Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
There was an interesting article about Persuasion in yesterday’s Washington Post; it was sparked by the Netflix series (which does sound terrible), but the point is that Persuasion is peculiarly reflective of current times. I think sometimes people make too much of that; as far as I’m concerned, the story is the story and “relevance” is irrelevant, but I think the author makes some points that resonate.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books...sten-netflix/? |
I think we're going to see quite a bit of discourse about Persuasion because the Netflix adaptation seems to be so awful. This is from the LA Times, comparing Austen's dialogue to the adaptation:
Quote:
To begin with a perhaps quintessentially Jane Austen question: Which of these two do you prefer?
Sample A: “There could have never been two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved. Now they were as strangers; nay, worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted. It was a perpetual estrangement.”
Sample B: “A heartbeat ago, there were no two people more in rhythm than Wentworth and I. Now we’re strangers. Worse than strangers — we’re exes.”
Tricky, I know. Let’s try another:
Sample A: “The worst of Bath was the number of its plain women. He did not mean to say that there were no pretty women, but the number of the plain was out of all proportion.”
Sample B: “It’s often said that if you’re a five in London, you’re a 10 in Bath.”
Oof. Last one, I promise.
Sample A: “My being the mother is the very reason why my feelings should not be tried. I am not at all equal to it. You saw how hysterical I was yesterday.”
Sample B: “The thing about me is, I am an empath.”
|
Back on topic - I'm reading Mary Beard's delightful
SPQR.