Thursday, June 3, 2010

Top 5 things you can do to irk a Janeite

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1. Spell Austen with an I - Austin.

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2. Refer to Jane Austen as a Victorian. ("Jane was NOT a Victorian, she died YEARS before Victoria was BORN!!")

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The worst Austen adaptation ever?

3. Dismiss all of Austen's works after seeing one bad movie adaptation. ("Never, EVER, judge a book by it's movie!")

Mansfield Park 1999
If you think this is all there is to Austen. . .

4. Dismiss all of Austen's novels on the basis that "nothing happens" in them. ("Nothing happens in them, yet everything that matters happens in them!")

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5. Use the first line of Pride and Prejudice to open an article, news piece, or advertisement. It has long ceased to be funny or original.

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Do you have any suggestions to add to the list?

12 comments:

Theresa said...

haha, love it!
Here is another one that gets me: Refer to Austen's books as "romance novels" or novels just for women [and therefore without literary merit]. Arrgh!

The Editrix said...

^Yep, that always bothers me, too. . .

Lindsey said...

These are great! What about when people spell "Lizzy" "Lizzie"?

The Editrix said...

^Oooh yes. . . or when they spell Bennet "Bennett"!

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

Oh, dear! I feel totally unworthy to comment now, because I have thought, for the longest time, that Lizzy Bennet's name is spelled "Lizzie Bennett"! LOL!

But before I am banished from your blog, Elise, I thought I'd let you know that Misty of Book Rat is having a month-long "Jane in June" online festival. Why don't you link up this post? =) I'm sure you'll get more Janeites who'll be able to expand your list!

http://bookrat-misty.blogspot.com/2010/06/link-up-your-jane-in-june-posts-here.html

The Editrix said...

Oh Enbrithiliel, don't feel that bad!! And please come back to my blog, LOL! :D Janeites (like me) carry on a lot about stupid things (like the correct spelling of Elizabeth Bennet's name), but our bark is always worse than our bite, to use a hackneyed phrase (wouldn't Marianne Dashwood disapprove! :P). ;-)

And thanks for that suggestion, I'm going to check it out right now.

Atlanta said...

I hate it when guys ask 'How could Jane Austen write books about marriage when she was never married?' Does anyone else get asked that?

(and her books aren't solely about marriage. To me she is constantly and subtly critiquing all sorts of good and bad real-life human relationships)

Apprentice Seamstress said...

People knowing Jane Austen by the movie Becoming Jane, and not by her works or her "real" life story.
That one always makes me mad!

Anonymous said...

Some people think Jane was "mean" and "sarcastic" in her writing. They totally miss her ironic tone! That's pretty irksome.

Elinor Dashwood/Melanie said...

Ohhhh yes, about Jane "Austin"! I don't know why people can't see it written and just... spell it that way!! :-P

One thing that annoys me is when people take a quote that one of her character's says and twists it to prove that she wasn't a good author, without looking at the context. I know one girl who is ADAMANTLY anti-Jane ( :-) ) who took Mr. Knightly's quote about surprises being inconvenient or whatever, as "another proof against Jane Austen". :-S

Oh! And when people think "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" (or whatever that is) and think Jane Austen wrote it. :-S !!!

Natasha Atkerson said...

Yeah, those are pretty funny! (in an irratating sort of way!) I agree most especially with the first one! I find it hilarious that people say Jane "Austin" is there favorite author! :) You'd think they'd know how to spell there "fav" author's name!

The Editrix said...

Those are all great suggestions, guys! (Um, I mean girls! :-) I might have to do a "Part Two" for this post.