Category: Emma
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Valentine’s Day in Regency England
Valentine’s Day, associated with love since the late Middle Ages, became popular during the Regency era as a time for expressing romantic interest within societal norms. Common practices included exchanging handwritten Valentine cards with poems, small tokens, and light-hearted customs. It provided a unique opportunity for flirtation amidst strict social codes, despite some skepticism from…
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An Austen for Every Age: A Book for Each Decade of Your Life
Here is my entirely subjective guide to which Jane Austen novel belongs to each decade of life—and why. Have you loved different books as you age? I’ve always loved Persuasion and P&P, but as I get older, Mansfield Park is growing on me.
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How Did Austen Feel About the Slave Trade?
Emma and Mansfield Park both mention the slave trade. What is Austen saying there?
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Jane Austen: Delightfully Destroying Her Own Characters
She is the queen of character assassination. Her own characters that is. Here are some of my favourite Jane Austen take-downs, where the narrator destroys a character: Mr. Collins, Pride & Prejudice: The stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship from any charm that could make a woman wish for…
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What Happened to Kitty and Mary?: Austen Reveals What Happened to Her Characters After the Novels Ended
Read about Austen’s endings for Jane Fairfax, Kitty, and Mr. Woodhouse.
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Murder, Theft, and Guillotines: The Colorful Lives of Jane’s Family & How They Influenced Her Novels
Murder! Theft! Guillotines! Dive into the colorful lives of Jane Austen’s family members and how they influenced her novels.
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Emma Woodhouse is a Lovable Heroine (to me, at least)
Emma Woodhouse in various adaptations of the novel Emma is unlikable for a couple reasons, mostly her treatment of Miss Bates, but also because unlike the other heroines, her life seems charming at first glance. She is wealthy, she had a devoted parent in Mr. Woodhouse and a loving mother-figure in Mrs. Weston. She has…
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What Did Jane Austen Have to Say About Her Own Novels?
Take a peek into Austen’s letters to find out what she thought about her works and about herself as an author.
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Ranking the Most Emotionally Clueless Austen Men
(A lighthearted list — Mr. Collins is obvious, but not alone) They say the wrong thing. They entirely miss the point. Sometimes they launch into a long, confident speech, while everyone else wonders if there’s a polite way to make it stop. Many of these moments belong to the Austen men who are not villains.…
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How Much Did Jane Austen Earn From Her Books?
Publishing options in Austen’s day and how much she earned on her books