Jane Austen, a diversion

Having just returned to my digs before the start of a new semester at university, I have found myself in need of something to occupy much of my time before lectures start. So with great enjoyment I have been making the most of one of my holiday purchases, that is a volume of the complete novels of Jane Austen.

I first worked my way with some difficulty through Emma. A novel which according to some critics is Austen's greatest work, but which was not given such honour by the author herself. My feeling is that perhaps it is altogether too well written, since you are intimately involed in the feeling of Emma Woodhouse herself, and are made to cringe when you realise just how spoilt she has been. It is, however, great consolation to watch the development of all the characters. Finding Mr Elton to be fickle and unworthy of the attention he believed himself to deserve, and seeing poor Harriet Smith learn to not always trust her good friend's advice. The best development must, however, be said to be that of Emma herself. Watching and feeling how she learns regard for the feelings of those around her is greatly informative into her way of life, and makes for a most enjoyable ending to the story.

Having finished with Emma, I felt I was still in need of diversion, and realising that I had a less well known novel in Lady Susan I attempted that next. The style of this one is most interesting, in that it is a series of letters between all the interested parties, betraying to the reader an intimacy with each letter writer which is not known to the characters about whom they write. The Lady Susan for whom the novel is named is seen for what she truly is quite quickly by the reader, and as soon as her daughter Frederica is introduced one cannot help but feel sorry for her. Her treatment by her mother is quite disgraceful. This novel gives a view to a different side of society to that which I am accustomed from Austen. It shows the scheming and nasty side of the upper class women, when usually we see a much more romantic side of this same class.

To continue, I must confess to having read another, which is agaain very different in tone. Dealing very much in vanity, and pride of position and how these and the evils of peer pressure can influence the lives of the characters. I speak now of Persuasion. The novel deals quite extensively with what may happen to a young lady surrounded by vain and shallow companions when her greatest fault lies in being to gentle. If poor Anne Elliot were to have a little more backbone when it came to dealing with er family one cannot help but feel that she should have been very happy much earlier. That would of course mean that there was no story, but it is most amusing to see all the different reaction to Anne meeting Captain Wentworth in so many different situations. It is also good to see how over time her confidence grows through living with those who are able to appreciate her for who she really is.

Hereby my abbreviated opinion on three novels of Jane Austen, all in very different styles, abd all with very different meNings. But intereatingly enough all social commentries on the same society, that of high born ladies.