Reading Jane Austen

 In this episode, we talk about how Jane Austen keeps up the suspense so close to the end of the book, the fact that Kitty has forgotten Mr Darcy, Elizabeth’s embarrassment at her mother, Bingley and Mr Bennet shooting together, the physical descriptions of Longbourne, the question of how Lady Catherine got her news and the meeting between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth. 

 We discuss the character of Jane, then Ellen talks about what makes someone a gentleman, or gentlemanlike, and Harriet looks at how the adaptations deal with events such as Lady Catherine’s visit. 

Things we mention:

 Books: 

• Claire Tomalin, Jane Austen: A Life (1997) 
• Tom Stoppart, Arcadia (1993) 
• Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) 
•  Sheila Kaye-Smith and G.B. Stern, Talking of Jane Austen (1943) and More Talk of Jane Austen (1950) 
•  Anthony Trollope, The Prime Minister (1876) 

Websites:

• YouTube, John Mullan – Jane Austen’s writing style and voice (2017)
• Ellen Moody, A calendar for Pride and Prejudice (2003)

Movies and television:

• MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) – starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier 
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) – starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) – starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh 

Creative commons music used:

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

In this episode, we talk about the steps taken to find Lydia and Wickham, how much Darcy paid to get them married, the moral and social approach towards what Lydia has done, why Mrs Bennet thinks there will be a duel, the letter from Mr Collins, and Elizabeth’s changing feelings towards Darcy.

We discuss the character of George Wickham. Ellen talks about marriage settlements and marriage laws, and Harriet looks at how some modernisations of the book adapt the Lydia plot.

We also revisit the subject of enclosures, in response to some feedback, and talk about social inequality and how it’s not really addressed in Jane Austen’s work.

Things we mention:

 Books: 

• W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman, 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England (1930)
• Flora Thompson, Lark Rise to Candleford (1939)
• The works of Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870)
• Curtis Sittenfeld, Eligible (2016) 
• Claire LaZebnik, Epic Fail (2011) 
• Also two books Eszter included in her comment to us, but which we didn’t include in the recording:
  • Guy Shrubsole, Who Owns England? (2019)
  • Brett Christophers, The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2018) 

 Movies and television: 

• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Bestboy Pictures, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) – starring Kam Heskin and Orlando Seale 
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson 
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh

Creative commons music used

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

In this episode, we talk about the way Darcy is reintroduced into the narrative, Jane Austen’s thoughts on architecture and landscaping, the possible connection between Pemberley and Chatsworth and how Georgiana Darcy is presented in a very different manner from Anne de Burgh.

We discuss Elizabeth Bennet, perhaps Jane Austen’s most popular heroine. Ellen talks about the landed gentry, and Harriet looks at how the film and television adaptations treat the visit to Pemberley – including the scene that is probably the best known in all the adaptations.

Things we mention:

 Books:

• Donald J. Greene, ‘The Original of Pemberley’ (1968), later collected in The Selected Essays of Donald Green (2004)
• John Mullan, What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved (2012)
• George Eliot, Middlemarch (1871)

Popular culture:

• MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) – starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) – starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) – starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• BBC, Death Comes to Pemberley (2011) – starring Anna Maxwell Martin and Matthew Rhys
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh

Creative commons music used

•  Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.
•  Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

In this episode, we talk about Darcy’s letter and Elizabeth’s reaction to it, consider what Wickham might have done in his youth, revisit the Collins marriage, discuss Mr Bennet’s abrogation of parental responsibility and look at how Elizabeth is now seeing her family through new eyes. We then look at the character of Lydia.

For this episode, we are joined by Michael, who gives us some background information about the militia and the regular army in Jane Austen’s time. Harriet looks at how the film and television adaptations deal with dramatising the letter, and the presentation of Lydia, and Michael adds a couple of points about the military uniforms.

Things we mention:

 Books: 

• Claire Tomalin, Jane Austen: A Life (1997) 
•  John Burrows, Computation into Criticism: Study of Jane Austen’s Novels and an Experiment in Method (1987) 
• Amanda Grange, Mr Darcy’s Diary (2005) 

Illustrations:

• William Hogarth, A Rake’s Progress – III The Orgy
  

Movies and television:

• MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) – starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier 
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) – starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) – starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh 

Creative commons music used:

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

In this episode, we talk about Elizabeth’s feelings towards Wickham and Colonel Fitzwilliam, the married life of the Collinses, why we find Lady Catherine de Burgh more funny than Mr Collins, and what we know about Anne de Burgh.

We discuss Mr Darcy in some detail, and then Ellen talks about the the presentation of livings to country rectors. Harriet looks at how the film and television adaptations present Mr Darcy, and also which is her favourite screen version of Lady Catherine de Burgh.

Things we mention:

 Books: 

• The character of Uriah Heep in Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (1850) 
• Amanda Grange, Mr Darcy’s Diary (2005) 
• Phyllis Ferguson Bottomer, So Odd a Mixture: Along the Autistic Spectrum in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2007)
•  Sheila Kaye-Smith and G.B. Stern, Talking of Jane Austen (1943) and More Talk of Jane Austen (1950) 
• Robert Rodi, Bitch In a Bonnet: Reclaiming Jane Austen From the Stiffs, the Snobs, the Simps and the Saps, Volume 1 (2011)
• The character of Heathcliff in Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights (1847) 
• The character of Rochester in Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (1847) 
• Jilly Cooper, Prudence (1978)
• Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers (1857)
• The works of Charlotte M. Yonge
• Laurence Olivier, On Acting (1986)
•  The works of Georgette Heyer
•  Sue Birtwistle, Sue Conklin, Susie Conklin, The Making of Pride and Prejudice (1995) 

Movies and television:

• MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) – starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier 
• The Samuel Goldwyn Company, Wuthering Heights (1940) – starring Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier 
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) – starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) – starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh 

Creative commons music used:

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić,&

In this episode, we talk about the two marriage proposals by Mr Collins, the precise timetabling of the events, and the matter of obedience to one’s parents.

We discuss Charlotte Lucas in some detail, and then Ellen talks about the ‘marriage market’. Harriet looks at where the two mini-series versions of Pride and Prejudice have their episode breaks in this section, the fact that in some versions Mr Bennet can see through Wickham, how Charlotte is presented in the 2005 movie, and her favourite song in Bride and Prejudice.

Things we mention:

 Books:

• The works of Charlotte M. Yonge
• Lawrence Stone, The Family, Sex and Marriage in England, 1500-1800 (1977)
• Edward Shorter
• Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (1768)
• Henry MacKenzie, The Man of Feeling (1771)
• The works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• The US Declaration of Independence
• Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, The Spectator (1711-1712)

Popular culture:

• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) – starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) – starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson 
  • ‘No life without wife’

Creative commons music used

•  Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.
•  Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

In this episode, we talk about the arrivals of Mr Collins and Mr Wickham, and the Netherfield Ball: we consider how Mr Bennet didn’t give the family any warning about Mr Collins’s arrival, the number of letters in the book, the amount of foreshadowing we’ve seen, how Wickham was able to fool Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s conversation while dancing.

We discuss Mr Collins in some detail, and then Ellen talks about entails. Harriet looks at how Mr Colllins and Mr Wickham have been presented in the various film and television versions of Pride and Prejudice, and also how they deal with the Netherfield Ball.

Things we mention:

 Books:

• Sheila Kaye-Smith and G.B. Stern, Talking of Jane Austen (1943) and More Talk of Jane Austen (1950) 

Illustrations:

• Illustration of Mr Collins by Philip Gough in a 1951 edition of Pride and Prejudice.

Popular culture:

• MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) – starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) – starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) – starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson 
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh

Creative commons music used

•  Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.
•  Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

In this episode, we talk about Jane and Elizabeth's visit to Netherfield: we consider why Jane was invited, Darcy's feelings about Elizabeth, the types of conversations everyone has and what Darcy reads.

We discuss Mr Bingley in some detail, including how he and Darcy might have met, and then Ellen talks about accomplishments. Harriet looks at how Mr Bingley has been presented in the various film and television versions of Pride and Prejudice.

Things we mention

Books:

• Sue Birtwistle, Sue Conklin, Susie Conklin, The Making of Pride and Prejudice (1995) 
• Charles Dickens, Bleak House (1853)
• Hester Chapone, Letters on the Improvement of the Mind, Addressed to a Lady
• Hannah More, Coelebs in Search of a Wife
•  Georgette Heyer, Cotillion (1953) 

Popular culture:

• MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) - starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) - starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) - starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) - starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) - starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson 
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) - starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh 
• Curtis Sittenfeld, Eligible (2016) 

Creative commons music used

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen.  
• Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. 

In this episode, we look at chapters 1 to 6 of Pride and Prejudice. We talk about how the book sets up the relationship between love and marriage, the way the characters are introduced so gradually, what we see in Darcy and the fact that we quickly learn how much money everyone has.

We discuss Mrs Bennet in some detail, and then Ellen talks about class in the early nineteenth century, and the type of neighbourhood Pride and Prejudice is set in. Harriet gives an overview of the pop culture versions of the book (dividing them into adaptations, modernisations, continuations and variations) and then looks at how some of them deal with the opening sentence, the period setting and the character of Mrs Bennet.

Things we mention:

• John Mullan, What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved (2012)
• John Burrows, Computation into Criticism: Study of Jane Austen's Novels and an Experiment in Method (1987)
• Adaptations of the book
  • MGM, Pride and Prejudice (1940) - starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier
  • BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1980) - starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul
  • BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) - starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
  • Focus Features, Pride & Prejudice (2005) - starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen
• Modernisations of the book
  • Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) - starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Martin Henderson
  • YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) - starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh
  • Bestboy Pictures, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) - starring Kam Heskin and Orlando Seale
  • Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary (1996) - also a 2001 film
  • Curtis Sittenfeld, Eligible (2016)
• Continuations of the book
  • P.D. James, Death Comes to Pemberley (2011) - also a 2013 BBC mini-series
• Variations on the book
  • Seth Graham-Smith and Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2009) - also a 2016 film

Creative commons music used:

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from 

We explain what our podcast is going to be about, and how it will be structured.