between the other episodes as well, since we don’t have any edited and ready to go in...

In this episode, we read the first three chapters of Mansfield Park . We give a brief publishing history, and talk about how the opening chapters really prepare the way for the rest of the book, with all of the characters and relationships being set up, how the three Miss Wards come from a not dissimilar background from Pride and Prejudice’s Miss Gardiners (Mrs Bennet and Mrs Phillips), and how th...

In this episode, we read the final chapters of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about Elinor being the ‘moral spokesperson’ for the book, why Marianne marries Colonel Brandon, how Edward is less dashing than both Willoughby and Brandon, the social and financial gap between Elinor and Marianne after their marriages, and Lucy’s marriage to Robert. We also revisit the sense vs sensibility concept, and...

In this episode, we read Chapters 42 to 46 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about how Marianne’s illness is presented (including the un-dramatic way in which she gets sick, and the lack of emotional response), what Colonel Brandon could be doing all day, how Mrs Dashwood is pushing Colonel Brandon and Marianne together, and Jane Austen’s use of grotesques. We discuss Willoughby (with a digressio...

In this episode, we read Chapters 37 to 41 of Sense and Sensibility (which was where Volume 3 started in the original publication). We talk about how the news of Edward and Lucy is spread, the picture we get of Lucy and Anne’s relationship, the resurgence of the ‘cautionary tale’, and how this is the second time Colonel Brandon asks Elinor to deliver a message for him. We discuss the character of...

In this episode, we read Chapters 32 to 36 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about how this is a transitional section, and yet contains some of the funniest scenes in the book. We consider the different styles of the intertwined plots (the ‘Marianne plot’, the ‘Elinor plot’ and the ‘moral story’), talk about the comic scenes with Robert Ferrars and with John Dashwood, and the emotional – but also...

 In this episode, we read Chapters 26 to 31 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about how unsatisfying Ellen found several of these chapters, the role of gossip, the similarity between Elinor’s and Marianne’s situations, the importance of reputation, and whether the turnaround in our perception of Mrs Jennings was planned for by Jane Austen.  We discuss the character of Marianne, then Harriet’s par...

In this episode, we read Chapters 21to 25 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about Jane Austen’s use of compound sentences, Lady Middleton’s concern with gentility, the verbal fencing match between Elinor and Lucy, Elinor’s emotions, and Mrs Jennings’ invitation to Elinor and Marianne. We discuss Lucy and Anne Steele, and then Ellen talks about childhood in the time of Jane Austen. Harriet talks a...

In this episode, we read Chapters 16 to 20 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about how Marianne indulges her feelings, whether Jane Austen knew what Marianne and Willoughby talked about before he left, the clearer picture we get of Edward in these chapters, and Edward’s invisible servant. The characters we discuss are Mr and Mrs Palmer. Ellen talks about sensibility and romanticism, which leads i...

 In this episode, we read Chapters 12 to 15 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about how Margaret's contribution to the plot, how Elinor and Marianne's debate on sense vs sensibility moves from the theoretical to the practical, the linking of propriety with morality, how the mystery subplot is quite unusual in Jane Austen, and the nasty tone of some of Willoughby's jokes about Colon...

 In this episode, we read Chapters 6 to 11 of Sense and Sensibility . We talk about how Barton Cottage and its location are described in some detail, consider how the bedrooms are shared out, the closeness between the two sisters in spite of their differences, the theme of sense vs sensibility, and the way Willoughby and Marianne criticise Colonel Brandon.  We discuss the character of Mrs Jennings...

In this episode, we read the first five chapters of Sense and Sensibility . We give a brief publishing history, and talk about the themes of sense and sensibility, the lack of dialogue in the first chapter, how much money the Dashwoods have, the emphasis on caring about the arts, how very young the girls are, and the lack of presentation of Edward.   We discuss the characters of John and Fanny Das...

In this episode, we read the final chapters of Pride and Prejudice . We talk about the dialogue in the final proposal scene, and more generally about proposals in Jane Austen; Mr Bennet’s response to the news, and also Mrs Bennet’s; what the final chapter, and James Austen-Leigh’s Memoir , tells us about what happens next to the characters; the passing reference to the “restoration of peace”; and...

 In this episode, we talk about how Jane Austen keeps up the suspense so close to the end of the book, the fact that Kitty has forgotten Mr Darcy, Elizabeth’s embarrassment at her mother, Bingley and Mr Bennet shooting together, the physical descriptions of Longbourne, the question of how Lady Catherine got her news and the meeting between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth.   We discuss the character o...

In this episode, we talk about the steps taken to find Lydia and Wickham, how much Darcy paid to get them married, the moral and social approach towards what Lydia has done, why Mrs Bennet thinks there will be a duel, the letter from Mr Collins, and Elizabeth’s changing feelings towards Darcy. We discuss the character of George Wickham. Ellen talks about marriage settlements and marriage laws, and...