Jane Austen Newsletter March 2016

Jane Austen March Newsletter 2016
Editor: Princess Megan Snow Rose


Welcome to another Jane Austen Newsletter. I love writing these newsletters. I will be talking about Jane's style what's new in Jane's world I hope you will enjoy this newsletter.

At the Jane Austen Museum, there is a collection of music on a CD's that Jane's family used for their personal use. There were no albums or CD's back then. It was all on sheet music. There were 600 pieces of sheet music that Jane Austen's family had and this is all on 18 CD's! Jane Austen's parents insisted that she knew how to play the piano and sing. This was popular of all young ladies in the ton back then. The sheet music was preserved over the years and now, has been recorded on Digital CD's. By who? I don't know. Back in Jane's time, it was important for young women to know English, French, Writing and be able to play the piano. This was important so women can secure a husband.

Jane's distinctive literary style relies on a combination of parody, burlesque, irony, free indirect speech and a degree of realism. She used parody and burlesque for comic effect and to criticize the portrayal of a woman in 18th century sentimental and gothic novels. She uses irony to mix the words of the character and the narrator.

Jane's novels have often been characterized as "country house" novels or as "comedies of manners" however they include fairy tale elements. {Fairy Tales work for me!} Critics feel she used too much dialogue and too few narrative and scenic descriptions.

Jane's characters take charge of their own worlds. Manners, duty to society and religious seriousness is a central theme of her works.

In "Northanger Abbey", Austen pokes fun at the "stock gothic machinery-storms, cabinets curtains and manuscript. She didn't believe at love at first site.

Jane believed in giving each one of her characters a voice in her novels. Some complain her sentences were too short. She had her characters write letters to each other and "Lady Susan" is all written in letters to the characters. She does give all her characters a distinctive and subtlety-constructed voice, they are distinguished by their speech.

Jane's novels can be easily situated within the 18th century novel tradition. She was a great novel reader and reread novels and probably reread her own written manuscripts as well.

Duties and manners of women were important and Jane focused on these traits in her novels. Her novels are intended to "instruct and refine the emotions along with perceptions and the moral sense."

Today. I think Jane would have enjoyed writing romances in this day and age. She could be more explicit. She would be brave like Danielle Steel when it comes to writing romance.

I have tried to find reviews of "Pride and Prejudice" and Zombies. Some like it and some that it deserved to have rotten tomatoes thrown at it. I personally haven't seen it but I will when it comes out on DVD. If you have, let me know if you liked it.

A movie "Lady Susan", Jane Austen's last novel is being made into a movie. This movie should be interesting, since it is all based on letters written between the characters.

This is all I have this month. I appreciate all the feedback and hope to be back next month with another newsletter.

Darcy Lovers and Fans? Check this out:

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Darcy's Ladies  (E) For all ladies who love Darcy and Jane Austen. #2076376 by Princess Megan Snow Rose

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Jane Austen Writing Challenge  (ASR) A Writing Challenge for all Jane Austen Fans. #2017404 by Princess Megan Snow Rose

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Jane Austen Meeting Place  (ASR) A place to meet other members and write about what you love about Jane Austen. #1992432 by Princess Megan Snow Rose