This week: The Enduring Appeal of the Classics Edited by: Kit  
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What is your favourite classic novel? Why does it appeal to you? How have these novels stood the test of time?
This week's Drama Newsletter examines these questions and, in particular, the appeal of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman will, at one point in her life or another, watch the Pride and Prejudice series featuring Colin Firth, reach that point with the shirt, and then the piano scene, and for evermore will she think fond thoughts of Mr. Darcy...
~~~
This is the time of year when, for some reason unknown to me, I feel like reading the classics. Perhaps it's because of the dresses, the balls, and the relative innocence of some of those novels. Consider a novel like Emma, by Jane Austen. There is a distinct lack of gore, and what drama there is surrounds a piano and some very questionable matchmaking.
I only arrived at the classics later in life. It is my understanding that many kids are forced to read them in English class, but as an English-as-a-second-language student I was treated to Flowers For Mrs. Harris and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾, with the most challenging reads consisting of Of Mice and Men and The Catcher in the Rye.
I can understand why we weren't handed a Jane Austen novel back then. It was bad enough when I picked up the The Lord of the Rings trilogy as my first "just for fun" English work. That was a task-and-a-half for someone coming to grips with the language, yet it's a more contemporary read with more straightforward English than Pride and Prejudice. It stands to reason that the meaning of certain words and phrases has changed over time, but during those days I would have been mightily confused! Now, I love it. It is one of my favourite novels; truly comforting.
Like so many women - don't judge me - I also love the BBC adaptation of the book. Yes, the one with Colin Firth. I'm so unoriginal. He makes a perfect Mr. Darcy, in my opinion, just like Jennifer Ehle makes a perfect Elizabeth Bennet.
Why does Pride and Prejudice still capture the imagination of readers around the world? I can only share my own perspective. It opens the door to another era, and to many issues that at first glance seem alien to me, but on closer inspection are not that unfamiliar after all.
There is the issue of money, for example. The Bennet family are not poor, but their situation is considered far beneath that of the Bingleys and the Darcys. This is one of the reasons why the ladies are deemed unsuitable for marriage to Charles and Fitzwilliam. Naturally, the romantic in me resists that notion. Why should money matter in the affairs of the heart? But then, how often in these days does a wealthy man marry a relatively poor woman, or a wealthy woman marry a relatively poor man? The not-so-wealthy woman would be considered a gold-digger, whether justified or not, and the not-so-wealthy man would not be judged much better.
Class and manners, too, are an obstacle Elizabeth and Jane have to overcome. Especially the manners of some of their family members. Whilst Mr. Bingley is not hung up on class, Mr. Darcy is, at first, and so is Elizabeth when judging him in turn. This is not uncommon in contemporary Britain. There remains a class division, with each supposed class judging the other, and that judgement does not tend to be flattering, nor fair.
Women were in a bit of a sticky situation in those days. The means to have some stability and security in life was through marriage, and this is certainly the case for the Bennet sisters, because they do not have a brother to inherit their father's property and look after them. They are dependent on men. It is fortunate that things have changed in that respect, at least in a good amount of countries and cultures. However, it is still a common line of thought that women must be after marriage, whilst jokes about "the old ball and chain" refuse to die out, as though men should feel less keen to form such an attachment. And the pressure on men remains to be the breadwinner, to earn more than his partner, to protect her, to, well, "be manly". I think it will take a while for that to fade.
One of the main sources of drama in this novel is the elopement of two characters, with the guy not actually intending to marry the girl. Judgement of him is harsh - he is the villain - but the girl's actions are seen to affect her entire family. She could bring ruin upon all and her sisters would struggle even more to find a partner of their own, because who wants to get involved with a family like that? Relationships outside the realm of marriage are no longer seen in such a dramatic light, but a woman's innocence is still valued higher than that of a man.
So, things have changed, yet are recognizable to some extent. And the love for a Mr. Darcy continues. Not, as some feel, because of his wealth, and the position of power he finds himself in. Not for me, anyway. The appeal of a Mr. Darcy is that he is a man who is steadfast in his affections, once won. He is not afraid to examine his character and improve himself when he realizes he has his flaws. He corrects his mistakes and does not fear going against his family and against his class out of love for Elizabeth. Of course such a love appeals.
Yes, I think it is time to pick up the book. Or watch the adaptation. Happy days. 
Kit
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Drama: December 16, 2020 Issue [#10519]
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