Last week's guest at My Blogger Buddies weekly event was Laurel Ann at Austenprose. Did you miss my interview? I hope you didn't. Laurel Ann generously decided to give away two Austen based books the winners could choose from a rich and intersting list of titles.
The two lucky winners are
1. Meredith
2. Alexa Adams
Congratulations!!!
Could you e-mail me back picking up your favourite title from the list and adding your address?
Thanks Laurel Ann for taking the time to answer my questions, for being my guest and for this great giveaway!
2. A TRIP TO A NEO - GOTHIC CASTLE
(Castello Massimo di Arsoli - Rome)
Yesterday it was a warm sunny spring Sunday and in the afteroon I went on a very pleasant trip, to a small old town nearby, surrounded by green mountains and towered by an old renaissance palace later on re-stylished as a gothic castle in the 19th century. It is an impressive place, owned by the heirs of an ancient noble Italian family, the Massimos. It is usually closed but yesterday it was opened to the public with free entrance. How could I miss the chance? Many thanks to the dear friend who invited me to join her there. It has been a unique picturesque afternoon walk.
It'd the perfect location for a period movie. Any idea? Have a look at the pictures and at the official site ... which title would you suggest?
3. MANSFIELD PARK AT MY JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB
I've posted the solution of the game on Edmund Bertram's timeline and some notes I've been preparing for our next meeting on Friday. Mansfield Park is a controversial novel, maybe one of the least loved among Austen's works, anyhow very interesting each time I happen to leaf through it. I've listed some of the themes I'd like to discuss with my mates. Have you got any other suggestion?
Do you remember? It was a great historical novel based on the life of King Richard III in which Sharon Kay Penman tries to redeem the historical figure from the portrayal of a wicked sovereign Shakespeare depicted in his play.
Here are the commenters who entered the giveaway
1. Buddyt
2. Jane GS
3. Virgulina
4. Mystica
5. Luciana
6. Janicu
7. Missbluestocking
8. Marie Burton
9. Alexa Adams
10. Lua
11. Katherine
12. Roberta
13. Cariito
14. MelU
15. Felicia
THE LUCKY WINNER IS....
CONGRATULATIONS LUCIANA!!!
YOU WON THIS GREAT BOOK. ENJOY YOUR READING.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO ANA T. FOR BEING MY GUEST!
And now this month's heroine at My Jane Austen Book Club: Fanny Price. As you know I'm re-reading Mansfield Park this month for my reading club. In this post I confess my perplexities respect to Fanny and my total incapacity to get to like her very much. Can any of you, my Janeite friends, help me to change my mind? To convince me that I'm partially or completely wrong? You'll find also a link to a multiple choice test with self correction at the end of my ramblings. If you want to try it ...
Mansfield Park has the negative reputation of being disliked by more of Jane Austen's fans than any of her other novels. I've read somewhere that "Fanny Wars" have broken out in internet discussion forums. This novel themes are very different from those of Jane Asuten's other books, which can be easily summed up into one sentence: Sense and Sensibility is about balancing emotions and thought, Pride and Prejudice is about judging others too quickly, Emma is about growing into adulthood, and Persuasion is about second chances. The theme of Mansfield Park, on the other hand, cannot be so easily described. Is it about ordination? Is it an allegory on Regency England? Is it about slavery? Is it about the education of children? Is it about the difference between appearances and reality? Is it about the results of breaking with society's conventions and good manners? Any, or all of those themes can, and have been recognized in Mansfield Park.
The main problem for most of the novel's detractors is the heroine, Fanny Price. She is shy, timid, lacking in self-confidence, physically weak, and seemingly—to some, annoyingly—always right. Austen's own mother called her "insipid", and many have used the word "priggish". She is certainly not like the lively and witty Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice. But Mansfield Park also has many supporters, whose admiration and loyalty can be attributed to the depth and complexity of the themes in the book and to the main character—a young woman who is unlike most heroines found in literature.
One thing is certain, this novel is not like Jane Austen's others. The girl-gets-boy plot of her other work is mostly absent here, and the heroine's success in finding love is treated briefly, quickly, and for many readers unsatisfactorily. Only in the final chapter Fanny gets the love she deserves.
Jane Austen 's Mansfield Park was published on May 4, 1814 and it was Austen's third published novel; though, as with all of her novels, her name was not attached to it until after her death.
RE - WATCHING MANSFIELD PARK 1999 & 2007
Before wrapping - up my beloved EVERYTHING AUSTEN CHALLENGE ( taking part in it was great fun!) , I've re-read Austen's Mansfield Park and especially re-watched comparatively its 1999 film adaptation , starring Frances O'Connor ( as Fanny Price) and Jonny Lee Miller (as Edmund Bertram) and its 2007 ITV adaptation with Billie Piper (Fanny) and Blake Ritson (Edmund).
I must confess , my mind was caught into a dizzy confusion seeing both EMMA 2009 's Mr Knightley and Mr Elton propose and kiss Fanny Price! In fact, Jonny Lee Miller played Edmund Bertram in 1999 and Mr Knightley in 2009, while Blake Ritson was Edmund in 2007 and Mr Elton in 2009. But I want to be immediately clear: my favourite Edmund Bertram is my favourite Mr Knightley , Jonny Lee Miller.
Now, while I loved re-watching the 1999 film version - though not always accurate if compared to the original text - I realized I didn't like 2007 ITV adaptation so much ( I thought I liked it when I got the DVD from Amazon last year!) once I had compared it to the oldest version. And that for several reasons, among which:
- its fast pace, which makes many parts of the novel disappear abruptedly
- no irony nor wit
- Billie Piper is not convincingly shy or insecure, her look is too modern , her characterization too free and easy to convey the real Fanny Price
- Hayley Atwell 's Mary Crawford loses the match if compared to wonderful Embeth Davidtz in 1999 version
- Blake Ritson's Edmund reminded me 2009 Mr Elton's stare from time to time and I tended to ... laugh!
SCREENCAPS FROM THE 1999 FILM VERSION
SCREENCAPS FROM ITV 2007 ADAPTATION
THE GAME OF THE PROPOSALS
Yes, I know. This is not the first time I propose this game to you, but, you see, these are the best moments in these movies and I love watching, re-watching and comparing the emotions they convey. I'm an incurable romantic, you are right. Be patient with me and take part in the game only if you really feel like or if you are as romantic as I am.
CLIP 1 . MANSFIELD PARK 1999 - Final scene
CLIP 2 . ITV MANSFIELD PARK 2007 - Final scene
No doubt the more recent version gives us a very lively finale. While, have you noticed how much Jonny/ Edmund's final revelation of his feelings resembles Jonny/Mr Knightley's declaration to Emma? Try to compare the two ones. Do you agree with me? So, what's your favourite adaptation? Do you also think MANSFIELD PARK is the least enjoyable among Jane Austen's novels? What about Fanny Price? Do you like her?
Now before leaving you to your reflections, I wanted to thank STEPHANIE for hosting such a wonderful challenge!
