‘Sense and Sensibility’s’ UK release date was September 25th- but even before being released, a (suitably) romantic edit of the movie appeared on my ‘for you’ page with thousands of likes, shares and comments.
A specific comment from ‘Lauren’ states what we are all thinking, ‘This is giving pride and prejudice 2005 vibes in the best way…SO EXCITED.’
But what is it about Jane Austen’s stories that continues to captivate girls today? With the novel’s initial publishing date being 1811, a LOT of time has passed since then, so how does it remain so relevant?
There’s one simple but slightly cheesy answer to this. Romance never dies. Sure, we may have progressed as a society in terms of what’s considered ‘acceptable’ or ‘normal’, but the foundations will always remain the same. We crave love and excitement in a generation where ‘love’ is at its most unclear definition. What was once courting, hand-holding, letter-writing, and bouquets of roses has now become sending Snaps at 3 a.m. after a drunk night out or casual club hookups. Everyone is entitled to do what they want, of course, but to the Gen Z romantics, hearing about someone’s ‘situationship’ leaving them on read is enough to make you want to pull your hair out, and besides, Jane knew what was up:
Another attractive feature of Jane Austen’s world are the fairytale-like settings. Big, pretty manors and gorgeous coquettish dresses are all lovely fantasy material after a hard day working your back off at a supermarket or cramming for 9 a.m. exams. The Jane Austen Festival takes place every year in Bath and is the longest running Jane Austen festival in the world. This is not only a nod to Bath’s literary heritage but also an excuse to dress up and have fun! But how can we incorporate a bit of romanticism into our own lives?
The Jane Austen Era:
Create a routine Emma would be proud of- start the day with a little pianoforte perhaps (for the musically inclined) or a piping hot cup of the finest flowery tea served in a cute antique teacup with cakes? Then how about a long ‘stroll’ in the park with a few companions (mates) or a visit to a florists for a pretty bouquet to put on your windowsill? Indeed ladies, there is no need to stay in the drawing room all day waiting to be called upon, go out and enjoy the day! Then come back and make a dinner…(perhaps involving some ‘excellent’ boiled potatoes)
Of course, apart from the main two discussed (Sense & Sensibility & Pride & Prejudice) there have also been various other adaptations of Austen novels. My personal favourite is Emma (2020) starring Anya Taylor Joy. The movie plays upon the novel’s more comedic elements in a subtle but hilarious fashion while cycling through the seasons spring, summer, autumn and winter. Visually speaking it is absolutely beautiful and really sucks you into the world of 19th century Highbury, England. The 19th century as a whole is a major reason for Jane Austen’s popularity as a whole- the high turnout to the Jane Austen Festival alone suggests our romantic fascination with the decorum of the time.
It provides an escape from a world plagued with AI, harmful online content and political problems. In Jane Austen’s universe, love and the beauty of nature is at the centre, and as we watch the adaptations, we allow ourselves to forget about these things, even just for a moment.
In terms of other adaptations, Emma was also given a well known modern one- Clueless! (1995) was slightly adapted from Austen’s 1815 novel, taking some similar elements from Emma Woodhouse and giving them to Cher. Like Emma, Cher tries to do ‘good deeds’ but ultimately ends up causing more harm and destruction along the way. According to Samiha Bala at the Jane Austen Summer Program from her article, ‘Celebrating 30 Years of Clueless: On adaptations that get it right‘, ‘It doesn’t try to copy and paste the entire plot of Emma into 90’s Beverly Hills, and it’s a good thing it doesn’t.’ It maintains the original spirit of the novel, the wit and the teenage girl spirit, but also becomes its own creation in the process.
{Above: Cher Woodhouse buying new gowns for the ball]
So, the moral of the story is that Jane Austen’s amazing, her books are amazing, and (more often than not) so are her adaptations, and we can take a lot of comfort from them in hard times. Thanks Jane xxxx.