keirainaustenland

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Following my pattern of loving to use sitcom New Girl scenes to relate to Jane Austen, this meme is from a scene where roommate Jess tries to add her own taste to the shared loft. Shmidt, often described as the spoiled and aloof roommate, tells her while pushing it back and forth that “Pine has no place in this loft! It’s the wood of poor people and outhouses!”. In this meme, Mrs. B is Shmidt and Jess is Mrs. Hill (who is of course just trying to do her job as a dutiful housekeeper). Mrs. B shouts, “Yellow Silk has no place in this loft, it is the silk of poor people and outhouses!”.

Jo Baker's novel Longbourn adds such an interesting perspective to Jane Austen's treatment of servants in Pride and Prejudice. While Austen's portrayal of servants aligns with the subtle, often peripheral glimpses typical of Regency-era literature—where servants are mostly unseen but integral to the functioning of upper-class households—Baker provides a vivid, behind-the-scenes narrative focused entirely on the servants. Longbourn delves into the personal lives, struggles, and resilience of the servants who toil away in the background of the Bennet household. By shifting the perspective from the gentry to the staff, Baker not only highlights the often-overlooked socio-economic realities that Austen's main narrative omits but also gives voice and agency to characters traditionally left on the margins. This novel enriches the world of Pride and Prejudice, offering a more comprehensive view of Regency society by illuminating the daily lives and emotional landscapes of “the downstairs” world. This specific meme is in reference to the scene in Jo Baker’s Longbourn when Mrs. Bennet refers to her yellow evening gown as “that ragged old thing,” even though it is lovely and only worn once and has been treated so carefully by the servants in the washing. Mrs. B continues to selfishly dismiss the gown saying to Mrs. Hill, “I must have something new… you shall have that hideous old thing” (41). I picked this scene because it made me feel so sad for Mrs. Hill, who is never appreciated for her hard work even when she is so proud of the way that she carries that house. It also exposes the darker side of Mrs. Bennet’s care for her daughter’s marital status, showing her (though mostly unintentional) callus, self-absorbed, and entitled manner. 

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For this Tumblr post, I looked through tiktok for mentions of Jane Austen Role Play Games, and found lots of clips of people playing Good Society in full costume in person. There was one creator (@lochnesassa) who described The Good Society as a game for people who love “ungloved hands brushing against each other… high status vs low status”, improv, and for those who want to participate in role playing games that aren’t violent like dungeons and dragons. I think mentioning “ungloved hands” is an interesting addition, because it is a nod to the famous hand-flex scene from Pride and Prejudice that is only in the Kiera Knightly film adaptation. So is the audience of the game both readers and non-readers? Casual Bridgerton watchers? Maybe just anyone adjacent to Jane overall? Or people who want to immerse themselves in a new time period just for the fun of it or the historical immersion? It seems that you really can be interested in the game without any real connection to Jane at all. People online seem to get really into the authenticity of it all, with the woman featured in this clip boasting about making her regency era gown from scratch and acting out her chosen plot with full emotions and Jane-style narration. There are also groups of people who step outside of even the confines of a pre-structured game like The Good Society and step into an entire real-life simulation game of Austen novels. Though I do maintain that you can be a perfectly real and invested Jane-ite from the comfort of the 21st century, it is interesting to examine what draws people to similar games and what might interest someone in leaving behind their real life to be a character for a little bit of time. 

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With the use of parallel plots and characters, Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding is a very popular modern-day spin-off of Jane Austen’s original Pride and Prejudice. Bridget, much like Elizabeth Bennet, is of society’s deemed marrying-age, but hasn't met the right one. She also deals with the added stress of a mother who is a constant reminder of her singleness and the need to find a husband. Both Bridget's and Elizabeth's mothers share a strong focus: they want their daughters to secure a marriage with a man with financial stability. However, in Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget’s mother is also a Lydia character, scandalizing the family by running off with her very inappropriate vacation-fling Julio. 

I included the first piece of media, a gif of Bridget in the 2001 film adaptation of the novel flopping onto her bed while wrapped in her duvet cover, to discuss why Pride and Prejudice is such a beloved and spin-off-ed storyline. Bridget in this gif is the perfect image of a “relatable single millennial girl.” She has the pressures to get married, the pint of Ben and Jerry’s, and of course is witty and hilarious all at the same time. Everyone wants to be the Lizzy Bennet of the world, so charming and well liked that they “betwich body and soul” the perfect man without even trying. I do think that Bridget herself may be “jumping the shark.”  Her character may be a little too much of a 90’s character for today’s age, whose teenagers and young adults are a little more against chain smoking and calling 130 pound women fat.

The second image that I included in this post is a scene from the novel/film where Fielding mirrors Austen’s Darcy character very well. In the clip, Mr. Darcy (played by Colin Firth from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice film adaptation) saying “despite appearances” is particularly funny because like Lizzy’s family’s improper behavior, Bridget and her family are both riddled with social faux pas. “Despite appearances” has the dual meaning of “despite your family’s appearances” and “despite how I typically act” which refers to his prejudice and intolerable disposition that gets read as aloof and rude during our first impression of him. He surprisingly tells Bridget that he likes her very much, “just as you are,” kicking off the love story that we know and love. 

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The opening line of this YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg, Prom and Prejudice, opens with the line “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date.” With an intriguing (maybe feminist?) switch of genders, this parody of the famous Austenian opening sets up the novel as a modern teenage retelling of one of her most famous novels. This novel has gotten a 3.83 on Goodreads and over 6,000 five star reviews, people are clearly loving the Bennets et al. in the 21st century! A modern retelling of Lizzie Bennet, scholarship student at Longburn academy has a mixed up first impression of a snobby friend Will Darcy while in search of a prom date, what is not to love (I already added this to my kindle to-read cart)?! I think that this serves as a primary example of JAne Austen’s relevance in modern day.

Fanfiction, as well as more ‘real’ publications like this novel, allow authors to explore their favorite characters, moments, and plot points, and add their interpretations behind how new elements would alter the story. At a baseline, it is a form of fun creativity and exploration, but it also has the potential (like in this example, or funny publications like P&P Zombies) to open up the genre to new readership. YA readers or younger children, or maybe typical sci-fi readers, might be drawn in and become interested in Austen after reading these retellings. It brings to life Austen’s spirit in new spaces with new audiences.

The entire premise of the novel, Prom and Prejudice, being prom reminded me of the scene in Secrets in the Snow when our heroine Jane Austen is getting ready for the ball. This scene is structured such that of course Jane feels beautiful and intrigued by the love interest, but also the reader is allowed to escape to the romantic setting of the dancefloor. I think that these two novels, and the endless amount of other similar examples, can serve to answer the question in the course title, “Has Jane Austen Jumped the Shark?”. Both Jane’s regency audience and modern day readers are enthralled by the beauty, drama, and potential romance that can spring up from a ball, and the relationships that spring up from very common families and towns. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen says, “to be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love,” and I think that even as details get blurred and changed (like hand flex obsessions!) in modern retellings or YA simplicity, Austen’s ‘perfect plot’ is clearly still resonating with readers.

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As an avid New Girl and now Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen fan, I really enjoyed finding this meme. Last week we compared Nick and Jess (another New Girl Relationship) to Elizabeth and Darcy, because neither of them were good at expressing their feelings, but this week we can compare them with Cece and Schmidt. Cece (Elizabeth) is saying in this meme that she is also surprised that she likes Schmidt’s personality (Darcy) because all signs of Schmidt’s personality point towards them not being compatible. He is not super socially adept, and often makes inappropriate comments and is extremely pretentious and aloof. These traits echo the early depiction of Mr. Darcy in Austen's narrative, where he is portrayed as haughty, rude, and distant. Nevertheless, as the narrative of both the television series and the classic novel unfold, the layers of their personalities are peeled back. We are shown the depth of their character, their inherent goodness, and the capacity for profound change, leading to an evolution in both women's feelings from dislike to love.

I really enjoyed how in the Lost in Austen 2008 four part television series, Amanda Price quizzes Mr. Darcy if he likes her “otherworldly” personality or her “trying to fit in personality.” This prompts him to explain that he loves both aspects of her persona, which reflects a lot of Jane Austen’s initial intent with the novel. I found that Amanda’s question was an interesting parallel and role reversal from Elizabeth in the novel needing to change her first impressions and reconcile with both “sides” of Darcy’s personality. I think that from the original Pride and Prejudice, Lost in Austen, and even New Girl, we can see Austen’s “perfect plot” of a love story arise from initial misunderstandings and first impressions. 

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I created this template of two dogs making “caught off guard” or embarrassed expressions to emphasize my own feelings when I read the part in Mr. Darcy’s letter where he insults the behavior of Elizabeth’s entire family. He says that, “the situation of your mother's family, though objectionable, was nothing in comparison of that total want of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly, betrayed by herself, by your three younger sisters, and occasionally even by your father. -- Pardon me. -- It pains me to offend you.” 

The left side shows a dog with a somewhat apprehensive and polite expression, with the text "Roasting Lizzie's whole family." This refers to the part of the novel where Mr. Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth Bennet (Lizzie) after she rejects his marriage proposal. In the letter, he explains his actions and also, quite frankly, criticizes her entire family's behavior, though he does so with a mix of directness and restraint, similar to the polite apprehension shown on the dog's face.

My reaction was closer to the second dog’s face – I was cringing internally when I read this, and wanted to tell Darcy that maybe the way to a woman’s heart is not pointing out how distasteful you find her loved ones. We are all rooting for you Mr. Darcy, but don’t offend her if you want to get a yes to your next attempted proposal!!

While doing research for this scene, I found a website, Shmoop, that has created a scale for “Pretentiousability” that you will be charged with if you were to quote any line given from a novel. The line “until then I never knew myself” (stated by Elizabeth Bennet after reading Darcy’s letter) was given a 4/10. The writer explains that it is always a little pretentious to quote a classic novel, but since it is self deprecating it is less of an offense. I thought this was just a funny and silly website discussing Jane – and wanted to bookmark and make sure to reference it before my next dinner party of course. 

Elizabeth Bennet’s revelations made after this letter were definitely pivotal to understanding Austen’s intentions with both titles of the novel, her first draft being titled “First Impressions” and the second being “Pride and Prejudice.” Elizabeth becomes aware of her own pride and prejudices that she held towards Mr. Darcy based on her (incorrect) first impressions of him and is very embarrassed at herself. Lizzie is beside herself, stating, 

“She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. -- Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.``How despicably have I acted!'' she cried. -- ``I, who have prided myself on my discernment! -- I, who have valued myself on my abilities!”

Noting the use of the words “prejudice” and “prided,” referencing the title in a very satisfying way, Jane Austen reveals her declaration to always be careful when assuming things based on a first impression. However, I still think Mr. Darcy should have watched his manners and not insulted her entire family. But I guess his appeal is in his honesty?

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For this week’s journal entry, I used the template of the “Trade Offer” meme to show Jane Austen’s preference for using novel-readership as an indication to the general likeability of her characters. After writing my midterm last week about her narrator’s fourth wall break in Chapter V. of Northanger Abbey, I was even more inclined to notice the comparison between Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Collin’s reading tastes as a testament to their character.

Mr. Collins loudly “protested that he never read novels. – Kitty stared at him, and Lydia exclaimed … he chose Fordyce’s Sermons”(50). He chooses to read outloud a very conservative guide of how a proper lady should behave – talk about first impressions! Novels are looked down upon by society as wastefully frivolous and feminine – but are clearly adored by the Bennet daughters and the readers of Pride and Prejudice. Austen uses his distaste for novels and his selection of books to paint him as a stuffy and boring character. 

In contrast, Mr. Darcy has extensive libraries at Pemberly and is constantly absorbed in his reading. He says earnestly to Elizabeth (an avid reader), "and I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into” (27). Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth both delight in reading, and are painted as knowledgeable, witty, and having a depth of interesting things to relate to and talk about. 

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I found this image in an article titled, “16 Things Jane Austen Taught Us About Finding the Right Man,” under number 10, labeled “ Decency is one of the most underrated, but vital qualities in a man.” Under the image the author wrote, “A man who can put aside his own pride for the greater good is a keeper.” The meme itself is a series of four pictures praising Colonel Brandon for his actions throughout the novel. Even though Marianne constantly doesn’t give him attention Brandon still cares about her wellbeing and is very kind to her. During her illness he offers to help whenever he can and is so distraught that he admits his love for her to Mrs. Jennings. He also has a past history of raising the child of the woman he loved, even though she married his brother. Then, when Edward is denied his inheritance Colonel Brandon offers him a living even though he barely knows him. Lastly, the creator cites that, in fact, he has the wonderful quality of not being the sneaky and shady Mr. Willoughby. 

This meme reminded me of the quote by Elinor stating that, “‘Colonel Brandon's character,’ … ‘as an excellent man, is well established.’” The Colonel’s behavior is always honorable and good, and his steadfast love for Marianne finally pays off when Marrianne agrees to marry him. 

However,  I wonder if it is merely Austen’s belief that “opposites attract” that causes her to put Marianne and the Colonel together in the end. Conversely, is it simply her rush to tie up the ends of a story quickly and neatly?

Brandon has been a steadfast friend to Elinor Dashwood, and as her opinion of him flourishes, in my opinion it would have been a better conclusion for the two of them to end up together. In chapter 11 Elinor states, “In Colonel Brandon alone, of all her new acquaintance, did Elinor find a person who could in any degree claim the respect of abilities, excite the interest of friendship, or give pleasure as a companion . . . Colonel Brandon, unfortunately for himself, had no such encouragement to think only of Marianne, and in conversing with Elinor he found the greatest consolation for the total indifference of her sister.” 

Marianne spends the whole novel dismissing the Colonel while Elinor, with all of her sense, recognizes that he is a wonderful catch. Upon further investigation, at the time of the novel’s publishing, the general consensus also agreed that the ending was unsatisfactory, or “ends stupidly”. One reader, Lady Bessborough writing to Lord Glanville Leveson Gower, is quoted saying:

“Have you read Sense and Sensibility?  It is a clever novel.  They were full of it at Althorpe, and tho’ it ends stupidly, I was much amused by it.

Maybe Austen wants the reader to learn to balance sense and sensibility, by showing that each sister could learn from the other to find happiness. Elinor follows her passion and opens up to Edward, and Marianne becomes more sensible and ends up with Brandon. It may not have the flourish of her time with Willoughby, but to find real happiness Marianne needed steadfastness, loyalty, and respect.

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In this selection, the top contains an image of Catherine Morland, after embarrassing herself in front of Henry Tillney saying, “she made herself as miserable as possible for about half an hour... After half an hour's free indulgence of grief and reflection…” Then below there is an image of Marianne Dashwood dramatically standing in the pouring rain saying ���Catherine! Where is your heart?”

I liked this meme’s comparison of two of Jane Austen’s women’s displays of sensibility. The creator of this meme is saying that though most people would find that half an hour of crying and grieving is certainly enough for a full and proper meltdown, Marianne Dashwood would think of Catherine as an underachiever. 

In the first volume of Sense and Sensibility, Marianne is so overcome by Willoughby’s departure that it brings her directly to tears. At the dinner table,  “She avoided the looks of them all, could not eat or speak … her small degree of fortitude was quite overcome, she burst into tears and left the room. This violent oppression of spirits continued the whole evening, she was without any power because she was without any desire of command over herself. The slightest mention of anything relative to Willoughby overpowered her in an instant” (page 61).  The meme cleverly juxtaposes the two women to highlight their differing approaches to heartache and emotional expression. Catherine's method of dealing with embarrassment or sorrow, as shown, is to allow herself a brief, intense period of grief before moving on. In contrast, Marianne Dashwood embodies the Romantic ideal of sensibility to a much higher degree, feeling her emotions deeply and unabashedly, often to the point of melodrama. Marianne's reaction to Willoughby's departure in Sense and Sensibility is far more extreme, her emotions are profound and all-consuming; she is portrayed as someone whose feelings are so intense that they completely take over, leaving her without the will or ability to contain them. This intensity is part of what defines her character and differentiates her from her sister Elinor, who represents sense and a more restrained approach to emotions.

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This image, or collection of images, spoofing a Buzzfeed front page caught my attention this week and made me laugh because it reminded me of something Catherine herself may have written after the conclusion of her adventures. This “clickbait” version of Northanger Abbey’s main plotlines begins with the headline “Did General Tilney Kill his Wife? 12 Things You Have Been Dying to Know About Northanger Abbey.” While the use of the word “dying” in the second sentence may be a little on-the-nose, it captures the obsession of Buzzfeed and similar media outlets with using hyperbole to draw people in, much like Austen’s character Isabella, who always has “a hundred things to say to you” (page 38). The image paired with the article is an older man (assumed to be the General) looking ominously outward with the tall Abbey in the background. Catherine Morland’s misunderstandings of Captain Tillney’s late wife’s death are due to both her naivety and her inclination to try to fit her life into a storyline from one of her beloved novels. Because the abbey reminds her of her gothic horror novels, she jumps to the conclusion that something sinister must have happened surrounding Henry’s mother’s death and ends up mortified when her suspicions are revealed. She cries for an entire evening out of embarrassment for the way she jumped to conclusions and had she been found out by more than just Henry, she could have ruined her entire stay at Northanger. 

The second “article” is titled, “Is This Cancel Culture? Woman Loses Best Friend over ‘Misunderstanding’ with Friends Brother,” paired with an image of two young girls walking with linked arms with a bright yellow arrow pointing to the cheater and a lighting bolt between them. This image is funny because of the contrasting moods, the regency clothed girls in serious conversation paired with the gossip column-esque bright labeling. Additionally, the use of “cancel culture” as a clickbait tool fits, because Isabella would certainly try to assert that she was a victim of the 2010’s-2020’s cultural obsession with cancel culture, or a misdemeanor that resulted in a possibly less than warranted public shunning. When Isabella attempts to convey in her letter to Catherine that the reason she hadn’t heard from James was a possible “misunderstanding” after what truly happened was calling off the engagement for Fredrick Tilney, Catherine finally understands that Isabella is a cruel hearted girl and not a true friend. Isabella had been using the Morland family to hopefully gain a higher position in society, until she mistook Fredrick’s flirtations for a better offer coming along. 

The third article is titled, “Now I must Give One Smirk, and then we Must be Rational Again: Henry Tilney’s Flirting Tips (For a Guaranteed Engagement by End of Season)” paired with an image of JJ Feild smirking, who played Henry in the 2007 film adaptation of the novel. This article reminded me of a post that I saw from Tumblr user “Haunted-phantom-student” that was posted on August 4, 2023, that said “an adaptation of Northanger Abbey in which every character besides Catherine gets at least one scene in which they look at the camera like they're on The Office and Catherine gets more and more frustrated about not knowing what they're looking at but finds it too awkward to ask.” All of the witty remarks and pointed flirting that Henry does throughout the book largely goes completely over Catherine’s head, and it is as if all of the other characters can “look at the camera like they are in the office” because she just does not understand. She is certainly charmed by him, but does not understand that he cares for her back until the very conclusion of the novel. 

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Over the clip of herself sitting on her couch, TikTok user Sarah Adams writes “Sometimes l just randomly remember this review of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and instantly feel better about what I’m doing.” The rating shows a one-star review captioned "A disgrace," with a note describing the novel as merely a series of people visiting each other's houses.

I came across this while scrolling through Instagram and it reminded me of the title of our course, asking if Jane Austen has jumped the shark. Clearly, the book reviewer believes that it has, finding it disappointing and dull. However, the TikTok itself opposes that message and makes fun of the “less well-read” reviewer’s inability to grasp Austen’s work. 

Being a student who has never read Jane Austen, I will say that the sentiment of the reviewer does resonate with me, as I definitely am not yet a “janenite” and I typically read books in different genres. However, I’m encouraged and really excited to learn more about the culture around Austen’s books in this course and attempt to see if she has in fact “Jumped the Shark.”  I look forward to exploring the excitement and obsession that surrounds Austen's novels and understanding the cultural phenomenon they represent.