Comments on "Austenian theories" - Faerye Net

Re: rank

2010-10-26T20:43:03+00:00

Wow. I have never done that.

I even hate assigning star-ratings (Witness all my half-stars. When I’ve reviewed things on a 10-point system here in the past, I’ve also used halfs!)

rank

2010-10-26T16:43:21+00:00

It may or may not surprise you that when I was a wee lass, I used to spend many happy hours deciding how I would rank the books within a series, or oeuvre. #nerd

Re: Random Thoughts I've Been Thinking About This

2010-10-26T13:09:20+00:00

1. Interesting. Many people think Persuasion is her masterwork, I’ve found. Even if it isn’t their personal favorite.

2. Recently reread Northanger Abbey. Yes, it’s definitely different — more obviously comic, and in a different vein, quite apart from any arguments you can make about its position as first novel written.

3. I don’t own Sense and Sensibility so I haven’t often read it, and am not 100% clear on how to solve the two-heroine quandary it poses for #1.

4. I think some people subscribe to a sort of “escalating greatness” theory on the Austen oeuvre, so they think Mansfield Park is second-best craft-wise after Persuasion. It is definitely well-made, but I can see how some readers would find Fanny’s diffidence frustrating, or the rather long buildup.

5. Who would have thought a little reader like you could ruin all my beautiful theoryness?

6. I’m mildly resistant to movies, as they rob me of the narration, which is half the fun. I don’t own any or anything, so I haven’t seen them all that much. Once I saw a movie jacket for Mansfield Park that called it a sensuous romp, too, so I mistrust some adaptations!

7. I don’t have an overall ranking. Pride and Prejudice is so far ahead that I’ve never bothered ranking the others! Of course, rereading Persuasion now that I’ve contracted a fondness for the Royal Navy may have an effect.

8. WOOT!

Random Thoughts I've Been Thinking About This

2010-10-26T09:48:19+00:00

1. Reading this made me go read Persuasion. I think P&P is the stronger novel, but I have a special love for Persuasion.

2. I have no fears of being assigned Emma as my personality. Emma is 5th on my favorites list, only beating out Northanger Abbey which is entertaining enough but really, not the same as the others.

3. Does that mean that picking S&S pinpoints you as Marianne, because an Eleanorish type would’ve probably picked P&P instead?

4. My first thought on reading this was that no one would get assigned Fanny, then, so I’m surprised to see that you have solid data that some like MP best! Poor MP; I do like it, I just think it would have to come in at least 2nd on anyone’s list to one of the stronger ones.

5. I do my rereading by what’s been the longest since the last read, so your #2 is unlikely to work for me.

6. Upon reading Persuasion the last 2 nights, I was slightly appalled to realize how long it had been since I read any of them. I have let the excellent movies substitute for too long. I think I will go read MP next, as there is no excellent movie available of it. (Thought the most recent BBC was the best, but still, it’s so hard to film that book for a contemporary audience.)

7. Here’s my order, and the strength of my feelings for each goes in pairs (1 & 2 are very strong, 3 & 4 a little less so, etc). P&P, Persuasion, S&S, MP, Emma, NA.

8. I’d guess, somewhere between Elizabeth and Anne. So from that standpoint the Myers-Briggs holds.

Re: I can never decide

2010-10-23T23:01:59+00:00

Ha! I have 1.5 friends who say Mansfield Park is their favorite (.5 because when I drew her attention to #2, she said she has that effect and longs for Persuasion.)

So far, #2 is looking more likely than #1, over all.

I can never decide.

2010-10-23T21:45:24+00:00

I’m always torn between Emma and Persuasion. I don’t think I’m especially like Emma or Anne – although I’m really not certain which of the protagonists I might be most like. Maybe Eleanor? Oh yes, I like Sense and Sensibility too…

I think I fall under the opposite of #2: I read any of her novels and think “That’s so much better than Masnfield Park…” :)