By Cassandra Chambers Wagner
JASNA-NC met virtually on January 23, 2022 with 41 attendees to enjoy a reading of “Letters in Jane Austen’s Novels: From Lovers to Villains to Fools,” a script by Marilyn Goldfried from the Metropolitan New York Region of JASNA.
Writing to her sister Cassandra in January of 1801, Jane proclaimed:
“I have now attained the true art of letter-writing, which we are always told, is to express on paper exactly what one would say to the same person by word of mouth.”
These readings illustrated how Jane Austen used letters in her novels for dramatic effect. From lovers’ passionate pleas, to the schemes of villains, and to the ramblings of the foolish personalities, every letter gives a unique voice to each character.
Our MC for the readings, Sara, was our guide through the letters and kicked us off with The Lovers!
The Lovers
In her ‘Cannot Listen in Silence’ shirt, Karin started us off reading the impassioned letter by Captain Wentworth from Persuasion as he expresses “half agony, half hope” revealing his feelings to Anne Elliot.
The next lover, Edmund Bertram pens his letter to his cousin in Mansfield Park and pours out his heart to Fanny with hope and trepidation stating that Mary Crawford “is the only woman in the world whom I could ever think of as a wife,” read by Nancy.
In Northanger Abbey, James Moreland’s disillusioned letter was read by Sue. Writing to his sister, Catherine, he declares his heartache after jilted by Isabella who “made me miserable forever.”
To round off the lover’s letters, from Sense and Sensibility, Jane delivered the hurt words of Marianne writing to her faithless Willoughby after having “passed a wretched night in endeavoring to excuse a conduct which can scarcely be called less than insulting.”
The Villains
From impassioned pleas of love and heartache we turned to The Villains who were usually the ones responsible for such pain and angst.
Jane continued reading from Sense and Sensibility with Willoughby’s curt and impassive letter back to Marianne, cruelly stating how he “could be so unfortunate as to offend you” as his “affections have been long engaged elsewhere.”
Returning to Northanger Abbey, Cassandra performed the insincere words of Isabella Thorpe’s letter after jilting James. “Fearful of some misunderstanding,” Isabella pleads for Catherine’s assistance as she is now “quite unhappy about him.”
Donning a top hat, Martha gave voice to Mr. Elliot’s letter to Mr. Smith in Persuasion to show him to be “a man without heart or conscience” with his snarky remarks about his family and Kellynch.
Betty brought to life the letter of the scheming and self-satisfying title character of the novel Lady Susan who delighted at leaving chaos in her wake and stated that “the whole family are at war.”
Wrapping up the villains, Bonnie read the letter from Lucy Steele as she released Edward Ferrars from their engagement, having just returned from marrying his brother, but heartlessly assuring him that “the ring with my hair you are very welcome to keep.”
The Fools
After such love and treachery, we moved along to some of the more Foolish characters that flourished their pens.
Jeanette dramatically fell upon the sofa as she recited the letter of Lady Bertram to Fanny in Mansfield Park, waffling between apprehension about her son and her own preoccupation as “the poor sufferer.”
Lydia Bennet’s selfish letter in Pride and Prejudice, read by Elizabeth, informed Harriet Forster of her plans to elope with Wickham flippantly saying, “I can hardly write for laughing.”
Continuing with Pride and Prejudice, Dan channeled Mr. Collins by donning his best reverent attire and reading the letters addressed to Mr. Bennet, wherein Mr. Collins condescendingly offers his unsolicited advice “in your present distress, which must be of the bitterest kind.”
To wrap up all the delightful readings, Lori expressed Mr. Bennet’s pithy response to Mr. Collins advising him to “console Lady Catherine as well as you can” upon his daughter’s marriage to Mr. Darcy.
Discussion and News
After the readings there was discussion about the use of letters as tools for character development, the symbolism of gifting locks of hair, as well as the epistolary novel style during the 19th century and beyond. In context with today’s meeting, the video by Dr. Octavia Cox on Lady Bertram’s Epistolary Style was recommended.
JASNA-NC’s February meeting is our Virtual Book Club, for which we will read Austen contemporary Jane West’s A Gossip’s Story. See you in February, everyone!