#lady susan readthrough

[bethanydelleman]

Welcome to the Lady Susan Readthrough!

Lady Susan is a really amusing epistolary (written in letters) novella. It is often collected with Jane Austen's other juvenilia, written between the ages of 12 and 18. This includes another epistolary work called Love and Freindship (spelling the author's) and some ridiculous short stories and unfinished works (I literally love Lesley Castle I wish it was finished).

I don't know if I'm going to do this for every Austen novel, but I wanted to start with Lady Susan because a lot of people don't even know it exists and it's so funny! It also has a lot of hints of what Austen will write as a mature author. I think it's great.

So read with me 2 letters per day and follow the tag #ladysusanreadthrough if you want to follow along. There may be some spoilers, I have a lot of trouble keeping secrets. Lady Susan is available on Project Gutenberg and LibriVox.

Here is the character summary if you need it for reference. For some reason the first time I read this novella I was so lost.

Letters 1&2 Letters 3&4 Letters 5&6 Letters 7&8 Letters 9&10 Letters 11&12 Letters 13&14 Letters 15&16 Letters 17&18 Letters 19&20 Letters 21&22 Letters 23&24 Letters 25&26 Letters 27&28 Letters 29&30 Letters 31&32 Letters 33&34 Letters 35&36 Letters 37&38 Letters 39&40 Letter 41 and Conclusion

Character Analysis: Lady Susan Frederica Vernon Catherine Vernon Reginald De Courcy

[semper-legens]

198. The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper

Owned?: Yes Page count: 180 My summary: Will Stanton, seventh son of a seventh son, has a secret he doesn’t know. But on his eleventh birthday, he awakens as an Old One, a servant of the Light. Throughout the land, the Dark is rising, and Will has been given a quest. Find the six Signs and unite them, or give in forever to the darkness… My rating: 4/5 My commentary:

And I'm back! Sorry about the extended hiatus there - January is traditionally a time for me where I struggle to get my head back in gear after the holidays, and my motivation to do…well…anything has been at a bit of a low. Regardless, however, I'm here now! And I'm ready to cover the last three books I read in 2023 - starting with The Dark is Rising. Longtime readers of this blog will know that rereading the Dark is Rising sequence around Christmas time is something of a tradition here, and I was determined to keep it up last year. Since this blog is for chronicling my thoughts on each readthrough, I won't be talking about every aspect of the book, just touching on what I thought and noticed this time around. Got it? Good. In we go!

One of the things I'm thinking about on this readthrough is mystery. See, there's a lot of magic and Old Ones and ancient laws going on in this text, but not much in the way of straight explanation about what any of it is. Oh, don't get me wrong, there's enough exposition to serve for the purposes of the present narrative, but a lot of what the Old Ones are and how they work is left for the reader to infer. How many Old Ones are there, and what are they doing while the events of the plot bear out for Will? What does it mean that Will is the youngest of the Old Ones? Who is the Lady? So much is left unsaid, even when Will is being given all the answers from the Book of Gramerye. It's a neat little device, and I think it works well here.

The other thing is the use of mood and atmosphere. I always think of the first four Dark is Rising books as being themed after different time periods - respectively, summer, winter, spring, and autumn. The wintery landscape does such a good job of setting that bleak, oppressive atmosphere, and I really like the contrast of the blanketing white snow being a conduit for the Dark - it's an interesting little piece of colour symbolism, showing that white isn't necessarily good, which I want to see more of in media. You really feel this book, is what I'm saying. From the incredibly evocative scene where Will travels in time to Good King Wenceslas to the biting cold of the thaw in the climax, the book sets up a perfect winter mood and uses it to its full advantage.

Next, power from the Greenwitch, lost beneath the sea.

[unnursvanablog]

The books I read in 2023 / part 1

and what I thought of them...

Lady Susan – Jane Austen: ☆☆☆

An audiobook read; which is actually my favorite way to consume Jane Austen's books. And this book has pretty much everything you'd expect from an Austen book; Ingenious characters and interesting reflections of the society in which the characters live. Austin does a pretty good job at being funny and very concise with her stories, but I still find it more fun to watch than to read her books.

The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon: ☆☆☆☆

A re-read that actually went better than my first readthrough. I actually enjoyed it a lot more this time around. I took my time with it, didn't put any pressure on myself and although Shannon's flowery writing style is not exactly for me, the characters are very interesting and since this is basically a slow character story that's the most important aspect of the book. The twists in the narrative are expertly woven and the worldbuilding is deep and rich so the story stays with me long after reading it.

Dauðaleit – Emil Hjörvar Petersen: ☆☆☆

A fun little mystery/horror, although I personally expected more darkness and gloom from the narrative. I felt that the characters just a bit too much typical Icelandic crime story characters and would have really liked if the author had played a bit more with that format when he mixed the horror with the standard crime story. The story was very fast paced and I would have liked if it stopped a bit more to let the story breath a bit more.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, A Pirate's Life for Tea - Rebecca Thorne: ☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆

If there was a book that bridged the gap between cozy fantasy and more traditional fantasy, it would be this. It’s not necessarily low-stakes enough to be a true cozy read where nothing really bad happens and everyone’s just friends, but it’s also not that action-packed as you might expect from a full-scale fantasy novel. There is a very good balance between the coziness of a good tea and a book and character stories and the action and adventure of traditional fantasy and the characters and the romance are cute.

The second book doesn't quite achieve that balance and there's too much going on so the plot doesn't allow the story to breathe properly for a book of this scale. Everything was a bit rushed and it lacked the build up to many of those character moments and romance that the previous book managed to do so well. An enjoyable read, but nothing more than that.

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree: ☆☆☆☆

A very slow character-driven story that focuses primarily on the characters desire to find their place in the world, and manages to answer fantasy readers' question of; 'what happens to my fantasy characters after all their adventures are over'. But despite the low stakes the story is never boring. The world building of the story is a bit lacking and I would have liked more from the world like information about how the magic worked. But still it's not really what this story is about and has no particular effect on the narrative so it's understandable in a sense. There is a comfortable, easy-to-read style to the writing which adds to the cozyness as well.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow - Zoulfa Katouh: ☆☆☆

A very grim reality but a hopeful story based on the war in Syria. I found it very difficult to get through this story but I also don’t think it is a story that is supposed to be a pleasant read. I thought it was really beautiful how much hope there was in this story despite the cruelty surrounding the characters without the story becoming to gritty and difficult. But it’s the romance and the prose that drag it down for me. It felt a bit too repetitive.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - Heather Fawcett: ☆☆☆

A cute little story, but I had a really hard time getting into it. This story is very much inspired by Icelandic or nordic folklore about the hidden people, and although I could clearly see that she had immersed herself in the subject to a great extent all these names and place names that were basically just Icelandic without á and ö and did throw me off. It certainly promoted mystique within the story and sounds cool and charming to non-speakers but it took me out of the story personally. Everything else about it was just fine to me but nothing more. Just a fun, cozy read.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi - Shannon Chakraborty: ☆☆☆☆

It was such an adventure! This story was so much fun and basically had everything I want in a weird mix of fantasy, historical tales about pirates. There was a good balance between the characters, the darkness of the pirate world and the action and I just flew through it. The story loses steam from time to time because there are a lot of twists going on, but the author always gets the story going again pretty quickly. Chakraborty's style is playful and the historical atmosphere was charming and gently immerses you in the story. The characters were really interesting and nothing came too easily for them, which I enjoyed.

A Magic Steeped in Poison, A Venom Dark and Sweet - Judy I. Lin: ☆☆☆, ☆☆☆

The idea behind these stories is really fascinating but the story never really lived up to it. Everything about them just fell like the same typical YA fantasy I've read before despite it's fun and lavish setting - which I thoroughly enjoyed - but I wanted something a little more. A magic system that revolves around tea? really cool idea, but that's also the coolest thing about this story. Everything else was just fine and a bit predictable.

Dawnshard - Brandon Sanderson: ☆☆

I'm really not that fond of this series by Sanderson. It just doesn't hook me. I feel like the worldbuilding is a little too expansive or excessive at times and Sanderson wants to put too much of it in so it becomes a little too heavy and drags the story down. It overshadows the plot and Sanderson isn't the best at political intrigue in my opinion. And I'm not really attached to these characters despite having read four big books featuring them.

Arch-Conspirator - Veronica Roth: ☆☆☆

A small and light sci-fi novel based on a Greek tragedy. So short that even I could read it in one day, despite how much of a slow a reader I am. This story falls a bit into the same trap as most of Roth's other books I've read do: an interesting idea, but an underdeveloped plot, worldbuilding and narrative that never really manages to shape the story's themes well enough or get much across what Roth really wants to say.

We Hunt the Flame - Hafsah Faizal: ☆☆☆

I have to say I was expecting more after all the praise I've read and heard about the book. It was really a bit too standard or traditional YA fantasy with overly familiar characters and plot. The setting was interesting and fresh, which was inspired by old stories from Arabia, and truly the most interesting part of the story but I wanted the author to use it a bit more to play with the YA format.

The Diary of a Bookseller - Shaun Bythell: ☆☆☆

Books about books are great for any bookworm to read and this one is a really humorous and thoughtful story about what it's like to work in a bookstore. But although the narrative style here is really sarcastic and funny I found the subject of the story a bit too repetitive and few of the characters manage to stand out to me.

[janeaustentextposts]

May I ask your thoughts on Lucy Steele? I really like Elinor so I disliked Lucy on my first readthrough because of how she kept rubbing her engagement in Elinor's face, but I feel like I'm being unfair to her given that she has if anything fewer resources at her disposal than the Dashwood girls do.

Personally I love Lucy for being an audacious bitch who goes materially unpunished. There are shades of Lady Susan in her but I feel like Austen saw that a side-character was as far as she could push that limit. (And Lucy is certainly two-faced but her betrayal of her betrothed isn't as unchaste as we see in other self-serving women in other novels.)

The whole of Lucy’s behaviour in the affair, and the prosperity which crowned it, therefore, may be held forth as a most encouraging instance of what an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest, however its progress may be apparently obstructed, will do in securing every advantage of fortune, with no other sacrifice than that of time and conscience.

Just a masterwork of praise undone by the utter disdain of the final word in the sentence.

I'm not saying Lucy is a role model for ethics but she's a hoot and will go far in life. She's a proto-Becky Sharp and I wish that Austen had lived longer and written many many many more novels, and had more opportunities and more boldness in what she could publish to give us more of these magnificent vamps.

[roc-thoughtblog]

Sense and Sensibility Readthrough Part 20

Chapter 23, Pages 119-126

Previously, poor Elinor... four years... poor Elinor... four years...

Having given it a little thought, it occured to me that the twist from last chapter worked extremely well for something that I would have expected to occur narratively anyway. And I have complete certainty that it's because the twist went completely overboard by a shocking, twisty margin. Four years!

That's definitely something I'm keeping very close in consideration. Noted, circled and underlined. Just because the basic element of your narrative twist may be heavily foreshadowed or just predictable, doesn't mean the whole part of it has to be. There can and probably should be more than one layer of twist to your twist.

In fact, isn't this a form of misdirection in itself? Put people at ease with something that could be interpreted as simple, then throw something else out from behind it. Wait, now I'm just describing the basic element of a twist... a general principle of playing with expectations... Hmm, anyway!

Readthrough below.

Chapter 23

HOWEVER SMALL Elinor's general dependence on Lucy's veracity might be, it was impossible for her on serious reflection to suspect it in the present case,

IN THE PRESENT CASE? WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN MS. AUSTEN? Is this just a general statement about her unwillingness to question anything right in this moment? Or is it also a foreboding statement that Lucy's word will not be trustworthy in the future? Ms. Austen are you deliberately toying with me? D:

Elinor embarks aboard a long train of thought. The facts as presently established are thus:

There is altogether too much evidence of Lucy's claims being truthful; ergo they are engaged and all evidence presented is true.

She wasn't alone in believing Edward held feelings for her. Her family (supportive) and his sister (unsupportive) both acknowledged the case, so it's not any personal delusion or her own, or positive bias on the part of her family.

Trying to reconcile those two premises, she can draw various possible solutions that might satisfy both:

Eddie has been deliberately playing with her heart. :(

Eddie has unintentionally and hopelessly succumbed to Elinor's affection. :?

Eddie's engagement with Lucy was going nowhere to begin with. :/

I'm personally gonna float a fourth possibility, that Edward forgot Lucy Steele existed until she returned to his life recently to get him to fulfill his engagement promise, and now he's in a pickle. Not going easy on him though, the only scenario in which he doesn’t bear a significant burden of responsibility in this mess is the one where, iunno, Lucy’s been blackmailing him the whole time or something.

The youthful infatuation of nineteen would naturally blind him to everything but her beauty and good nature; but the four succeeding years [...] must have opened his eyes to her defects

Oh, so is this why Mr. Palmer was introduced with the following (lemme dig it up) line?

His temper might perhaps be a little soured by finding, like many of others of his sex, that through some unaccountable bias towards beauty, he was the husband of a very silly woman - but she knew this kind of blunder was too common for any sensible man to be lastingly hurt by it.

When I was reading it I thought it was coming uncharacteristically close to laying a man's responsbility over his own emotions at the feet of his wife instead (even if Mr. Palmer was immediately following diagnosed with class angst instead). I suppose the real purpose of this line would be to prep the reader, so that the possibility of hasty engagements on Edward's part seem reasonably expected, and also to, well, suggest at the possible result of such a hasty, valueless engagement being followed through?

I know there’s a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is there a Sense and Sensibility and Alternate Timelines?

Well, either way, I'm given to conclude that the Palmer chapter really does a lot more to set up pacing and expectations than I give it credit for. Though I still don’t think I like these particular expectations very much.

Also, Elinor, as mature as you project yourself to be, you think these thoughts of foolhardy youth as though you're not also presently nineteen right now. :'D

Also geez, you're really picking on Lucy hard for her lack of education, which has so far been presented much more a lack of opportunity than anything else. I noticed while reading the Other Stories in Susan and Stories that many of the protagonists were definitely a little on the not-like-other-girls side of the spectrum. I always love when education is valued, but it does make me uncomfortable when I see it presented as though a virtue in itself, rather than the product of opportunity and environment.

I'm still holding out on general judgement of Lucy as I haven't really felt like I've been introduced to her outside of Elinor's lens. There's a sort of tell vs. show element to reliability of information in the narrative voice I've been sitting on; one where I've been told a lot about Lucy from Elinor's feelings and thoughts (that she's artful or selfish), but I haven't actually seen Lucy behave in any way I would interpret as more than some level of insensitive.

It's really hard for me to get a read on Lucy or Edward. Unlike with Willoughby or Brandon, their actions as depicted do not immediately align with evaluations of their character made by the Dashwood sisters. Lucy has been very little shown to have done anything to earn Elinor's harsher assessments of her character (except insensitivity). Edward, I don't even know what about him I can take at any sort of face value except that he's ambitionless.

As these considerations occured to her in painful succession, she wept for him, more than for herself.

Oh, Elinor... She's worried about how Edward must feel, that his family could possibly support his engagement to Lucy when she is in a worse position than Elinor in every regard.

Supported by the conviction of having done nothing to merit her present unhappiness,

Oh, Elinor... she's rationalised away her natural freedom to be unhappy for unhappiness' sake. And she puts the mask back on. No telling her family. She will take this burden on very alone indeed.

It'll have to be up to Marianne to save her, on the day that Marianne finally throws a fit over Edward's mysterious lack of flirting. Oh, and what about their little moment chapters back where they shared a joke over Willoughby? Oh it will hurt if they ever have a real confrontation... :(

and that Marianne was internally dwelling on the perfections of a man, of whose whole heart she felt thoroughly possessed,

oH NO! Well if you're going to say that! If Edward was four years engaged then what's Willoughby going to have been? Secretly married ten years?? I forgot Marianne is still pining hard. Wait what's even going to happen when Edward and Willoughby meet as promised?

"Hi, I'm not marrying a Dashwood sister." "Hi, it turns out I'm also not marrying a Dashwood sister." "What was the purpose of our meeting again?" "Breaking Dashwood hearts solidarity?"

What is even happening? Please come back Brandon, at least your secret daughter can't break hearts. Also because you can't break hearts in general because noone loves you. Wait, ouch. Sorry. Also because your daughter might become friends with Margaret!

Oh Elinor, she's also justifiably disinclined to tell her family anything anyway because she knows they'll make a gigantic deal out of it, and probably Say Things that she doesn't want to hear. I mean, almost certainly Eddie has done you dirty here Elinor, if at bare minimum through negligence in communication. He's gonna deserve some of that tongue lashing.

Well, now that Elinor has come to terms with her situation, she has new objectives. To talk to Lucy again, and in doing so:

Discover the true depth of Lucy's feelings for Edward

Estimate Edward's regard for herself by gauging Lucy's jealousy towards her (HA!)

Convince Lucy somehow that no, she was never interested in Edward, haha, what a funny joke, I am not hurt or in pain at all. Didn't have a minor breakdown in front of you yesterday, nope. Perfectly fine, no feelings here.

Ah yes, the "What doesn't kill me NEVER HAPPENED" approach. Maybe in a couple of years she might even manage to convince herself she had never loved Edward at all, or indeed, anyone ever?

Apparently for all of Sir Middleton's parties, it can be surprisingly hard to get one-on-one time. Yeah, I get that. It takes Elinor some time before she can speak to Lucy privately again: at a party Sir Middleton arranged but is not attending. Heh.

"Insipidity." That was a word I wanted for the past few days but could only remember "vapid." Also wow, the narrative is pulling no punches over how insipid, boring and generally valueless this gathering and it's conversations are. Elinor's usually polite about things but internally she has no patience anymore. She needs to talk to Lucy and everything about this party is very much Getting In The Way.

So some party shenanigans happen and Lady Middleton is very easily manipulated as usual through appeals to her motherhood, to provide space for Lucy and Elinor to talk. Lucy is trying so hard to finish a basket for little Annamaria before tomorrow you see, and Oh! It is so much work, surely Elinor needs to help her! Works like a charm, Lady Middleton lets them out of card games and leaves them right alone to chat at a worktable.

Marianne just up and ditches Lady Middleton for the piano haha, with all the grace and tact of... iunno, Marianne I guess. Zero subtlety. "I hate cards, piano time starts now." Narrative says she's lost in her own thoughts and emotions while playing, I choose to interpret that as "angrily and noisily."

But it provides the appropriate background noise cover for Elinor and Lucy to talk with some approximation of privacy, which seems to follow directly in the next chapter.

Well, this has been a chapter devoted to Elinor's processing of... last chapter. Considering the weight of some such revelations, yeah, there was a lot for Elinor to process.

I feel as though I could go on to make some observations on the differences between Elinor and Marianne's approaches to processing heartbreak, but, they're just so... comically and wholly contrastive I wouldn't know where to begin except in broad terms. Marianne lets it all out, expressing her internal turmoil to almost performative levels and with complete emotional conviction. Elinor suppresses everything she can't rationalise away, and she tries to rationalise away everything, up to and including her own personal right to be upset.

Also it seems unusual to have a chapter immediately succeed from the events of the previous chapter as the next one does, so I imagine the hits aren't slowing yet. No idea what else could come out right now though.

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough: Character Analysis, Catherine Vernon

By the way, not sure if I'm actually analyzing these characters or just talking about them, but I'm not getting paid or graded so whatever.

Catherine is set up as the main antagonist to our titular character, Lady Susan. At first, Lady Susan seems sure that she can win Catherine to her side, but she quickly realizes that her sister-in-law will not be easily swayed. Catherine maintains her sanity the entire book and emerges triumphant in the end.

Catherine doesn't really make me think of any other female characters in Austen, in the same way that Lady Susan and Frederica do. Catherine is prejudiced against against Lady Susan from the start, but unlike Elizabeth Bennet, clinging to that prejudice is her salvation. Also, even though Catherine fears that Frederica will be wild and vulgar, she changes her opinion rapidly when faced with the truth. So she does have the ability to be open-minded

Interestingly, Catherine seems to be both happily married and more intelligent than her husband, kind of like Elizabeth Bennet married to Charles Bingley. Mr. Vernon doesn't seem deficient, but he's not picking up on Lady Susan's machinations at the same rate at his wife. However, while she is somewhat annoyed by his good nature, everything points to them loving each other. Their relationship may be like Admiral and Mrs. Croft, who each have their strengths in different areas and rely on each other in them.

Catherine's major flaw is thinking that other people will be a clear-sighted as she is when it comes to Lady Susan. She invites Reginald to meet Lady Susan without fear and then is shocked when he falls for her wiles. By the end she has grown as a character, she is far more wary the second time Reginald frees himself from the spell of Lady Susan and far more wary of her in general.

The trait that comes through most strongly for Catherine is protectiveness. She's worried about her children being influenced by bad relations, her bother falling for the wrong person, and then she is fiercely defensive of Frederica. She also is trying to protect her sick father from learning about Reginald's affair. I admire her for going out of her way to help Frederica, even going to London to try and bring her back to Churchill. She is definitely a woman I would want on my side. Reminds me a little of Mrs. Jennings and her defense of Marianne.

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Reaadthrough Letters 37 & 38

Summary: Lady Susan gives up, but she can't help one last hail Mary attempt, she calls Reginald a daddy's boy for breaking the engagement. It is apparently ineffective.

Alicia tells Lady Susan that Reginald has left London. She also cannot continue to write to Lady Susan as her husband forbids it. Mrs. Mainwaring is moving in with her guardian and Miss Mainwaring has decided to try and win back Sir James. Alicia also praises Reginald.

-+-

So my toddler had a violent reaction to Lady Susan:

I like paper copies. Fortunately I taped it back up.

Anyway, this little jab at Reginald is a little pathetic. Does Lady Susan really think calling him a mommy's boy will win him back or is she just trying to hurt him? In Love and Freindship, another juvenile work of Jane Austen's, following parental wishes to marry is looked upon with scorn. Perhaps Lady Susan thinks that Reginald is a romantic type? Either way, he's gone.

Unfortunately, Lady Susan's problems are not at an end. Alicia can no longer write or her husband will move to the country. However, she does warn her friend of danger on the horizon, Miss Mainwaring is back to capture Sir James. Alicia suggests Lady Susan should take him herself.

You have heard of course that the Mainwarings are to part, and I am afraid Mrs. M. will come home to us again

It is very glossed over, but Mrs. Mainwaring's story here is just tragic. She is lucky to have somewhere to go, but she will probably never recover socially from her own husband cheating on her. She won't be able to remarry, she'll just be stuck as an almost widow. It is very The Tenant of Wildfell Hall almost, though better in a way because at least Mainwaring allows her to go. One hopes they are childless, as men always had the guardianship of children.

I actually used the abandoned Mrs. Mainwaring in a story. However, morally she has no way out. Hopefully she can find another source of happiness.

but I dare say you did all for the best, and there is no defying destiny.

Great sign off from Alicia!

Not Quite? INSANE Alicia Conspiracy Theory: This little twist of the knife is what really convinces me

I had almost forgot to give you my opinion of Mr. De Courcy; I am really delighted with him; he is full as handsome, I think, as Mainwaring, and with such an open, good-humoured countenance, that one cannot help loving him at first sight. Mr. Johnson and he are the greatest friends in the world.

This is after Alicia knows that Lady Susan and Reginald have broken up, so why say it? Maybe Lady Susan thinks she's the manipulator but Alicia has been playing her all along.

I really think the true hero of Lady Susan might be Alicia, "Adieu, my dearest Susan, I wish matters did not go so perversely. That unlucky visit to Langford! but I dare say you did all for the best, and there is no defying destiny."

Alicia does not seem to be quite the friend that Lady Susan posposed. She visited Frederica against Lady Susan's wishes and keeps using her husband as an excuse not to see Lady Susan. Is she being as urgent in her avoidance as Reginald? Was she a double agent, working her way into Lady Susan's good graces and then using her insider information to bring her down? I like to think so.

The last letter from her is just so funny. "Opps! Everything exploded, well I guess it was fate. Bye forever!" Was it fate? Was it????

You can send my tinfoil hat now. I'm fully committed to this theory.

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough Letters 39 & 40

Summary: Lady Susan hopes to meet Alicia again when the situation is more favourable (ie: when her husband kicks the bucket). She hates everyone, but is determined to fetch Frederica and make her marry Sir James. No more Mrs. Nice Lady Susan!

Lady de Courcy writes to her daughter, Reginald is home! Yay! She begs her daughter to visit with Frederica so they can try to get them married. After all this anxiety, it's time to party!

-+-

Your husband I abhor, Reginald I despise, and I am secure of never seeing either again. Have I not reason to rejoice? Mainwaring is more devoted to me than ever

Yay?

This event, if his wife live with you, it may be in your power to hasten. The violence of her feelings, which must wear her out, may be easily kept in irritation. I rely on your friendship for this.

Lady Susan kindly wishes for her friend to commit a little murder on her behalf. She didn't actually suggest poison but trying to depression and anxiety a woman to death is hardly better.

I am now satisfied that I never could have brought myself to marry Reginald

Well it's a good thing Lady Susan's decided this after the choice is gone!

I am tired of submitting my will to the caprices of others; of resigning my own judgment in deference to those to whom I owe no duty, and for whom I feel no respect. I have given up too much, have been too easily worked on

Lol! WHEN? She never actually changed her mind about anything. The whole time she's been determined to marry off Frederica and have an affair with Mainwaring. I guess it was really hard pretending to not be a coquette for a few weeks.

I love this line from Lady de Courcy, "This is the most joyful hour he has ever given us since the day of his birth." What a sad reflection on Reginald!

List of Reginald's Achievements in life:

Being born male.

Not marrying Lady Susan

Frederica runs much in my thoughts, and when Reginald has recovered his usual good spirits (as I trust he soon will) we will try to rob him of his heart once more, and I am full of hopes of seeing their hands joined at no great distance.

I am curious here why the Vernons want Frederica to marry Reginald so badly. Surely she is a better choice than Lady Susan, but why else? We know Lady Susan has blown through the entire family fortune, and she said her daughter needed to marry money, so it isn't for wealth reasons. I guess they just love Frederica and are worried that Reginald will chose someone terrible again if left to his own devices.

Which I kind of suspect might be true, lol.

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough Letters 35 & 36

Summary: Lady Susan is SHOCKED, shocked I tell you, that Reginald has sent her a break-up letter. How in the world could he believe a story about her? He must come and take his personal leave!

Reginald declines (smart man). He tells Lady Susan he knows that she's been carrying on an affair with Mainwaring the whole time and that Mrs. Mainwaring is miserable.

-+-

Have I not explained everything to you with respect to myself which could bear a doubtful meaning, and which the ill-nature of the world had interpreted to my discredit? What can you now have heard to stagger your esteem for me? Have I ever had a concealment from you? 

Please tell me the truths you now believe so I can tell some clever lies.

If we are to part, it will at least be handsome to take your personal leave

Reginald dear, my charms do not work as well over letter. I need to redirect some blood flow to make you mine again!

Reginald: My understanding is at length restored

This also has an interesting parallel with Persuasion, the Elliots knew that Mr. Elliot despised them and talked behind their backs, they completely forgive him and then find out he still did hate them (except Anne). Reginald's "discovery" is the same, he relearns what he should have known all along. The big reveal is actually a re-discovery.

Reginal finally understands that he needs to avoid actually seeing Lady Susan. He walked right into the snake pit before, how FUN to see the most accomplished coquette in England. No, not fun, you almost married her!

One only must hope that she doesn't decide to come to any family reunions 😅

My own folly had endangered me, my preservation I owe to the kindness, the integrity of another

I feel like Edmund Bertram could probably have said this and I would have liked him more for it...

Also, would totally love to read the letters between Mr. Mainwaring and Lady Susan. Were they basically sexting? "I think of you as a slowly remove my stockings..."

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough Letters 27 & 28

Summary: Catherine tells her mother that Reginald is off, but she fears the damage has already been done. She fears her brother will follow Lady Susan to London. However, she has some victory, Lady Susan has bent to the will of her SIL and Alicia and left Frederica behind. Catherine hopes to have a very comfortable time with her niece.

Alicia writes in distress because her annoying husband is ill and cannot travel to Bath. She must nurse her husband instead of roaming town with Lady Susan. Alicia also says "De Courcy is certainly your own" which sounds like an engagement to me!

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Catherine wanting to save Frederica makes me love her so much!

Here we shall in time be in peace, and our regular employments, our books and conversations, with exercise, the children, and every domestic pleasure in my power to procure her

Gold star! Best aunt ever!

And yes, Catherine, it's weird that Frederica was slighted in favour of her own mother. What a weird thing to be Lady Susan's daughter. Stacy's Mom vibes for sure.

I could not be cordial in my invitation, but if she chuses to come no want of cordiality on my part will keep her away.

This is hilarious and totally true. Catherine cannot be rude enough to keep Lady Susan from going where she wants!

I am persuaded the gout is brought on or kept off at pleasure; it was the same when I wanted to join the Hamiltons to the Lakes; and three years ago, when I had a fancy for Bath, nothing could induce him to have a gouty symptom.

This is very much in keeping with Jane Austen's hypochondriacs, who are ill when unhappy (Mrs. Bennet and Mary Musgrove). But I suspect Mr. Johnson actually is ill or he's using his illness to keep Lady Susan at bay. We never hear from Mr. Johnson so we just don't know.

Also, gout runs rampant in Austen, Mr. Allen, Admiral Croft, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Norris, Dr. Grant, John Abdy (Emma)... I think that's it. But then I believe it was a common problem at the time as it's often caused by rich diets.

he bears pain with such patience that I have not the common excuse for losing my temper.

Lol, this would be hilarious as an AITA post... I'll need to think about that.

DRAMA is forthcoming! Hold on to your hats!

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough Letters 25 & 26

Summary: Lady Susan related her triumph over Reginald to Alicia. She told Reginald that she would leave the house after their argument, which resulted in a reconciliation. However, she is planning revenge because she was forced to give up the Sir James plan for the present. She tells her friend her next plan is to go to London.

Alicia says town is the best option, as Mainwaring is threatening to visit Churchill (that would be bad!). She advises Lady Susan to think of herself (lol) and leave Frederica behind. She also says her husband will be out of town so they can party like it's 1799.

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Honestly, the best worst line:

Silly woman to expect constancy from so charming a man!

But also, what a tip off for both Willoughby and Henry Crawford! If Jane Austen teaches us to fear anything, it's charming men. I think Wentworth is the only hero who is described as charming...

This is also such a sad commentary on gender dynamics. Mrs. Mainwaring's money was almost entirely under her husband's control. He is now rich and feels able to cheat on his wife without consequences.

Its effect on Reginald justifies some portion of vanity, for it was no less favourable than instantaneous. Oh, how delightful it was to watch the variations of his countenance while I spoke! to see the struggle between returning tenderness and the remains of displeasure.

Lady Susan has this strange duality of being very proud of herself for having the ability to do this, but then also hating Reginald for needing it to be done. It makes me wonder about the mysterious Mainwaring. Because Lady Susan does not like the very placeable Sir James, so maybe Reginald is just too moral and Mainwaring is the happy medium of intelligent and devoted?

Humbled as he now is, I cannot forgive him such an instance of pride, and am doubtful whether I ought not to punish him by dismissing him at once after this reconciliation, or by marrying and teazing him for ever.

The very difficult choice of whether to dump or marry him!

I must punish Frederica, and pretty severely too, for her application to Reginald; I must punish him for receiving it so favourably, and for the rest of his conduct. I must torment my sister-in-law for the insolent triumph of her look and manner since Sir James has been dismissed; for, in reconciling Reginald to me, I was not able to save that ill-fated young man; and I must make myself amends for the humiliation to which I have stooped within these few days.

Poor Frederica! Reginald is being punished for... *checks notes* trying to save a distressed teenager and Catherine must be punished for being smug. I feel so sorry for all of Lady Susan's "humiliations"

Flexibility of mind, a disposition easily biassed by others, is an attribute which you know I am not very desirous of obtaining; nor has Frederica any claim to the indulgence of her notions at the expense of her mother’s inclinations.

Lol, "Being open minded is for suckers"

You should think more of yourself and less of your daughter.

Well... okay.

I would ask you to Edward Street, but that once he forced from me a kind of promise never to invite you to my house; nothing but my being in the utmost distress for money should have extorted it from me.

How intelligent, Mr. Johnson.

Her folly in forming the connection was so great that, though Mr. Johnson was her guardian, and I do not in general share his feelings, I never can forgive her.

We know that Mr. Johnson basically disowned Mrs. Mainwaring over her foolish choice of a husband. And now it is proven to be a foolish choice. One wishes poor Mrs. Mainwaring would have listened.

INSANE Alicia Conspiracy Theory: I feel like this theory gets less crazy the more I write about it. Alicia is actually suggesting that Lady Susan send back Mrs. Mainwaring's husband:

Besides, if you take my advice, and resolve to marry De Courcy, it will be indispensably necessary to you to get Mainwaring out of the way; and you only can have influence enough to send him back to his wife.

Which sounds like what Mr. Johnson would want. After all, it is disgraceful for Mrs. Mainwaring to be abandoned, even if her husband coming back feels icky to us today.

Alicia also advises Lady Susan to leave Frederica with the Vernons, where Frederica will be happy and safe. I'm telling you, she's on Frederica's side. Mrs. Johnson is a double agent!

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough: Letter 41 and Conclusion

Summary: Catherine cannot bring Frederica to visit as Lady Susan had come and taken her to London. Catherine did what she could to prevent it and assured Frederica that she could write in distress. A+ on Aunting. Lady Susan did not reveal what happened with Reginald while at Churchill.

Suspecting that Lady Susan is monitoring their correspondence, Catherine determines to visit Frederica in town and try to bring her back to Churchill. Lady Susan asks if Frederica is looking well and suggests town may not be good for her daughter's health. Catherine urges her over several days to let them take her daughter back to the country and succeeds at last.

It is clear afterwards that Lady Susan wanted Frederica gone, as she marries Sir James herself three days later! Catherine maintains tacit custody of Frederica until she marries Reginald.

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Catherine is a bit wary that Reginald has actually left Lady Susan for good:

Pray heaven, Reginald may not be in town again by that time!

Catherine's husband continues to not be very bright:

Her manner, to be sure, was very kind and proper, and Mr. Vernon believes that Frederica will now be treated with affection. I wish I could think so too. 

To say that the end of the letters was a blow to the finances of the government is hilarious!

Mr. Vernon, who, as it must already have appeared, lived only to do whatever he was desired

I think this means Mr. Vernon is a malewife? Catherine really does seem to direct this relationship and hold most of the brains.

was met with such an easy and cheerful affection, as made her almost turn from her with horror. No remembrance of Reginald, no consciousness of guilt, gave one look of embarrassment; she was in excellent spirits, and seemed eager to show at once by every possible attention to her brother and sister her sense of their kindness, and her pleasure in their society.

Lady Susan has no remorse, maybe only regret, but she is able to show whatever emotion she pleases. Catherine is totally disgusted by her.

The first hope of anything better was derived from Lady Susan’s asking her whether she thought Frederica looked quite as well as she had done at Churchhill, as she must confess herself to have sometimes an anxious doubt of London’s perfectly agreeing with her.

For whatever reason, Lady Susan wants to be rid of her daughter, so she opens the door to Catherine taking her to Churchill, but of course she makes Catherine work for it!

Lady Susan’s maternal fears were then too much awakened for her to think of anything but Frederica’s removal from the risk of infection; above all disorders in the world she most dreaded the influenza for her daughter’s constitution!

LOL! I doubt it!

Lady Susan was managing three men, Reginald, Mainwaring, and Sir James. She loses Reginald, Mainwaring is unavailable, and she settles for Sir James. Without Alicia paying her way, it's unclear how Lady Susan is supposed to live, so I guess it's not surprising. By the end of the book, she is unwelcome everywhere.

Frederica was therefore fixed in the family of her uncle and aunt till such time as Reginald De Courcy could be talked, flattered, and finessed into an affection for her which, allowing leisure for the conquest of his attachment to her mother, for his abjuring all future attachments, and detesting the sex, might be reasonably looked for in the course of a twelvemonth.

Still so strange that they set Reginald up with the daughter of the woman he was engaged to! Then again, with how Lady Susan is I guess Frederica probably knew she would end up with her mother's sloppy seconds.

Whether Lady Susan was or was not happy in her second choice, I do not see how it can ever be ascertained; for who would take her assurance of it on either side of the question? The world must judge from probabilities; she had nothing against her but her husband, and her conscience.

You can only imagine that when Sir James has a freak horseback riding accident, she'll be back and the whole affair will start again?

Sir James may seem to have drawn a harder lot than mere folly merited; I leave him, therefore, to all the pity that anybody can give him.

This is VERY similar to Austen's final word on Rushworth:

She had despised him, and loved another; and he had been very much aware that it was so. The indignities of stupidity, and the disappointments of selfish passion, can excite little pity. His punishment followed his conduct, as did a deeper punishment the deeper guilt of his wife.

But this is a wonderfully hilarious note to end on:

For myself, I confess that I can pity only Miss Mainwaring; who, coming to town, and putting herself to an expense in clothes which impoverished her for two years, on purpose to secure him, was defrauded of her due by a woman ten years older than herself.

I kind of wish we ended with letters, but maybe Austen just wanted to wrap up at this point. She does often have very rapid wrap-ups after the two main characters get engaged.

Here is the masterpost.

Anyway, I love this little novella and I hope you enjoyed reading along with me!

There will be character analysis next.

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough Letters 33 & 34

Summary: Lady Susan is sure she can smooth everything over, but Reginald says he's finally clear on her character and he breaks off the engagement.

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These short letters are still very good, Lady Susan, "depend on it, I can make my story good with Reginald. Lady Susan still thinks she can get Reginald back! This time I think her confidence is misplaced, after all many of Lady Susan's lies depended on Reginald thinking that Mrs. Mainwaring was Lady Susan's friend.

I do think Reginald is a bit of a drama queen:

the absolute necessity of an immediate and eternal separation from you... You know how I have loved you; you can intimately judge of my present feelings, but I am not so weak as to find indulgence in describing them to a woman who will glory in having excited their anguish, but whose affection they have never been able to gain.

Really interesting similarities between Reginald and Edmund Bertram:

Lady Susan: "the spell is removed; I see you as you are."

Mansfield Park: "But the charm is broken. My eyes are opened."

And yet there is a massive difference in the women being referred to. I hold that Mary is hardly a villain. After all, Edmund describes her thusly soon after, "She would not voluntarily give unnecessary pain to any one... Hers are faults of principle, Fanny; of blunted delicacy and a corrupted, vitiated mind." Mary is a far more complex character than Lady Susan. If she did deceive Edmund, it was not purposefully done. After all, she doesn't lie (except about the necklace) and Fanny always saw Mary clearly, but in many ways Edmund blinded himself.

Lady Susan gives us a clear villain, she's basically a psychopath without any morals or guilt. She is opening twisting the truth. Mansfield Park gives us a group of young people making bad decisions and falling in love with the wrong people. As much as I love Lady Susan because it's downright hilarious, the mature works just go so far beyond what Jane Austen did at 18. Which is kind of an obvious point, but like, Lady Susan is already SO GOOD. So I guess this is a very long way of saying Jane Austen is a genius and these parallel quotes show how much better she got over time.

Edmund I think is a more sympathetic character than Reginald. Reginald actually knew a lot about Lady Susan's real sins and then was talked out of them. Edmund basically didn't know anything about Mary before she came to the parsonage.

(I do know that people posit that both Lady Susan and Mary Crawford were based on Jane Austen's cousin, but I try not to indulge in those theories without concrete proof. I feel like Jane Austen could have made both of these women up.)

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough: Character Analysis, Frederica Vernon

If Lady Susan is Lucy Steele, her daughter is Fanny Price. Frederica is quiet, submissive, and good, except when it comes to whom she will marry. Like Fanny, she stands strong against all opposition when given an offer by a man she despises (though Sir James is more Rushworth than Henry Crawford). She is shown to be intelligent and well-read, despite a haphazard education.

We don't know a lot about Frederica's own thoughts as she only writes once in her desperate plea for help to Reginald. However, both Catherine and Lady Susan agree that Frederica is artless and obvious in her love for Reginald, so she has either fooled both women or she is a true Austen heroine, who believes in love and not wealth. Her mother disdains her character, which is an excellent recomendation!

Frederica also fits nicely with Austen's "the Gothic hero is never the main character" thing. Eleanor Tilney, Jane Fairfax, Eliza Brandon, and maybe even Mary Crawford fit this trend. Though this novella is the only time that Austen makes the main character an antihero.

What is great about Frederica is that we see her adopted and then married into a really loving family. Catherine is almost immediately protective of her, Mr. Vernon seems like a kind father and man, and the children love her. While perhaps this is less realistic than what happens with Fanny, it feels like a more complete happy ending.

As for Frederica's husband, it's a little weird that he was engaged to her mother first, totally, but the fact that he tried to help her even while enthralled by Lady Susan speaks to his good character. I love when he writes, "She is a sweet girl, and deserves a better fate," because it shows that he recognizes her worth.

We are not told much about Frederica's father or childhood, though Lady Susan implies that her daughter takes after her father. It seems like the deceased Mr. Vernon had a drawn out illness, so Frederica might have spent a lot of time with him. Lady Susan we know left her daughter at home with servants to go enjoy London. Part of Lady Susan's dislike of her daughter probably comes from the similarity to her father.

To sum up, Frederica Vernon: Nothing like her mother!

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough, Letters 9 & 10

Summary: Alicia encourages Lady Susan to marry Reginald if she can, as his father is infirm and the estate is entailed (therefore the parents can't disinherit him). Sir James is still attached to Frederica or Lady Susan (lol). Alicia seems to imply that Lady Susan can marry Reginald and keep Mainwaring.

Lady Susan replies that she's not certain of marriage YET. After all, dear Sir Reginald might linger! She is very excited about how much progress she has made with Reginald however by acting very properly. However, Reginald is not equal to the charms of Mainwaring.

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Alicia Johnson sounds a lot like Mary Crawford, "Sir Reginald is very infirm, and not likely to stand in your way long."

"I never bribed a physician in my life. Poor young man! If he is to die, there will be two poor young men less in the world; and with a fearless face and bold voice would I say to any one, that wealth and consequence could fall into no hands more deserving of them." (Mansfield Park, Ch 45) Everyone in the regency is either wanting someone to die so they can inherit or dreading it because they will lose their home! I get the feeling that Lady Susan married her husband thinking he would die young and then he lingered in ill health for sixteen years (it would also explain the single daughter). It sounds like she's trying to avoid getting into that situation again.

Mainwaring will storm of course, but you easily pacify him; besides, the most scrupulous point of honour could not require you to wait for his emancipation.

Lol, honour! She has seduced a married man! Where does honour come into it?

I never behaved less like a coquette in the whole course of my life, though perhaps my desire of dominion was never more decided. 

She is a wonderful Gaslight Girlboss.

I have never yet found that the advice of a sister could prevent a young man’s being in love if he chose.

Take heed Caroline Bingley!

On my side you may be sure of its never being more [than friendship], for if I were not attached to another person as much as I can be to anyone, I should make a point of not bestowing my affection on a man who had dared to think so meanly of me.

While Lady Susan can seem entirely emotionless at times, she is both petty and extremely attached to Mainwaring. I have often concluded that the man is very good in bed, but she also points out how charming he is. He also may be extremely hot. Too bad he's taken!

[bethanydelleman]

Lady Susan Readthrough Letters 15 & 16

Summary: Catherine remains so worried that Lady Susan and her brother will marry that she starts trying to forget Lady Susan's faults for when they become family. However, there is a new crisis. Frederica attempted to run away from school and Mr. Vernon has gone to London to try and smooth everything over. Catherine hopes that Frederica does not come to them but sees no other alternative. Lady Susan warns Catherine that her daughter is terrible and will need severe discipline.

Lady Susan did send a letter to Frederica about Sir James, which prompted her attempt to run away to friends. She tells Alicia that she's getting all her lies ready in case her daughter betrays her to her uncle. Lady Susan is also getting annoyed at Reginald for not instantly believing her about everything. She greatly prefers Mainwaring in that respect but refuses to allow him to join her in the country.

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It's interesting that while Catherine thinks nearly everything Lady Susan says is a lie, she totally believes her account of Frederica. We shall see what this poor girl is actually like.

He gives a very plausible account of her behaviour at Langford; I wish it may be true, but his intelligence must come from herself, and I am less disposed to believe it than to lament the degree of intimacy subsisting between them, implied by the discussion of such a subject.

Yeah, Catherine has really good cause to be worried!

She talks vastly well; I am afraid of being ungenerous, or I should say, too well to feel so very deeply; but I will not look for her faults; she may be Reginald’s wife! Heaven forbid it!

This idea of not knowing too much about the faults of relations is discussed again in Mansfield Park. Fanny asks Edmund not to take her into his confidence about Mary, since she doesn't want to think ill of her when they marry.

“One thing more. Excuse the liberty; but take care how you talk to me. Do not tell me anything now, which hereafter you may be sorry for. The time may come—” (Ch 27)

Reginald is so incensed against the poor silly girl! Surely it is not to Lady Susan’s credit that he should be so bitter against her daughter; his idea of her must be drawn from the mother’s description.

Yay, Lady Susan is having fun talking shit about her daughter to her flirtation partner. Mother of the year!

I had not a notion of her being such a little devil before, she seemed to have all the Vernon milkiness

I do get the feeling that Lady Susan is ALMOST impressed that her daughter took the initiative to run away. Like an, "Aw, she is my daughter" moment, even if it is brief.

If I am vain of anything, it is of my eloquence.

And not without cause.

There is a sort of ridiculous delicacy about him which requires the fullest explanation of whatever he may have heard to my disadvantage, and is never satisfied till he thinks he has ascertained the beginning and end of everything.

So while Reginald has been totally taken in, he is exacting. He wants dates, names, and everything! Lady Susan being annoyed by this cracks me up.

Those women are inexcusable who forget what is due to themselves, and the opinion of the world.

Great advice if you weren't talking about sleeping with a married man!