The Genteel Reading Circle For Ladies

[EverySongbirdSays]

In which like minds will discuss Jane Austen and other such 19th Century Classics sparked from an unhealthy interest in the sex life of one Mr Collins, parson to her ladyship Catherine De Bourgh of Rosings Park

First up : Sense And Sensibility

Bring your love of Dashwood, Brandon, Willoughby, Farrars, and Emma Thompson's weird crying noise here!!!

Checking in!

Marianne and Elinor both get on my nerves. They are too extreme. Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon is Phwoar.

'They are too extreme' - Exactly. I think that is probably the point - both have to learn to adapt in order to be happier/better people.

I vote we don't try and keep pace with one another and just post as we go. Anything reasonably termed a spoiler should come with an alert but I don't think it's much needed for S and S or P and P.

People can just post their thoughts musings quotes and queries as they go and anyone scared of spoilers steer clear til finished. :-)

I love Sense & Sensibility (and MP - boo hiss Remus to the idea of killing off Fanny Price :( ) Don't really do the movies, though, other than as a Sunday afternoon entertainment with my Mum criticising where they've got things wrong.

Tickled by the idea of spoilering S&S 200 years or whatever after they were written.
Does anyone else wonder about Margaret - I know girls in the school room were meant to stay in the background, but you'd think in their circumstances, she'd be a bit more present.

I like Margaret - the few words she's allowed are great. I guess she doesn't appear much though because she's not really the 'bit of ivory' that Austen chose to focus on, just a bit of decorative trimming around the main event.

YY re spoilers - I think if anybody can't cope with spoilers, they're probably in the wrong place here.

I don't think Elinor is extreme, either, she reminds me of friends I knew when I was a teenager who had - particularly a lone - parent that needed a lot of support whether through economic crisis, relationship circs or chronic illness/disability. So desperately feeling that they had to be more grown up than they really were in order to stop the family falling apart.

Elinor is trying to emotionally and practically support a mother who has just been widowed, and has unexpectedly had the financial rug pulled from out under her. No wonder she's a bit over serious.

Margaret gets much more airtime in the film than the book and is a great little character. I wonder whether like Kitty presumably did, she got an assist in marriage from improved 'connections'

Good idea songbird. I do want to re read P &P, then I'll start S&S and join in.

Marianne always annoys the hell out of me - I've always thought of her as a spoilt brat always wanting her own way. She strikes me that she was their fathers favourite & used to getting her own way IYSWIM.

AR as Colonel Brandon - OMG! Yum yum!!

I'm in, fab idea, do we have a target date to read by, or just jump in wherever?

No, Lolly, it wouldn't work so we're doing post at your own pace, and spoilers at your peril.

Good evening. Would it be rude to enquire if there is still a little tea in that pot?

in a proper builders mug made with no pot.

Classy

Bottoms up!

My opinion of Mrs Dashwood (Snr) and Marianne is that they are two of a kind. Just as Marianne totally went with her emotions in her pursuit of Willoughby, so did Mrs Dashwood in not making sure that the late Mr D made provision for her and their daughters AND the fact that Mrs D also trusted in Mr Dashwood (Jnr)'s 'finer feelings' to provide for them. Elinor is shown (IMO) to be the only practical one of the Dashwood ladies. She knows what should be done but is unable to reach through her mother and sister's 'sensibility' to make them aware. Personally, I think she should have tried to nab Alan Rickman, errr, I mean Col Brandon for herself!

Aaaaaahhh but by the time she met Alan Rickman she was already being mercilessly teased over Mr F

LOWERING THE TONE

Do you suppose the ladies ever masturbated..................

Oh NO, Every, they had 'special doctors' who did that for them! You know, to cure 'hysteria'. (Actually, I think that may have been a Victorian era thing).

Mr F was a wishy washy milquetoast. But Col Brandon….he can plant his well polished boots under my 4-poster any day!

Downloaded! I'm going to enjoy a good reread of this, although it's never gripped me quite as much as P&P.

Can I put in a request for Wuthering Heights to be the next subject for the Genteel Ladies Reading Club? It's DH's absolute favourite book and to his consternation I've never been able to get into it With you lot posting interesting asides though I might just get through it and possibly even start enjoying it!

Oh no Warbeck isn't that just Sod's Law ?! pigs has requested we delay Heights as long as possible because she hates it!!! The plan is to do all of Austen first but then yes requests. FWIW I am of the opinion that your DH has excellent taste and you are a philistine!!! Is DH dark, brooding and passionate?

Ah bugger it, must've missed pigs' request. Could we compromise and do ALL of Austen (I do love Austen so will be very happy with that) and THEN potentially tackle Wuthering Heights? Pretty please? My dark, fairly-passionate and not-all-that-brooding DH will be delighted if we do

Ooh good thread. I shall find my copy of S&S and gather some thoughts.

Hi can I join too

I'm currently in a re-reading classics frame of mind so would love to join in. There's a few Austen novels I haven't read so now I have an excuse.