Regretful Jane

I watched Miss Austen Regrets last night.  I think I liked it.  I'm not entirely sure.  The truth is, it's stressful to me to see someone attempt to put Jane on screen--I feel a bit protective of her. 

I have a hard time believing that Jane lived with that level of regret.  I love Olivia Williams, and I think she did a great job, but I didn't think the production captured the great energy and joy that I see in Jane's letters.

There was much that was accurate, although I need to go back and review the details.  Harris Bigg-Wither did propose, and Jane did accept him and then change her mind the following morning.  He was apparently awkward and stuttered, and there wasn't any love there.  He went on to marry someone else and have a large family, and the whole thing seems to have been largely forgotten.  Jane and Cassandra went on being dear friends with his sisters.

The character of Brook Bridges was based on Brook-Edward Bridges (who would have gone by Edward).  He was the younger brother of Jane's brother Edward's wife Elizabeth.  We don't know much about Edward Bridges, except that he was an Anglican priest, and Jane ran into him a bit when she visited her brother's family.  There's a reference in one of Jane's letters that makes it seem like he could have proposed at one point, but all we know for certain is that he ordered "toasted cheese" one evening for dinner "entirely on [Jane's] account."  Austen expert Deirdre Le Faye believes that if there was a proposal, Jane "had no difficulty in politely rejecting" it.  [Jane Austen: A Family Record, 150]

There are references in Jane's letters to Charles Haden, the doctor, but I don't believe there's any indication of serious feelings or of a rivalry between her and Fanny.  (Of course, as they depicted, Cassandra burned most of the letters, so much of this is conjecture and imagination.)

They used so many quotes directly from Austen's letters and writing, which was wonderful and also a bit distracting. I kept thinking about where the quotes came from.  I felt like they were taking lots of little gems and stringing them all together in a way that wasn't entirely natural.  And many of the conversations just wouldn't have happened.  Jane was so incredibly reserved with her brother Edward (appropriate to the time).  I don't think he would have chastised her--at least not openly--for not marrying Harris Bigg-Wither.  Edward was known, as well, for being incredibly kind.  I think, if anything, he would have grieved the added stress to his family as a result of the lawsuits (which were eventually resolved in his favor after several years) rather than striking out at them.

Dashing Henry (who was actually tall and good looking) did go bankrupt, and all of this was happening at the same time.  It's presumed that the stress made Jane's illness worse, and most now believe that she had Addison's disease, though no one knows for sure.

I'd love to know what you thought.  My biggest complaint is that Jane comes across as so much happier than that in her letters.  I don't think her energy and joy for life was so diminished by past regrets.

Comments

[Lora Lynn]

I have mixed feelings, too. I loved hearing her quotes out loud, but was distracted by them at times. I don't picture her that eaten up with regret. And I supremely bothered by the idea that all of her novels had been published before she died. I'm no Jane expert, but that's wrong, isn't it? It seemed to detract from the intimate portrayal of her, to make her a famous authoress. I still cried at the end, because I am a sucker for such things. I still find it hard to believe that Cassandra would have talked Jane out of marrying Biggs for her own happiness. Because she didn't want to be separated from Jane? Couldn't she have come to live with Jane in relative comfort, if that was her concern? I didn't understand some of that. I need to watch it again with closed captioning on from the beginning, instead of turning them on in the middle, when everything was already muddled!

[Frances]

Hello! I've been following your daily Jane Austen quotes, and they've inspired me to borrow a book of Jane Austen's letters and read them myself. The letters to Fanny made me really think about what a wonderful friend and aunt she would have been, to any young girl.

But anyway, regarding Miss Austen Regrets, I think it tried to capture an interesting, complex dilemma: would she have regretted not marrying? Or how can she regret a decision that allowed her the freedom to write? My favorite part was when she read Persuasion aloud (one of my favorite novels) to Cassandra. But I think one flaw of the movie is that it made it seem as if 'regret' was a major preoccupation for Jane, and I think she would've been too stalwart for that.

[Gina Dalfonzo]

I found it enjoyable, but I did frequently find myself wondering, "I wonder what Lori would think about this or this or this?" :-) As far as the "regrets" part goes, I thought they did a fairly good job, at least near the end, of showing how much she valued her freedom and how that lessened any regrets she might have felt.

But I totally understand the protectiveness. I get that way too about certain people, which is why I hate that awful "Immortal Beloved" movie about Beethoven.

Anyway, like Frances, I too came away with the impression of how wonderful it would be to have an aunt like Jane. Alas, I'm dreadfully unappreciated and quite auntless for all practical purposes (if you don't mind my mixing a bit of Sayers in with the Austen). ;-)

[Mary]

I didn't care for it much, though I'll admit I was flipping between Miss Austen Regrets and figure skating on ESPN. Jane seemed flippant and derisive. I wasn't getting any warmth from her character. I loved the scenery and costumes though. She had a particulary sweet hat on, I think it was when she went to fetch the doctor.

[Barbara H.]

I was a little wary of a movie of Jane's life when so little is known about her, but I was glad they admitted up front that the movie was based on conjecture. If it had been promoted as "This is the way is really was, I would have hated it.

I haven't read her biography, but what little I know about her, the movie has me wondering even more, like, "Was she really that flirtatious?"

Do we know why Cassandra burned her letters?

[Arti]

I agree with you that the film is a bit gloomy in overtone. As I've shared in my post, I don't believe that Jane would choose a loveless marriage just for financial stability. However, I do feel the movie has its merits and I did enjoy watching it despite its dark and pessimistic premise.

[Camy Tang]

I agree with much of your thoughts about the conjecture of the movie, but I still have to admire the writing. The dialogue (what wasn't taken directly from Jane's books and letters) was very witty and highly emotional, which I loved. And while it's pure imagination to think Cassandra talked Jane out of marrying Harris, it was still a wonderfully emotional scene and I liked the tie into the premise of Persuasion, even if it probably isn't true.

Camy

[Blair Rogers]

Hi Lori,

An interesting read - of course I fell totally frustrated that I probably won't get to see this PBS documentary for a good while here in NZ - but never mind.

The idea that Cassandra might have been able to stay with Jane and Harris if they had married as suggested by Lora Lynn would have been unlikely. Harris did not inherit Manydown and Tangiers until his fathers death in 1813, and after his marriage in 1804 to Anne Howe FRITH went and lived in Wymering Manor - which is big - but not big enough for sister in law's!! As it was - the norm was not for sister's to tag along with their sisters when they married - and certainly not when the Austen's would not have provided much in the way of a dowry if the marriage had of gone ahead.

That would have been a concern to the Bigg-Wither household. Harris' marriage in 1804 to FIRTH, only daughter of Beddington Bramley Frith, of Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Lieutenant-Colonel of the North Hampshire Militia, by his wife, Jane Howe, heiress of Brook House - provided a substantial dowry.

[Lori Smith]

Oh, so much to say.

Blair (our very own Bigg-Wither descendant), thanks for the perspective on whether or not Cassandra would have lived with Jane had she married Harris. I just can't imagine C. attempting to talk Jane out of the match for her own benefit, but it does make for interesting speculation.

Lora Lynn--Jane was actually known before she died. She didn't want anyone to know that she was the author of her books, but dear Henry couldn't help telling everyone. The bit about the Prince Regent and the visit to Carlton House wasn't made up, and the prince did "request" the dedication of Emma, which Jane was loathe to give. She eventually realized it wasn't a request but a demand, so she included it. But Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously.

Gina--I agree. I think my goal in life is to be an aunt like Jane. ;-)

I do think Jane was warmer and kinder, in spite of her wit.

And as to why Cassandra burned her letters, expert Le Faye believes she destroyed things that were too personal, or things that would have offended one part of the family or the other. I read one estimate that said she burned about 5,000 of them. Given that, I'm shocked and grateful that any of them remain. (And even these have some lines cut out.)

[A.J. Kiesling (Angie)]

Lori, I'm paddling around in waters with much more experienced swimmers here (all you Austen experts!), but I'll offer my thoughts such as they are. I adored "Jane Austen Regrets" and thought Olivia Williams did a masterful job. I was never satisfied with Anne Hathaway's portrayal of Jane Austen in "Becoming Jane," so it was refreshing to see someone capture what I believe to be Jane's lively spirit and quit wit. I'm sure Masterpiece exercised a bit of artistic license with the Bigg-Wither proposal...from what I've read he was no catch at all, estate notwithstanding (one site called him a "large, unattractive man" who stuttered). So I don't really think she had any regrets there. If anything, I imagine her regrets were simply that the right man--her own Mr. Darcy--never came along. As a single woman, it's painful to think there might actually NOT be anyone out there for you, especially since we're trained from girlhood to believe there is a "Knightley" or "Darcy" for each of us. When Jane tells Fanny the right man will come along, and Fanny blurts back, "He never did for you," can't every single woman feel a clutching at her own heart--right along with Jane, now 40 and keenly aware that her real-world Darcy will probably never materialize? In the end, however, the movie left me with hope, both for Jane's peace with her choices ("I chose freedom") and for my own life as a single woman.

www.ajkiesling.com
author of "Where Have All the Good Men Gone?"

[Molly]

Ditto. By the end of the Miss Austen Regrets, I wasn't sure what I thought of it. At one point I considered turning it off so maybe there's my answer! I too feel a bit protective of my favorite author Jane so it was difficult to see onscreen. I did really enjoy Becoming Jane with Anne Hathaway though. It was distracting to me as well having direct quotes from her letters as dialogue. I have this picture painted in my own mind of a caring, loving, spirited author who adored her extended family of nieces and nephews, loved her siblings and found the best and most loyal friend in her sister Cassandra. By the way, I love Greta Scacchi but did she have to look like she was in her 60's? All in all, I didn't love this production and certainly didn't like the ending where they left out some of her thoughts and sayings before she died found in her newphew's book A Memoir of Jane Austen by James Edward Austen Leigh. Anyhow, that's my 2 cents! Take care.

Molly

[ms. place]

In a comment on my blog I observed that Jane was at the height of her creative powers two years before she died. People in that state feel a surge of energy and power when they are fulfilling their full potential as an artist or writer. I just cannot believe that at such a productive and creative time in her life, our Jane would feel such regret. She wouldn't have spared the time for such negative energy.

The one statement that rang true to me was when after Olivia as Jane discovered she was ill, she blurted out that she still had so many novels within her and stories to write. I thought the acting was lovely, as was the scenery, but I hated this film's dour, somber atmosphere.

[Lori Smith]

Great reminder, Ms. Place -- she was at the height of her creative powers!

[Susanna]

I liked this movie and this portrayal of Jane Austen seemed more accurate than in Becoming Jane. I could believe that this Jane would write the sharp dialogue and witty comments in her novels. Even though it was enjoying to watch, the movie did seem a bit overly sad. The actress who played Cassandra looked more like an older aunt than a sister.

[Taylor]

Hello,

My name is Taylor Trotter. For school, I am doing a project on Jane Austen. For this project I need to interview an expert. I was wondering if you were an expert. Or if you knew quite a bit about Jane Austen that could answer some of my questions. It would be really helpful for me to interview someone. If not, then if you could please direct me to someone who could.

Thank you,
Taylor Trotter