A hat tip to Jane
by chuckofish
Sunday, January 27 marked the 200th anniversary of the publishing of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. My how time flies!
I first read this book in the sixth grade. It is the first book I remember reading all day with only minor interruptions. It is really saying something that this 200 year old book (and many of the author’s other books) still can rivet a 12-year old to that degree and also interest that same girl 40 years later. Well, that’s how it is, right, with great literature?
You can check out the Wikipedia page here to read about the many film versions and theatrical adaptions that have been made and the rip-offs that have been perpetrated on this excellent book over the years. Amazing. I think she would be pretty horrified by some of them. So many sequels by other authors. There should be a law.
I will leave you with this.
Elizabeth, feeling all the more the common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change, since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances. The happiness which this reply produced, was such as he had probably never felt before; and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do. Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eye, she might have seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face, became him; but, though she could not look, she could listen, and he told her of feelings, which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable.
They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects.
dual personalities 
I love Jane Austen! And I like many of the film adaptations. There is something so wonderfully comforting about reading/watching Jane — she’s so civilized, so witty, so smart. Happy anniversary indeed!
I do like the film versions of “Sense and Sensibility” and “Emma”–even better than the many P&P versions. I remember I went to see the ‘Senior Play” at MI in 1966 when they did P&P–I really liked it! Even in the 4th grade.
Greer Garson is pretty awesome in the 1940 film. I never did read everything Jane wrote (there isn’t a TON so I really have no excuse) but I did like Pride and Prejudice very much. I definitely agree with you, though, that in as much love/obsession Mr. Darcy gets, he really isn’t Jane’s best male character. That honor should go to the much less appreciated Mr. Knightley.