i tried reading emma, but could not get through it. i feel practically illiterate! i loved all the movies based on the jane austen books,but my one attempt at reading her actual work was an utter failure. i came across emma and went to put it in the d.i. bag, but decided to keep it and give it another try. sometime. in the future. lol
I love Emma! She's kind of a brat, but she has a conscience, too. :)
If you're just starting out reading Jane Austen's works, you may find Pride and Prejudice to be the easiest to get into; it had me smiling from the first page. Emma is probably the second best to start off with. The others tend to be slower to warm up. Anyway, I hope you enjoy Emma this time around.
I love Jane Austen's writing, and that quote in particular.
Emma is a hard read to get into, even when you're familiar with the story. P&P is easier. But a challenge with all of her stories is understanding the social context she's writing in. We no longer live in England under the Old Regime, with class distinction and the same gender rules she did, so it can be hard to understand why (for instance) it's a very big deal to have five daughters out "in society" at the same time.
If you want to get through Emma, I have to recommend Shari Crowther's reading available on Librivox (free audio downloads). Google will need to be your friend on that, but it will be. All of the Austen's are available there.
Emma as a character is very hard for me, because she is so damned certain that she's right, and is rich and pretty enough that nobody can really shut her down, so she messes with a lot of lives before she gets her head out. And the politics of Emma become very interesting as a result (there is a political side to all of these stories -- Austen is definitely pushing against the social system she lived in, and she helped to bring it to an end).
thanks blain. i will have to check it out. maybe listening to someone else read it WILL help. the whole social order/system of england at that time infuriates me. i know its so far in the past, but women at risk of being homeless because they cannot inherit money? insane. i know thats the tip of the iceberg, but it just really bugs me.
Said to Mr Collins after he proposes.. Love that book.
ReplyDeletei tried reading emma, but could not get through it. i feel practically illiterate! i loved all the movies based on the jane austen books,but my one attempt at reading her actual work was an utter failure. i came across emma and went to put it in the d.i. bag, but decided to keep it and give it another try. sometime. in the future. lol
ReplyDeleteI love Emma! She's kind of a brat, but she has a conscience, too. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you're just starting out reading Jane Austen's works, you may find Pride and Prejudice to be the easiest to get into; it had me smiling from the first page. Emma is probably the second best to start off with. The others tend to be slower to warm up. Anyway, I hope you enjoy Emma this time around.
maybe i will try pride and prejudice and move on to emma. i will let you know. :)
ReplyDeleteI love Jane Austen's writing, and that quote in particular.
ReplyDeleteEmma is a hard read to get into, even when you're familiar with the story. P&P is easier. But a challenge with all of her stories is understanding the social context she's writing in. We no longer live in England under the Old Regime, with class distinction and the same gender rules she did, so it can be hard to understand why (for instance) it's a very big deal to have five daughters out "in society" at the same time.
If you want to get through Emma, I have to recommend Shari Crowther's reading available on Librivox (free audio downloads). Google will need to be your friend on that, but it will be. All of the Austen's are available there.
Emma as a character is very hard for me, because she is so damned certain that she's right, and is rich and pretty enough that nobody can really shut her down, so she messes with a lot of lives before she gets her head out. And the politics of Emma become very interesting as a result (there is a political side to all of these stories -- Austen is definitely pushing against the social system she lived in, and she helped to bring it to an end).
ReplyDeletethanks blain. i will have to check it out. maybe listening to someone else read it WILL help.
ReplyDeletethe whole social order/system of england at that time infuriates me. i know its so far in the past, but women at risk of being homeless because they cannot inherit money? insane. i know thats the tip of the iceberg, but it just really bugs me.