Jane Austen fans?

When she saw his home and his sister, I think it made her question her opinion of him. I think she saw how his housekeeper respected and loved him and saw that his sister did the same. When she realized all the hooey Wickham had led her to believe was false, I think she had sympathy - I think she truly fell in love with him when he bailed her sister out of the mess she was in with such discretion.

I seldom reread books. I've read every Jane Austen book at least twice, P&P probably 4 times. I watch the A&E series of P&P regularly, not so much the other ones. I didn't like Emma the first time I read it. Then when I reread it I decided that I didn't like HER (Emma) very much and that any book that could get me to dislike a character was a damn good book.

The dialogue is great in Emma. The casting of characters was right on when I saw it on PBS but that's been years ago.

You shouldn't feel guilty about reading! It's a lifesaver in my case and at least it's a hobby you can take anywhere with no fuss.

I think I'll buy Emma on CD if it's available. Then don't have to wait for BBC or PBS to show it

I hear ya. I reread Austen books almost as much as I reread Jane Eyre. Emma was an interferring, meddling twit but she learned her lesson, I think.

I liked Emma - she was very flawed and made so many mistakes. And she did learn...she was chastised by Mr. Knightly severely (love that part). I like flawed people that learn their lesson and end up having a happy ending. Gives me hope.

Ditto. But does that only happen in fiction?

yeah...probably - but I can always hope!

Hope is a good thing and humans can always change for the better - if they want to.

I thought it was interesting in both S&S and P&P that the older sisters were portrayed as meek, kind of sweet but insipid people. I could never tell by the way they acted if they cared for Edward (S&S) or Bingley (P&P). I suppose etiquette of the day required women to act like cold fish and not wear their hearts on their sleeves....which was why Austen had Marianne act in such a way with Willoughby.

Just rambling along here........

Charlotte Bronte was not a Jane Austen fan partially for that reason. She felt her women were too passionless and cold. She once wrote that it was obvious that JA had never had a man, or some such words. I'll try to find the exact reference...

A little jealousy going on with old Charlotte? I don't know how Bronte could say Marianne or Lizzy were passionless - or Lydia who ran off with Wickham.

That'd be an interesting reference if you can find it. BTW I have been reading Jane Eyre since I was a kid and am a Bronte fan too.

JA did have a man and was engaged to Tom LeFoy (sp?) but he broke if off in favour of a woman who had money, the cad.