Last night as I searched Netflix for something to watch, I stumbled upon a film entitled, "Lost in Austen."
It is a clever little comedy about a young British woman's obsession with Pride and Prejudice. The gal, Amanda Price, compares all suitors to Darcy and retreats to her dog-eared copy of P&P and a glass of wine when in need of comfort. As a quirky twist of fate/fantasy would have it, Elizabeth Bennet finds a portal to our world that opens up into Amanda's bathroom, and you can imagine how the rest of the film unfolds. I certainly won't spoil it for you here!
Watching "Lost in Austen" last night made me think about my own love of Austen and P&P (which I have taught each Spring for the last five years). I marvel at the book on so many levels, not the least of which is how on earth Jane managed to write such a cleverly plotted novel without the aid of a computer which would have allowed her to cut and paste. As a writer, I am awed by her ability to create such lengthy and intricate works in longhand...not to mention by candlelight!!!
Mostly, I am amazed at how well she knew people and how clearly she could observe them and then render them on the page. She must have felt, in some ways, like an outsider as she was always watching and assessing in her brilliant mind. Perhaps, it was both a gift and a handicap because the love that she described in her stories was never hers to experience in life. Although, the 2007 film, "Becoming Jane" does try to suggest that Austen had an aborted romance with a young man named Tom Lefroy, there really isn't proof to substantiate that. We are left imagining that she knew what love should feel like, even if she was never lucky enough to feel it herself.
I wonder sometimes about my own introspective nature which can cause me to review my life rather than merely living it. While it is a trait that allows me to think deeply and empathize with others, it can also hold me back from being a fully engaged participant in my own life. My interest in yoga is in part due to the fact that it forces me to be fully present in the moment, and in my body,...breath by breath.
To me, the thing that most captivates us about P&P is the exploration of love. All humans crave companionship; we are seeking our other halves. Austen describes the process so cleverly that we feel lucky to have her as our guide. Darcy and Elizabeth don't love each other immediately; rather, they grow to love each other in spite of their flaws (his pride/her prejudice). While other couples (like Jane and Bingley) seem to fall in love more easily, we feel that they are somehow less complex creatures and that those of us who are intricate individuals have lots of murky water to navigate as we find our way towards each other. When love between Darcy and Elizabeth is finally realized, the reader feels relief and jubilation: we trust that they will be together forever. Luckily for us, there was no sequel where Elizabeth ran off with the stable boy or Darcy got one of the young chambermaids pregnant. No, Darcy and Elizabeth will be in love for all time....and we are all the better for it!
One of the funny elements that the film explored was this idea that Darcy, in all his sulky, brooding arrogance, is attractive to women. Honestly, last night's Darcy and Colin Firth (in my favorite film adaptation of P&P) both scowl and glare for the majority of the movie. Are we women really drawn to angry, humorless men? I don't think so. But Darcy's seriousness is appealing; he is a man not a boy, and that is immediately apparent. Also, I think, there is a female fantasy that we will bring joy to this sad, serious man. We want to be the one that makes him laugh, that puts a smile on his face, that loosens him up. He is mysterious...like a package wrapped in plain paper that we know hides a treasure. Of course, it didn't hurt that Darcy was also tall, dark and handsome as are most heroes in literature and lore. In fact, I'll admit that I wouldn't mind a TDH hero of my own at the moment...even if his dark hair is now grey or completely gone :)
I can't end this exploration of Austen's appeal without mentioning one of my very favorite feel-good films: the 2004 Bollywood adaptation of P&P, "Bride and Prejudice." Complete with kitschy costumes, exotic locales, and full-blown musical numbers, "Bride and Prejudice" is a hilarious take on P&P and shows how totally universal Austen's stories are. Warning: You cannot watch this movie and still be in a bad mood!
One final thought: Though Jane Bennet is described as beautiful and good, most women readers identify with Elizabeth who is clever and headstrong. While Lizzy can make mistakes and misjudge people, she can also face the truth even when it is unpleasant. She has an inner strength which is laudable and a confidence that most women envy. When Darcy first insults her at the ball by saying that "she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt {him}," Lizzy doesn't burst into tears or run screaming from the room. Instead, she walks over to her friends and tells "the story with great spirit... for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous."
Bravo, Lizzy!! Let us all learn to channel our inner Elizabeth Bennet, to be confident in our own skin, to
be wise and witty women who never settle for mediocrity when true love is possible!
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