Timeless Austen by anvitabudhraja

Timeless Austen Commemorating 200 years of the publication of Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park

The Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai

About the club The Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai The Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai is a part of The Jane Austen Society, India ( JASI). It is inspired by many similar organisations around the world, and aims to study and appreciate Jane Austen’s work, style and genius. It hopes to allow Janeites from across the city to read, discuss, and enjoy her books together; and is dedicated to spreading awareness and appreciation of Jane Austen’s works to the largest possible audience. Vision Our vision is to inspire in people the love for literature, with a special emphasis on Jane Austen and her works. Membership is open to all lovers of her works. There is no age limit — everybody is invited! We are an ambitious bunch, inspired, of course, by the genius of Jane Austen. Our future plan involves starting regional groups in various Indian cities and expanding our reach as far as possible. For we believe Austen and her works have no boundaries. Her themes are universal; her style, eternal.

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Contents 03 04 06 08 10 11

Timeless Anvita Budhraja 2013: The Pride and Prejudice Anniversary Year Susannah Fullerton Finding Jane... Payal Mohta Among the Janeites Deborah Yaffe The Austen Project Nishtha Juneja Paging Through the Past Anaita Vazifdar-Davar

200 years of Pride and Prejudice

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“An Evening of Wonders” Bicentenary Celebrations Around The World Bicentennial (Celebrations by JABC, Mumbai) Anvita Budhraja Pride and Brides, Prejudice and, er... Zombies: Pride and Prejudice from 1813 to 2013 Nick Pillow Pride and Prejudice in Quotes Saranya Iyer Mary, Mary Quite Contrary! Vincy Abraham Follies and Whims’ and Answers to Living Lina Mathias The Austen Hero Undressed Nishtha Juneja

200 years of Mansfield Park

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2014: The Year of Mansfield Park Bicentenary Celebrations Around The World Literary Encounters: Introducing Mansfield Park Anvita Budhraja Deconstructing the Heroine of Mansfield Park Sonia Gandhi 21 interesting facts about Mansfield Park Nishtha Juneja Why should we read Mansfield Park? Ramakrishna Parsekar Mansfield Park Quoted I’m a Jane-o-maniac Geetali Tare

Disclaimer: All images used in the book are under the “free to use or share” licence.

Acknowledgements At the time of two momentous events in Austenmania, and after an extremely successful year as a club, it occurred to me that we needed something more than just the wonderful memories of events hosted and relationships forged to remember this milestone — something more for posterity. And so, the idea of this publication came about. To think of everything that contributed to this process is to — in a particularly cheeky moment — think of things like that cup of coffee that helped me stay awake on a late night editing, or that wonderful thing called the email that helped make correspondence across the city, and even the world, so easy. But, not giving way to insanity, a big thank you to all our contributors: Nishtha, Sonia, Payal, Vincy, Saranya, Ram, Ms Susannah Fullerton, Ms Deborah Yaffe, Mr Nick Pillow, Ms Lina Mathias, Ms Geetali Tare and Anaita Vazifdar-Davar. I am extremely grateful to all our members who responded so quickly and so enthusiastically to this endeavour. Without them agreeing to participate, we wouldn’t have gotten very far. I am also grateful to all those who have always guided us, wished us well, and been with us through countless panels and events. Everyone, taking time out to work with our deadlines, and producing such marvellous pieces of writing, has been instrumental in bringing this together. Anvita Budhraja, President, The Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai

Timeless Austen

Timeless By Anvita Budhraja

wo hundred years is a really long time. In a world that seems to celebrate the ephemeral, 200 years is an eternity. Nearly nothing lasts that long — not wars, not people, not deeds, not memories. And yet, when we find ourselves reading, enjoying, appreciating, and celebrating a book that was written 200 years ago, it seems like nothing at all. We — at the Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai — had quite an opportune inception. Sure, we missed the bicentenary of Sense and Sensibility — a special book, and not just by virtue of being the first Austen novel published; however, starting out in 2012, we had ample time to prepare ourselves adequately for the eventful year ahead. Undoubtedly, Pride and Prejudice remains Austen’s most popular book and so to join millions around the world as they celebrated it was a great way to establish ourselves as a book club. Celebrating this book then, and anticipating another year of celebration, makes us realise our place in the past. It connects us to a world that exists invariably in faint memories only. Through glimpses of that world — that books like these afford us — we try to construct an idea, our own idea, of what life back then was like. And, the fact that we are here, and reading these books — that were written and read 200 years ago — gives us a sense of mooring, and a sense of belonging. It gives us a history; a collective memory to call our own. It reminds us of the enduring power of all literature. It reminds us of a deep connection that runs through all humanity and shows us how we adapt the past for our present, how the past does pervade and influence our lives, and how sometimes it isn’t a bad thing.

That’s what it does for us, but what does it say about the book — that which has endured through the years? I think, after completing one overwhelming year of celebrating every possible thing that this book has to offer us, we can all agree that it is not simply a collection of words on paper. It lives and breathes just like any of us do, and offers to its readers just as colourful a story as any person we encounter would. So then, out for dinner late one night, sitting at the table, waiting for the food, and brainstorming for ideas for the name of our imminent publication, it came to us. The usual names were tossed around, all being loosely tied to 200 — bicentennial, bicentenary, glorious 200, and so on. One of us, who joined the discussion late, said, “200 years? Oh, wow! What does that mean?” And then it came to us — if a book had made it through 200 years, amidst changes and upheavals of all kinds, there could be only one meaning — that there was something special about the hand that had crafted it; that Austen is timeless. Compiling this book has been more interesting than I ever thought it would be. We have contributors that come from all ages and all walks of life. For the articles, I started out with a few suggestions that I could think of; but I’m happy to note that most of them remain unused. Once given the opportunity to write, Janeites turned up with all kinds of ideas — a thoroughly researched paper in true academic style, a collection of favourite quotations, an attempt to understand a character, a painstaking compilation of Austen in popular culture …This edition then showcases the many varied and wonderful ways in which we can, and do, celebrate Jane.

Timeless Austen

2013: The Pride and Prejudice Anniversary Year By Susannah Fullerton

irstly, let me send congratulations to all at the Jane Austen Book Club in Mumbai for having had such a successful year of celebrating the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I do feel a certain sense of responsibility for your group, as I so strongly encouraged Anvita to get it up and running in the first place, but equally I feel a sense of pride that you have all done so much and increased your numbers in such a short time. I do hope that you all continue to share your love of Jane Austen’s novels, with friendship, fellowship, and enrichment to all. I also wish you a happy 200th anniversary of Mansfield Park for 2014. I am currently rereading that wonderful novel — it has in its pages so much richness, so much to discuss and think about. I know you will all enjoy the events and discussions you have planned.

The Jane Austen Society of Australia had a truly wonderful time celebrating Pride and Prejudice last year. We held a champagne afternoon tea at New South Wales Parliament House with various celebrity readers choosing a favourite passage from the book to read aloud and comment on. We had a weekend conference in Canberra, the national capital, where fabulous speakers from Australia, the UK and USA, presented talks on various aspects of the novel. There was an enriching Study Day with group sessions, scenes from the film versions, and

Timeless Austen

discussions of Pride and Prejudice and there were talks during the year on various aspects of the book. These talks have been published in our journal Sensibilities which has been sent to Anvita — I am sure she will share it amongst you, so that anyone interested can get to read the many interesting papers it contains. 2013 was particularly exciting for me because January saw the publication of my book Happily Ever After: Celebrating Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The book has also been published in the USA as Celebrating Pride and Prejudice: Two Hundred Years of Jane Austen’s Masterpiece. It looks at how the novel first came to be written, responses to it when it was first published and then throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the famous first sentence, translations, film versions, sequels, merchandise and tourism, the hero and heroine, other characters, and many other aspects of the book. I loved writing my book, and it has been so encouraging to read lovely reviews and to receive such positive feedback from so many readers. If you have not yet read it, the book is available from Amazon and other booksellers online. During the year, I gave many talks about my new book and it was a delight to meet so many people whose lives have been improved and changed because they have read and loved Pride and Prejudice. I met with Jane Austen groups in the USA, Scotland, the Netherlands and around

Australia; I met with people who had just read it for the first time, and people who had read it so many times they knew it by heart. I’ve had fun talking over the pros and cons of the different movie versions, analysing why we love to buy Jane Austen merchandise and see the places in which she lived and wrote, and then turning back to Pride and Prejudice to delight, yet again, in its wonderful pages. Another thing that caused excitement this year was the saga of Jane Austen’s ring. Many of us were horrified at the thought that it might be worn on the finger of an American singer, at risk of damage or theft. JASA donated a generous sum towards buying it back, and we were all so pleased to hear a few months ago that enough money was raised and that the ring has been purchased by the Jane Austen Museum in Chawton and will soon be on display, for all to admire, safe for posterity.

Indeed, it is hard today to keep track of all that is happening in the Jane Austen world — so many new books about her life and works being published, the controversial Austen Project bringing out updates of her six novels, a portrait of Jane Austen going up for auction, writing competitions hosted, conferences and courses being held, documentaries being made, new film versions planned. How amazed Jane Austen would have been had she known how much attention her novels were getting 200 years after she wrote them. If any members of the Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai are planning trips to Australia, please do get in touch. We would love to welcome you to one of our meetings. Very best wishes to all, Susannah Fullerton

President, Jane Austen Society of Australia

For the past 15 years, Susannah has been President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia. She has lectured extensively on Jane Austen in Australia and overseas and has published many articles about Jane Austen’s works. Her interest in literature is wide ranging. She is a member of the Dylan Thomas Society of Australia, the Australian Brontë Association, the Byron Society and the Sherlock Holmes Society. She is also the author of books: A Dance with Jane Austen: How a Novelist and Her Characters Went to the Ball, Brief Encounters: Literary Travellers in Australia, Jane Austen and Crime, Co-author of Jane Austen — Antipodean Views and Finding Katherine Mansfield, an audio CD about the life and writings of New Zealand’s greatest writer. Her most recent book, released on the 200 year anniversary of Pride and Prejudice is titled Happily Ever After: Celebrating Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Timeless Austen

Finding Jane… By Payal Mohta

Austen and the World The use of Austen’s name knows no generic boundaries. In the literary world she is regarded as one of the greatest writers of the 19th century. She is the subject of volumes of literary criticism and is studied in almost every academic curriculum that attempts to give a profound understanding of the humanities. Each of Austen’s novels has been adapted for the big and small screen. The fact that there are several versions of each of these adaptations, since 1940, testifies to the fact that artists of nearly seven decades have felt the need to explore the world of Jane Austen. If you aren’t particularly the “arty” type and may have missed Austen in the mediums of fiction and film, her sonorous novel titled Pride and Prejudice has made several appearances in politics. For example, a New York Times review of Bob Woodward’s book about the Bush administration’s Iraq strategy is titled A Heady Mix of Pride and Prejudice Led to War. Austen also occasionally makes an appearance on the sports field, as seen in the 2006 football World Cup Final when one of the player’s foot and head work was termed Sense and Simplicity which, of course, was a reference to her book Sense and Sensibility. Then there is something that I call “The Jane Austen Extension World”. Several movies such

Timeless Austen

as Lost in Austen, The Jane Austen Book Club, and Austenland are stories about individuals who find their lives invariably connected to the characters and circumstances of Austen’s novels. The Austen Project attempts to introduce Austen to young readers by having six novelists rewrite her six finished novels in a modernday setting. The adulteration of classics that such works cause is a valid argument but it still proves the growing need for both writers and readers to re-open and extend worlds that Austen closed/explored. The fact that she now appears on the 10 pound/£10 note, money, which will travel across the globe through different stratums of society proves that Jane Austen is someone the world has reason to remember. Austen’s Criticism To understand the critics of an artist gives one a more profound understanding of what the artist truly stood for. “To the feelings she vouchsafes no more than an occasional graceful but distant recognition…” — Charlotte Bronte This was the verdict of Charlotte Bronte on a genius very different from her own. Unlike Bronte, Austen was not a creature of allconsuming passion. Reason and prudence have their fair place in her books though they are often suppressed by instinct. Austen’s forte was

the quiet grandeur with which she fleshed out the everyday trials and tribulations of life unlike Bronte’s dramatic gothic narrative.

“Of all great writers she is the most difficult to catch in the act of greatness…” — Virginia Woolf

“Thoroughly unpleasant, English in the bad, mean, snobbish sense of the word.” — D.H. Lawrence

The prettiness of Austen’s world, the narrowness of her range, and her concentration on women’s experiences, together with the fact that her novels were amenable to being read purely for pleasure, kept her out of the male world of scholarship and criticism developing in universities till the first half of the 20th century. This position was breached by Mary Lascelles in her seminal Jane Austen and her Art (1939). Other works such as Marilyn Butler’s Jane Austen and the War of Ideas (1975) and Margaret Kirkham’s Jane Austen: Feminism and Fiction (1983) have gradually made Austen’s name synonymous with feminism and post-colonial thinking.

Austen’s purpose of writing was for social comment, especially on the suffocating nature of society and the inequality of the sexes, which she wrote with a wicked sense of humour. These aspects of writing are absent in Lawrence’s work; he wrote solely for the individual. He was also a writer of the physical passions and probably found the lack of Austen’s reference to sexuality inexcusable. Austen was not essentially a physical writer and that has much to do with her own nature as well as her circumstances. Austen had to earn her living through the sales of her books and in those days, being a female writer was already a setback in the profession. She could hardly afford to write of physical intimacy, which in her time was a taboo. Besides, most ardent Austen readers would admit that physical passion is interlaced in the conversations and letters of her protagonists with artful subtlety; which is a kind of refinement that attributes to another facet of her greatness.

Finding Jane For six novels to support such a body of work is proof in itself of their complexity and inexhaustibility for all ages. Personally, for me, Jane Austen has been a symbol of empowerment. The multi-dimensional nature of her work has made me a more demanding reader, has made me appreciate the eloquence of the English language in a time that seems to be butchering it, and, above all, has taught me never to compromise with oneself.

Payal Mohta is currently studying Arts in the 12th grade at Jai Hind College. She is part of the junior editorial board at DNA. She started reading Jane Austen about a year ago and has been an ardent fan of her work ever since.

Timeless Austen

Among The Janeites By Deborah Yaffe

henever I tell people that I’ve written a non-fiction book about Jane Austen fans, they tend to ask one question: “What is it about Jane Austen that makes her so enduringly popular?” Rather inconveniently, this is the very question I have tried most strenuously not to answer in the pages of Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom — or at least not to answer directly. I like to say that my book is the meta-Jane Austen book: it’s not really about Jane Austen at all; it’s about people who are crazy about Jane Austen. (Or, in the view of some readers, just plain crazy.) Since everyone seems to want an answer to the “Why Jane Austen?” question, it’s no surprise that articles expounding on the Exact Eight Reasons Why Jane Austen is Still So Popular (or So Relevant, or So Politically CuttingEdge) tend to spring up like mushrooms after a rainstorm whenever a new Austen-related film hits our screens or a major Austen anniversary — like last year’s bicentenary of Pride and Prejudice — rolls around. I knew from the start, however, that I didn’t want to write a book-length version of one of those articles, which usually run through a fairly standard set of explanations for Austen’s popularity: that her stories feature strong heroines and happy endings; or that her novels conjure up a quieter, less harried era that we all long for; or that her books are quintessentially British, and all colonials are closet Anglophiles; or that her heroes are respectful and kind, and today’s young women long to be courted by gentlemen, rather than pawed by oafs. You end up reading a lot of this kind of thing if you’re researching a book about Jane Austen fandom, and I eventually found it all both unconvincing and boring. Unconvincing, because just about every item on that “Why Jane Austen Is Popular” list applies to dozens, if not hundreds,

Timeless Austen

of other writers, none of whom has the popculture presence of Jane Austen; and boring, because all these cookie-cutter explanations don’t seem to me to capture much about the crazily entertaining variety of responses to Jane Austen. One of my favourite illustrations of this variety happened my way in the fall of 2012, when the Jane Austen Society of North America staged its annual conference in New York City. The JASNA conference blends the high and the low, the seriously academic and the gleefully pop, and as I strolled past the tables of hopeful authors assembled for a mass book-signing, one accidental pairing seemed to encapsulate everything I’d learned about Janeites while researching my book. Sharing a table were Lori Smith, a devout Christian whose memoir, A Walk with Jane Austen, explores how her own commitment to premarital chastity resonates with Austen’s lifelong virginity; and Linda Berdoll, the author of three bodice-ripping Pride and Prejudice sequels featuring explicit descriptions of Elizabeth and Darcy’s energetic sex life. Both are devoted Janeites, but both find rather different things in the novels. You can’t pigeonhole Jane Austen enthusiasts. For every fan who thinks Austen is a comfortable conservative, you’ll find another who thinks she’s a rebellious feminist. For every Janeite who loves reading contemporary authors’ sequels to Austen’s novels, you’ll find another who’s such a purist that she doesn’t even like seeing scrupulously faithful movie adaptations. There’s a long-standing academic debate over whether Mansfield Park complacently acquiesces in British slaveholding in the West Indies — or subversively critiques it. Jane Austen’s novels have an open-endedness about them that licenses multiple interpretations. She’s not a writer who tells you what her stories mean; she invites you to make up your own mind.

As a result, readers often seem to discover an Austen who reflects their own attitudes and preoccupations, and that means their interpretations of her are quite different — sometimes radically so. Whatever you want to call this phenomenon — projection? Wishful thinking? The Austen Rorschach test? — I found it cropping up repeatedly as I interviewed the Janeites featured in my book. I talked to a Florida lawyer, Arnie Perlstein, who has a byzantine theory about hidden subtextual stories in Austen’s novels, signposted by complicated puns and word games and literary allusions, all in the service of a radical feminist message. It may not be coincidence that Arnie himself is politically progressive and fascinated by puzzles, games, jokes and puns. Another of my interviewees, Phyllis Ferguson Bottomer, is convinced that a number of Austen’s characters, including Mr. Darcy, are portraits of people on the autistic spectrum, like many of the children Phyllis works with in her day job as a speech-language pathologist. I also met Christine Shih, a nurse practitioner who believes that her emotionally abusive parents suffer from borderline personality disorder — and that Jane Austen’s mother did, too. In talking about my book or reading the reviews, I’ve been interested to see how annoyed people get at some of the interpretations they disagree with. Really, what does it matter if some random person thinks that Mr. Darcy is autistic, or that Jane Austen’s mother was a borderline, even if you think they’re completely wrong? For different reasons, both Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Austen are well beyond caring what anyone says about them. You’d think we could all politely agree to disagree, since these are not exactly matters of life and death.

But for many readers, Jane Austen evokes intense feelings of possessiveness. That possessiveness contributes to the tension I’ve noticed in Janeite fandom — a tension that I think may be inherent in all fandoms — between a desire for community and a desire for exclusivity. If you’re a fan, you want to share this thing you love with everybody, because it’s invigorating to feel part of something bigger than yourself. But you also want to cherish that feeling that only you can really appreciate this thing you love, because it’s your connoisseurship that makes you uniquely sensitive and discriminating. Among Janeites, this tension between community and exclusivity manifests in disagreements between, for example, those who love the movies and those who hate them, or between those with a scholarly bent and those who take a more playful approach. These divisions are real, but in my experience, they rarely create problems in direct person-to-person contact; I’ve found the Janeite community to be overwhelmingly welcoming and kind. We’ve all read enough Jane Austen to know how to keep our socially unacceptable thoughts to ourselves, in true Elinor Dashwood style. Perhaps the best thing about Janeite get-togethers is that they’re the one place where no one is ever going to ask me that question I’ve been trying to avoid — the question about how to explain Jane Austen’s enduring popularity. Ultimately, I think the definitive answer to that question is one that an interviewee of mine, Edith Lank, gave to her husband, who used to ask her “What is it about Jane Austen?” after every year’s JASNA conference. She told me that she finally gave him the answer Louis Armstrong offered when asked to define jazz: “Man, when you got to ask what is it, you’ll never get to know.”

Deborah Yaffe, an award-winning author and newspaper journalist, is a passionate Jane Austen fan, and a member of Jane Austen Society of North America since the age of 16. Deborah Yaffe’s book, Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom, was published in August 2013. As a newspaper reporter in New Jersey and California for more than 13 years, Yaffe covered education, the law, and state government. Her first book, Other People’s Children: The Battle for Justice and Equality in New Jersey’s Schools, is a gripping narrative history of the state’s efforts to provide equal educational opportunities to rich and poor schoolchildren. Yaffe holds a Bachelor’s degree in humanities from Yale University and a Master’s degree in politics, philosophy, and economics from Oxford University in England. www.deborahyaffe.com dyaffe@verizon.net

Timeless Austen

The Austen Project By Nishtha Juneja

t is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen wrote just six complete novels and that the appetite of an Austen lover cannot be fulfilled by reading just those.

As much as I love to read her books again and again, I wonder whether Mr. Darcy would be a successful industrialist and Mr. Bingley, a famous actor in today’s day.

How does one keep Jane Austen alive in the 21st century? With smartphones instead of letters, mini-skirts instead of regency era gowns, limousines instead of carriages and discotheques instead of balls, significant changes have marked our generation as different from theirs. The Regency era seems like a magical land to which entry is barred. One can only feel and experience that time by reading books of those days gone by. Jane Austen is a legend; her popularity and wisdom makes me consider her nearly a myth. But myth she was not, this is just my mind coming to terms with her excellent masterpieces.

Maybe Elizabeth would be earning the bread and butter of the Bennet household while Lydia Bennet would be indulging in substance abuse. To set such classics in today’s age is a difficult task but is sure not left untried with the launch of The Austen Project. Six literary maestros have been bestowed the responsibility of re-inventing Austen’s six completed novels as part of the ‘Jane Austen Project’. The project aims to make Austen more relevant for the 21st century. The authors who will re-write the classics are: Sense and Sensibility: Joanna Trollope Northanger Abbey: Val McDermind Pride and Prejudice: Curtis Sittenfeld Emma: Alexander McCall Smith Authors for Persuasion and Mansfield Park are yet to be announced. Joanna Trollope’s reimagining of Sense and Sensibility has already been released worldwide in October last year. Next up will be Val McDermind’s revision of Northanger Abbey — to be released in the spring of 2014. This will be followed by Curtis Sittenfeld’s Pride and Prejudice, to be unveiled in autumn 2014. Bibliography: http://theaustenproject.com/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainmentarts-24606109

Nishtha is a voracious reader, staunch feminist, and an aspiring writer. She finds solace in expressing her feelings through her words, and is passionate about theatre and dance. Nishtha is currently studying Journalism at the Xavier Institute of Communications.

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Paging through the past In the bicentennial year of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, Bombay Gymkhana member Anaita Vazifdar-Davar, a relatively new Jane Austen fan, discovers the charm of a writer whose allure is eternal.

y first encounter with Jane Austen was at the age of 12, when my mum was studying Emma for her MA exams, which she decided to take at that stage (despite her many academic qualifications) because of her love for English. I marvelled at the happy hours she spent poring over the novel, dissecting it, listening to it on audio cassette while going about her daily chores and, at times, lapsing into archaic English, partly to puzzle us and partly, I think, because she had spent so much time living in the past through Austen. Yet, I was a late bloomer when it came to Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice had been on my list of books to read ever since I can remember and with each passing year, I was more and more embarrassed to see it still sitting there, unticked. Finally, while pruning my collection of books (it had to be done some day; we were literally running out of living space!) earlier this year (perfect timing, considering the novel is now 200 years old), I came upon an early edition that belonged to my great-grandfather. An old bus ticket served as his bookmark and I opened to the page where it sat comfortably, yellow but not

so brittle with age, and began to read. In no time at all, I was drawn into the world of Elizabeth Bennet (who I am told by an English major is one of the most complex characters in English literature), Mr. Darcy and the other denizens of their world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. I quit such odious subjects as soon as I can...â&#x20AC;? writes Austen (in Mansfield Park, published in 1814). This is what appeals to those of us who cherish a happy ending. Her heroes and heroines may have been born in penury, they may have had an unhappy childhood, indifferent upbringing, misfortune in business, but, ultimately, all works

Timeless Austen

FACT FILE Born: December 16, 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire Died: July 18, 1817 (aged 41) Novels: Six completed: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, and three unfinished: Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sanditon out well. Elizabeth Bennet may be humiliated by the pompous Mr. Darcy, poor neglected Fanny Price may hanker after her cousin Edmund and consider him unattainable, and Anne Elliot may think herself spurned by Captain Wentworth, but, just like a comforting mug of hot chocolate on a gloomy, rainy day, Austen sets everything right in the end. Perhaps, then, this can be called the chick-lit romance of yesteryears? Themes that Austen wrote about so many years ago are still issues that concern us today. Arranged marriages, alliances for status and money, women’s place in society are all central to her stories. According to Anvita Budhraja, President of the Jane Austen Book Club ( JABC), Mumbai, “Under the basic plot of courtship between the protagonists (and a web of other relationships), she writes about many things. Foremost is the role and status of women in her time. Nearly all of her women are in a situation where they have no hope of financial security if they do not manage to get married (in Pride and Prejudice, in the absence of an immediate male heir, Mr. Bennet’s estate passes not to his five daughters but to the next male relative). For this very reason, there was a ‘marriage market’ where mothers and daughters ‘sold’ themselves in order to get the best (read: richest) man. Even though Austen’s minor characters conform to this, her female protagonists are always the rebels, like she is. They choose to marry only where there is affection. In the worlds she creates, she addresses

the issue of social hierarchy and societal norms prevalent in those times.” And, thanks to the fact that her works are much-loved classics today, we are allowed a peek into this forgotten world, a world where people dress for dinner, a morning constitutional is de rigueur, glittering balls are the talk of the town for days before and weeks after they are attended, alliances are formed at an early age, “taking the waters” is advised for good health, ladies carry their work baskets wherever they go and letters are written and sent by post; a world where manners really do maketh a man and his carriage and breeding do not go unnoticed. Austen’s turn of phrase may appear alien to us in this day of instant communication and short forms (which often confuse more than they simplify), but it is a delightful way of speaking, providing opportunities for a charming play on the language. • Earlier this year, the Bank of England announced that Jane Austen would feature on a £10 note. • www.janeaustengiftshop.co.uk retails interesting products, especially a collection called ‘Pride & Prejudice 200 Years’. Choose from badges, bumper stickers, board books, bags and more! • Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton, organises events through the year. Log on to www.jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk for more details. • To read about Austen events through the year 2013, log on to www.prideandprejudice200. org.uk • The Jane Austen Story, a permanent exhibition situated beside her grave at Winchester Cathedral, tells the story of the writer’s life. • The Jane Austen Festival takes place every September in Bath, UK. • You needn’t have read all Austen’s works to join the Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai. Log on to www.thejaneaustenbookclub.com for events and Austen-related developments in the world.

This article was originally published in the October 2013 issue of Black & Gold, the Bombay Gymkhana magazine.

Timeless Austen

“An Evening of Wonders”

Bicentenary Celebrations Around The World

ublished on January 28, 1813, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice celebrated its 200th anniversary in a variety of ways around the world. The website www.prideandprejudice200.org. uk provides details of all the major events organised around the world to commemorate this anniversary. It lists 170 events, i.e. one almost every other day in 2013! There were some 18 conferences, six demonstrations, 30 exhibitions, 47 performances, 36 talks, and 21 workshops! Most of the events were organised by Jane Austen Society, JASNA and the Jane Austen Society of Australia ( JASA) and were held in the UK, US and Australia but there were events in Brazil, Portugal, Canada, Czech Republic, Amsterdam and, of course, in India.

A “Readathon” of the entire Pride and Prejudice (P&P) in 24 hours: It took place at the Austen Centre on Gay Street in central Bath, and was streamed to fans around the world. The beloved novel was read in 10-minute segments by 140 celebrities, authors, politicians, musicians, Olympians, schoolchildren, competition winners, among others, many in Regency-era dresses. The Centre’s annual Jane Austen Festival ran from September 13 to 21. It had 67 events including an exhibition of costumes, manuscripts, and film clips, plus Regency dancing, music and drama. Fans were invited to see Bath’s Georgian architecture, which remains unchanged from the

Some of the major events around the world included: The Jane Austen Centre in Bath: (Austen lived in Bath between 1801 and 1805. The Centre in Bath has grown to become an extremely important part of the gamut of Austen celebrations around the world.)

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author’s depictions in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, as well as Derbyshire where Pride and Prejudice was filmed twice, once starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in 2005, and once before, with Colin Firth as Darcy, for the BBC series in 1995. Perhaps the most exciting was BBC’s reenactment of the Netherfield Ball. The Regency Ball, in all its historic splendour, was held at Chawton House, Hampshire, the Elizabethan manor house, which belonged to Austen’s brother and which is now The Centre for the Study of Early English Women’s Writing, 1600–1830. The resulting television special, Pride and Prejudice: Having A Ball at Easter, was aired on BBC Two. Back in the USA, Baltimore’s Goucher College, which boasts the largest collection of Jane Austen in North America, celebrated “Pride and Prejudice: A 200-Year Affair” from January 28th to July 26th, 2013. The exhibition even included a lock of Austen’s hair, in addition to first, rare and illustrated editions, and other P&P items. The “affair”, in Goucher College Library’s Athenaeum, also included P&P films, a Regency

Lyme Park in Chesire, which served as the exterior of Mr Darcy’s estate, Pemberley, in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

era dance, tea and a talk by Juliette Wells about her new book Everybody’s Jane: Austen in the Popular Imagination. Jane Austen Weekends are a tradition at the 1800’s Governor’s House in Hyde Park, Vermont, with some focusing primarily on Pride and Prejudice for the bicentennial. Guests discuss the book and film versions; they ride horses, sleighs and carriages; play games and quizzes; do English country dancing. Mostly, guests enjoy the “company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation”, as Austen wrote in Persuasion. Dressing as your favourite Austen character(s) is optional and welcome. The blog Austenprose (austenprose.com) hosted The Pride and Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge 2013 which encouraged Austen devotees to read not only the original but also various prequels, sequels and motion picture versions. It gave away fun Jane Austen-themed prizes! Professor Janet Todd, the general editor of the nine-volume Cambridge edition of the works of Jane Austen, organised a conference at Cambridge University’s Lucy Cavendish College in June to mark the bicentenary of P&P. The conference explored the original historical context of the novel, as well as the numerous screen adaptations and literary spin-offs that the book has inspired. Of course, there were hundreds of events — big and small — that were held across the world. This list hopes to give you a flavour of the varied kinds of celebrations held in honour of the beloved Pride and Prejudice. “This is an evening of wonders, indeed!” exclaims Mr Bennet…One would feel the same when participating in any of these bicentennial celebrations, I think.

Information compiled from:

http://www.examiner.com/article/pride-and-prejudice-bicentennial-celebrations-begin-jan-2013 -u-s-u-k http://www.prideandprejudice200.org.uk/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21078941

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Bicentennial By Anvita Budhraja Resisting the urge to begin this with “It is a truth universally acknowledged...” Looking back with immense satisfaction on the events we have organised to celebrate the iconic Pride and Prejudice in all its glory… Feeling immensely proud of what the simple fivemember club has grown to become in the backdrop of this special anniversary… Claiming our place in the ranks of those who have vowed to celebrate Austen for life… Here is a glimpse of all the events that we had held this year; joining, in our own small way, the wave of celebration that swept over the world as a most beloved book was revisited, explored, enjoyed, and read yet again. No great novel carries just one story and, as ardent readers, we have all come to expect, anticipate, enjoy, and even love the various sub-plots that run alongside and aid the main narrative. And so it is with Pride and Prejudice. At our first event of this year, then, we chose to celebrate this cherished story through the various smaller stories. On the morning of 2nd February, 2013, we met at the famous Wilson College, Mumbai for our event titled “The Stories within the Story: Celebrating 200 years of Pride and Prejudice.”

Three months later (9th May, 2013), we were already getting contemplative as we held our event “Reflections on Austen” for the Literature students of the International Baccalaureate Program of the Hillspring International School. However, the thoughtful mood didn’t last long as the youth there celebrated Pride and Prejudice in their own way — by challenging its relevance, asking us about the minute details; listening to us, but refusing to simply accept that what was written 200 years ago (by a lady that too– never said but always implied) should be read today. “Austen through the Ages” — our event on the 18th July, 2013 that commemorated Austen’s death anniversary (and that admittedly took the entire summer to plan and organise) was immensely special for all of us. It marked one entire year in action as a book club for us and, as

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a tribute, we released out first annual newsletter, and launched our very own website, at our third major event of the year. Safely ensconced in the sort of ambience only a book store can provide, we discussed Pride and Prejudice, its themes, characters, and different adaptations in an attempt to uncover the mystery behind Austen’s undying appeal. Next up, an opportunity to collaborate with British Council! We used Pride and Prejudice and the fact that it has been wonderfully adapted by both BBC and Bollywood to examine Austen’s impact in these two different cultures through our event “Austen: At Home and Overseas” on 31st August, 2013.We screened the same scene from each of the two adaptations and then compared them — laying special emphasis on the similarities between the two adaptations that

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highlighted the fact that despite the differences in the two ways of adapting Austen, the essentials remain the same. Wrapping up the celebrations was our annual event titled “Celebrating Jane” (18th December, 2013) that we hosted on Austen’s birth anniversary. With the English Department at the Sophia College for Women, we brought the year to a close in our usual style — with presentations, screenings, panel discussions, interactive quizzes, and an audience we have never had before. As the event came to a close, and we scrambled for the customary photo session, we were elated. It had been an incredible year, filled with events that will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Here’s to the next 200 years!

Pride and Brides, Prejudice and, er... Zombies:

Pride and Prejudice from 1813 to 2013 By Nick Pillow

t is a truth universally acknowledged that the sentence which begins ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged’ remains one of the most famous opening lines in English literature, and no doubt features as the first sentence in the majority of articles written about its source, this most famous of novels, Pride and Prejudice. Austen referred to Pride and Prejudice, first published in 1813, as ‘her own dear child’, but when she initially dreamed up ‘First Impressions’ (the original title she considered for the novel in 1797), one doubts she would have any concept of exactly how popular it would become, or of the journey it would undergo, or of the different forms it would take. Countless reprints and editions of the original novel are a mere drop in the ocean of Pride and Prejudice — in print, there are numerous prequels and sequels (which are rarely the original’s equals), updated versions and downloaded versions, crime capers and erotic fantasy versions and even a zombie horror version. In film, equally numerous adaptations of the original have been added to with even more sequels, sketches, and series’, ranging from Bollywood to Broadway, while online, there are numerous blogs, fan sites and YouTube channels dedicated to the novel. So what exactly are all these different versions, and why is it Pride and Prejudice, out of all the rich pickings English literature has to offer, that has engendered such creativity and inspiration? Firstly, though, to justify my claim as to the novel’s popularity: with more than 20 million copies sold, it constantly tops readers’ ‘Best Ever Book’ polls, (admittedly sometimes coming second behind The Lord of the Rings). A quick Google search of pages dedicated to the title reveals more than 18 million hits, as opposed to other great works of English literature such as Frankenstein (12 million — including all the

numerous horror film references), Hamlet (11 million), Jane Eyre (six million), or Austen’s own Northanger Abbey (under two million). Indeed, pages relating to Austen herself as opposed to her novels stand at 7.5 million, suggesting this is a novel that has in many ways outgrown its author. So let’s take a look at the various literary adaptations. The first ‘sequel’, more than a century later, was Sybil Brinton’s Old Friends and New Fancies (1914), which focused on the Pride and Prejudice characters but also included some from other Austen novels. Whilst receiving mixed reviews, it does at least have the distinction of not having been influenced by Colin Firth or the BBC! Ava Farmer’s recent Second Impressions (2011) was met with much more positive reviews. Other sequels have focused on particular characters: Georgiana Darcy, sister of Mr Darcy, is very popular, featuring as the heroine in no less than three recent novels; as is Darcy himself. The famous Colin Firth wet shirt scene from the 1995 BBC TV adaptation (more on that later) seems to have produced a generation of Darcyites rather than Janeites, and various novels have since been written about him: The Diary of Henry Fitzwilliam Darcy (1998) by Marjorie Fasman, and Mr. Darcy’s Secrets (2011) by Jane Odive, among others. It seems that Austen — as opposed to Shakespeare, for example — rarely suffers from the attacks of ‘purists’; rather, fans are eager to see their beloved characters’ lives continue in some form or another, and Austen’s characters seem to be robust enough to handle new situations. The novel has also been used across many different genres. Death Comes to Pemberley (2011) by famed crime author PD James, is a ‘whodunit’ in which Mr Wickham is put on trial for the murder of Captain Denny. This was very recently

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dramatised by the BBC, and caused much controversy by including a love scene between Lizzie and Mr Darcy — not controversial in what they showed, as it was a family show, but viewers felt Jane Austen would have quietly closed the door on such details! More loosely connected works include Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’ Diary (with its own Mr Darcy — famously played in the film by a certain Colin Firth), and even the main character of EL James’ infamous 50 Shades of Grey (2012) was based on the Darcy character. 2012 also saw the release of 50 Shades of Mr Darcy by William Codpiece Thwackery, and the less said about that, the better. Austenland (2007) by Shannon Hale, is classed as ‘Chick Lit Lite’, about a young New Yorker hoping to find love in an Austen-themed amusement park; a film of the novel is coming out later this year. Swiftly bypassing two Darcyas-Vampire novels and Mrs Darcy Versus the Aliens ( Jonathan Pinnock, 2011), we finally arrive at — and again, a film is forthcoming — Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2009), by Seth Graheme Greene, in which our beloved Lizzie is more adept at drop-kicking the living dead than she is at finding a husband at a courtly dance. Greene has taken the original novel almost in its entirety, inserting into it a zombie subplot, rather than rewriting it completely. Reviews have been mixed, ranging from amusement to denouncing it as a crass, one-trick-pony idea which can’t be sustained over the entire novel (let alone through its own sequel — Ben H Winters’ Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (2009) from the same publisher). But most readers seem to enjoy the wry humour which, naturally, would have attracted them to the original novel in the first place. Moving on, there have been vast numbers of filmed versions. The most famous is of course the Ehle-Firth 1995 BBC version (which already topped the ratings even before they showed that wet-shirt scene). This probably has been the single most influential adaptation which has secured the novel’s place in popular as well as literary culture. Bridget Jones’ Diary, published the following year, was partly so successful because of the way it tapped into a popular cultural consciousness

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(in the UK at least), and everyone could identify with it; Pride and Prejudice — the BBC version particularly in mind — was the ideal medium to create that sense of identification. Keira Knightley also played Lizzie in a well-received film (2005), although there have been many other versions (TV series in 1967, 1980 and the aforementioned 1995 version, and many films from 1940 to the present). Similarly to the printed versions, films have also moved the story beyond its origins. Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) takes the tale to Mormon Utah, although the wider public rejected it for too many Mormon in-jokes that many people didn’t understand. The following year, here in India, the novel was given a famous Bollywood makeover, Bride and Prejudice (2004), starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson. On TV in the UK, Lost in Austen (ITV, 2008) tells the story of a young 21st century woman accidentally transported into the novel itself, while the aforementioned Death Comes to Pemberley was shown on Christmas Day 2013 on the BBC. Online, the lively 100-episode Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012–2013) is a fictional comedy in video log format, and follows a modern-day family of single sisters (and Bing Lee. No, really.) and its many episodes attracted over a million YouTube hits. So what can clearly be seen is that this novel, despite being 200 years old, has indeed inspired countless imaginative and creative responses. But what is it, though, that makes this novel so inspirational? One key factor is, undoubtedly, Lizzie Bennett herself. Elizabeth wasn’t playing ball with societal expectations and pressures, seeing marriage as much more than consolidation of two bank accounts. She is so well-loved by today’s (largely but not entirely) female readership because she can be seen as a feminist icon, arriving on the scene at least 150 years early. When I say feminist, I don’t mean unapproachably revolutionary, but confidently independent, delightfully quickwitted, and keenly intelligent. Austen’s demure and obedient Fanny Price in Mansfield Park, on the other hand, was the more popular heroine at the time, but today’s audience roots for the feisty

energy of Lizzie. We enjoy watching her take the haughty Darcy down a peg or ten, and then down the aisle. Lizzie is not some quaint old-fashioned heroine, but a vibrant and modern woman, balancing strength of character with a deep sense of respect for those around her. Secondly, there is Mr Darcy himself, and it is quite probable that Colin Firth emerging from the lake in a wet shirt — causing entire nations to swoon with desire — has a lot to do with the novel’s recent popularity. Darcy is a man with whom we can all readily identify — we all know a Darcy, and, in spite of his arrogance, many of us (men) secretly want to be him (although an image of myself emerging from a lake sadly may not inspire quite the same impact, and may indeed bring on swooning of an altogether different kind. Nevertheless, it’s a good fantasy). Thirdly, there is the novel’s wit and humour. We love to laugh, and Austen’s prose twinkles with an intelligent, wry humour of a kind that remains very popular today. Or perhaps it is the social commentary? We love to poke holes in our own society, and we can recognise a great deal of today’s social world in Lizzie’s England; underneath the humour lies social realism — a poignancy and gravitas that both lifts the novel above and anchors it more stably beneath its often more flippant prequels and sequels.

universal, something timeless. For within the novel, hidden underneath the social strictures and structures of Georgian England, are characters whose personalities and predicaments are just as relevant today — in London, Mumbai or Timbuktu — as they were 200 years ago. In Jane, we see our own hardworking older sister, rewarded for her goodness of heart; in Lady Catherine, we recognise the social snobs in our own lives; in Charlotte Lucas, we see the tragedy of a figure in a society that dictates that her best future lies with marriage to the scorned fool, and we see her counterpart in our own worlds. But in Mr Darcy and Elizabeth, we see two people who end up as true equals. We look at them and see perhaps a happier potential for, or perhaps (if we’re lucky) a happy reflection of, our own lives. We learn that it is possible for two people together to overcome the trials society throws at them, and find lasting love, not borne out of young, misguided lust, but of deep, mutual respect and honour. And that, in 2013, is indeed a truth definitely worth universally acknowledging. With thanks to the numerous Janeites who have provided incredibly detailed internet reports of the extraordinary journey of Pride and Prejudice, and without whose webpages this article would not have been possible.

But it is more than this: when combined, the above elements enable this novel to become more than the sum of its parts — to surpass its own boundaries and outperform its peers. For, despite being 200 years old, Pride and Prejudice is a novel whose characters and situations can be identified with in ways which are both far reaching and very modern, and hence ideally suited for rewrites, revisions, revisits or just a plain good old reread. We may perhaps be inspired to read, watch, or even create, new versions of this novel and new situations for these characters. Austen reveals to us something we can make our own, something that transcends genre, something Nick Pillow is a theatre teacher at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School. He has enjoyed Jane Austen since those Sunday evenings back in 1995 watching the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice by the fire, and later studied Austen as an English Undergraduate at Cambridge University. In his spare time, he works as a stand-up comedian.

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Pride and Prejudice in Quotes By Saranya Iyer

ride and Prejudice is one of Jane Austen’s most famous and extraordinary novels. In this novel, Austen has beautifully brought together human emotions, qualities, and instincts. The novel centres on the Bennet family and their five daughters in Longbourn. The daughters are unmarried and Mrs. Bennet is intent on seeing her daughters married off to wealthy men. The fact that the rich and delightfully single Charles Bingley arrives at neighbouring Netherfield Park brings immense joy to her heart and she gets excited at the prospect of introducing her daughters to him. Along with him comes his dear friend Mr. Darcy who is extremely rude, and proud of his accomplishments. He is regarded as a highly disagreeable man by one of the Bennet daughters — Elizabeth. Being highly endowed with intellectual capacity and charm, her ability to judge a person beforehand leaves the readers enthralled. At first Mr. Darcy seems least interested in her but over subsequent meetings and social gatherings, he finds himself increasingly drawn towards her nature and beauty. As the story progresses, Elizabeth tries to re-evaluate her feelings about Mr. Darcy. In the midst of all these occurrences, Jane — the eldest daughter of the Bennets — and Bingley continue to be attracted to one another. The rest of the happenings tell us a heart-warming tale of each and every character in the plot. Jane Austen has perfectly concluded the tale by showing us a beautiful union of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The story revolves around human pride and vanity and it shows us how misunderstandings about a person could lead to various troubles and could pose a barrier in a relationship. Through this epic novel, Jane Austen conveys that Mr. Darcy overcomes his pride and Elizabeth her prejudice, which is the crux of the story.

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Famous Quotations Explained: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” This quote, the first line of the novel, introduces the theme of marriage. This is the central theme of this novel which revolves around relationships, love, courtship, and eventually marriage. The quote states that any man who is wealthy would be in want of a good wife. All his accomplishments would be meaningless if he did not have a wife to share them with. However, this statement could also prove true for any woman. In the novel, the neighbourhood families are in watch of such a man and get excited when they see that kind of prospect coming to their place. “A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” The quote explains the fact that imagination and decisions were very impulsive with regards to men in those days. One always thought about the next level in the relationship. That is, if a woman admired a person, taking into consideration his education, rational behaviour, and wealth, it is most certain that her thoughts would move from admiration to love. She may eventually fall in love and would also be ready to marry the same person. This statement also tells us the fact a person had to possess the necessary attributes to get admired before being considered for matrimony. “To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.” What is more beautiful than dancing? Dancing is joy. Dancing is melody. Dancing is love. Austen has always used social functions, balls, and dances to

illustrate the relationship and togetherness of her characters. The quote describes that dance is not only moving your body to the tunes of a great song but also a synonym for love. As two people express their sacred love through dance in her novels, it is surely the first step towards falling for each other. Marital intentions and exchanges are conveyed through balls and dances in her story. Dance is employed as a metaphor and is a significant step for potential suitors of men or women. “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.” This is one of my favourite quotes from her novel. This statement is spoken by Mr. Darcy in a ballroom when his friend Charles Bingley approaches him and asks him to dance with Elizabeth. He quickly says that she is acceptable in his eyes but not attractive enough to be danced with. It was certain that Mr. Darcy outshone everyone in that ballroom. Rude and arrogant in his demeanour, he made sure that he would not dance with the lady who was slighted by other gentlemen in the room. This remark firms Elizabeth’s belief that he is a very disagreeable man and that his manners are not socially acceptable. “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.” In those days, marriage had a different connotation among the people in the society. It was held purely for political or financial intentions and not for the reason of love as it is held nowadays. This quote is stated by Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s dear friend. She marries Mr. Collins because she wants to live comfortably in a good property. Mr. Collins did not seem to be a perfect match for her as he was foolish and not smart but he possessed wealth. Elizabeth was an accomplished and witty girl who couldn’t bear him for a moment.

She was shocked to see her friend accepting his proposal. Though Charlotte was not very happy with her decision, she would at least get whatever she wanted by marrying him. The quote also suggests that marriage is a journey which will exhibit both pros and cons and that one cannot know all the qualities of the other beforehand. That will only make the journey very guarded and would make it lose its charm. The process of discovering each other is what makes one happy about marriage. “An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” This quote is said by Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth’s father. Mr. Bennet is a calm and composed sort of person who values intellectual behaviour more than the materialistic propositions. Elizabeth is the apple of his eye and he likes her more for her simple yet intelligent qualities. He disapproves of Mr. Collins for his daughter but Mrs. Bennet is excited and wants to get her daughters married off to wealthy men. Both thus disagree on this issue. His statement proposes that if Elizabeth will go as per her mother’s say, she will become a stranger in his eyes. But if she disobeys her mother and agrees to what he says then it will lead to a conflict and her mother would be angry and would treat her like a stranger. This causes a quandary in Elizabeth’s mind.

Saranya is an MBA in Marketing, who loves reading and writing. She is currently a lecturer of academics and Spanish language after five years of work in the corporate world. She is an ardent fan of Jane Austen and says that her works never stop to amaze her. She is also one of the co–authors of the book The plantain leaf (short stories from South India). And lastly, she is a proud Janeite.

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“Mary, Mary, quite contrary!”

Re-reading Pride and Prejudice By Vincy Abraham

classic retold countless times, adapted on the 70mm, inspired many spin offs, enthralled readers across centuries and countries (and has been on the must-read list of serious students of literature as well as those who love a good read) — Pride and Prejudice is one of Jane Austen’s masterpieces. Her book continues to be one of the beloved and most read books of classic fiction. Love and matrimony seem to be the central theme of the book. It also comments on social class and the aspirations of the English gentry in the 19th century. Literary critics have analysed and written on major characters such as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy or even the comical Mr. Collins. But the available literature highlights a major academic knowledge gap about a character that is equally fascinating and yet largely understudied, Mary Bennet. In this paper, I will examine and explore the character of Mary Bennet — the third daughter of the Bennet family. Her character is mostly ignored by her family, by Austen herself, and even by analysts and readers on occasion. But contrary to popular belief, Mary Bennet has a lot to say. Her character functions as an excellent example of the double coding that is so much a part of this book. What we know of Mary is that she is the middle daughter of the Bennet family, and could be anywhere between 18–20 years old (considering Kitty’s and Lizzie’s ages). Austen does not take time to develop Mary’s character, allowing her to make very few appearances in the novel. Usually ignored, Mary has no companions — especially among her sisters ( Jane-Elizabeth and Kitty-

Lydia are portrayed to be close) — leaving her alienated. She’s even ignored by her parents, as Mrs. Bennet is more involved in finding rich suitors for her other daughters or playing a willing participant to Lydia and Kitty’s fantasies while Mr. Bennet is aloof and critical most times. Mary has created a world for herself of books and music. These become her “sisters” and “companions” and this scripts her future. It seems she never really fits in the picture of the Bennet household. Mary seems to be in the shadows most times — behind her books or the piano — and her only moment of glory, so to say, is her pianoforte performance at the Netherfield ball which ends horribly wrongi. Throughout the story, Mary Bennet comes across as eager to please or eager to demonstrate her music skills and her hermeneutic abilities (a better word could be “moralising”; for example her moral comment on Lydia’s elopement). This could possibly be due to Austen’s surprisingly unkind, even harsh, description of her; in fact Austen ventures to describe her as “the only plain one in the familyii”. Mary tries to compensate her plainness with supposedly intelligent remarks (in reality however, she ends up reciting quotations from books) and her taste in music — but her plainness is accompanied by lack of “genuine” and “tasteiii ”. But this does not make her humble; instead, she is described as having a “pedantic air and conceited manneriv”. She prefers her books over company or social engagements. Yet there seems to be a small part of her that desires “recreation and amusementv” like her other sisters.

The author is a Research Assistant at the School of Development Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, working on the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) collaborative project on “Advocacy for the Elderly”. She holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Mumbai. She’s a lover of Christ, books and politics. The author wishes to thank Elsy Abraham and Sany Joseph for their insightful inputs.

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But a young woman of her tastes is not easily accepted by the society, as Mary is not accepted, acknowledged or appreciated by her own family. Her character also highlights a feminist-based argument on the discrepancies of gender roles in a patriarchal society. Mr. Bennet, the patriarch of the Bennet household, is shown to continually resort to the confines of his library and his books. And yet, when Mary does the same, she is ridiculed or considered not attractive as her other sisters. It is interesting to observe that it is indeed Mary who comes close to resembling her father (perhaps even desiring his acceptance?vi), and yet her father dotes on Lizzie (and Jane to some extent). We see yet another example of differing treatment based on gender in Collins and Mary. The way Austen pens their characters down, it almost seems that they are similar. Both are comical, awkward and ironically, proud too. But that’s it. Collins, at the end, walks away with the girl (Charlotte), the house (Longbourn) and finds support in the benevolence of a wealthy noble (Lady Catherine de Bourgh). On the other hand, Mary continues to be a spinster, with no house (after the death of her father) and certainly no patrons. Austen satirically comments on the obvious partiality that the patriarchal society has towards one gender over the other. In one instance in the book, Mary was described as “the most accomplished girl in the neighbourhoodvii”. But thanks to Darcy we get a fuller picture of an accomplished woman: A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, all the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deservedviii. According to this description, Mary fails to qualify as an accomplished woman. Her interests in reading and music need to be accompanied by other skills, which she grossly lacks. However, scholars have differing views on Mary’s character. Alex Woloch believes that Mary serves only in a

comparative context in the novelix (that is, only to individualise Lizzie’s qualities). Steven D. Scott, on the other hand, opined that Mary’s pursuits in reading and music as accomplishments need to be seen as her “goals of self expression and selfimprovementx” as Mary “is accomplished when, for everyone around her, being accomplished is really a way to catch a man, yet she shows no inclination to catch a manxi”. A reading of Pride and Prejudice (and even certain adaptations) reveals a subtle blink-andyou-may-miss-it revelation. The narrator hints (but does not develop) that Mary could have been inclined to accept Collins, that is, if he proposed, and that Mary “rated [Collins] abilities much higher than any of the others” and that “there was a solidity in his reflections which often struck her xii”. In the Bennet family, retaining the Longbourn estate was a necessity due to the inheritance laws of that period. But when Lizzie spurned Collins proposal, Collins does not seem to consider Mary as a suitable candidate — but pragmatically though, she is the next in line. After all, doesn’t Mary deserve an equal chance at companionship or marriage if the silly Lydia or the under-accomplished Lizzie could, especially since she seemed to be inclined to accept? What is interesting though is that Mary is one of two sisters of the Bennet household who remains unmarried at the end of the novel. But while Kitty, thanks to the tutorage of her two older — now well married — sisters, does seem to have better prospects of marrying, Mary’s fate ends much in the same way as it began — with her books. Austen abruptly, in Mary’s case, ends the story there. Whether a play of wit or plot, Austen leaves us with the cliffhanger of the century that is, with regard to the recurring theme of the book — marriage. And yet, now with three sisters settled in marital felicity, and Kitty’s absence at home, Mary finds that she has the undivided attention of her parents, instead of striving for it as she resorted to, in the past. Observers believe that Austen, whether intentionally or unwittingly, liberates Maryxiii from further comparisons with her sisters. So, it is not her own marriage that liberates her as much as her sisters’ marriages. This is a very modern notion of female liberation

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that Austen pens. Her plainness has brought about a pride on her part (given her intellectual pursuits) and prejudice on the part of the society (as a plain woman is not considered to be a good catch).

acknowledge what she says most times), shows that Mary “talks like a writer, rather than a character; her speeches sound written rather than spokenxvi ”. This characteristic sets her apart from the other characters in the novel.

The context of the text unravels mysteries of the content of the text. Thus, it is also important to examine the text in the historical perspective like Dimana Neykova does. Neykova points out the period in which Austen writes Pride and Prejudice as “an interesting juncture between the age of enlightenment and the romanticismxiv”. The former laid much emphasis on rationality and reason, while the latter encouraged radicalism and liberalism. What I infer from Neykova’s argument is that we can witness the struggle of these two historical influences in Mary’s character. On one hand, she appears to be most rational (to the point of moralising), and yet radical (in that she is not bound by artificial aspirations of her contemporary society). Perhaps, that is why Austen rightly placed her as the middle child in the Bennet household — endowing her with qualities like none other.

Not only does Mary “talk like a writer”, but one can conclude that Austen tried to portray the plight of woman writers of her time through Mary. It is important to note here that for a long time, Austen herself wrote under a pseudonym like a number of other women writers. Gender roles restricted women to domesticity while allowing marital aspirations. Women were encouraged to learn those skills which would help prepare them for marital life, and clearly writing was not one of them. In the same light, Mary too is ridiculed for her interest in books, over pursuits for a suitor or social engagement or learning more ladylike skills. She pursues something very different from her family; not only does that makes her stand out but also shows the struggle she faces to be accepted for her eccentricities. While critic Rachel M. Brownstein does agree that Mary’s character represents woman writers, she digresses with this claim that Austen, using Mary, mocks the woman writers of her timexvii. Brownstein believes that these woman writers perpetuated “attitudes of patriarchal authority on sex and marriage”. Mary, in Pride and Prejudice, appears to be that voice of morality that Austen, it seems, loves to mock.

It is also plausible to say that there’s a little bit of Austen in Mary. Take, for example, Mary’s disdain or unaffectedness for her sibling’s romantic fancies. Unlike the other Ms. Bennets, Mary comes across as one who prefers books or conversation over balls and dancingxv. While it is true that Austen loved balls and dancing, her works such as Pride and Prejudice did not reflect much on the social or political upheavals of her time though we observe the presence of the militia and officers. Instead, Austen chose to focus on examining the existing social class and analyses the pride and prejudices of the English gentry and aspirations of social and economic advancements of the lower classes. Austen appears unaffected by her times as Mary seems unaffected by her sibling’s romantic aspirations. But the similarities don’t end there. Like Austen, Mary appears like an enigma, even a misfit, in the story. An analysis of the content of her conversations (in reality a better word would be “her monologues”, because clearly, no one seems to

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But I’ve often wondered at Austen’s intention when she created a character as Mary; it would be incredulous that a master storyteller such as Austen created a character having no depth, and with no purpose. And why did Austen go to so much of effort to alienate and distinguish Mary’s character from the rest? Is it possible that it is indeed Mary who is the unsung heroine of the book? The latter question, strange as it may seem, raises a possibility — what if Austen, by weaving a story centred on the marital mindedness of the English gentry, was in fact criticising those prejudices as she does in her ironic and yet iconic opening statement? What if Mary’s character was not just meant to be insipid but to be celebrated as a woman with a distinctive path of her own in

a harsh narrow-minded society? Scott accurately highlighted and summed Mary’s significance in the novel when he opined (note: italics are mine): Mary deserves not be parodied, but admired as a precursor of a modern woman. In a sense, the novel has created a woman who is beyond itself. It condemns Mary for not following many of the social norms that it itself condemns at the same time. Mary seems, remarkably, capable of picking and choosing and making her own society. That individual capacity for self determination is a fact of modern life that we now take for granted; I find it fascinating to discover it here, in the most unlikely of placesxviii . Ever wonder why Jane Austen initially titled her first draft of Pride and Prejudice as First

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Impressions? My first impression of Mary Bennet was not particularly great but that’s the point here. First impressions are not always spot on. But after much re-reading and analysis, her pre-eminence in the novel was startling. The oxymoronic nature of her character made her an interesting subject. Austen, thus, created a character who emphasised mental prowess over marital felicity, books over balls, reading over company and intelligence over frivolity. Herein, stands a young woman beyond her years and her time. She is curiously set apart by her idiosyncrasies much like Austen herself. So, maybe Austen’s merciless description of her “pedantic air and conceited mannerxix ” can ultimately be forgiven, in the light of her significance both to the novel, specifically and to modern society, as a whole. Undoubtedly, there is, indeed, something about Mary!

Kankowski, Sara. “There’s Something About Mary: A Pride & Prejudice Character Study” First Novels Club. May 28, 2010 http://www.firstnovelsclub.com/2010/03/mary-bennett-pride-prejudice-character.html (accessed January 3, 2014) Austen, Jane. “Pride & Prejudice” (p. 14). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.. Ibid Ibid Ibid., p. 46 Ellwood, Gracia Fay. “How not to father: Mr. Bennet and Mary,” Persuasions Online V.22, No 1 (Winter 2001). 5 November 2008. http://www.jasna.org/persuasions/online/vol22no1/ellwood.html (accessed January 4, 2014) Austen, Jane. “Pride & Prejudice” (p. 7). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.. Ibid., p. 21 Woloch, Alex. The One vs. the Many; Minor characters and the space of the protagonist in the novel. Princeton, N.J. Woodstock: Princeton University Press, 2003. Scott, Steven D. “Making Room in the Middle; Mary in Pride and Prejudice”, The Talk in Jane Austen. Ed. Bruce Stovel and Lynn Weinlos Gregg. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, p. 234. 2002 Ibid., p. 236 Austen, Jane. “Pride & Prejudice” (p. 66). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.. Lajqi, Jehona. “Mary Bennet: The most contradictory girl in the neighbourhood” (p. 17) Växjö University, School of Humanities. 2008 Neykova, Dimana. “The Fools and the Nerds in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice” Saint Peter’s University. 2011 ‘The teenaged Jane Austen was in fact such a flirt and party animal that one neighbor called her “the prettiest, silliest, most affected, husband-hunting butterfly she ever remembered.” ’ Harman, Claire. “Why did Jane Austen never marry?” Heroes and Heartbreakers. March 9, 2011 http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2011/03/why-jane-austen-never-married (accessed January 2, 2014) Scott, Steven D. “Making Room in the Middle; Mary in Pride and Prejudice”, The Talk in Jane Austen. Ed. Bruce Stovel and Lynn Weinlos Gregg. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, p. 236. 2002 Brownstein, M Rachel. “Jane Austen: irony and authority.” Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 1988; 15 (13): 57-70. 5 November 2008. Scott, Steven D. “Making Room in the Middle; Mary in Pride and Prejudice”, The Talk in Jane Austen. Ed. Bruce Stovel and Lynn Weinlos Gregg. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, p. 236. 2002 Austen, Jane. “Pride & Prejudice” (p. 14). Amazon Digital Services, Inc..

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‘Follies and Whims’ and Answers to Living

The lessons of an “interior adventure” By Lina Mathias

he brisk sales of self-improvement books and the unprecedented popularity in our times of self-help gurus mirror the one question that humankind has never stopped asking: How should we live our lives? Like all great writers, Jane Austen answers this question in her own inimitable way. I cannot help observing that a trawl through her books with the words “moral” and “philosophy” at the back of one’s mind is indeed very enriching. And it only helps that almost every such gem is steeped in the wit that is her hallmark.

genius. He too appeals across time and cultures using biting humour and she too tells you how you ought to behave towards friends and family though she does it with a twinkle in her eye and oh so subtly.

I am mystified whenever I come across opinions that either sound apologetic or downright disapproving about the “small world” she wrote about. The amazing — and obviously a significant — aspect of her genius is the fact that that small world not only embodies universal human attributes but also that it has not lost its appeal across centuries and continents. That small world takes you on an “interior adventure” as an Austen admirer remarked. And I think, like all adventures, it leaves you not merely with a sense of thrill but with valuable lessons if you have a mind to heed them.

“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?” says Mr. Bennet to his daughter Elizabeth. It is not so much a question as a statement and it is certainly not cynical as it might first appear. Were we to ponder on it, two things could happen. We would become less focused on what others think of us — the perennial misery-making question — and we would take ourselves less seriously. There

As an aside, I cannot help thinking of the other great love of my life — Charles Dickens. There is no comparison, of course. His canvas was vast, peopled with myriads of characters; he wrote about the dregs and discarded of Victorian society, the crooks and the pompous. And he moralised away to the high heavens telling you, in no uncertain terms, what was wrong with society and what ought to be done! But I like to think there is a tenuous similarity, the link of

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Neighbours and Opinions Pride and Prejudice (of course like all her other novels but then we are talking about it at present) is replete with quotations that could be the delight of compilers of “Wisdom for Daily Living”.

would be less self-consciousness and a lightening of the burden of approval craving. Raise your hands, all those who disagree! “What are men to rocks and mountains?” Elizabeth muses whilst viewing the beauties of the Peak district. Indeed. This reminds me of others who have shared their thoughts while watching the sky on a clear night. How we humans love to think ourselves as the centre of the universe and masters of creation when we are but such puny creatures; and, as recent times have proved, rather thoughtless and destructive creatures. Pursuit of Happiness “I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve.” What a wealth of psychological insight this one short sentence carries. Which of us has not felt unworthy of being happy or more importantly, feared that the happiness we feel would be snatched away from us because we are such silly beings? Ours is an age that specialises in feeling guilty and in worrying. And in a sense, this is a form of arrogance because it assumes that we know exactly what is due to us and how to calculate it. And the following is one, which I dearly wish I could emulate. Come to think of it, I will make this my new year resolution! When Elizabeth’s father fails to heed her advice that her younger sister Lydia should be allowed to go to Brighton, what does Elizabeth do? Here is what Austen tells us: “It was not in her nature... to increase her vexations by dwelling on them. She was confident of having performed her duty, and to fret over unavoidable evils, or augment them by anxiety, was no part of her disposition.” There are those who point out that the previous title of Pride &Prejudice — First Impressions — gives a clear indication of what Austen wanted to emphasise in her most popular novel. I would

point to this quote, “It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first,” as an admonishment against jumping to conclusions. And how many of us can say honestly that we do not judge quickly, slot people according to our prejudices and then refuse to change our minds? Like someone said, “If people are unwilling to change their opinions, they should at least take the trouble to rearrange their prejudices once in a while.” Deceptive Vanity Obviously these few are not more than a fraction of the wonderful guides to behaviour and attitudes that the novel contains. I have not even approached what she says about the two great M’s — Money and Marriage. I shall leave you with this observation that is actually in the context of a woman misunderstanding a man’s rather flirtatiousness, but one which is universally true for both the sexes and for all times: “It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us”. “Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can,” Austen seems to say through Elizabeth Bennet. How absolutely fortunate we are that her diversions have left us with such unsurpassable treasure.

Lina Mathias is a journalist beginning with the Free Press Journal and going on to the Sunday Observer, The Independent, The Indian Post, Mid-Day and the Hindustan Times — for the past 28 years and is currently working as Senior Assistant Editor at the Economic & Political Weekly (EPW). She also teaches final year students of Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM) at the Sophia College, Mumbai and is an ardent Janeite.

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The Austen Hero Undressed By Nishtha Juneja

hen Mr. Darcy comes to Elizabeth’s house to ask for her hand in marriage, what was he wearing? A lot has been said and talked about with regards to women’s clothing during the Regency era. It is normally believed that there are a lot of attractions in the women’s cupboard while men’s clothing is dull and unexciting. Though they might take less time than women while getting ready, it, by no means, suggests that they don’t have enough accessories to don. • The Regency Dandy: This look was born when men started wearing their pants higher up their waists. • White undershirt: A Regency gentleman was very careful to wear a jacket on top of the white undershirt that he wore. He would rarely be seen without a jacket as the undershirt was considered a part of undergarments. • Long jacket: A Sunday morning is a time to relax and rejuvenate; a gentleman would wear a long jacket on top of his shirt while strolling in and around the house. If somebody pays a visit, he might change into a smaller waist-length jacket, which is considered more appropriate while meeting acquaintances. • Sleeves: The sleeves of the jackets worn over the shirt were long enough, in some cases, to cover the knuckles of the hand as well. • Cravats: There were a thousand ways to tie a cravat. Apart from a standard black-andwhite cravat, some gentlemen even donned colourful ones. A black cravat was generally worn during the daytime but a white cravat was a necessity during formal balls, meetings and engagements. • Breeches and suspenders: Breeches are trousers which tighten around the knees; they are usually worn for horse-riding. They are tied way up the waist and hence suspenders

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were important to keep them in place. • The greatcoat: The greatcoat is a waistlength coat with puffs on the shoulders and innumerable capes at the back. • Gloves: Soft, white calfskin gloves were worn in the evenings to keep the hands warm. • Top Hat: The top hat was mostly worn during the daytime and taken out during balls and formal meetings.

Bibliography:

http://www.parametermagazine.org/undressing%20mr%20 darcy.htm http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.in/2012/07/dressing-mr-darcy-ja-festival-2012.html

2014: The Year of Mansfield Park

Bicentenary Celebrations Around The World

usten fans are looking forward to another interesting year, this time to celebrate Jane Austen’s third novel, Mansfield Park that was published 200 years ago. Despite mixed views on the book, Mansfield Park has its share of admirers. Cambridge scholar, F.R. Leavis hailed it as one of the greatest English novels ever written, while Austen biographer, Paula Byrne, listed it as her favourite Austen novel. Austen wrote this novel while she was residing at Chawton Cottage. It was published on 9th May 2014 by Thomas Egerton, who had also published Jane Austen’s two earlier novels, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Here are some of the events that have been planned all over the world. • 9th February, 2014: The Jane Austen Society of North America, Greater Chicago region is kick-starting the bicentenary celebrations of Mansfield Park with a panel discussion on The A’s of Mansfield Park: Architecture, Acting and Abolition. • 15th February, 2014: London Study Day by The Jane Austen Society of UK Jane Austen & Mansfield Park: Professor Fiona Stafford, of Somerville College, Oxford, and three other speakers, will explore themes in Mansfield Park. Venue: Institute of English Studies, University of London • 10th to 13th April, 2014: The Jane Austen Festival, Australia at University House within the Australian National University. It will celebrate all things Austen through an extensive programme that encompasses many different segments like the one given alongside:

Jane Austen Symposium Topics  Jane Austen’s use of letters in Mansfield Park and her personal letters referring to Mansfield Park  Mansfield Park and the Navigable World  Mansfield Park and education  No moral effect on the mind: Music and education in Mansfield Park  The Genius of the Place: Mansfield Park and the improvement of the estate • 5th July, 2014: Mansfield Park Study Afternoon (Brisbane) by The Jane Austen Society of Australia The Study Afternoon will be a celebration of 200 years of Mansfield Park. It will discuss Fanny and Edmund and other elements that make this novel so controversial. Gillian Dooley from Flinders University will provide the soundtrack for the afternoon, and attendees are invited to an afternoon tea after the event. • Mansfield Park celebrated in new issue of Jane Austen’s Regency World (a magazine): The January/February (No 67) issue of JARW is published in January 2014 and features:  Celebrating the bicentenary of the publication of Mansfield Park  How Jane Austen’s third novel tackled the issue of slavery  Sympathy and advice for Mary Crawford  The scandal of being caught up in a breach of promise of marriage case  Why Jane Austen preferred the Navy over the Army  Introducing the Jane Austen Club of Moscow

All information about these planned events has been compiled from the websites of various Jane Austen Societies around the world, and from other related sources.

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Literary Encounters:

Introducing Mansfield Park By Anvita Budhraja

rithvi Theatre, one of Mumbai’s most famous theatres, was where we held our first ever event on Mansfield Park. It was only a month before that I had seen the room in Prithvi House for the first time. I attended a Poetry Reading session there and came away feeling, as it has become common to put it, infinite. The room where the PEN All-India Centre hosts its monthly PEN@Prithvi sessions is a comfortable, small place with just a rug on the floor and one bench to the side. It demands cosy discussions and intimate gatherings, and promises to enrich your soul. Thus, as a tribute to the different and unique place that was to be the setting for our September event, we decided to take a break from the usual — movie screenings and panel discussions. Instead, we worked out a series of readings from the book Mansfield Park that

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would aid us as we took our audience through the plot of the book. We identified characters and themes that were brought out through the excerpts we were to read, and we topped it all with a short presentation on the book by way of an introduction. I believe that all of us were part of something special that evening. All that mattered for those two hours was us, in an intimate circle, the papers before us, Austen’s immortal words, and the discussion — that branched off into minor debates over morality, fact versus fiction, who is more charming — Edmund or Henry Crawford (The latter of course. Where’s the doubt?), passivity and Fanny, and the role of good in this world. I don’t think any of us can forget 14th September, 2013 in a hurry for, I believe, we witnessed magic that evening.

Deconstructing the Heroine of Mansfield Park By Sonia Gandhi

anny Price, the female protagonist of Mansfield Park, daughter of a drunken sailor and a woman who married beneath her, is arguably the least liked and the most complicated heroine amongst Jane Austen’s six. She is neither witty like Elizabeth Bennet, nor does she have the charismatic personality of Emma Wodehouse; she also lacks the passion of Marianne Dashwood. Perhaps it is for this reason that Fanny is often viewed as singularly passive and insipid. There have been various differing views on this Austen heroine — some find her self-righteous, others principled, and yet others self-effacing. So who is the real Fanny Price? A lot can be understood of her nature and demeanour versus other Austen heroines. Fanny Price, as a young child, is sent to live with her rich aunt and uncle, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram at their house, Mansfield Park. There she is always treated as the poor relative and neither Sir Thomas nor her aunt pay much attention to her. Moreover, all her cousins, save Edmund, are vain and spoilt and look down upon her. Her other maternal aunt, Mrs Norris, is verbally abusive and mean spirited towards Fanny. She constantly reminds Fanny of how unworthy she is of residing at Mansfield Park, and always steps in to deny whatever small benefits would flow in her direction by other family members. From the very beginning, Fanny is — at all times — conscious of her inferior social status. She is “exceedingly timid and shy, and shrinking from notice”, and reluctant to assert herself or to state her own opinion. She hides her emotions and thoughts, and rarely expresses them to anyone. Neither does she

reach out to others. She is just there as a silent part of the household; on the fringes, and not really participating. And so, unlike Austen’s other charming, spunky, active heroines, Fanny is often accused of being passive. To be fair to her, being sent away by parents to live and enjoy privileges with a rich family probably impacts her personality — she suffers from low confidence and self-esteem; she is perpetually obligated and conscious. To be brought up as charity or as a favour is a big burden. Had she participated or spoken up, she would have probably looked ungrateful. Having said that, it is impossible to ignore her several outstanding qualities — Fanny is extremely perceptive. She observes and assimilates the events going on around her and manages to judge things and people correctly. That she does not express it to anyone or uses it to reach out to people is a different matter altogether. During the incident of the play (Lover’s Vows), she clearly comprehends the correlation between intimacies among various characters on stage and the ones espoused for in real life. Fanny is also sensitive to nature and tradition; an excellent example of this is when she quotes Cowper’s poetry at Rushworth’s espousal of modernity. Finally, Fanny is extremely conscientious. Her conscience tells her that she should feel bad when her uncle departs for Antigua, although she doesn’t actually feel that way. Could the possession of these powers of superior perception and judgement have been used much more effectively by a person with higher selfesteem? Fanny could have contributed to making the world around her a better place by sharing

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Another reading makes it difficult to ascertain whether Fanny is judging people and her family negatively or resignedly with acceptance. However, one thing is certain — commitment to her duty of service to family seems to be her paramount driving force. Fanny is hugely aware of her sense of duty towards family, whether at Mansfield Park or when she is sent back home to Portsmouth to ‘think things over’. It could be said that at Mansfield, this sense of duty stems from the gratitude that she is constantly reminded she must feel. It doesn’t stop her from doing her bit though; whether it is unquestioningly nursing Tom or helping out everyone during play rehearsals despite not liking the idea of the play.

her insights with the people she cared for. But her timidity and self-effacing nature, born out of her position in that household, prevents her from doing so. However, Fanny does speak out when it comes to her marriage with the dashing Henry Crawford. As we get yet another glimpse of Fanny’s steadfastness of character, she unequivocally rejects Henry Crawford’s proposal and also stands by her stance when Sir Thomas tries to dissuade her. Fanny may be timid and shy but in a crunch situation, she does speak up her mind instead of foolishly getting into a marriage just out of gratitude towards her rich uncle. Maybe if the novel had presented more similar tricky situations, we would have gotten to see Fanny speaking out more to display the strong features of her character. Perhaps Austen did not think it important to make us see that part of her personality. Or perhaps, Austen felt that this one time was enough for Fanny.

One view could be that Fanny comes across as devoid of all feelings for herself. She is an observer rather than a doer. One of the few times we witness strong sense of feelings in her is when Edmund discusses Mary with her. She is clearly driven to jealousy, as she can perceive Edmund’s romantic feelings for Mary. Through the course of the novel, as Edmund and Mary grow to be increasingly linked together, Fanny must face what most of us can only hope never to feel, but do nonetheless — she must bear silent witness to the man she loves as he discusses his feelings for another woman. One can only wonder if “knowing her inferior position” prevents her from expressing her real feelings to Edmund or it is something more. Grey areas in her character abound: however, it seems unlikely that the reason Fanny hides her outstanding qualities is that she finds herself in a superior position — character-wise — than the rest of the inhabitants of Mansfield Park. Fanny’s position in that household negates this possibility. Finally, I would only say that Austen seems to invest a lot in this heroine who, despite everything else, is an embodiment of her own animated claim that “we have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”

Sonia is an investment banker by profession and a CFA charter holder. She is the Vice President of the Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai. She is also an active member of another book club. Sonia is an avid reader and likes to attend literary festivals.

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21 Interesting Facts about Mansfield Park Compiled by Nishtha Juneja 1. Mansfield Park (MP) is Jane Austen’s third published book. 2. It was published in May 1814 by Thomas Egerton. He published Jane Austen’s earlier two novels as well, Sense and Sensibility (1811) and Pride and Prejudice (1813). 3. The first edition of MP was published in three volumes. 4. A total of 1,250 copies were printed and sold out in six months. 5. MP is considered to be the least popular of the four published novels during her lifetime. 6. Austen’s name was not published on the cover. Instead, her identity was revealed as “Author of Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice”. 7. As per market availability, first editions of MP are scarcer than Emma which is the fourth novel by Austen. 8. At the London Sotheby’s auction on December 11th, 2009, a first edition of MP valued at 10–15,000 was sold for 21,250 US dollars. 9. MP is considered to be Austen’s most controversial novel. 10. Austen, herself, collected comments about the book after it got published. Her mother, Cassandra Austen, said that she had “not liked it so well as P. & P; thought Fanny insipid; enjoyed Mrs. Norris”, while her sister, Cassandra said, “Thought it quite as clever, tho’ not so brilliant, as P. & P; fond of Fanny; delighted much in Mr. Rushworth’s stupidity”.

11. Joan Aiken wrote a sequel to Austen’s novel in 1985 and named it Mansfield Revisited. 12. J.K. Rowling, being an ardent admirer of the works of Austen, has named one of the characters in the Harry Potter series ‘Mrs. Norris’. 13. MP touches on themes such as slavery, religion, and politics more directly than her previous published novels. 14. The heroine of the book, Fanny Price, is not like any of Austen’s protagonists. She is passive, quiet, and reticent. All of Austen’s heroines are bold, full of life, and energetic. 15. Austen was the first writer to use the phrase ‘dinner party’. It appears in MP in Chapter 41. 16. Austen was familiar with the professions she wrote about in the novel. Apart from her father, she also had a brother in the clergy,

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and a couple of brothers in the navy. 17. Fanny Price refers to William Cowper in the book several times; he was actually one of Austen’s favourites. He was considered as a forerunner to romantic poets such as William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. 18. The play, Lovers’ Vows, performed in the book was itself a controversial political play during the time when MP was written. It was translated from German to English by Elizabeth Inchbald who was a prominent sympathiser of the French Revolution. 19. Theatrical adaptations of MP, the 1999 movie, and the 2007 Masterpiece Classic production strived a lot to change the character of Fanny around. She is portrayed

as much more fun, outgoing, and spunky. 20. Edmund Burke, a conservative philosopher, is noted by many critics as a major influence in MP. Burke used a metaphor of a country house to describe his ideal system of government. Austen also used a lot of country houses in her book, and she was familiar with Burke’s political ideology. Perhaps the character of Edmund Bertram is on similar lines as that of Edmund Burke. 21. Austen used the word ‘coze’ in MP. She used it in the following sentence — “Miss Crawford proposed their going up into her room, where they might have a comfortable coze.” Austen has the distinction of being the first citation of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary. Bibliography:

http://austenprose.com/2012/03/31/publication-dates-ofjane-austens-novels-and-minor-works/ http://www.rarebooksdigest.com/2011/12/15/mansfieldpark-jane-austens-rare-book/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansfield_Park http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/opmansfp.html http://www.shmoop.com/mansfield-park/ http://www.express.co.uk/fun/top10facts/373816/Top-10facts-about-Jane-Austen http://www.shmoop.com/mansfield-park/trivia.html 16. Source: Introduction. Mansfield Park. By Jane Austen. Bantam Classic Edition. 1983. 17. Source: Michael Karounos. “Ordination and Revolution in Mansfield Park.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. September 2004. 18. Source: Claybaugh, Amanda. Introduction. Mansfield Park. By Jane Austen. Barnes and Noble Classics, 2004. 20. Source: Michael Karounos. “Ordination and Revolution in Mansfield Park.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. September 2004. 21. Dictionary.com blog

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Why should we read Mansfield Park? By Ramakrishna Parsekar

hat comes to our mind when we think of Jane Austen? Our mind immediately latches on to Pride and Prejudice. That most celebrated novel. Translated, screened, read by millions of people, and moulded into countless spin-offs. A little further and we think of Sense and Sensibility and Emma. These are the books good readers grow with and love to discuss. But think of Mansfield Park. Even avid readers of classics may find it difficult to remember this title. Some Austen scholarshave called Mansfield Park the most disputed novel among all her works. How is it that this wonderful piece of writing of one of the greatest novelists got shrouded in mystery and dispute? With careful reading and reflection one can come to realise that Mansfield Park is one of the most profound works, not only of Jane Austen but also of that century.

then accept this novel as a failed, or as a relatively less ingenious work, of a genius? Mansfield Park sets itself apart from all other novels of Jane. We are left to wonder as to what Fanny was doing in Jane’s novel. Any Austen heroine has an undefined flexible form to begin with; as the story progresses, the character who is to earn the title of a hero or a heroine has to go through many a hardship and adventure.

Most of Jane’s heroines are dazzling, bold, and witty girls who take their opponents head on. They become perfect instruments of expression of Jane’s value sets and of her rebellion against the practices and the discrimination against women that existed during those times. Some of these heroines are decidedly candid such as Lizzie in Pride &Prejudice or femininely silent yet firm such as Elinor of Sense & Sensibility. But the heroine of Mansfield Park is created — it seems — to remain timid, docile, and unadventurous. She doesn’t become successful and popular. Jane Austen’s own mother found Fanny, the protagonist of Mansfield Park, insipid. Should we

To understand the symbols Jane uses in this novel, we need to understand the historical events unfolding during the time this novel was written. The war against Napoleon was going on, the Prime Minister of England was Lord Liverpool, the rural and the country life were yet to be touched by this war, but the rural population of England was slowly moving towards London. London was the seat of a liberal and modern culture as against the conservative Tory values that were preciously preserved in the rural areas. Portsmouth was a place that represented the lower middle labour class. Fanny comes from this area to be

The answer to this question lies in the profound symbolism that Jane has used in this book. There are three different locations from where the stories emanate and are supplemented — Portsmouth, where Fanny is born to a poor family who then sends her away to her aunt, Mansfield Park, where she stays for most of her life, and London, where Henry and Maria come from.

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harnessed and developed into the mistress of Mansfield Park. It was as if the raw material from Portsmouth was being cultured and evolved into the chief protagonist of the story. Henry and Mary Crawford came from England and they bring in all the lust, greed, and liberal attitudes of London. Austen was the daughter of a Tory parson and she probably suggests that good quality life can be found only through the Tory values. Jane is strongly grounded in traditional custom, and yet at the same time shows all the rebellion against those customs that were unjust to women. Mansfield Park is not just a location, but an institution. It can take the raw material from Portsmouth and refine it. It does so with Fanny, her brother William, and it continues to do so with her sister Susan. Jane also brings in the feeling of home very well. As events take place at Mansfield Park, Portsmouth, and London, Mansfield Park emerges as the true home for Fanny. During her visit to Portsmouth, she experiences the vulgarities and inadequacies of the people in her family. Moreover, she is pained by the deep pangs of separation from Mansfield Park — which she feels is her true home. Austen has produced a story that shows the battles of different worlds within England and by making Mansfield and its values triumph over Portsmouth and London, she has shown her inclination towards preservation of older Tory values. Austen brings in Sir Thomas Bertram as the chief guardian of Mansfield Park. Though he shows strong support for Fanny and provides for her, his dealing of Fanny for marriage with Henry does not show parental affection. Instead, he is duty bound. Jane wants to make an important point about guardianship and paternity here. Merely sticking to one’s duty is not enough if one lacks the necessary delicacy to understand the feelings of one’s children. His guardianship is not careful, as he leaves the mentoring of his children to Mrs Norris who completely fails in her duty. Mansfield Parkthen provides lots of lessons for parents.

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Mrs Norris is malicious and endlessly tortures Fanny. In the contrast between these two characters, each shines in her own beauty: Fanny in her divine tolerance and patience, and Mrs Norris in her wicked and continuous interference in her life as well as the life of every other person. Except Edmund, the sons and daughters of Mansfield Park fall prey to superficialities and sensualities that tempt them from the outside. This too is the result of complete failure in administration on the part of Mrs Norris. This, coupled with their mother being completely inert and lazy, creates a situation that can lead to disintegration of the estate. Edmund is one of those sons of a large family that shows glimpses of kindness and yet vulnerability to be affected by superficial values and attractiveness. His initial support for Fanny is borne more out of sympathy and pity rather than genuine liking towards her. He fails to be with her during times of difficulty and even suggests that she should marry Henry. He finally realizes that Mary belongs to a world very different from his own world and comes back to Fanny. Jane wants to make a point that unless sons or chief inheritors in a family have strong and pious characters — with clarity of vision and values — they may all fall for sensuality and superficiality despite their seemingly good nature. The Henrys and Marys of the world who come from distant, glamorous lands should be carefully dealt with else they can flirt with, seduce, and overpower even the steadfastly moral people with their beauty expression and grace. Fanny is the roof and crown of Mansfield Park and I feel that she is the best among all of Jane’s creations. She is the fiercest of fighters but this fight is not a war of words or action. This fight is through silence and stillness. She sticks to her standards and values despite such a fast changing world of people around her. She is challenged by every single relation that she is in contact with. Her mother, father, aunts, cousins, Sir Thomas, Edmund — all bring her pain in one way or the other. They all fail in their duties towards her.

But she always remains steadfast in servitude and sticks to what she believes in. Moreover, protagonists of novels are human too — they show tendencies to make mistakes and err. Fanny is unique in the sense that she never seems to go wrong. She never puts a wrong foot forward. Jane is creating a lofty ideal for all of us to follow. But she seems to say that the ideal can be a reality for those who can penetrate the shallow world of words, beauty, and glamour and realise Fanny’s everyday struggles — the fights that she puts up with as she mutely yet bravely confronts all those who interfere with her and try to shake her from her steadfast character. She wins through her tranquillity and becomes then not only a feminine ideal but also as a loyal member of the house that she has become so integral a part of. Mansfield Park is very close to us. In our dayto-day lives, we see the characters of Mansfield Park all the time. Jane provides great insights

into these very characters and provides us with guidance in dealing with these characters. Standing firm by our values, principles, and standards as others dangerously roam in immoral space is the challenge that we all face. On this path, we may or may not have Edmunds and Sir Thomass to support us. At times, they may even show us apathy; yet we need to remain steadfast in our journey towards our noble goals. These are my major takeaways. This is why I read Mansfield Park again and again.

References:

1. Tony Tanner’s essay on Mansfield Park 2. Mansfield Park from Wikipedia – the free encyclopaedia 3. Mansfield Park from Austen.com (http://austen.com/mans/) 4. Pemberly.com

Ramkrishna, born in Goa, is a post graduate Mechanical Engineer and a certified SAP consultant by profession. He is a classical vocalist and a literature lover at heart, and is eternally in love with Jane Austen.

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Mansfield Park Quoted Every book has its memorable moments — words, phrases, sentences that remain with you long after the last page is done. Here are some from Mansfield Park. “But there certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them.” This is the narrator in Chapter 1 — the advantage Miss Maria Ward had over her sisters when she married wealthy Sir Thomas Bertram “Selfishness must always be forgiven, you know, because there is no hope of a cure.” Miss Mary Crawford to Miss Fanny Price — witty and pithy as always “Remember, wherever you are, you must be the lowest and last.” Mrs Norris reminding Fanny, as usual, about her lowly position in that house “A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.” It’s a glimpse of Sir Thomas’ reasoning of why Maria should still marry Mr Rushworth despite his doubts over her happiness “I would not have the shadow of a coolness arise,” he repeated, his voice sinking a little, “between the two dearest objects I have on earth.” Edmund about Fanny and Mary — Fanny realises that while she is one of his two dearest objects, so is Mary

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“The enthusiasm of a woman’s love is even beyond the biographer’s.” The narrator’s comment as Fanny experiences utmost felicity on receiving Edmund’s locket and note for the ball. (The note said “My very dear Fanny, you must do me the favour to accept”. Imagine Fanny’s joy!) And these are from the 1999 Patricia Rozema adaptation of Mansfield Park. While it is true that adaptations never wholly capture the spirit of the book, these quotes show how, sometimes, they have a spirit of their own. “Life seems nothing more than a quick succession of busy nothings.” Words of wisdom — is all I can say “There are as many forms of love as there are moments in time.” Edmund, to Mary, about loving Fanny “They amuse more in literature than they do in life.” Fanny’s verdict — said to her sister Susan — on rakes such as Henry Crawford “No man dies of love but on the stage.” Fanny in response to Henry Crawford’s claim, “Fanny, you are killing me!”

I’m a Jane-o-maniac! By Geetali Tare

I am tempted to quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning when asked to speak of Jane Austen: “How much do I love thee? Shall I count the ways?” There are so many reasons to love Austen. Here are a few of mine. The genteelness! Austen’s characters are genteel and decorous. They are an accurate reflection of the formality which characterised relationships in the era which Austen inhabited. I have read and re-read Pride and Prejudice to try to figure out what Mr Bennet’s first name is. But no, it eludes me. I find John Dashwood calling his ghastly wife “My dear Fanny” in Sense and Sensibility, though she sensibly addresses him as “My dear Mr Dashwood” throughout! In Emma, Mr Elton flaunts his use of his wife’s Christian name: “Shall we walk, Augusta?” The crowning statement of course, comes from Emma. When Mr. Knightley asks her to call him George, she refuses. “Impossible! — I never can call you anything but ‘Mr Knightley’.” Martha Nussbaum has argued that literature has an important, if indirect, role in forming the readers’ ethical skills and helping them empathise with other people’s situations. Jane helps me make choices based on ethics. Many readers believe she is priggish and moralising. For me, as a reader, it’s good to know what my author stands for, and what she won’t stand for. The moral dilemmas of the central characters in her books may be mundane, but they are identifiable, and utterly believable. Like all her readers, I too have met proud, compassionate, selfish, and naïve people in my life. Her books give me a sort of compass with which to navigate the social seas:

prudence, correctness, and propriety at all times. These are solid, middle-class virtues, which stand the test of time. Austen also gives us fantastic relationship advice. Trust your gut feeling. Rely on your instincts. If you like someone, tell them! If your partner does something silly or annoying, tell them! Learn to look deeper into a person’s character — they are more than the sum of their good looks, or their charm. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Be witty, but don’t hurt someone with your sense of humour. Be prepared to wait for a long while for Mr. (or Ms.) Right to come along, because they surely will. Don’t marry for money or convenience; do it for love. Austen’s insights into human nature are frighteningly precise. “A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.” Her understanding of human frailty shines through when she says, “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.” In her own genteel way, Austen states some brutal truths: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Or, “One man’s ways may be as good as another’s, but we all like our own best”. A person may be proud without being vain. “Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.” Customs change, styles change, but the fears, worries and dreams which plague Austen’s characters remain timeless. Unrequited love, vanity, occasional and ill-timed silliness, naivety, poor decision-making and foolish pride, as Austen portrays, are the

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hallmarks of human nature; and so, her stories remain as fresh and insightful today as they were when they first appeared 200 years ago. Austen manages to extract more drama from human relations than many authors do from pirates, or bombs or murders.The family dynamics she portrays are real, universal, and timeless. The reader gets to sample the entire spectrum of parental figures from the authoritarian to the permissive. On one end, you have Mrs. Norris, who controls Fanny in a passive-aggressive way. Or also from Mansfield Park is Sir Thomas Bertram, the dutiful but emotionally absent parent to all his children. Austen creates an amazing portrait of a thoughtful, sensitive man who is also incapable of empathy. At the other end of the spectrum lie Emma’s governess, Mrs. Weston, and her father, Mr. Woodhouse. The permissiveness and indulgence with which this surrogate parent, and real parent, deal with Emma account for many of her (Emma’s) flaws. Somewhere in between these, is Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Bennet. He is permissive, but largely indifferent

to his offspring’s doings. It is only to Elizabeth that he is truly affectionate, even respectful. He is dismissive of her sisters and, for most part, uncaring of their welfare. Also unique in their indifference to their daughter’s welfare are the Morlands of Northanger Abbey. The explanation, of course, is that the family is large and thus, neither parent has sufficient time to devote to any individual child at any point. Austen has inspired myriad interpretations: from zombie apocalypse to game theoretic analysis, from neuroscience to behavioural economics. Experts from diverse fields have been fascinated by the 18th-century social warfare that Austen presents so elegantly. The reason for this is not hard to see. Jane Austen had a firm and cleareyed grasp of the times and the mores of the society in which she lived. A diligent author, her prose flows perfectly because its creator pared it down to perfection, frequently testing its plots and narratives on family. How else could a writer have turned a phrase as elegant as “Life seems but a quick procession of busy nothings”?

Geetali Tare is a bibliophile, logoleptic, dilettante photographer, botany/architecture artiste, and career bureaucrat (for now).

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Messages “I am grateful to the Jane Austen Book Club for re-introducing me to this genius — and for introducing me to works of hers that I hadn’t read before. In my case I read Mansfield Park in preparation for a session discussing that work. Total joy!”

Vivek Tandon

Writer, Critic, Actor and Creative Consultant Author of a book of poems called Climbing the Spiral

“Jane Austen is among the few writers who continue to straddle with ease the twin worlds of academia and popular imagination. On the one hand her works are a staple part of school and university curricula, on the other, films and TV serials on her life and fiction find an eager audience. This only shows that Austen’s central preoccupation with women’s subordinate position in society and their unequal access to money and education, is still relevant to 21st century concerns. I congratulate Anvita for having started the Jane Austen Club of Mumbai and taken it to towering heights in such a short span. I have immensely enjoyed participating in the discussion forums and other presentations of the club. I wish the club all success and hope that future events continue to be intellectually invigorating and enjoyable.”

Dr Seema Sharma

Associate Professor of English Jai Hind College Mumbai

About the editor Anvita Budhraja, a student of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, founded The Jane Austen Book Club in July 2012. She first started reading Jane Austen when she was 13. Through this club, she hopes to spread an awareness of and appreciation for Austen to the widest possible audience. She is a voracious reader and a budding writer. One of her original short stories, titled The Bookmark, was recently published in Grapevine India’s publication: Shades of Love (An Anthology of Short Stories). She also blogs intermittently. Anvita regularly teaches the underprivileged children at an NGO (Dharma Bharati Mission), with whom she collaborated to help them set up literature clubs in various schools across the city. She hopes that these clubs will inspire kids to develop a healthy reading habit and thus improve their overall academic prowess. Following her passion for literature, she is also a volunteer with the literature committee of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. Anvita’s other interests include computer science. She loves reading about the latest trends in technology and indulges herself with programming projects now and then.

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The Jane Austen Book Club, Mumbai “One doesn’t read Jane Austen; one re-reads Jane Austen.” www.thejaneaustenbookclub.com bookclubjaneausten@gmail.com

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