I noticed you said another one of your favorite classics is Pride and Prejudice (which is def one of mine). So, i'd love to know your thoughts on that book since i've read it and love it soooooo much
OOOH YES. I LOVE everything Jane Austen related, but in particular Pride and Prejudice. I mean, I think it's actually one of the most accessible classics from the era just because it's so much fun to read. But even beyond that, I love the way that Austen is able to critique society in the most biting commentary both in the descriptions of characters and through her characters as well. The plot is amazing, the romance is just perfect, and the interactions between characters is just the best as well. I love the way that characters change throughout the novel, the way in which Austen decided to critique the people who just fit so perfectly into certain contemporary stereotypes of "rakes" or "bores" (hint hint Wickham and Collins lol) and simultaneously demonstrates how easily mistaken even the most clearsighted individuals can be in the personalities and values of others.
Do you like any other Austen books?? I absolutely love Emma as well--I think the couples in those are the best-fitting. I must admit that I have trouble accepting some of the other couples in her other books. I love Mansfield Park for example, but I just cannot seem to wrap my head around the Edmund deserving Fanny.
Exactly! I agree: Pride and Prejudice is one of the most accessible books from the era and it's just such fun to read. And yet, it being a fun read doesn't detract at all away from the depth, genius and greatness (*aggressively side-eyes Charlotte Bronte) of this book and of Jane. I love the elevation of the everyday life in her books. Someone described it "Just people going to other people's houses" which is, ofc, wildly inaccurate but also to a certain degree, the almost transcendentalist-like focus on simplicity and appreciation for the everyday realities of people is part of the genius. She may have been a "heartless little cynic" who composed "satirettes against her neighbors whist the Dynasts were tearing the world to pieces and cosigning millions to their graves" but hey? How many people have read Pride and Prejudice? And how many people have read novels about wars? Exactly, so Fredric Harrison can stuff it (that was a really badass quote tho, ngl). She wrote about her own battlefield: the realm of men, money, and marriage. And I think that's just a worthy topic as any to discuss.
And ohhhhh goshhhhh. Her dissection of human nature - so good. All of characters are just so... real. Obviously characters like Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins are caricatures but like... how many of us don't know Mrs. Bennets? Or Lady Catherine de Bourghs? How many of us haven't been Mr. Collinses? Part of what I love about her books is the way that I will read the books and laugh at the characters but then will finish them and be like "Heyy... i kinda see myself way too much in [insert character here]." It's glorious. The assesment of human nature is acute, unforgiving, even cruel. But gawd is it true. The breeding of the wellbred is every bit as bad as the lowborn, and the judgement of the intelligent is infact sometimes very stupid lol. Goshhhh I love this book lol
Also, again: It's just such a delight to read lol. And Elizabeth is one of the greatest heroines to ever hit the page (I agree with Austen when she said "how I shall tolerate those who do not like her at least I do not know").
I have read Sense and Sensibility and I am currently procrastinating reading Persuasion. As for Sense and Sensibility... *sighs* It was fine. very funny and delightful (especially in the beginning) but boyyyyy did I not really love that ending. Idk. It's probably because my personality's moreso similar to Marianne so I just sympathized with her more. That said, I don't hate it (as I have seen wayyyyyy to many people do). It's her first book. And her second one was Pride and Prejudice so she improved A LOT in between those.
As for Persuasion, I'm only in the beginning (T-T) so i can't say to much on my feels. That said I did love a lot of the stuff I did read (like how the wife was so perfect her only fault was marrying the man that made her a wife lol) (or "I hate to hear you talk so as if we women were fine ladies and not rational creatures") (and how she said Richard "been nothing better than a thick-headed, unfeeling, unprofitable Dick Musgrove, who had never done anything to entitle himself to more than the abbreviation of his name")
I haven't read Emma yet (it's next on my Austen-list tho). I'm really excited for that one hehehehe
