why are women STILL obsessed with Jane Austen?

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Жыл бұрын

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Пікірлер: 269

@leenanorms Жыл бұрын

Please either name The Flying KZfaqrs or tell us which Jane Austen book/film you would give to a complete Austen Newbie.....

@harriet.z Жыл бұрын

BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice because the slower pace actually leaves enough silence and space in between for viewers to fully absorb how absurd some of the characters are. Even tho as all film adaptions they sanitized the crap out of the original source material and everyone is more polished and has no bite in comparisons x)

@bookmouse2719 Жыл бұрын

I started by watching Sir Laurence Olivier version....P & P. The BBC versions are very good. The books are all good.

@alannahgraham__ Жыл бұрын

Sense and Sensibility! I saw the film (with that amazing noise from Emma Thompson) when I was 11 back in 2002 and BEGGED my mum for the book. More than two decades on and it's still my favourite book of all time!

@virginiacastiglione8879 Жыл бұрын

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

@RachelAnnPotter Жыл бұрын

P&P 2005 was the gateway drug that led me to listen to the audiobook on repeat while consuming analysis content (Dr Octavia Cox, Ellie Dashwood, etc). They did a great job translating the feel of the world into the medium of film, especially since P&P is mainly internal thoughts. It is the surface level take that hooked many into taking a deeper dive. I'd rather read the book again than watch the 99 miniseries as the execution wasn't perfect. The small changes from book to miniseries, though insignificant, felt jarring as it has been held up as the superior P&P adaptation by the purists that turned me off from reading Austen in the first place (that's my bias).

@Natalanium Жыл бұрын

It's weird how no one told me that Austen was a social satirist through romance and let me believe she was "just" an old romance writer - if I'd had any idea how genuinely delightful and funny and insightful and thought provoking her work was even for a modern audience I'd have been all over it waaaaaayyy earlier.

@mikaylaeager7942 Жыл бұрын

This! I spent the first half of my life without Austen in it because of this! It’s just bad marketing. Just like they market Shakespeare as some stuffy upper-crust playwright when in truth they are situational comedies written for the masses like Friends or the Office.

@mikanchan322 Жыл бұрын

You clearly haven't come across me before :P I will bring this up in EVERY conversation about Austen because in my opinion it is the biggest misunderstanding people have (even people who read and love her work)

@katerrinah5442 Жыл бұрын

Yes! She's so funny! She deserves so much more praise for her writing

@naomimeaden Жыл бұрын

I think Jane Austen's ability to capture what is essentially human nature is what makes her still popular. If you take away all the dresses and big houses, the characters wants and desires are still the same as people's wants and desires today. and in some or or another they partake in the same activities we do. I'm reading p&p at the moment, and I couldn't help laughing when the day after the first ball Lizzy and her friends all want to meet so they can discuss the events of the night before, which is basically me and my friends after a night out 😂 I also think Austen's warning against "unsavoury characters" stand up too

@gingersal8052 Жыл бұрын

Exactly ! Reading Pride and Prejudice, I could relate a lot to Lizzie’s relationship with her family, you can tell she loves them but also is annoyed by them. I also loved her comment about « the more I know of the world the more I’m disappointed in it. » Austen’s characters are fairly lovable but none of them is perfect.

@wickedarctiinae4132 11 ай бұрын

What do you mean by "unsavoury characters"?

@somnolentcats 6 ай бұрын

@@wickedarctiinae4132i assume mr. wickham

@ayamarrow1383 Жыл бұрын

I once heard somone say "jane Austen finds the silly in the serious and the serious in the silly" and thats the best summation i can think of. Shes just really good! She has such a subtlety and cleverness, she makes me laugh out loud so often! She paints characters in sych vivid colours im sometimes sure she writing ab somone i know personally! Shes just that hinest to gid genius!

@ldgh2288 Жыл бұрын

"...a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of." Yes, I do love her.

@chiarathomas5044 Жыл бұрын

100% the 2005 pride and prejudice, horrified at the years I spent missing out because no one mentioned how genuinely funny it is

@luke28 Жыл бұрын

Most definitely!

@sigridsimmen Жыл бұрын

"What excellent boiled potatoes. It's been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable" is one of the funniest things I have seen in any film ever

@ginat.8064 Жыл бұрын

@@sigridsimmen I long for the day I can use that line at the dinner table. Although I always wish to give my compliments as unstudied an air as possible.

@gueneveve1296 Жыл бұрын

Oh my god. ‘05 P&P was my gateway drug to Austen, and still holds the title as my #1 favorite comfort movie

@sigridsimmen Жыл бұрын

@@ginat.8064 Oh, believe me, no one would suspect your manners to be rehearsed.

@liv97497 Жыл бұрын

This is exactly why I think P&P 2005 is a good adaptation, actually. I know people complain about how they made the Bennets poorer, but to me it felt like a very conscious decision. Sometimes, people see characters in period dramas as stuffy or too proper or even too far from our reality, but the 2005 movie had extremely well defined characters that felt like people you might know. Everybody knows a Caroline, most of us have met a Lydia and some of us are unfortunate enough to know a Lady Catherine. And all the elements of the novel are there: the film is funny, witty, romantic, cynical and hopeful, all at once.

@mikanchan322 Жыл бұрын

I think 2005 is good but not because of that, exactly. The 1995 characters to me (and the book characters) felt similarly real and relatable!

@haruzanfuucha 9 ай бұрын

In my opinion the major problem people have with 2005 is that it is too Hollywoodized.

@aeolia80 Жыл бұрын

I like her subtle quips that still are funny and make sense 200 years later, lol. But honestly there’s so much nuance her books.

@readerindistress Жыл бұрын

I don't know why people hate Emma! Heck, I want to be Emma. She is already rich and most importantly...she does NOT have to marry unless she wants to. She was living the regency version of "slow living" & was the "it girl", what's not to love, eh?🤣 The entire novel is masterfully written and funny as hell (the real reason I like it so much, lol🙈)

@EyeLean5280 Жыл бұрын

She's very real, and I think that's off-putting to some readers.

@mishynaofficial 2 ай бұрын

I love 2020 Emma and she reminds me of me, but I can't stand the book, it's boring as hell.

@ArnicaMachado Жыл бұрын

My favourite thing about Jane Austen's novels (from the three I've read so far) is that characters accept correction when it's given. They realise their mistakes and change. I love that.

@puffmaggie Жыл бұрын

i was sad when this video ended and wish it wouldve been twice as long! my brain is filled with the beauty of this video. the way the sun is slowly shining on the building starting at the 4 minute mark is giving me shiny anime eyes! very nice of the fog to show up just for this beautiful piece too. and LOL the flying youtubers on the actual video subject: i do think Jane Austen was very much a good writer. she chose good topics (the financial stability vs love is still so interesting to me) and wrote genuinely interesting characters. sidenote the 2005 'Pride and Prejudice' is one of my all time movie favorites, i am obsessed with the Bennet house in that movie! and the casual outfits!!! THE PINAFORES AND DRESSES!!! ok brb gonna watch Rachel Maksy make the one from the movie and convince myself i am capable of making it

@leenanorms Жыл бұрын

Yes! We rewatched 2005 P&P during our stay in the cottage and it was just magical! Also aspire for Rachel Maksy levels of skill... the one where she makes the brown dress from Becoming Jane? That's the pinnacle for me! Really glad you liked it, it would have been hard to make an ugly video in such a beautiful place ;) x

@puffmaggie Жыл бұрын

@@leenanorms omg leena I BELIEVE IN YOU! your sewing skills are 100% improving, you could totally make something like that!

@NaomiHoefs Жыл бұрын

Currently reading Emma! And I've been telling all of my friends I'm really enjoying it. Not only because it somehow still feels relevant (don't we all want to find love, and don't we all still judge everyone around us, and don't we all love a bit of gossip). But mostly, because it is just very, truly funny. I feel like you either get it or you don't with Jane Austen. And it has to do with how you read the words. So when I recommend one of her books, I always tell people to read it with a sort of sarcastic voice in their heads. That way you will most likely find the satire. Which makes them so good. 200 years later.

@cmm5542 Жыл бұрын

Emma's my favourite! And all you say about Jane Austen is very, very, most absolutely right 🙂

@ermintrude_fanshaw Жыл бұрын

Emma is my absolute favourite! I love Emma as a character so much - maybe because she is so flawed. I think it might have been my first Jane Austen novel, which might also be why. And I LOVED the 2020 adaptation - I think they really captured the ridiculousness of some of the scenes and the tongue-in-cheek style of the narration. They also clearly show that Emma is a complete snob, while still making her likeable. Beautiful.

@nommh Жыл бұрын

There is an audio version of Nothanger Abbey by Juliet Stevenson. She uses exactly the inner voice you are suggestint - only better.

@lydia1634 Жыл бұрын

I know the second point isn't your conclusion, but reading "Sense and Sensibility" in light of Mary Wollstonecraft's "A Vindication on the Rights of Women" was eye-opening. The works were written much closer together than we usually think, considering S&S was her first written novel, finished in the 18th century, not the 19th.

@frankie9387 Жыл бұрын

Every time I reread a Jane Austen I just feel seen - like how did she know me and get inside my head all those years ago.

@jo_aspen Жыл бұрын

Almost choked on my breakfast when you showed the movie location from Pride and Prejudice because I got so excited. 😂 "I love you....most ARDENTLY" I also loved this video most ardently.

@samiansley5740 Жыл бұрын

“Precise social satire”. This is it for me. I love the humor and heart.

@FreyaJeffries Жыл бұрын

This was lovely! I really like Jane Austen and a big part of my enjoyment comes from how her stories work really well on every different level. On the surface they are enjoyable, funny reads that have great subtle storytelling. Then they are also fun to analyse from different perspectives. And then you have the fun of all the adaptations, and how they interact with and interpret the original novels. 🤓😎 Multi layered fun like cake 🍰

@JudithRena Жыл бұрын

I recently listened to Emma as an audiobook and kept imitating the posh 18th century voice it was read in (I had fun doing it, my flatmate not so much…). I enjoyed the drama of it wholeheartedly, it’s one of my favourite books now!

@rachelwyen Жыл бұрын

After watching Pride & Prejudice (2005) I was compelled to read the book and really enjoyed it. I don’t think I would have watched the film if I hadn’t binged the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, which you can find here on KZfaq!

@kahkah1986 Жыл бұрын

Why are so many men still obsessed with Shakespeare... because he is good? Aren't women allowed to get obsessed with a good writer? I think the real question we should be asking is ... why are so few men NOT obsessed with Austen? Is it because she is female they aren't allowing themselves to join in? Tbf, I think Austen books have a very clear sense of world-building, of social structure, values etc. and learnt rules which make books more rewarding for obsessive/ aspie-types like myself, with the added benefit of lots of female characters, which you don't get so much of in say, Star Wars or Star Trek, other literary sites for obsessives. Obsessions with classical literature are apparently a tell for girls who are on the spectrum, but my secret theory is that is maybe the reason why girls aren't spotted so easily; 19th century literature definitely helped me to develop social skills bc Austen was definitely great at focusing in on social interaction as important and learnable; getting obsessed with shooting people with lasers doesn't give you the same crossover of empathy and kindness that the Box Hill episode did.

@harriet.z Жыл бұрын

agree- women have so very few social capital in comparison to men. And it’s sad that the work of the few brilliant women in history that made it do not get the same hurrah they deserve. Women in very profession find it hard to get their names heard & harder for people to rally behind their name like an universally celebrated brand & icon as their male counterparts. It’s sad because I’m sure there were even more brilliant minds and names lost in history simply due to their sex&gender. It’s like some is us were never there.

@ishmamahmed9306 9 ай бұрын

Men are obsessed with Shakespeare? I thought most were resentful of being forced to read and analyse those plays in 16th century English.

@Pippins666 8 ай бұрын

To repeat the comment I made at the top "Not JUST women! We blokes are too - including the first ever Nobel Laureate for literature, Rudyard Kipling - see his story "The Janeites".And living near Bath and Lyme Regis, she is just part of the landscape (and film locations)"

@mishynaofficial 2 ай бұрын

Oh, not only on the spectrum. I'm a HSP with SzPD and CPTSD. I've always loved classical and historical fiction.

@paulinadarowska Жыл бұрын

I watched Emma, read the book and became obsessed, idk. It's just funny, when you know the context and see how she low key roasts people.

@Helcaloth Жыл бұрын

This was so lovely (and timely)! I just had a male relative read P&P and essentially dismiss it as "just a bunch of rich people going to each other's houses" and I was so disappointed. And I struggled against thinking I'd imagined the value of her works when someone I admire intellectually didn't see it. Had to remind myself that I don't need anyone else to see the merit in a piece of literature for it to be there - and also that I have a whole ass lang/lit degree and can draw conclusions that are just as valid as my relative's. This was such a good reminder of why I love Austen!

@fridaherbst719 Жыл бұрын

Haha, I tried to get my male friends into Jane Austen for years and never succeeded, so same here! It doesn‘t have to be for everyone, I‘m just glad to have them all as my comfort books and will forever be grateful to Jane for that.

@Helcaloth Жыл бұрын

@jessifish no no, you misunderstand (and that's my fault) - that quote was me specifically referencing that viral post! His actual review said the same in general terms (which is why that quote sprung to mind for me) but he didn't plagiarise anything. He did compare it to the Real Housewives of Beverly hills though, which is arguably worse than just ripping off a viral post lol

@beanbagbooks Жыл бұрын

That Byrne quote at the end sticks in my mind because it actually reminded me of the way (some) Austen fans gatekeep her work: of COURSE she wasn't a romance writer, she's clearly a satirist, her books aren't just cheap love stories. I think it's why I've seen so many fans of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice delight in insulting the intelligence of the 2005 P&P lovers, while the 2005 fans I know don't seem to care which adaptation anyone prefers. It's a way of defending Austen's wit and skillful satire, sure, but it's a tad misogynistic when you think about it, because what's wrong with enjoying women finding love? What's wrong with getting excited when your ship works out? If Austen didn't want us to enjoy the romantic aspects of her work, what on earth was she doing writing that DEVASTATING letter from Captain Wentworth? I think the correct answer is that Austen is doing all of this. She's critiquing society, she's crafting witty sentences, she's showing us complicated characters, and she's satisfying our fix for romances that turn out just right. All of these things work in conjunction with each other; she does satirize through romance, but the complexity of her writing makes the romances richer and deeply memorable, so memorable that we can't seem to forget about any of them after 200 years.

@francat6450 Жыл бұрын

You nailed it - exactly how I feel as well. Beautifully worded!

@mikanchan322 Жыл бұрын

This is fair!! I am that person who will bring up that it's satire first, not romance first - but yes, there is also romance and the romance is great! I just don't like that austen is usually misperceived as being mainly a romance writer. Not bc romance bad, but because that is a misrepresentation of the complexity of her novels!

@esmeralda3858 Жыл бұрын

I agree. I think that saying Jane Austen's purpose was to 'subvert and undermine the romantic' is a very modern view. The words 'subvert' and 'subversive' are often used by modern critics as a way of saying that an author or other figure lived in a sexist and classist society but stood outside it mentally and emotionally in order to critique it. However, if you're living in a society you're never going to see it the way people will in 200 years' time. And how do stories about people falling in love and ending up happily married subvert and undermine the romantic? Austen shows us that in a society we can't relate to today (and therefore judge from a 21st century perspective), men and women were just like us. She enjoys poking fun at those who are entitled and stupid (and we've all met people like that), but she also shows us people we like who achieve romantic happiness through their willingness to change as individuals.

@EyeLean5280 Жыл бұрын

I've seen 2005 stans get pretty nasty, too, tbh. As for me, I've only seen one of the two versions so I have no idea which I'd like better. I do notice, however, that people on both sides seem to be fond of finding fault with the "other" fandom and ignoring the nonsense in their own.

@mishynaofficial 2 ай бұрын

Exactly. Turns out it takes courage to admit that you just love romance books. I enjoy them all, classic and historical, smutty or not. And like what is this urge to compare Austen to Shakespeare? Why prove that the author you like is an objectively good writer? Idc in what regard people keep them, what matters is whether I enjoy their books or not.

@pingy2410 Жыл бұрын

When I recently had covid on Christmas Day I decided to spend my miserable isolation rereading Pride and Prejudice because it is my all time favourite book and ultimate comfort read. I first read it at 14 and I think this was my fifth reread, now aged 28. I love it still and with every time I read it I pick up on something new to enjoy. Her work is full of so much thoughtfulness and detail and most of all, it’s just so funny. My copy has a quote on the front from the comedian Meera Syal calling it “the funniest book ever written” and I remember seeing that when I first picked it up and thinking *Ehhh!? This book’s old, how can it be that funny??* - but now I can look at it and say I’m pretty sure Meera was right.

@gingerprice9221 Жыл бұрын

I love the sneaky revolution that Austen enacted in her books. _Emma_ was written during the Jacobean Revolution, so I think that Austen was cognizant of making sure that she wouldn't be interpreted as a radical, *but* she wrote a heroine who had money and status and power (albeit because her father largely took a backseat in managing, *but still*!) and none of the regular "inducements to marry"; she was given a position of authority that was historically largely only given to men, and I think that was hella cool. I'd highly recommend _Searching for Jane Austen_ by Emily Auerbach; she makes a lot of compelling claims about the kinds of things Austen was attempting to do through her writing, and I'll forever be in awe of her for making Fanny Price a compelling character, haha. I love Austen, I love the commentary in this video, and I love the little escapism I got on a grubby Monday through all of the beautiful scenery! Thank you!! Hope you enjoyed your trip.

@mollyp7559 Жыл бұрын

Have you read Jane Austen The Secret Radical by Helena Kelly? I really enjoyed that and am wondering how it compares. 😊

@gingerprice9221 Жыл бұрын

I haven't, @@mollyp7559, but it sounds wonderful! I'll definitely have to check it out.

@Saphira46 Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you pointed out the fates of characters such as Charlotte or Miss Bates, as it put something into perspective which I think a lot of my enjoyment of the books is coming from: a sense of safety and comfort, knowing that the characters are going to be okay in the end, even the ones that are not in the spotlight. For me, the books are definitely part of my escapism. My heart will always belong to 1995 Pride and Prejudice, so that would be my recommendation!

@BrielleleFay Жыл бұрын

Such a great video! Thank you Leena. I have been a Jane Austen fan sense I was 11 years old. Also, it was so fun to see the lovely countryside and scenery you featured.

@KellieatLarge Жыл бұрын

Loved this! How obedient of the fog to show up. Jane Austen was an exceptional storyteller and the economy with which she could convey character was perfection. Case in point: 'Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs Bennet.' Pride and Prejudice was my first Austen and is my joint favourite alongside Persuasion, which I read maybe 15 years later and don't think I could have loved as much if I had read it as early as I did Pride and Prejudice. Mansfield Park is my third favourite. Emma is probably my fourth. I didn't feel much for Sense and Sensibility, I disliked Northanger Abbey, I thought Love and Friendship was hilarious, and I haven't read Lady Susan.

@cmm5542 Жыл бұрын

I love Northanger Abbey myself, but it has quite a different 'feel' to it than JA's other works, almost a different writing style - I think she was experimenting a bit there. I can fully understand why that might make that one less enjoyable taken alongside her other works. Emma is my personal favourite, but Pride and Prejudice is very, very close. I really MUST read Persuasion - that and Lady Susan are the only ones I haven't, and everyone says such great things about Persuasion that I fear I am missing out! 😄

@etheplant Жыл бұрын

Became a jane austen fan a couple of years ago and I honestly have a hard time pointing out exactly what i love about her books so much, but hey these are probably some of the reasons lol, great video!!!

@paperboundprotagonist Жыл бұрын

1. I love the 2005 Pride and Prejudice so much that I finally decided to read the book at the end of 2022. Since I have trouble getting into classics, I decided to listen to it on audiobook, even though I've never been an audiobook person. Turns out I can do audiobooks if I crochet or embroider while listening. And I absolutely loved the book. I was hooked and didn't want to do anything but listen to the story. I'm definitely going to listen to her other books. 2. Love the jacket, so you. 3. How is it so green where you are?? Everything is dead and brown here in the middle of The States,

@hannahbradshaw2186 Жыл бұрын

You'll love Emma. It's fab!

@Liz-nx3xl Жыл бұрын

Love Jane Austen!! I'm listening to her books on audio now. She is such a good character writer. The characters she writes may live in England two hundred years ago, but you meet (or see in yourself) the same types of people today.

@chloeharmer9532 Жыл бұрын

I know it's not everyone's fav but Persuasion always gives me the most actual Feels from the romance. And as far as I know only one couple in it are cousins.

@mishynaofficial 2 ай бұрын

Oh that's my favourite Austen's, too. All these deep emotions, incredibly delicious longing, unspoken regret and guilt, rare interactions and a burning desire for reunion... That book is so underrated and it's literally soaked in love.

@flora22511 Жыл бұрын

I just finally read Northanger Abbey and it was so good, the narrator was one of my favorite things about it! But the book I would give an Austen newbie is perhaps Persuasion (if we ignore P&P), it’s relatively short and still a fun read.

@desertels5119 Жыл бұрын

Went to Stourhead last year, the scenery is stunning, there are some lovely historic artefacts collected by a lord who, after his wife died young, travelled around Europe for years and bought so much stuff he had to build a whole new wing fir his house (kinda iconic ngl). One of these include a marble statue from Rome. The house library has some interesting stained glass too. And there is a grotto with interesting stone and states of Neptune. If you are in the area I would recommend

@natkutcher5150 Жыл бұрын

My favorite Austen adaptations are the Sense & Sensibility mini-series from 2008, and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved here on youtube! The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (Pride and Prejudice adaptation) and Emma Approved (Emma adaptation) are really cleverly updated into a modern context as vlogs. I think they are really fun, and they don't have the distraction of fancy period clothes, which maybe frees them up to talk about the emotions and social situations that Austen was writing about originally?? I don't know, really. Sense & Sensibility is about a family who suffer a dramatic change in fortune, they go from living in a large house with many servants, to renting a cottage and making their own bread. I really like the 2008 version because of how they depict this transition, and how different members of the family deal with it as individuals and as a group.

@beccabailey8687 Жыл бұрын

I only recently read a Jane Austen novel for the first time (Pride & Prejudice) and enjoyed it wayyy more than I was expecting so looking forward to seeing what people recommend in the comments for my next one :)

@leenanorms Жыл бұрын

Aw I'm so glad. The humour is definitely in the writing and the timing of the sentences! Welcome to the coolest club on earth x

@liv97497 Жыл бұрын

Welcome to the club! Haha. Personally, Pride & Prejudice is my favorite one but Sense & Sensibility is a close second. Emma is the funniest, in my opinion, and Persuasion is the one I reread the least, because it makes me cry at some points. The only one I don't really love is Mansfield Park, but I know some people really love it. I'd go for S&S next, especially if you like the Emma Thompson movie!

@omnipotentfaces1514 Жыл бұрын

Persuasion I read most as it gives me hope, is relatable and also is a rare case of an introverted protagonist which I relate to

@omnipotentfaces1514 Жыл бұрын

@@liv97497 Persuasion I read most as it gives me hope, is relatable and also is a rare case of an introverted protagonist which I relate to! Northhanger abby is also probably the lightest though as it makes fun of the gothic horror genre.

@kpwxx Жыл бұрын

My favourite is Persuasion, but I would recommend S+S next! Then Emma.

@Littlebeth5657 Жыл бұрын

I love Jane Austen!!!! I also love the newest Emma as it exemplifies the humour in Austen's writing and how tangled up they all get themselves. My favourite book is persuasion 🥰 it's art in its highest form

@leenanorms Жыл бұрын

Totally agree!

@kpwxx Жыл бұрын

The newest Emma was sooo well done!

@delaneys-books1290 Жыл бұрын

I think the lizzie bennet diaries are a great place to start if you have never experienced jane austen before and are maybe a bit intimidated by it. I also think Emma (2020) is exceptional. Looks like such a fun friends weekend!

@ojiverdeconfleco Жыл бұрын

I agree with everything you said. I also like her work because I think it's just nice to have women protagonists that feel real, like the way the sisters in P&P interact or the assumptions Emma makes to me are such femme experiences, and the point of view is so obviously coming from a woman of the time, that it's really refreshing compared to her contemporaries, and even now stand out as awesome period pieces that are clearly not just romantic plot but have a lot of it and it is lovely. It's just so nice.

@ellasmith6013 Жыл бұрын

Stourhead is so lovely! My grandma used to live nearby so I went fairly frequently as a child. Last year, my sister and I went on a road trip to visit once again, and it started to pour with rain just as we approached that classic P&P folly, so we sheltered in the doorway and watched the rain hammering down on the lake. Just stunning ❤

@jessicarossman2966 Жыл бұрын

For me it’s because she is so GD funny. I read it first when I was a kid and at 44 I only laugh harder.

@redrover2370 Жыл бұрын

History Hit did a thorough tour of that property, so beautiful. Makes me so sad my 2020 honeymoon to Great Britain was cancelled 😭 Pride and Prejudice is a life long fav, I also love all the fanfics that explore plot what if scenarios

@majatopouzova5147 Жыл бұрын

Wow, such production quality! Amazing video as always ❤

@anniehosking2408 Жыл бұрын

I do love a happy ending for the characters I like but Jane Austen's novels give us so much more. She is funny, ruthlessly cutting about her characters foibles and very clever.

@silliepixie Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing these lovely landscapes!

@kevinnolasco8591 Жыл бұрын

This is such a cool video. Love all the shots and references. Thank youuu!!!!

@sherlycyril.h1746 2 ай бұрын

To me personally, when I read her books , what fascinates me are the following.. 1. They have a lot of time to go for walks, for picnics, for dinner and dance, read a book, enjoy drawing, learn to play a piano forte and never do any work… in the garden , in the kitchen, no schools to attend, no homeschooling mentioned.. 2. And when doing all of the above mentioned, they always have friends or interesting people around them. 3. Her character’s worries in her stories are not what one would go through in real life!!! Well I find myself looking for her books or movie adaptations when I feel like I want to escape reality or if the day turns out to be too grey and cold..!! 🤓 Good video !! Thanks!

@jaedyn225 Жыл бұрын

I didnt know taylor swift grew up outside of wealth; i thought her parents were business people ? still, the music career she has built is wildly impressive

@mary5305j Жыл бұрын

I am so happy to have just found your channel and this video!

@bubblybridget56 Жыл бұрын

I watched the bbc pride and prejudice more times than I can count as a kid. it remains a favorite movie/mini series of mine to this day

@MargaretMaenad 7 ай бұрын

I highly *highly* recommend Helena Kelly's 'Jane Austen the Secret Radical' to anyone watching this thinking "Why did my English teacher never mention the social commentary part?!" That book not only taught me boatloads about Austen's context and commentary, it helped me learn to seek out context for works I'd previously read without context.

@TheFantazingo Жыл бұрын

Great vid as always, love me a reference, but also the fact that you share the nuggets since I doubt I'll ever get around to it

@elisabethheine8871 Жыл бұрын

Jane Austen‘s books are some of my favourites. I think her razor sharp obervations of people absolutely stand the test of time!

@gamewrit0058 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful video, Leena! 👏🥰

@nommh Жыл бұрын

I consider myself not quite neuro-typical. I had no idea how and why to behave, because my mother was a very intuitive woman, not at all given to analyse. Austen to the rescue - she taught me to take the perspective of others. The sense of humour and humanity were my constant companions for decades. And the beauty of her writing is truly unsurpassed. Every word, every nuance put where it needs to go with infinite mastery. The only modern writer who came anywhere near it in my mind is Douglas Adams. You are so right about the big houses! Thats why I still love the 1995 Sense and Sensibility film which has the heroines live a smallish house.

@lina5699 Жыл бұрын

I loveeeddd this video. I hea the austen question (ha ha) online a lot and i never can eludicate my feelings for her novels and the depth of them but you put together your arguements so beautifully

@kaltespopcorn4087 Жыл бұрын

The last thoughts are the reason why Emma 2020 has succeeded Pride & Prejudice as my favourite Austen adaptation. It is truly funny and Autumn de Wilde is a comedic genius. I‘d love to see more non-men directors do period dramas.

@munglejoela Жыл бұрын

I think the Emma Thompson S&S adaptation is perfect. I love the book and this does it so well. Especially with Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon

@brumella Жыл бұрын

I fell in love with Jane Austen after watching BBC's "Pride and Prejudice" (1995). I devoured her books in my mother language as a teen and I read them in English later and I enjoyed them even more. I don't know why, but I still prefer the 90s and the early 00s adaptations of her books over the more hollywoodesque and newer ones.

@awesomenoone Жыл бұрын

Northanger Abbey is, humbly, Austen's most fire work. It's such a good chuckle, and it made for an absolute fun time with its 2007 BBC adaptation too.

@ItsmeKristieB Жыл бұрын

I love Northanger Abbey. I read it in my undergrad at the same time I was taking a gothic lit class and the juxtaposition was so good. It's when I really realized how funny Jane Austen was.

@ChristopherDraws Жыл бұрын

I was going to recommend Northanger Abbey! It's not the most "typical" of Austen's novels, but it is really memorable for me. Her evident fun at playing up gothic novel tropes is so enjoyable for the reader.

@tabzywabzy Жыл бұрын

I just left a comment saying no one else has mentioned Northanger Abbey but obviously I didn't scroll down far enough - there are more of us, wooo! It was the last Austen novel I read and watched and it immediately became my favourite for the satire. I'd actually recommend newbies to start with Northanger Abbey as it sets the tone for just how satirical and funny Jane Austen actually is - it puts the rest of the novels in a whole different light if you read them after having read Northanger Abbey.

@dianecostanza Жыл бұрын

Just found you and subscribed. I am a Janeite. Can’t get enough. Seen every movie version there is (other than last year’s fiasco of Persuasion.)

@rosemarydodd6176 Жыл бұрын

I returned wholeheartedly to Austen last summer while working an emotionally intense hospital chaplaincy training program. The audiobooks got me through my commute and long drives to see my family-- something about the combo of humor, incisive insults, and plot-driven optimism made everything feel manageable and familiar. Highly recommend!!

@justcalm3301 Жыл бұрын

I am just reading it for the first time , and I can’t believe all I’ve been missing

@claudiajade624 Жыл бұрын

This greatly lifted my mood this afternoon, thankyou 😊☕ ps- On location? Amazing 😄 Try reading Northanger Abbey for sure!

@MiniNymph Жыл бұрын

I read the 6 Austen novels last year, and I always ended up gripped by the nuances of the characters, but also they were so funny! Even though I knew the stories, there was so much to be gained from reading the books! In contrast, I am reading The Tennant of Wildfell Hall, and it is hard staying focused, especially at the start with the letters format. I keep wondering who writes like that in a letter? The diary section is a bit better, but it's like a whole new story.

@anniehosking2408 Жыл бұрын

The only Bronte I have much time for is Charlotte. Even then I keep getting annoyed about her anti Catholic views and patronising attitude to anyone not English.

@MiniNymph Жыл бұрын

@@anniehosking2408 I'll maybe try her next, then 😁 and do a bit more research into classic female authors with hopes the library can order their books in for me 📚

@Timothysmit4 Жыл бұрын

Sense and sensibility 👌"it is not everyone" said elinor " that has your passion for dead leaves" sarcasm queen!!!

@pearlsullivan9869 Жыл бұрын

Leena, have you seen the play Pride and Prejudice Sort Of? It's touring the UK right now and is EXCELLENT

@rufferina Жыл бұрын

I haven’t even properly started the video but Stourhead is one of my favourite places on earth. It’s truly lovely, I’m so jealous you got to stay!

@beeknee6282 Жыл бұрын

Loved the Mr. Darcy Pride and Prejudice 2005 moment you gave us at ca. 06:48. Great stuff!

@Mmm-xi7fx Жыл бұрын

Love love loved this video. Great content, great presentation, and an infectious sense of humor. Instant subscription from me 😊

@sopheyrac1204 Жыл бұрын

A few years ago I read Jane Austen The Secret Radical, I can't recall the name of the author, but it outlined the fascinating political context with a chapter for each novel and it just completely changed my perspective on Austen as a writer. I previously had enjoyed P&P but didn't consider myself a fan until this. It showed me how intentional and thought out her political commentary was, which is perhaps missed by modern readers unaware of the intricacies of it all. The only random detail I can remember is her writing to ask about the practice of enclosure in Northamptonshire for Mansfield Park. Would recommend!

@cfloster Жыл бұрын

Lena - can you do some sustainable home decor content? I know you bought a home recently!

@maleahlock Жыл бұрын

This is so good! Thank you 😊

@morganamsler3174 Жыл бұрын

I have not read all of Austen's novels yet but Persuasion is my favorite. Persuasion is a very personal read for me. I read it during lockdown and was struck by Anne and all the characters around her. I would recommend Pride and Prejudice or Emma to a newbie but I would reccomend Persuasion or Mansfield Park to a Austen skeptic.

@ItsmeKristieB Жыл бұрын

Yes! Persuasion forever!

@Chareads Жыл бұрын

Oh my gosh I've always wanted to stay at that cottage in Stourhead! The out of hours access must be incredible. I really liked this video, I've always been anti Austen, mostly to put myself in opposition to my school friends and in a sad attempt to defy the curriculum, but I read Emma a couple of years ago for a book club and surprised myself by loving it. I want to give adult me permission to enjoy Austen and appreciate the subtle rebellion in her work.

@scofah Жыл бұрын

Hi Leena - This was a great video. I love Austen. I like to listen to them on KZfaq (libravox). Anyway, I was wondering if you ever read 'Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading' by Maureen Corrigan? She is/was a book reviewer (National Public Radio's "Fresh Air" and Washington Post), and I loved this biography/memoir she put together, specifically her approach to the "Female Adventure Tale" and adopting her daughter. Some people were really critical of this book she wrote, but I enjoyed it very much (I listened to it on Audible and it was very "listenable"). Thanks for all your great videos.

@whammy8139 Жыл бұрын

I have never read Jane Austen but will do after this vidéo ! Excellent content

@bleakaf Жыл бұрын

Northanger Abbey is a great place to start and see her sense of humour. Good audio production of it on BBC Sounds currently too, which can be helpful for first timers :)

@julecaesara482 Жыл бұрын

before having watched this video: the wit, the caricature like characters, the sassiness, the beginnings of feminism, the fairly low stakes that I can stomach even in a time of crises, the relatability some western people living a rather comfortable life feel (minus the maids and footmen, luckily), the subtle but fun criticism of romantic novels at the time, and the undeniably good writing. That woman mastered comedic indirect speech

@sarah0315- Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing that beautiful countryside 😊

@tabzywabzy Жыл бұрын

Surprised to see there aren't more Northanger Abbey fans in the comments, it's my fave! As someone who likes the creepier/more gothic side of life, the way she pokes fun at all of that satirically is one of the reasons I love it so much. And then my second fave is probably Mansfield Park.

@NuvosNexus Ай бұрын

I watched the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice SO many times before listening to the book on audio. Let me tell you what, I literally watched the show again in my head as the book was being read to me because of how closely the script followed the book. And the differences that were present, and noticed, I found delightful. So my choice for a newbie would definitely be the BBC version because it's perfect. 💕

@NortherlyK Жыл бұрын

I like Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters.

@mlandry491 Жыл бұрын

Mansfield Park... that's the one I would pass on to a newbie. Fun fact - I have 2 grown sons that thank me daily for watching Jane Austen movies on a loop. Especially the Colin Firth Jennifer Ehle P&P from the 90s. I admit that it wasn't meant to be a pleasure back then. It was more like " thats it. If that is how you are going to be, sit here. We are watching pride and prejudice and I don't want to hear a peep." lol The absorption of story lines and of dialogue etc. helped them greatly in conversation with prospective partners when the time came... aka got them dates on the regular. You re welcome, my boys. Thats right. Always listen to your mother. ; )

@flufftronable Жыл бұрын

"That woman that did the blood thing" 🤣

@lenazwarg4437 Жыл бұрын

Lex and Sanne? My phone screen is tiny. An informed guess would also be Rosianna?

@ElsieEastmanMusic Жыл бұрын

My favorite Jane Austen thing I’ve ever seen was the bbc (2008 I think?) sense and sensibility with charity Wakefield and Hattie Morahan. The music is unparalleled, the landscapes are breathtaking, and it’s almost WORD FOR WORD true to the book (it’s a 3 ep series). I wish I still had a way to watch it!!

@Anita-nw5ts Жыл бұрын

You can buy it on dvd, I think? At least used, it should still be available. I actually own it on dvd and love it as well

@ElsieEastmanMusic Жыл бұрын

@@Anita-nw5ts alas, I don't have anything that plays dvds anymore!! I used to watch it in clips on youtube but it's all gone now :(

@Emma-cd2mz Жыл бұрын

this was super insightful thank you so much!

@erinrabideau3691 Жыл бұрын

Stunning video ❤

@TheOriginalDalamanza Жыл бұрын

BBC pride and prejudice series is still absolutely the best place to start. It's a really faithful adaptation so it gives a great idea of the quality of Austen's commentary and character building. Plus it's hilarious and you get young Colin Firth. Then, if it seems like maybe Austen is for you after all, go read the books

@thiadesg Жыл бұрын

For beginners, definitely the 2005 Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley. You get 75% of the story, with amazing sets and an incredible soundtrack. I would follow with the 2007 Persuasion with Sally Hawkins, which is perfection in my opinion. Then, I would offer the 2009 Emma with Romola Garai or the 2008 Sense & Sensibility with Hattie Morahan & Charity Wakefield. To end, I would show the 2007 Northanger Abbey with Felicity Jones. I haven't found an adaptation of Mansfield Park that I liked so let's skip this one, yeah? (For the saucier person, maybe try 2019 Sanditon? Very loosely based on Austen's unfinished manuscript, in the veins of Bridgerton.)

@vbrown6445 Жыл бұрын

I agree that none of the more recent MP adaptations (1990s on) have quite captured the spirit of the novel. Hopefully, someone will do one soon. As for Sanditon, not sure what about it is like Bridgerton. They are pulling plot points from multiple Austen novels left and right, especially during Season 2. I'm enjoying it, but I think it's lacking the cleverness and wittiness of Austen. But, who could beat Austen at her own game?

@thiadesg Жыл бұрын

@@vbrown6445 What I meant by comparing Sanditon to Bridgerton was that it was a bit more scandalous than "classic" Jane Austen. Like a step towards Bridgerton, not exactly the same. I agree with you about the writing not being on Jane Austen's level, she was a true master.

@vbrown6445 Жыл бұрын

@@thiadesg I get you. They certainly went the sexy route with the villains in Season 1. Luckily, they toned that down in Season 2 and gave us more standard rogues and rakes (in the Regiment, no less), and giving Season 1's villain no sexy time, but a nefarious poisoning plot line instead. Although now that I think of it, Edward and all his schemes, could come straight out of one of Cathy Morland's (NP's) gothic novels. LOL!

@debcarroll8192 Жыл бұрын

Well done, you! I think it is important for us to understand just how progressive these novels were, albeit in a quiet way which may be hard for us to recognize today. The most radical thing Elizabeth Bennet does in Pride and Prejudice is to refuse to marry the odious Mr. Collins because she is convinced he could not make her happy. In Austen's time, this would be seen as an unimaginably selfish (and stupid) thing to do. Marriage to Mr. Collins would not only give her financial security after her father's death, but also save their entailed house and give a home to her mother and any unmarried sisters. When Elizabeth tells her sister Jane, "I am determined that only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony," she is actually saying something quite radical, as crazy as that sounds. I love that Austen gives this gutsy girl her happy ending!

@undefinedreb971 Жыл бұрын

Lovely 💗 I started with the 1995 Pride and Prejudice when I was quite little. Then I read it when I was a teenager. It will forever be my fave… and her sentences are just so delicious!

@undefinedreb971 Жыл бұрын

Would also recommend Lost in Austen for a fun regency romp…

@beccyshore1303 Жыл бұрын

I just finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice this week, and can confirm everything you've said to be true! 😅 As a sometime-writer I'm just jealous of how bloody clever she is whilst being thankful that I get to read her words and meet her characters! Also...sometimes your mental health just needs a happy ending, y'know?😊

@raccoonsnacks Жыл бұрын

The flying youtubers took me out, I can't stop laughing

@marianneshepherd6286 Жыл бұрын

I recommend Dr. Octavia Cox's KZfaq channel on Jane Austen. My favourite is her series on class hierarchy and social mobility within Austens novels. Her video,'What class are the Bingleys?'' show Caroline's motivations for wanting to marry Darcy (apart from the obvious) and that her behaviour to the Bennets is one of insecurity because the Bennets (whilst not wealthy) are a higher social class than she is. If you wanna watch a truly great adaption of Austens work. Watch the 1995 version of persuasion with Amanda Roots and Ciaran Hinds. It's wonderfully close to the book. Another recommendation would be 2007 Northanger Abbey with Felicity Jones and Carey Mulligan (purely fantastic as Isabella Thorpe). It's not very true to the book, but it does a great job and captures Austens message and handles the satire of the novel really well. Both are available on KZfaq x x x