to ask who are you in pride and Prejudice?

[tomorrowalready]

As I am watching the 1995 version on Drama and thinking I would have been cast as Mary for my teenage priggishness, pedantry, lack of social skill and personal charm, I wonder how other fine Mumsnetters would cast themselves should any other production be made however unlikely that may be.

My apologies if this has been attempted before or is a dreary New Years idea for entertainment. Naturally my curiousity extends to the male members of the cast and the lower classes who are ever with us.

Definitely Kitty, completely overlooked and massively bullied by her sister, Lydia and everyone treats her as if she’s a nuisance “Hang Kitty, What Has She To Do With It?” and had the guts to run when she saw Mr Collins was visiting

Probably Darcy. I hate parties and always say the wrong thing.

I met someone recently who was a few years older than me but retired on a final salary pension, with a flat in Spain and a house in the UK, mortgages paid off, nice car and fantastic life. She worked very hard in early years, at one point working all week and then shifts at the weekend, with the view it would be worth it in the long term for the money. She specifically chose her education and career path with that outcome in mind. Whereas I have far more qualifications and a more “glamorous” job but am 10+ years before retirement and have 9 years on the mortgage. She is Charlotte!! We should all
be more Charlotte! Not in men terms, men aren’t important to her (clearly) but in terms of planning for our long term goals.

Mr Darcy when it comes to online dating.

I don't want to de-rail the thread but....can someone please explain to me the appeal of Jane Austen?

EDIT

Actually, no, don't. There's no answer really, and the discussion will go nowhere, and I'll look like a troll. I just don't get it. About every ten years I give it another go, and every time I ditch the book, irritated.

If there are any characters who are sick and tired of people trying to tell them what to do and what to think etc, then I am that character. Especially if it’s to do with toxic parents.

If you were a gentry daughter with none of the professions open to you snd virtually no education, you had the choice of marrying where you could, which depended entirely on your fortune and looks, or being a dependent on whichever family member can afford to keep you after your parents die.

Charlotte Lucas gets a lucky break with Mr Collins, as she was always plain, had no fortune, at 27 has aged out of the marriage market, and her younger brothers are already complaining about having to support her when they’re older.

I'm probably Lady Anne de Bourgh — sickly and cross.

Lady Anne de Bourgh? All we hear is that she looks sickly and cross, and she never speaks — possibly because she’s plotting how to kill her overbearing mother?

I'm another one of the dozens of invisible, anonymous skivvies. I'd be emptying chamber pots and skinning rabbits and scrubbing doorsteps, like countless generations of my ancestors. #classwar

I've just looked to see if Richard Franks does any take offs of Jane Austen. He's on youtube and hilarious. We first found him when trying to explain the plotlines of Macbeth to a disinterested Ds1.

Worth a look. I'm still trying to find a good one, but keep getting distracted by his other videos........

wedontwalk Think of how it’s placed in time and what it means historically if you don’t like the books.

The most readable book to understand the impact of Austen (honestly, she’s the most important writer ever) is “Jane Austen, the secret radical” by Helena Kelly.

I'd love to be as dramatic as Mrs Bennet taking to my bed with my poor nerves !!! In reality maybe a Kitty...on the outskirts of the drama more 🤔

Well, maybe say what it is you find so unappealing? I mean, I’m not keen on Dickens (all that cartoonishness and comedy flat characters), but I’ve still read most of them, and can see why other people enjoy him.

For me the attraction of Jane Austen as a writer is just that she was an artist and rises above the stereotypical limits of her circumscribed subject matter. I am not interested in "romantic stories" - in P&P for instance Darcy and Bingley are not much more than ciphers for the female action. It's her wit and elegance of language and syntax, her ability to show the inner lives of characters in dialogue and reported action. One of my interests in her books is her portayal of various absent, irresponsible, neglectful, manipulative and/or abusive parents or guardian figures, often when they are never seen in the action of the story.

Probably Mary, but without her musical talent, would love to be Elizabeth.

Actually I’m probably Georgianna Darcy, very gullible and Naive.

Lydia in my younger days. I do love the book, it’s one of my all time favourites!

I know a few people have already claimed the role but I think I am probably Mrs Gardiner - favourite aunty, providing treats and holidays for my nieces and being a listening ear and a source of wise advice when needed.

As the 2nd daughter in a family of girls I should have been Lizzie but I'm not nearly a good enough conversationalist for that role, and I never found Mr Darcy (DH is perfectly acceptable but not in that league)

Also Georgiana Darcy I think, very sheltered and a bit of a fool but some potential for improvement. Imagine growing up with Darcy breaking out to have a fling with the luscious Wickham only to be dumped, kept as a virtual prisoner and then suddenly finding you had Elizabeth Bennett as a sister in law to cheer things up. What a turnaround.

It’s a tricky one, the appeal of Jane Austen. I have always loved her writing and the comedy of it - these terrible heroines, unappealing relationships in which nearly everyone is trapped, Elizabeth is the only exception, every one of the others is awful. (My pet theory is that Jane Austen is Marianne and her sister Cassandra is Elinor in Sense & Sensibility, and the book is an unparalleled act of sisterly aggression and subconscious resentment). These days I see the darkness and social satire almost more than the comedy.

A little bit of all them, I think!

Probably Mrs Bennet but with a healthy helping of Mrs Gardiner due to my fondness for walking holidays and nosing around other people's homes.

Ok, so in case no-one else has mentioned it, you have to read the book "Longbourne" by Jo Baker.

It's P&P from the point of one of those anonymous skivvies, and it's really good.

Oh I've got that sitting waiting to start !

Mr Bingley. Hopelessly jolly over-eager golden retriever in human form.

@Hatty65same 😁