Teenage memories of Jane Austen

The 16th of December is Jane Austen's birthday
Perfect timing to share some of my favourite quotes.


Good opinion once lost, is lost forever. (from P&P)

The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it. (from P&P)

Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life. (from P&P)

Young ladies are delicate plants. They should take care of their health and their complexion. (from Emma)
 
A man would always wish to give a woman a better home than the one he takes her from; and he who can do it, where there is no doubt of her regard, must, I think, be the happiest of mortals. (from Emma)
 
One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other. (from Emma)

 ... without music, life would be a blank to me. (from Emma)
 
When I fall in love, it will be forever. (from S&S)

 

I started to read Jane Austen as a teenager and haven't stopped since, I found her captivating . . . I wonder why she still attracts so much attention today, considering she wrote so long ago (1775 - 1817).  Maybe she was an author well beyond her years - maybe her views of women are still relevant today as they were back then. Maybe we love a good romance without all the titillation that appears in modern novels. Maybe her male characters . .  Mr Darcy, Edward Ferrars or Mr. Knightley are gentlemen we would all like to meet but no longer exist.


~oOo~

And wouldn't it be funny to slip this quote from P&P into conversation "It's been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable".

~oOo~

Comments

  1. Jane Austin did write some almost timeless words that are quite quotable, didn't she?? As for the last quote about vegetables... HAHA!! I think that would be REALLY funny!! I noticed it was her birthday the other day... wasn't it her 235th birthday or something??
    I think something that makes her works so timeless is the fact that what she wrote about were such familiar themes in people's lives. Even if we don't have the same social hierarchy anymore, there are still those who are poorer and richer etc. I think her works are also somewhat dreamy, whereas most people live very ordinary lives, so her works are an exciting and dreamy escape from reality. Also, even though people today are so casual and women are often so feminist, maybe deep down inside they still dream of the type of gentlemen that are Jane Austin's heros, and the type of respectable romance they represent?? What do you think?

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  2. Clara - it was her birthday yesterday (16th) - I do agree with you, I do think we still like those timeless romances where men were gentlemen and women gentlewomen - pretty and feminine, rather than what we have today. The men of Austen's books also had morals and yes, very respectable. For a world so wrapped up with casual behaviour and no morals to be seen, Austen still survives - interesting.

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  3. We are re-watching Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version of 1995)at the moment at home (got the videos cheap from book sale) and loving it! I didn't know it was her b/d yesterday. We love Jane Austen though I've watched more of her novels than read them sad to say. My goal is to read Pride and Prejudice soon. Yes I think we all long for that old fashioned romance and that makes her novels very appealing:)

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  4. Jane is one of my very favoites Jo. I have her entire collection on my Kindle - I wonder if I will ever get them all read! I have always loved Pride and prejudice.

    Your new blog header is so beautiful~~

    Vicki

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  5. All of the above is why we are drawn to Jane Austens writings! Her language is so rich, you can never get sick of reading her novels! xxx

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