The Awesomeness That Is Austen

You may have noticed a trend amongst us bloggers over the past couple of weeks - a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, which coincidentally, is today

So it will come as no surprise that I'm going to continue that trend with a post of my own.  For me it's not so much about the books (wonderful that they are) but the screen adaptions.

Personally I'm a sucker for any romantic, period movies or TV series and Jane Austen fits the bill wonderfully.

The visuals are always beautiful, the acting top-notch and the men, generally, are swoon worthy.  Most of us (well except for Scriven who is a complete anomaly) fell in love with Colin Firth's Mr Darcy, he of the wet shirt scene, the glorious sideburns and piercing gaze...

Okay where was I... oh yes Jane Austen adaptions.

There have of course been several over the years and everyone has their favourite.  Romantic that I am, I have most of them in my DVD collection.  You can, you see, never have too much Austen, because frankly Austen is awesome.

Those words, the hidden meanings, the characters and the romance - all in one glorious package and created by woman who lived in an age where women writers were few and far between.

Pride and Prejudice is probably the most recognised of her works but her other works are just as wonderful so if you haven't caught up with the awesomeness that is Austen or just want to indulge in a romantic feast check out the following.

Pride and Prejudice

The prideful Mr Darcy and the prejudice Miss Elizabeth Bennett (or perhaps the other way round) are two of literature's most loved characters.

It's that classic will-they-or-won't-they romance that keeps us enthralled.  And even though we pretty much know the outcome we can't help but get caught up in it all.

Has there ever been a more perfect love story.

Emma

As with Pride and Prejudice there has been several adaptions made of Emma, another Austen favourite despite the fact that Emma herself is a rather flighty and naive character.

Yet by the end of the story reason prevails and Emma's eyes are open to what has been right under her nose all along.

The hero this time is Mr Knightly, played in this version by another dark-haired, swoon worthy actor Jeremy Northam, with a voice that can make a shopping list sound seductive.


Sense and Sensibility

An adaption with almost spotless casting, from Kate Winslet as the romantic and naive Marianne to Alan Rickman as the dignified Colonel Brandon to Greg Wise as the romantic but ultimately flawed Willoughby, this is the story of the Dashwood sisters and the lessons about love that they each learn.

Featuring yet again another dark-haired and swoon worthy character with Greg Wise making an ideal Willoughby.

Persuasion

Anne Elliot, who through her family's influence has given up the man she loves, is a character that is said to be most like Jane and one that Austen purist's everywhere is said to be their favourite book and this their favourite adaption of them all.

Less romantic looking but more realistic it features hidden looks and meanings that is brought to life with the casting of the two leads who between them convey a love lost in all its romantic glory.

Becoming Jane

Jane Austen's life, was in many ways, just like the lives of the women she portrayed in her novels.

And like in her novels, it is believed that she knew from first hand experience what it was to be in love and to lose in love.

Becoming Jane is a look at a private woman and the possible reason she became the author that we know and love today.

Miss Austen Regrets

Another look at the life of Jane Austen.

Like Becoming Jane some is based on fact, the rest is pure conjecture.

Why, in an era when most women married, did she remain a spinster?  Was it from a broken heart from a love lost or was it merely because she choose not to give up her independence?

Lost In Austen

Just about every woman has imagined what it would be like to meet their very own Mr Darcy.

Lost in Austen runs with this idea and lands a very modern woman back in regency England and into the world of Pride and Prejudice.

But can a modern woman and a very un-modern man ever find true love?

The Jane Austen Book Club

Who wouldn't love the chance to meet up and discuss your favourite books.

In this (in adaption of a book) six friends meet up and form a Jane Austen book club as a way for them to each cope with a loss as they work through all six of Jane's novels.

Along the way the discover things about each other and themselves.

And like any good Jane Austen novel, love is also in the air.