The Movies- Persuasion 2007 Alternate ending

My Dearest Janeite-

As I finished watching the 2007 version of Persuasion for the I-Don't-Know-How-Manyth time, I realized why I have always thought this book the most challenging when translating into a movie. For one, Anne does quite a bit of internal thinking throughout the course of the novel, a difficult thing to show on camera. This version of Persuasion attempts it by having our fair Anne stare mournfully into the camera, as if her eyes were pleading with us to understand what she is feeling. I do like the movie, as well as the 1995 version (pictured below), but find it more interesting that each version has chosen a different way to get to the ending of Wentworth's and Anne's story.

Why is that you might ask? Well, our dear Jane had initially written one particular ending for these two characters, then decided it was too boring and rewrote it. In fact, the rewritten manuscript of this section of Persuasion is the only example of Austen editing that we have in her own hand. While one does lament for the epistolary letters between Elinor and Marianne (before they became Sense & Sensibility), this does give us the notion that Jane did keep her dear readers in mind.

If you are feeling particularly frisky or academic, you can read the cancelled chapters 10 and 11 of Persuasion here. Which ending do you prefer? I just cannot quite decide, but I must say that Sally Hawkins did a lot of running to and fro at the end of the 2007 movie. Someone get that girl a cup of tea.

Until next time, I am your affectionate friend-  A Lady

       

OAM- A Tale, For Gentle and Simple

Dearest Janeite-

Once a month (or so), I would love to share with you a writer you may not have any clue about, but who wrote during the same time period or might have been an influence on our fair Jane. For my first story, I turn to "A Tale, For Gentle and Simple" written by an anonymous authoress. This particular novel can be found in full text at The Chawton House Library site here.

So, what is it about? This tale follows the life of a mysterious babe who happens to be found in the middle of a hay-cock and the friends she makes along her journey to womanhood. Full of mysteries, and quite a few spots of humor, I would give this story a good 4 out of 5 stars for it's well rounded character sketches and moments of giggling aloud.

So, what do we know about our anonymous author?

Well, the opening dedication is to Maria Edgeworth (sometimes referred to as the Irish Jane Austen), and we see Edgeworth's influence in the writer's remarks upon the proper way to educate children. Incidentally, "A Tale, For Gentle and Simple" was printed for a Rowland Hunter in 1815, as was Edgeworth's 1815 printing of "Education" (written with her father and previously published in 1801).

While we do not have a name for our writer, we might assume that she lived (or was at least experienced with) towns north of London. All of the cities she refers to  (Doncaster, Botany-Bay for criminals, Netherby, etc.) are real. We can also imagine that some experience in farming life might explain her descriptions.

There is a reference to Samuel Johnson on page 62, with Sir Thomas speaking of "Doctor What's-his-name" with his "love-tales." Like our fair Jane, this author was also an ardent fan of Samuel Richardson. Early on, there is an allusion to Sir Charles Grandison and a later reference to Pamela from Richardson's epistolary novel (novels written in letters) "Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded." Finally, there is a quote by John Dryden to open this small, country town tale.

Welcome

Letter 1

My Dearest Jane-

As I reach the halfway point of your letters, I find myself in a similar situation as Season 1 of Lost. The more I learn, the more mysteries I encounter. I am compelled to rewind episodes of your life and to take note of the odd or out of the ordinary. I anxiously flip back and forth from your letters to the footnotes that Deirdre Le Faye has so graciously left, but do not find the answers I seek. Thus begins my journey, and epistolary account, of My Dearest Janeite.

(If you would like to read Jane Austen's letters, here is a link to an online version of Brabourne's edition, though his is incomplete as of today. For a more current copy, check out Deirdre Le Faye's Fourth Edition).