200 Years of Glorious Emma

So as I mentioned in an earlier post, I decided instead of reading through each Jane Austen novel one by one, I will instead read four chapters of one and then move on to another, then another, etc; that way each book would get posted on. I decided to do this mainly because Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion are really forgotten in the Austen fan world. Also because it is more fun this way. I started with Pride and Prejudice as it turned 200 in 2013. Then I moved on to Sense and Sensibility as it was the first book published. I should do Mansfield Park next, but decided to wait as this year is a special year. Yes 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of 1985, of which I have written a post celebrating The Breakfast Club, will be posting one on Back to the Future, and one honoring the rest of the awesome stuff that came out that year. BUT, 2015 marks another anniversary, this Christmas marks the 200th Birthday of Emma.

Emma is a very unique character unlike any of the other Austen heroines. Many people don’t like this book because they don’t like Emma. I know my friends who love Austen tend to like her least of all the Austen heroines as they think she is too shallow or silly. In fact Jane Austen herself said that in writing Emma:

“I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.”

Well I love Emma. Most likely because she and I have a lot of similarities.

Sister’s amor hating you, a guy who won’t stop following you around. In my case 3), a friend who has a trifecta of boys rejecting her, deciding to become a spinster, has meddled in friends’ love lives…need I go on?

I am who I am

There are probably many of you out there who have had similar experiences.

But Emma is more than just fluff and comedic moments. Through this novel Jane Austen was able to share her own ideas of spinsterhood and how being a spinster who could care for one’s self (like Jane was able to) was nothing to look down on or pity.

Yep, just like her modern counterpart, Cher from Clueless, there is something about that girl that is just lovable.

Not to mention Emma has the amazing Mr. Knightly.

Like with the other two books, I will also will be reviewing books and films that are either another version/interpretation of the story or based on the book with a twist. Hope you all enjoy!

Books:

Emma: A BabyLit Emotions Primer by Jennifer Adams

Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken

Emma (Jane Austen Children’s Stories #4) by Jane Austen, adapted by Gemma Barder

A Visit to Highbury: Another View of Emma by Joan Austen-Leigh & Jane Austen

Victoria and the Rogue (An Avon True Romance #12) by Meg Cabot

“An Honest Man” by Karen M. Cox from Dangerous to Know, Jane Austen’s Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues: MODERATE edited by Christina Boyd

The Emma Project (The Rajes #4) by Sonali Dev

Mr. Knightley’s Diary (Jane Austen Heros #2) by Amanda Grange

Interference by Kay Honeyman

Emma: Manga Classics adapted by Stacy King and illustrated by Tse

Pride, Prejudice, and Personal Statements by Mary Pagones

Rational Creatures: Emma Woodhouse, Miss Bates, & Harriet Smith by Anngela Schroeder, J. Marie Croft, and Caitlin Williams; edited by Christina Boyd

Amanda by Debra White Smith

Daring Chloe (Getaway Girls #1) by Laura Jensen Walker

Film:

Clueless (1995)

Emma (1996) AKA Gwyneth Paltrow

Emma (1996) AKA Kate Beckinsale

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

Emma (2009)

Emma Approved (2013)

We Are Family: Austentatious, Episode 1 (2015)

Big Girls Don’t Cry: Austentatious, Episode 2 (2015)

I’ll Be Watching You: Austentatious, Episode 3 (2015)

Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Austentatious, Episode 4 (2015)

Call Me, Maybe: Austentatious, Episode 5 (2015)

Drive Me Crazy: Austentatious, Episode 6 (2015)

Make Me a Match: Austentatious, Episode 7 (2015)

Take a Chance on Me: Austentatious, Episode 8 (2015)

Achy Breaky Heart: Austentatious Episode 9 (2015)

Lean On Me: Austentatious Episode 10 (2015)

For more on Emma, go to Opening With…

For more quizzes, go to Lookin’ Over a Four-Leaf Clover

That Would Make Me Happy

Day 8) Favorite Disney Female Sidekick

Merryweather

So I haven’t really talked a lot about my family on here. I tend to try and stay away from making posts about people I know as if they ever read this I don’t want them getting upset with me.  So I have two older siblings, Paige and Holly. Now I love Sleeping Beauty a lot, in fact Aurora is my favorite princess (second to Princess Leia). I wanted to be her (and was for two Halloweens) and used to act it out every year. Now I don’t know if my sister Paige was trying to be mean to me or create a bond between the three of us girls (when I was a little girl I always thought it was the first one), but she would tell me that I couldn’t be Aurora I had to be Merryweather. Paige was to be the leader Flora, Holly Fauna, and I had to be Merryweather. Now as a kid I hadn’t having to be be her, but you know what, the older I get the more I realize what an awesome character she is. She is smart, caring, sassy, and just plain hilarious. And she sounds just like me.

Like wanting to turn the people you hate into a toad? I agree, let’s take them out.

She’s not afraid to speak her mind and give her opinion on things, although sometimes it bites her in the butt.

Plus you gotta love Merryweather for the fact that she’s the smartest of the three fairies. First of all she saves Aurora’s life.

And then saves it again

“Flora: I’ll turn her into a flower.
Merryweather: Maleficent?
Flora: [chuckles] No, no, dear. The princess.
Fauna: Oh, she’d make a lovely flower.
Flora: Don’t you see? A flower can’t prick its finger.
Merryweather: It hasn’t any.
Fauna: That’s right.
Flora: She’ll be perfectly safe.
Merryweather: Until Maleficent sends a frost.
Flora: [laughs, then stops abruptly] Yes… oh dear.”

Plus she is the only one who actually knows how to do any thing without her wand.

[preparing for Aurora’s birthday party]
Merryweather: But, I never baked a *fancy* cake.
Flora: Oh, you won’t have to, dear!
Fauna: *I’m* going to bake the cake!
Merryweather: You?
Flora: Oh, she’s always wanted to, dear, and this is her last chance.
Merryweather: [doubtfully] Well…
Fauna: I’m going to make it 15 layers with pink and blue forget-me-nots.
Fauna: And *I’m* making the dress.
Merryweather: But you can’t sew! And she’s *never* cooked!”

Yep Merryweather’s been doing it all.

Plus Merryweather doesn’t care whether or not Aurora marries a prince, she just wants her to be happy.

“Merryweather: [irked] Ooh, I don’t see why she has to marry any old… prince!”  

More Merryweather sass

For more on Sleeping Beauty, go to Prince of a Man

For more on a Disney Princess, go to A Hidden Wonder

For more on Disney Sidekicks, go to Squeak, Squeakity, Squeak-ems

For more on Disney, go to Episode VI: Return of the My Favorite Movie Lines List

For more on Birthdays, go to Happy B-day

For more on Princess Leia, go to Be Like Han

By George He’s Perfect

Just finished a reading Emma and Mr. Knightly is so awesome! He is kind, caring, and it is so romantic how he is willing to give up his only chance for true love and happiness because he thinks he isn’t right for Emma. He travels through any element to be by Emma’s side; he’s better than the post office.

Mr. Knightly is also wise, an excellent judge of character, and the best Austen detective. After all he is the one to figured out who sent the piano and what Frank Churchill was hiding.

He is also the voice of reason, able to stop arguments, and calmly resolves any problematic situations. For example; when there is a fear of being snowed in at the Westons, the canceling of Box Hill, or how to be able to marry Emma but not take her away from her father.

 

Mr. Knightly is also the perfect gentleman. He cares for Mr. Woodhouse (through both real and hypochondriac ailments), makes sure that Mr. Weston is protected from John Knightly’s vicious tongue; along with insuring that Mr. Woodhouse has plenty to occupy himself with during any party, so that Emma can have time to enjoy herself.

He is also willing to give up his home, routine, being head of the house, and move in with the Woodhouses; so that Mr. Woodhouse and Emma won’t have to be separated, nor Mr. Woodhouse’s routine be changed.

He also uses his carriage to pick up Miss Bates and Jane so that they don’t have to walk in the cold. He is always thinking of others. How caring and sweet is that!

One of the things I really love about the Mr. Knightly and Emma relationship is how comfortable they are with each other. Since they were friends first, they can really talk to each other along with teasing. As most of the other novels show the romantic leads meeting for the first time near the beginning of the novel, they don’t have this same kind of closeness. And the books that have the same kind of history between their main leads, have other situations standing in the way of them having this type of relationship. 

And like all Austen men, besides a having a great personality, strong sense of character, and being kind to others; he is also handsome and has a “tall, firm, upright figure…”

And while he might not think so, he is also an amazing dancer. One of my favorite parts:

“Whom are you going to dance with?’
‘With you, if you will ask me.’
‘Will you?’
‘Indeed I will. you have shewn[sic] that you can dance, and you know we are not really so much brother and sister as to make it improper’
Brother and sister! no, indeed”

I agree when Emma says that he  is “superior..to every other being upon earth…” (Or at least any being in this novel 😊)

I simply LOVED the end of the novel! He gives such a great proposal!

“My dearest Emma…for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour’s conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma…”

“Within half an hour, he had passed from a thoroughly distressed state of mind, to something so like perfect happiness, that it could bear no other name.”

“She was his own Emma, by hand and word, when they returned into the house; and if he could have thought of Frank Churchill then, he might have deemed him a good sort of fellow.”

Before I read Emma, I had just seen the films and while I liked Mr. Knightley (I mean who wouldn’t); after reading the book I fell head over heels in love with him. Now he is one of my main Austen men.

Plenty for Everyone