Now I realise I am treading dangerous ground here, as criticizing Jane Austen to Christian female readers is akin to criticizing Bono to Christian male readers. Dangerous.
My main issue with Jane Austen is the boredom factor. The picture below pretty much encapsulates everything that I dislike about these movies:
Now, call me stupid, but watching a bunch of people sit around picnicking and drinking tea doesn't really light my fire. There are way too many scenes of people NOT DOING ANYTHING. You have a ten minute scene of some woman sitting at a desk writing a letter. A five minute scene of some girl playing the piano for her relatives. Long scenes of some brooding bloke with very high pants. He doesn't actually say anything, he just stands there and broods.It seems to me, that if the woman at the desk set aside her letter for a moment and just went downstairs and talked to the brooding bloke, that everyone would be happy, and we could get on with our lives. Ten minutes into Persuasion, all Anne had to do was go to the bloke and say, "Listen, I'm glad you're back. I shouldn't have broken up with you eight years ago, I think you're swell, let's get married". But no. Alas, we get hours of beating around the bush.
Now, the Bronte's are a different kettle of fish. Still kind of slow, but at least some good stuff happens. In Jane Eyre there is a mad woman locked in the attic. This is enough to make any book/movie good. And the best part of Wuthering Heights is that Cathy comes back from the dead as some ghost at the window. This is good stuff, people.
Jane Austen apparently did not realise that if she chucked in, say, a mad woman, or a ghost,or perhaps a haunted house, that her books would be a lot more interesting.
Anyway, next Sunday is Northanger Abbey, which is her 'gothic' novel. So here's hoping that there might be a bit of good stuff in this one, at least a ghost or something.
I better stop before you all burn me at the stake. I know that you're angry, but I think deep down you know I'm right.
7 comments:
Ben, you do not value the art of understatement. There is tension of a different kind boiling beneath the calm surface that a mad woman or a ghostly presence would be able to replicate.. :-)
AY
p.s. But truly I am guilty of nodding off during Sense and S..Try E.M. Forster.
I'm sitting in the library trying to read this without getting in trouble for laughing out loud! So true...and very funny too:)
Not angry - just shaking my head with a condescending smile thinking that you are too far gone for there to be any hope for you and just not mature enough to understand :) ... Those stories are about people, about CHARACTER ... I have a great movie for you - it's called A Sunday in the Country - french subtitles and a Sunday afternoon picnic - what more does a good movie need?!
The story is in the conversations, they help it move along and there is a so much wit in them, as well as character. "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single gentleman in posession of a large fortune, must be in want of a wife", when you see that how can you not laugh.
I waiting for some to use the words character development. LOL
ops .... someone....
PS You have a great blog.....I enjoy reading it...
It makes me long for the good old BS days..... Give our love to E. Kate
AY- No, I really DO value understatement, but what is this tension you speak of? Whether or not the character is going to have English Breakfast or Earl Grey whilst picnicking?
Lairdy- Quick, go and scour the shelves for some Austen.. that'll quickly subdue you:) Thanks for dropping by mate- good seeing you last night.
Ali- Oh for this blessed maturity of which you speak:) But I do love stuff about people and character, so it's not that that I don't like. Maybe it is more the characters and KIND of people portrayed that put me in the coma..
Wow, not only picnics, but subtitles as well?! Sign me up!
Crazyjedidiah- Thanks for stopping by:) I understand that the story is in the conversations, but why can't these infuriating people just say what they mean? So much politeness and annoying beating around the bush.
Really, when it comes down to it, it's just Big Brother with more morals, and some fancy dress.
Kate- oh yeah, 'character development', that's a beauty! We miss you guys.. I hope we can see you again before too long,and that the weather isn't too dreary over there in the uk. Say hi to Phil for me.
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