Reading Jane Austen
Reading Jane Austen
Harriet and Ellen
S02E06 Sense and Sensibility, Chapters 26 to 31
59 minutes Posted Mar 23, 2021 at 10:00 am.
Introduction
In which we talk about Chapters 26 to 31
In which we talk about Marianne
In which Michael talks about duelling in Regency England
In which Harriet talks about popular culture adaptations and modernisations
End credits
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59:01
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Show notes

 In this episode, we read Chapters 26 to 31 of Sense and Sensibility. We talk about how unsatisfying Ellen found several of these chapters, the role of gossip, the similarity between Elinor’s and Marianne’s situations, the importance of reputation, and whether the turnaround in our perception of Mrs Jennings was planned for by Jane Austen. 

We discuss the character of Marianne, then Harriet’s partner, Michael, talks about duelling in Regency England. Harriet talks about how the adaptations present these sections, and how the modernisations update the Willoughby-Colonel Brandon-Marianne stories. 

Things we mention:

 References: 

  • Claire Tomalin, Jane Austen: A Life (1997) 
  • Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night (1935) – it is in this book that Lord Peter Wimsey comments on duelling with pistols rather than swords
  •  The Regency novels of Georgette Heyer (1902-1974) 

Adaptations of the book:

Modernisations of the book:

 Creative commons music used: