1813, 1966 Norton Critical edition
Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice
Price unknown
Falling apart paperback
A-
I dropped out of college when I was 19. My boyfriend hung in a bit longer before he dropped out, too. We eventually married and divorced. During that time when he was in college and I wasn't, he was assigned Pride and Prejudice. He couldn't get through it, but I'd heard good things about Jane Austen, so I borrowed his book. I've been borrowing it for 24 years, rereading it at least a dozen times, and it obviously wasn't even a new copy at the time.
What is it about Pride & Prejudice that stays with me, and so many other readers? The shortest answer is Lizzy. Austen's, perhaps British literature's, best heroine is witty but sometimes clueless, kind but occasionally misanthropic. She loves her family and she's ashamed of them (except for dear Jane of course). She can fall for the smooth talk of Wickham (like Elinor trusting Willoughby), and yet analyse a letter like a scholar. Lizzy is not my absolute favorite Austen protagonist (that's Emma Woodhouse, as I'll explain for that novel), partly because she's so many people's favorite, but she never ceases to delight me.
P & P is a novel full of fun characters. There are ones that you'd never want to live with or even visit-- Mr. Collins, Mrs. Bennet, and Lady Catherine springing immediately to mind-- but at the safe distance of fiction they endlessly amuse with their self-centredness and idiocy. (Even Lady C is a bit of a dolt, with things like her claim that she and her daughter would've been very talented musicians if they'd only ever taken lessons.) And there are characters that aren't necessary to the plot, like Sir Lucas and Mr. Hurst, that still entertain when they show up.
In my review of Sense and Sensibility, I said that this novel is more insightful. For example, Lizzy herself admits that she enjoys "hating" Mr. Darcy and hopes she won't find dancing with him enjoyable. And there's the line about how when, after an anticipated event fails to live up to expectations, the only thing to do is to start looking forward to another event. Lizzy and the other characters, even the exaggerated ones, feel real and sometimes relatable.
My ex-husband did eventually come round to this novel, I think mostly due to the very good 1995 Firth & Ehle TV version. I think Jennifer Ehle is perfect, from her voice to her "fine eyes." I actually like Colin Firth better in some of his other roles, but then I'm not as enamored of Darcy as some people are. I've grown used to Darcy, including his snobbishness, but he'd be about fifth on my "Austen hunks" list. (Ahead of Col. Brandon and Capt. Wentworth anyway.) I think partly due to Firth's "wet shirt" scene, Darcy is regarded as very swoonworthy, and not coincidentally most Austen spin-off fiction (in the sense of professionally published fanfic) seems to be Pemberley-centric. I've read one Darcy & Lizzy later-years novel, but I can't remember anything about it.
As the 1813 Critical Review critic noted, Lizzy & Darcy are like Beatrice & Benedick, and the "love-hate" here has probably influenced even more romantic comedies than Much Ado About Nothing. The thing about MAAN, and some rom-coms, is that the hate changes to love for no other reason than that interfering friends (and the authors) decide it should. At least here, both characters go through changes, not only from their prejudiced views of each other (and Darcy's disparagement of Lizzy at a ball is borrowed from Evelina) but from their original selves. By the time they reconcile, months have passed and they've both grown into better people, mainly from knowing each other. Their arguments aren't just "battles of the sexes" but clashes of world views. Each is shaken up by meeting such a different person, and it's a broadening experience. And yet, they aren't total opposites, because they have shared values, as with the Lydia crisis.
A few words about Lydia. In the hands of most writers, she'd be just irritating, but Austen makes her funny and believable as well. Whether she's loudly yawning and saying, "Lord, I'm tired!" or chasing after soldiers, she is a recognisable fifteen-year-old of a certain type that still exists. She is both a scene-stealer and someone that the reader gets sick of. And, as with Lucy in S & S, Austen feels no need to punish her, beyond giving her the shallow husband she wants and deserves.
P & P isn't a perfect book (I'm not sure I've ever read a perfect book), and if I had to pick one flaw, it'd be that too many of the conversations are indirect quotations. I understand that in some cases this is to save time, but how can Darcy's first proposal go completely paraphrased, particularly after we get to see all of Mr. Collins's? I love Austen's ironic distance, but there are times when she should bring the reader closer to the action.
Because this is a critical edition, another student used this copy before my ex, and there are a few notes written in an unfamiliar hand, mostly about the impact of money on love.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sense and Sensibility
1811, 1983 Bantam Classic edition
Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility
Bought new (but a few years after '83) for $3.95
Tattered paperback
B+
I reread Jane Austen every year or two, since she's my favorite writer. This isn't my favorite book of hers, but it's an impressive first published work. It has the romance and drama of 18th-century works but with more realistic dialogue and events. It also has Austen's dry humour, as seen in Elinor's remark to Marianne about dry leaves, as well as the narrator's ironic praise of Lucy's "unceasing attention to self-interest." It isn't a perfect book, and in fact I think the 1995 Emma Thompson script improves on it in three significant ways: fleshing out Margaret's character, omitting Edward's first visit to the cottage (so that it's more dramatic when he visits Elinor in London), and reducing the amount of Marianne's mope-time in London. On the other hand, we do lose such delightfully self-centred characters as Lady Middleton and the elder Miss Steele. The small children are also omitted, and some of Elinor and/or the narrator's sarcastic observations are thus lost, too.
The worst omission, which apparently it frustrated Thompson and producer Lindsay Doran to have to let go, is of course Willoughby's reappearance, just after Marianne has passed the crisis point of her illness. In the next book, Mrs. Bennet will claim that "people do not die of little trifling colds," but this wasn't necessarily true in the early 19th century. Marianne has been neglecting her health since her rejection by Willoughby, and wandering in the rain could actually be fatal at this point. Then Willoughby shows up and tells a story of his "suffering," which generally reasonable Elinor accepts at face value. At the end of Mansfield Park, the narrator drily points out the difference between how men and women were punished in her society for missteps. Here, Marianne is guilty mainly of an adolescent's innocent embrace of the cult of sensibility (in the sense of celebrating your feelings, with "sense" matching the modern meaning of "sensible"). Ironically, she's also been too insensitive, to other people, which she repents of. In any case, she's done no permanent damage. Willoughby, however, has not only seduced and abandoned 17-year-old Eliza Williams, but he jilts 17-year-old Marianne in order to marry an heiress he dislikes.
"But that he was forever inconsolable, that he fled from society, or contracted an habitual gloom of temper, or died of a broken heart, must not be depended on; for he did neither. He lived to exert, and frequently to enjoy himself. His wife was not always out of humour, nor his home always uncomfortable; and in his breed of horses and dogs, and in sporting of every kind, he found no inconsiderable degree of domestic felicity."
Marianne does find her happy ending as well, with a man she originally (and with reason) found too old and sombre for her. As a modern 43-year-old woman, it is weird for me to see a 35-year-old man treated as an elderly invalid, but this was meant to be ironic even at the time. When I first read this book in my early 20s, it was equally strange to see a hypothetical 27-year-old spoken of as a spinster, and I hadn't yet read Persuasion. (Austen was 35 when S & S was published.) The age difference is odd, although it wouldn't stand out in, say, Tolstoy. More importantly though, Marianne and Col. Brandon are very different, and it doesn't feel like opposites attract for her. There is a slight aftertaste of her friends and family having pressured her into marrying him, even if she does end up whole-heartedly loving him. In any case, the Marianne/Brandon romance is the main reason why I can't give this story a higher grade. It's also a less quotable and insightful book than its successor.
I haven't said much about Elinor, who in some ways is more the main character than Marianne. This neglect is appropriate since Elinor represses her feelings so much that even her own mother thinks much more about Marianne. As readers, we're shown what Elinor's hiding from the world, but we still don't fully participate in her emotions. The tone is too offputting. I like Elinor-- and, yes, Emma Thompson's performance helps, never mind if she was too old (as if Alan Rickman wasn't!)-- but I don't love her or Marianne as I love some of the other Austen heroines. I find Catherine of the Bower, or even Lady Susan, more intriguing, and just about all of the later Austen protagonists engage me more. Still, I do like the sisterly dynamic here, the ways that the "title characters" play off each other.
Whew, only 200 years to go!
Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility
Bought new (but a few years after '83) for $3.95
Tattered paperback
B+
I reread Jane Austen every year or two, since she's my favorite writer. This isn't my favorite book of hers, but it's an impressive first published work. It has the romance and drama of 18th-century works but with more realistic dialogue and events. It also has Austen's dry humour, as seen in Elinor's remark to Marianne about dry leaves, as well as the narrator's ironic praise of Lucy's "unceasing attention to self-interest." It isn't a perfect book, and in fact I think the 1995 Emma Thompson script improves on it in three significant ways: fleshing out Margaret's character, omitting Edward's first visit to the cottage (so that it's more dramatic when he visits Elinor in London), and reducing the amount of Marianne's mope-time in London. On the other hand, we do lose such delightfully self-centred characters as Lady Middleton and the elder Miss Steele. The small children are also omitted, and some of Elinor and/or the narrator's sarcastic observations are thus lost, too.
The worst omission, which apparently it frustrated Thompson and producer Lindsay Doran to have to let go, is of course Willoughby's reappearance, just after Marianne has passed the crisis point of her illness. In the next book, Mrs. Bennet will claim that "people do not die of little trifling colds," but this wasn't necessarily true in the early 19th century. Marianne has been neglecting her health since her rejection by Willoughby, and wandering in the rain could actually be fatal at this point. Then Willoughby shows up and tells a story of his "suffering," which generally reasonable Elinor accepts at face value. At the end of Mansfield Park, the narrator drily points out the difference between how men and women were punished in her society for missteps. Here, Marianne is guilty mainly of an adolescent's innocent embrace of the cult of sensibility (in the sense of celebrating your feelings, with "sense" matching the modern meaning of "sensible"). Ironically, she's also been too insensitive, to other people, which she repents of. In any case, she's done no permanent damage. Willoughby, however, has not only seduced and abandoned 17-year-old Eliza Williams, but he jilts 17-year-old Marianne in order to marry an heiress he dislikes.
"But that he was forever inconsolable, that he fled from society, or contracted an habitual gloom of temper, or died of a broken heart, must not be depended on; for he did neither. He lived to exert, and frequently to enjoy himself. His wife was not always out of humour, nor his home always uncomfortable; and in his breed of horses and dogs, and in sporting of every kind, he found no inconsiderable degree of domestic felicity."
Marianne does find her happy ending as well, with a man she originally (and with reason) found too old and sombre for her. As a modern 43-year-old woman, it is weird for me to see a 35-year-old man treated as an elderly invalid, but this was meant to be ironic even at the time. When I first read this book in my early 20s, it was equally strange to see a hypothetical 27-year-old spoken of as a spinster, and I hadn't yet read Persuasion. (Austen was 35 when S & S was published.) The age difference is odd, although it wouldn't stand out in, say, Tolstoy. More importantly though, Marianne and Col. Brandon are very different, and it doesn't feel like opposites attract for her. There is a slight aftertaste of her friends and family having pressured her into marrying him, even if she does end up whole-heartedly loving him. In any case, the Marianne/Brandon romance is the main reason why I can't give this story a higher grade. It's also a less quotable and insightful book than its successor.
I haven't said much about Elinor, who in some ways is more the main character than Marianne. This neglect is appropriate since Elinor represses her feelings so much that even her own mother thinks much more about Marianne. As readers, we're shown what Elinor's hiding from the world, but we still don't fully participate in her emotions. The tone is too offputting. I like Elinor-- and, yes, Emma Thompson's performance helps, never mind if she was too old (as if Alan Rickman wasn't!)-- but I don't love her or Marianne as I love some of the other Austen heroines. I find Catherine of the Bower, or even Lady Susan, more intriguing, and just about all of the later Austen protagonists engage me more. Still, I do like the sisterly dynamic here, the ways that the "title characters" play off each other.
Whew, only 200 years to go!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The Watsons
1804-05
Jane Austen
The Watsons
B
This unfinished novel is the first of Austen's surviving works to really offer her "three or four families in a country village." (The neighbourhood of Jack and Alice consists of about a dozen people, but the story is hardly a sincere examination of how the different families interact.) The heroine, Emma Watson, also resembles later Austen main characters in being intelligent and kind. And there are the snobs and fops that will populate the later works. Still, there are some things that set this novel apart, besides its lack of a middle and an end. According to Jane's sister Cassandra's remarks, Emma's romantic rival would've been Lady Osborne, who's pushing fifty. Emma's brother Sam is a surgeon, a very different profession than the ones that Fanny Price's and Catherine Morland's brothers pursue. (Austen heroines tend to either have no brothers or multiple brothers that join either the church or the navy.) And Mr. Watson is an invalid, but a far more intelligent one than the other Emma W's father.
Jane Austen
The Watsons
B
This unfinished novel is the first of Austen's surviving works to really offer her "three or four families in a country village." (The neighbourhood of Jack and Alice consists of about a dozen people, but the story is hardly a sincere examination of how the different families interact.) The heroine, Emma Watson, also resembles later Austen main characters in being intelligent and kind. And there are the snobs and fops that will populate the later works. Still, there are some things that set this novel apart, besides its lack of a middle and an end. According to Jane's sister Cassandra's remarks, Emma's romantic rival would've been Lady Osborne, who's pushing fifty. Emma's brother Sam is a surgeon, a very different profession than the ones that Fanny Price's and Catherine Morland's brothers pursue. (Austen heroines tend to either have no brothers or multiple brothers that join either the church or the navy.) And Mr. Watson is an invalid, but a far more intelligent one than the other Emma W's father.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The Wrongs of Woman
1798, published posthumously by husband William Godwin
Mary Wollstonecraft
The Wrongs of Woman: Or, Maria
B-
Although this is in some ways as depressing as Mary, A Fiction, it has more raw emotion and a stronger sense of the, well, wrongs of woman. The intervening decade between her two novels had both politicised Wollstonecraft and put her through a lot of emotional drama. This novel was not quite finished (there's at least one subplot left conspicuously dangling), but as it stands it's a promising tragedy. My favorite moment is at the end, when the hypocritical judge worries that it would set a bad precedent if women had more say in divorce.
Overall, weighting the shorter works less, this collection averages out to a B-.
Mary Wollstonecraft
The Wrongs of Woman: Or, Maria
B-
Although this is in some ways as depressing as Mary, A Fiction, it has more raw emotion and a stronger sense of the, well, wrongs of woman. The intervening decade between her two novels had both politicised Wollstonecraft and put her through a lot of emotional drama. This novel was not quite finished (there's at least one subplot left conspicuously dangling), but as it stands it's a promising tragedy. My favorite moment is at the end, when the hypocritical judge worries that it would set a bad precedent if women had more say in divorce.
Overall, weighting the shorter works less, this collection averages out to a B-.
Lessons
1798, as part of Posthumous Works
Mary Wollstonecraft
Lessons
B-
Starting with the very basic Lesson I ("Cat. Dog. Cow. Horse...."), this moves on to the more personal advice of a mother to her young daughter. Mary's own firstborn daughter, Fanny Imlay, herself committed suicide at 22, while the namesake baby that Mary died giving birth to of course wrote Frankenstein, more on that in a few weeks.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Lessons
B-
Starting with the very basic Lesson I ("Cat. Dog. Cow. Horse...."), this moves on to the more personal advice of a mother to her young daughter. Mary's own firstborn daughter, Fanny Imlay, herself committed suicide at 22, while the namesake baby that Mary died giving birth to of course wrote Frankenstein, more on that in a few weeks.
Letters Written...in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
1796
Mary Wollstonecraft
Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
B-
Interesting observations on late 18th-century Scandinavia, including of course the women, by a well-traveled but still very British writer. The letters were written to Mary's lover Gilbert Imlay, the one whose rejection made her suicidal, but the excerpts here are not especially personal, more anthropological.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
B-
Interesting observations on late 18th-century Scandinavia, including of course the women, by a well-traveled but still very British writer. The letters were written to Mary's lover Gilbert Imlay, the one whose rejection made her suicidal, but the excerpts here are not especially personal, more anthropological.
1
Camilla
1796, Oxford University Press edition 1999
Fanny Burney
Camilla, or A Picture of Youth
Original price $15.95, purchase price 50 cents to $1
A bit shabby paperback
C+
While this is for the most part a more realistic book than Evelina, it's much sadder and just about every character except Lavinia deserves at least one swift kick. I do like the sisterly dynamic among Camilla, Lavinia, and poor Eugenia, and as in Evelina some of the contemporary details are interesting. It's worth noting that even 18th-century readers thought that the 900-page novel was too long.
Swift Kick Top Ten for Camilla:
10. In a novel full of bad advice, Dr. Marchmont deserves mention for his misogynous distrust of even Camilla, a girl that Edgar has known since childhood.
9. Camilla herself gets on my nerves. Yes, she's young and naive and well-meaning, but some of what she does, like frequently flirting with other men to win over Edgar, makes me question her supposed intelligence. Also, she lies dying in an inn, wallowing in self-pity, rather than just go home and put herself at her very kind parents' mercy.
8. Sir Sedley goes beyond Mrs. Arlbery's advice to make Camilla become infatuated with him enough to forget Edgar, and the way he exploits the Lionel-debt situation is scummy.
7. Mrs. Arlbery is the main person giving Camilla bad romantic advice, messing up their relationship even more than Dr. Marchmont does.
6. Miss Margland is a spiteful spinster governess who, not content with spoiling her shallow charge, comes in and sneers (verbally as well as physically) every time Camilla and Edgar have a chance to reconcile. I can't think of one redeeming moment for her, but at least she does less damage than any of the Top Five.
5. Sir Hugh may be a sweet old uncle, beloved by his family, but from the moment he exposes Eugenia to small pox onward, his attempts to help make matters worse.
4. Clermont Lynmere is a not only a lazy, spoiled fop rather than the serious Greek & Latin scholar that Sir Hugh hopes to match with Eugenia. He's also cruel and abusive (sometimes physically as well as verbally) to everyone except his sister. Not to mention that he runs up huge debts that Sir Hugh must pay.
3. Mrs. Mittin is never comic relief, like the annoying but amusing Madame Duval in Evelina. She's instead annoying and exploitative. She's the main one giving Camilla bad financial advice, which has worse consequences than anything Mrs. Arlbery does.
2. Bellamy pretends love for Eugenia throughout most of the novel but turns out to be an abusive fortune-hunter, who's also trying to seduce romantic but naive Mrs. Berlinton.
1. Brother Lionel gets the top spot because he messes up multiple people's lives (particularly Camilla's), financially and romantically, all while jesting as if he's done nothing wrong. Yes, Bellamy is scum, but he's a scummy stranger. Lionel uses his family's love for him to exploit them. He does repent in the end, but this book would be several hundred pages shorter without all the crap he inflicts.
Fanny Burney
Camilla, or A Picture of Youth
Original price $15.95, purchase price 50 cents to $1
A bit shabby paperback
C+
While this is for the most part a more realistic book than Evelina, it's much sadder and just about every character except Lavinia deserves at least one swift kick. I do like the sisterly dynamic among Camilla, Lavinia, and poor Eugenia, and as in Evelina some of the contemporary details are interesting. It's worth noting that even 18th-century readers thought that the 900-page novel was too long.
Swift Kick Top Ten for Camilla:
10. In a novel full of bad advice, Dr. Marchmont deserves mention for his misogynous distrust of even Camilla, a girl that Edgar has known since childhood.
9. Camilla herself gets on my nerves. Yes, she's young and naive and well-meaning, but some of what she does, like frequently flirting with other men to win over Edgar, makes me question her supposed intelligence. Also, she lies dying in an inn, wallowing in self-pity, rather than just go home and put herself at her very kind parents' mercy.
8. Sir Sedley goes beyond Mrs. Arlbery's advice to make Camilla become infatuated with him enough to forget Edgar, and the way he exploits the Lionel-debt situation is scummy.
7. Mrs. Arlbery is the main person giving Camilla bad romantic advice, messing up their relationship even more than Dr. Marchmont does.
6. Miss Margland is a spiteful spinster governess who, not content with spoiling her shallow charge, comes in and sneers (verbally as well as physically) every time Camilla and Edgar have a chance to reconcile. I can't think of one redeeming moment for her, but at least she does less damage than any of the Top Five.
5. Sir Hugh may be a sweet old uncle, beloved by his family, but from the moment he exposes Eugenia to small pox onward, his attempts to help make matters worse.
4. Clermont Lynmere is a not only a lazy, spoiled fop rather than the serious Greek & Latin scholar that Sir Hugh hopes to match with Eugenia. He's also cruel and abusive (sometimes physically as well as verbally) to everyone except his sister. Not to mention that he runs up huge debts that Sir Hugh must pay.
3. Mrs. Mittin is never comic relief, like the annoying but amusing Madame Duval in Evelina. She's instead annoying and exploitative. She's the main one giving Camilla bad financial advice, which has worse consequences than anything Mrs. Arlbery does.
2. Bellamy pretends love for Eugenia throughout most of the novel but turns out to be an abusive fortune-hunter, who's also trying to seduce romantic but naive Mrs. Berlinton.
1. Brother Lionel gets the top spot because he messes up multiple people's lives (particularly Camilla's), financially and romantically, all while jesting as if he's done nothing wrong. Yes, Bellamy is scum, but he's a scummy stranger. Lionel uses his family's love for him to exploit them. He does repent in the end, but this book would be several hundred pages shorter without all the crap he inflicts.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
An Historical and Moral View...of the French Revolution
1794
Mary Wollstonecraft
An Historical and Moral View of the Origin and Progress of the French Revolution and the Effect It Has Produced in Europe
C+
Wollstonecraft makes the point that the "ferocity" of the French Revolution was nothing compared to the oppression that the French aristocrats inflicted on the commoners. She also insults the king, as fat, crude, and disgusting, and the queen, as spoiled and actress-like.
Mary Wollstonecraft
An Historical and Moral View of the Origin and Progress of the French Revolution and the Effect It Has Produced in Europe
C+
Wollstonecraft makes the point that the "ferocity" of the French Revolution was nothing compared to the oppression that the French aristocrats inflicted on the commoners. She also insults the king, as fat, crude, and disgusting, and the queen, as spoiled and actress-like.
Lady Susan
1793-4
Jane Austen
Lady Susan
B
A series of letters to and about the title character, a charming, immoral society woman. This is as humourous as Love & Freindship but not as exaggerated. Eighteen-year-old Austen makes her anti-heroine and the other characters more plausible. Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway's Lady Vernon and Her Daughter (2009) is a poor attempt to put the novel into straight prose. By trying to make Lady Susan sympathetic, the mother-daughter authors are compelled to throw out much of the earlier material and in fact their lady is very forgettable. Better stick with the vivid original.
Jane Austen
Lady Susan
B
A series of letters to and about the title character, a charming, immoral society woman. This is as humourous as Love & Freindship but not as exaggerated. Eighteen-year-old Austen makes her anti-heroine and the other characters more plausible. Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway's Lady Vernon and Her Daughter (2009) is a poor attempt to put the novel into straight prose. By trying to make Lady Susan sympathetic, the mother-daughter authors are compelled to throw out much of the earlier material and in fact their lady is very forgettable. Better stick with the vivid original.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Ode to Pity
1793 Jane Austen
Ode to Pity
C+
Two-stanza poem probably meant as a parody, since it includes a "heap"/"peep" rhyme, as well as the phrase "gently brawling."
Ode to Pity
C+
Two-stanza poem probably meant as a parody, since it includes a "heap"/"peep" rhyme, as well as the phrase "gently brawling."
Detached Pieces
1793
Jane Austen
Detached Pieces, consisting of A Fragment Written to Inculcate the Practise of Virtue and The Generous Curate: A Moral Tale, Setting Forth the Advantages of Being Generous and a Curate
C
Very short and mostly forgettable, with the exception of the "witty doctor" in the former and the subtitle of the latter.
Jane Austen
Detached Pieces, consisting of A Fragment Written to Inculcate the Practise of Virtue and The Generous Curate: A Moral Tale, Setting Forth the Advantages of Being Generous and a Curate
C
Very short and mostly forgettable, with the exception of the "witty doctor" in the former and the subtitle of the latter.
Scraps
1793
Jane Austen
Scraps, containing The Female Philosopher; The First Act of a Comedy; A Letter from a Young Lady, Whose Feelings Being Too Strong for Her Judgement Led Her into the Commission of Errors, Which Her Heart Disapproved; A Tour Through Wales; and A Tale
C+
Lesser in quality and length, this juvenilia from the year Austen turned 18 have their moments, like the tale of a "furnished cottage," but there's not much notable here. The main exception is the first work, which contains a proto-Mary-Bennet.
Jane Austen
Scraps, containing The Female Philosopher; The First Act of a Comedy; A Letter from a Young Lady, Whose Feelings Being Too Strong for Her Judgement Led Her into the Commission of Errors, Which Her Heart Disapproved; A Tour Through Wales; and A Tale
C+
Lesser in quality and length, this juvenilia from the year Austen turned 18 have their moments, like the tale of a "furnished cottage," but there's not much notable here. The main exception is the first work, which contains a proto-Mary-Bennet.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
1792
Mary Wollstonecraft
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
B
Wollstonecraft's most famous work still holds up. Society has of course changed dramatically in the last two centuries, and yet her insights into women's hearts and minds are timeless. In fact, while I've never read Women Who Love Too Much and suspect that that author comes to very different conclusions, the part about how women are encouraged to think only of love, usually with negative results, is definitely about "women who love too much" of any era. Although Wollstonecraft is mostly writing to and of middle-class women, she has good insights into upper-class ladies (whom she amusingly compares to soldiers). Also, some of her suggestions, like coed schools, abolition of the double standard, and medical training for women, seem surprisingly modern. The title is interesting, since her earlier work was about "the rights of men." I think with this one she was trying to convey something general, Woman in the abstract, rather than the total rights of all women.
Mary Wollstonecraft
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
B
Wollstonecraft's most famous work still holds up. Society has of course changed dramatically in the last two centuries, and yet her insights into women's hearts and minds are timeless. In fact, while I've never read Women Who Love Too Much and suspect that that author comes to very different conclusions, the part about how women are encouraged to think only of love, usually with negative results, is definitely about "women who love too much" of any era. Although Wollstonecraft is mostly writing to and of middle-class women, she has good insights into upper-class ladies (whom she amusingly compares to soldiers). Also, some of her suggestions, like coed schools, abolition of the double standard, and medical training for women, seem surprisingly modern. The title is interesting, since her earlier work was about "the rights of men." I think with this one she was trying to convey something general, Woman in the abstract, rather than the total rights of all women.
Catharine
1792
Jane Austen
Catharine, or The Bower
B
This relatively long (about 50 pages in this edition) chapterless story shows Austen further coming into her own. Catharine is a good heroine, and the supporting characters of her relatives are well done. Also, the plights of the orphaned Wynne sisters (one shipped out to the East Indies to get a husband, who is ill-suited to her; the other an unpaid companion of a condescending rich relation) are sensitively suggested. This is not as serious as Wollstonecraft by any means, and the flirtation with young Mr. Stanley verges on farce. Again, this is a work that I wish Austen had continued.
Jane Austen
Catharine, or The Bower
B
This relatively long (about 50 pages in this edition) chapterless story shows Austen further coming into her own. Catharine is a good heroine, and the supporting characters of her relatives are well done. Also, the plights of the orphaned Wynne sisters (one shipped out to the East Indies to get a husband, who is ill-suited to her; the other an unpaid companion of a condescending rich relation) are sensitively suggested. This is not as serious as Wollstonecraft by any means, and the flirtation with young Mr. Stanley verges on farce. Again, this is a work that I wish Austen had continued.
Evelyn
1792
Jane Austen
Evelyn
B-
The title "character" is actually a perfect village where the citizens are so generous that a stranger is given a house and a bride just by asking. The style and some of the characters, like the hard-hearted lord who won't give his retroactive consent to a marriage for his recently dead son, are reminiscent of Love and Freindship, but the story has fewer places to go and thus is much shorter.
Jane Austen
Evelyn
B-
The title "character" is actually a perfect village where the citizens are so generous that a stranger is given a house and a bride just by asking. The style and some of the characters, like the hard-hearted lord who won't give his retroactive consent to a marriage for his recently dead son, are reminiscent of Love and Freindship, but the story has fewer places to go and thus is much shorter.
The Three Sisters
1792
Jane Austen
The Three Sisters
B-
Despite the Chekhovian title, this is Austen finding her ultimate subject matter, a family of sisters with a mother eager to marry off one of them, it doesn't matter which, to an unappetising suitor. Most of the letters are written by Lizzy-Bennet-like Georgiana. The greatest flaw of the story is that it is a fragment, and unlike the earlier fragments it has the potential to grow into a very good story. (Sir William Montague is "unfinished," but it's a pretty one-note tale.)
Jane Austen
The Three Sisters
B-
Despite the Chekhovian title, this is Austen finding her ultimate subject matter, a family of sisters with a mother eager to marry off one of them, it doesn't matter which, to an unappetising suitor. Most of the letters are written by Lizzy-Bennet-like Georgiana. The greatest flaw of the story is that it is a fragment, and unlike the earlier fragments it has the potential to grow into a very good story. (Sir William Montague is "unfinished," but it's a pretty one-note tale.)
Lesley Castle
1792
Jane Austen
Lesley Castle
B
Five female correspondents, each with a form of self-centredness, send letters to each other, discussing love, family, and food. The fun here is in the ways that the blind spots play off each other, like the stepmother who thinks her two new stepdaughters are Scotch giants, while they think she's a plain little thing. My favorite character is Charlotte Lutterell, who has the unsentimental outlook of Pride & Prejudice's Charlotte Lucas, but would rather see her sister married off than herself. Also, the subplot of the brother's unhappy marriage and happy divorce is young Jane at her most outrageous.
Jane Austen
Lesley Castle
B
Five female correspondents, each with a form of self-centredness, send letters to each other, discussing love, family, and food. The fun here is in the ways that the blind spots play off each other, like the stepmother who thinks her two new stepdaughters are Scotch giants, while they think she's a plain little thing. My favorite character is Charlotte Lutterell, who has the unsentimental outlook of Pride & Prejudice's Charlotte Lucas, but would rather see her sister married off than herself. Also, the subplot of the brother's unhappy marriage and happy divorce is young Jane at her most outrageous.
A Collection of Letters
1791
Jane Austen
A Collection of Letters
B-
Five unrelated letters, most of them in the exaggerated style of the other juvenilia, but with one mostly serious letter that influenced Pride & Prejudice, "Letter the Third: From a Young Lady in Distress'd Circumstances to Her Friend." My favorite of the other four is the first, "From a Mother to Her Friend," where the mother's daughters tremulously make their debut in the world, by having tea with the neighbours.
Jane Austen
A Collection of Letters
B-
Five unrelated letters, most of them in the exaggerated style of the other juvenilia, but with one mostly serious letter that influenced Pride & Prejudice, "Letter the Third: From a Young Lady in Distress'd Circumstances to Her Friend." My favorite of the other four is the first, "From a Mother to Her Friend," where the mother's daughters tremulously make their debut in the world, by having tea with the neighbours.
The History of England
1791
Jane Austen
The History of England
B
Years before her Northanger Abbey heroine says of history, "I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all — it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention," Austen puckishly dismisses about 260 years of English history. She even weighs in on the Richard III controversy: "As he was York, I am rather inclined to suppose him a very respectable Man." This is just barely nonfiction, because of her tone and because of the deliberation omission of most dates, but there are some facts mixed in with the satire, and it's probably the only historical work with a Sharade [sic] about James I's favourite, the Earl of Somerset.
Jane Austen
The History of England
B
Years before her Northanger Abbey heroine says of history, "I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all — it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention," Austen puckishly dismisses about 260 years of English history. She even weighs in on the Richard III controversy: "As he was York, I am rather inclined to suppose him a very respectable Man." This is just barely nonfiction, because of her tone and because of the deliberation omission of most dates, but there are some facts mixed in with the satire, and it's probably the only historical work with a Sharade [sic] about James I's favourite, the Earl of Somerset.
A Vindication of the Rights of Men
1790
Mary Wollstonecraft
A Vindication of the Rights of Men
B-
Wollstonecraft's response to Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France is her first radical (as opposed to liberal) work. With a more vivid subject than education, her writing becomes livelier, while still showing her love of reason. Although she does address the French revolution, she also weighs in on such side topics as early marriages (pro) and primogeniture (anti).
Mary Wollstonecraft
A Vindication of the Rights of Men
B-
Wollstonecraft's response to Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France is her first radical (as opposed to liberal) work. With a more vivid subject than education, her writing becomes livelier, while still showing her love of reason. Although she does address the French revolution, she also weighs in on such side topics as early marriages (pro) and primogeniture (anti).
Love and Freindship
1790
Jane Austen
Love and Freindship [sic]
B
At 33 pages in this edition, this is double the length of Austen's previously longest work, Jack and Alice, and is probably the best known of her juvenilia. Years before she started on Sense & Sensibility, she offers a sentimental but amoral heroine who tells the story of her life from just before marriage to just after widowhood. This has the famous advice, "Run mad as often as you chuse [sic]; but do not faint." Also, it parodies the father/daughter reunion scene in Evelina, here with a grandfather meeting up with four grandchildren.
Jane Austen
Love and Freindship [sic]
B
At 33 pages in this edition, this is double the length of Austen's previously longest work, Jack and Alice, and is probably the best known of her juvenilia. Years before she started on Sense & Sensibility, she offers a sentimental but amoral heroine who tells the story of her life from just before marriage to just after widowhood. This has the famous advice, "Run mad as often as you chuse [sic]; but do not faint." Also, it parodies the father/daughter reunion scene in Evelina, here with a grandfather meeting up with four grandchildren.
Austen's earliest works
1787-1790, Oxford Illustrated edition of Jane Austen: Minor Works 1967?
Jane Austen
Juvenilia thought to be written between those dates, includes Frederic & Elfrida, Jack & Alice, Edgar & Emma, Henry and Eliza, Mr. Harley, Sir William Montague, Mr. Clifford, The Beautifull [sic] Cassandra, Amelia Webster, The Visit, and The Mystery
Original and purchase price unknown
Hardcover in good shape except for frayed jacket
These works collectively a B-
Even in early adolescence, Jane was witty and talented, although her spelling, punctuation, and capitalisation could've been better. Also, there's deliberately not much plot, character, or other substance here. Highlights of each story are listed below.
Frederic & Elfrida: The way groups of people deliver speeches simultaneously.
Jack & Alice: Probably my favorite of the group, with the lines "Charles Adams was...of so dazzling a Beauty that none but Eagles could look him in the Face" and "...[T]he whole [masquerade] party not excepting Virtue were carried home, Dead Drunk" being best. I also like how Lady Williams (AKA Virtue) is calmly infuriating.
Edgar & Emma: The Willmots seem to have over 20 children.
Henry and Eliza: The implausible trope of the missing baby that turns up years later and is easily recognised, nicely parodied.
Mr. Harley: Very short--three paragraphs!--but with conflict and resolution.
Sir William Montague: A man with wandering eyes and feet, who rejects one fiancee because she chooses 1 September as their wedding day, and that's the start of the hunting season.
Mr. Clifford: When Mr. Clifford gets to an inn, he orders "a whole Egg to be boiled for him & his servants."
The Beautifull Cassandra: Dedicated to her sister Cassandra, this is twelve extremely short chapters about a young lady who goes into town, creates havoc, and then returns to her mother, whispering to herself, "This is a day well spent."
Amelia Webster: Perhaps the world's shortest epistolary novel, seven letters about the romances of the Hervey family.
The Visit: Lord Fitzgerald's excuses to his guests (all blaming his late grandmother) and Lady Hampton's curtain line, "And may you all be Happy," provide the most fun here.
The Mystery: Every conversation drops vague clues.
Jane Austen
Juvenilia thought to be written between those dates, includes Frederic & Elfrida, Jack & Alice, Edgar & Emma, Henry and Eliza, Mr. Harley, Sir William Montague, Mr. Clifford, The Beautifull [sic] Cassandra, Amelia Webster, The Visit, and The Mystery
Original and purchase price unknown
Hardcover in good shape except for frayed jacket
These works collectively a B-
Even in early adolescence, Jane was witty and talented, although her spelling, punctuation, and capitalisation could've been better. Also, there's deliberately not much plot, character, or other substance here. Highlights of each story are listed below.
Frederic & Elfrida: The way groups of people deliver speeches simultaneously.
Jack & Alice: Probably my favorite of the group, with the lines "Charles Adams was...of so dazzling a Beauty that none but Eagles could look him in the Face" and "...[T]he whole [masquerade] party not excepting Virtue were carried home, Dead Drunk" being best. I also like how Lady Williams (AKA Virtue) is calmly infuriating.
Edgar & Emma: The Willmots seem to have over 20 children.
Henry and Eliza: The implausible trope of the missing baby that turns up years later and is easily recognised, nicely parodied.
Mr. Harley: Very short--three paragraphs!--but with conflict and resolution.
Sir William Montague: A man with wandering eyes and feet, who rejects one fiancee because she chooses 1 September as their wedding day, and that's the start of the hunting season.
Mr. Clifford: When Mr. Clifford gets to an inn, he orders "a whole Egg to be boiled for him & his servants."
The Beautifull Cassandra: Dedicated to her sister Cassandra, this is twelve extremely short chapters about a young lady who goes into town, creates havoc, and then returns to her mother, whispering to herself, "This is a day well spent."
Amelia Webster: Perhaps the world's shortest epistolary novel, seven letters about the romances of the Hervey family.
The Visit: Lord Fitzgerald's excuses to his guests (all blaming his late grandmother) and Lady Hampton's curtain line, "And may you all be Happy," provide the most fun here.
The Mystery: Every conversation drops vague clues.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Preface to "The Female Reader"
1789
Mary Wollstonecraft
The Female Reader: Or Miscellaneous Pieces in Prose and Verse Selected from the Best Writers and Disposed under Proper Heads: For the Improvement of Young Women, By Mr. Cresswick, Teacher of Elocution, to Which is Prefixed a Preface, Containing Some Hints on Female Education
C
The main notable thing here is that Wollstonecraft was the actual editor, using the "Cresswick" pseudonym. Also, it's nice that she was encouraging the skill of elocution in young women. However, the preface isn't that interesting in itself.
Mary Wollstonecraft
The Female Reader: Or Miscellaneous Pieces in Prose and Verse Selected from the Best Writers and Disposed under Proper Heads: For the Improvement of Young Women, By Mr. Cresswick, Teacher of Elocution, to Which is Prefixed a Preface, Containing Some Hints on Female Education
C
The main notable thing here is that Wollstonecraft was the actual editor, using the "Cresswick" pseudonym. Also, it's nice that she was encouraging the skill of elocution in young women. However, the preface isn't that interesting in itself.
Original Stories from Real Life
1788
Mary Wollstonecraft
Original Stories from Real Life; with Conversations Calculated to Regulate the Affections, and Form the Mind to Truth and Goodness
C
Not terribly original or realistic, a governess tells her charges stories to regulate etc.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Original Stories from Real Life; with Conversations Calculated to Regulate the Affections, and Form the Mind to Truth and Goodness
C
Not terribly original or realistic, a governess tells her charges stories to regulate etc.
Mary: A Fiction
1788
Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary: A Fiction
C
Although this is "a fiction," the main character shares Wollstonecraft's first name, and the parents are named after Wollstonecraft's. Also, some of the fictional Mary's life resembles the author's. As with most of the works in MWR, this is just an excerpt, but it's enough to give a taste of a sad, almost plotless tale.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary: A Fiction
C
Although this is "a fiction," the main character shares Wollstonecraft's first name, and the parents are named after Wollstonecraft's. Also, some of the fictional Mary's life resembles the author's. As with most of the works in MWR, this is just an excerpt, but it's enough to give a taste of a sad, almost plotless tale.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters
1786, New American Library edition of A Mary Wollstonecraft Reader 1983
Mary Wollstonecraft
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters
Original price $3.95, bought used for unknown
Paperback in not bad condition
B-
Wollstonecraft's first published work offers advice on bringing up girls, some of it reasonable (like breastfeeding) and some of it dubious (like discouraging platonic friendships with men). An interesting glimpse into 27-year-old Mary's mind, before most of the dramatic events of her adulthood.
Mary Wollstonecraft
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters
Original price $3.95, bought used for unknown
Paperback in not bad condition
B-
Wollstonecraft's first published work offers advice on bringing up girls, some of it reasonable (like breastfeeding) and some of it dubious (like discouraging platonic friendships with men). An interesting glimpse into 27-year-old Mary's mind, before most of the dramatic events of her adulthood.
Evelina
1778, Signet Classic edition 1992
Fanny Burney
Evelina, or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World
Original price $6.95, bought used for unknown
Paperback in pretty bad condition
B
Far more genteel than Humphry Clinker, this novel was one of Jane Austen's major influences. Austen wrote both parodies and homages of such Burneyan characters as stiff, aristocratic love interests; naive, sentimental young ladies; and crude, embarrassing relatives. Even without the Austen connection, this story told through letters from and about Evelina "Anville" (the pseudonymous last name being almost an anagram of the first) is a fun, quick read (despite being 400+ pages). That's why the condition is so poor for a (relatively new for me) edition: I've reread it every two or three years since I bought it.
Fanny Burney
Evelina, or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World
Original price $6.95, bought used for unknown
Paperback in pretty bad condition
B
Far more genteel than Humphry Clinker, this novel was one of Jane Austen's major influences. Austen wrote both parodies and homages of such Burneyan characters as stiff, aristocratic love interests; naive, sentimental young ladies; and crude, embarrassing relatives. Even without the Austen connection, this story told through letters from and about Evelina "Anville" (the pseudonymous last name being almost an anagram of the first) is a fun, quick read (despite being 400+ pages). That's why the condition is so poor for a (relatively new for me) edition: I've reread it every two or three years since I bought it.
Friday, December 16, 2011
The School for Scandal
1777
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The School for Scandal (see She Stoops to Conquer for more details)
C+
Ladies and gentlemen gossip, worry about money, and have (or attempt to have) romantic intrigues. The characters are less interesting than in She Stoops to Conquer, although I do like some of the witty lines, particularly in the "auction scene." Also notable for having a relatively sympathetic Jewish character.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The School for Scandal (see She Stoops to Conquer for more details)
C+
Ladies and gentlemen gossip, worry about money, and have (or attempt to have) romantic intrigues. The characters are less interesting than in She Stoops to Conquer, although I do like some of the witty lines, particularly in the "auction scene." Also notable for having a relatively sympathetic Jewish character.
She Stoops to Conquer
1773, Bantam Pathfinder Edition 1966 (includes The School for Scandal as well)
Oliver Goldsmith
She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night
Original price 60 cents, bought used for 40 cents
Cover has fallen off, otherwise OK condition for its age
B-
The subtitle mostly refers to the mistakes of the character Marlow, who thinks that a private house is an inn. The "she" of the main title is Miss Hardcastle, who passes herself off as a barmaid in order to woo Marlow, who is shy with ladies but amorous with women "beneath him." Meanwhile, Miss Hardcastle's cousin Miss Neville has a romance with Marlow's friend Hastings. And then there's Tony Lumpkin, Miss Hardcastle's half-brother and Miss Neville's very reluctant suitor, who's introduced as an immature lump but ends up being the most likable character. Plus, various parents and other elders. A pretty good farce overall.
Oliver Goldsmith
She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night
Original price 60 cents, bought used for 40 cents
Cover has fallen off, otherwise OK condition for its age
B-
The subtitle mostly refers to the mistakes of the character Marlow, who thinks that a private house is an inn. The "she" of the main title is Miss Hardcastle, who passes herself off as a barmaid in order to woo Marlow, who is shy with ladies but amorous with women "beneath him." Meanwhile, Miss Hardcastle's cousin Miss Neville has a romance with Marlow's friend Hastings. And then there's Tony Lumpkin, Miss Hardcastle's half-brother and Miss Neville's very reluctant suitor, who's introduced as an immature lump but ends up being the most likable character. Plus, various parents and other elders. A pretty good farce overall.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Humphry Clinker
1771, Signet Classic edition 1960
Tobias Smollett
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Original and purchase price unknown
Cover just fell off but otherwise not bad condition for its age
B-
Mr. Clinker is not one of the five letter writers in this novel, and indeed doesn't show up till about a quarter of the way in. He's revealed to be the bastard son of one of the main characters, but it's much less of a revelation than Tom Jones's parentage. Overall, plot and even characterisation are not the strengths of this story. I most enjoy the whole travelogue aspect: descriptions of Bath, London, Edinburgh, etc. This is roughly halfway between the times of Henry Fielding and Jane Austen, so it's an interesting stop on the journey. How can I not be amused by the description of a strange sport the Scots enjoy--golf?! Or how about the part where the traveling party is hosted by that charming Scotsman, Mr. Smollett? This is definitely a minor contribution to literature, but it's a pleasant one.
Tobias Smollett
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Original and purchase price unknown
Cover just fell off but otherwise not bad condition for its age
B-
Mr. Clinker is not one of the five letter writers in this novel, and indeed doesn't show up till about a quarter of the way in. He's revealed to be the bastard son of one of the main characters, but it's much less of a revelation than Tom Jones's parentage. Overall, plot and even characterisation are not the strengths of this story. I most enjoy the whole travelogue aspect: descriptions of Bath, London, Edinburgh, etc. This is roughly halfway between the times of Henry Fielding and Jane Austen, so it's an interesting stop on the journey. How can I not be amused by the description of a strange sport the Scots enjoy--golf?! Or how about the part where the traveling party is hosted by that charming Scotsman, Mr. Smollett? This is definitely a minor contribution to literature, but it's a pleasant one.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tristam Shandy
1759 to 1767 (one or two volumes published at a time), Norton Critical Edition 1980
Laurence Sterne
The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Gent.
Original price unknown, bought used $8.95
A bit ratty paperback
C+
More digressive than A Tale of a Tub, this story is more about the lives and opinions of Tristam's father and uncle, with Tristam not yet born during many critical scenes. While some of the gimmicks, like a black page to represent someone's death are clever, it does get a bit wearisome by the middle. It's notable that not only does Sterne, like other 18th-century British writers, admire Cervantes, but he manages to slip in a reference to Candide.
Laurence Sterne
The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Gent.
Original price unknown, bought used $8.95
A bit ratty paperback
C+
More digressive than A Tale of a Tub, this story is more about the lives and opinions of Tristam's father and uncle, with Tristam not yet born during many critical scenes. While some of the gimmicks, like a black page to represent someone's death are clever, it does get a bit wearisome by the middle. It's notable that not only does Sterne, like other 18th-century British writers, admire Cervantes, but he manages to slip in a reference to Candide.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Candide
1759, Bantam Classic edition 1988
Voltaire (born François-Marie Arouet), translated by André Maurois, illustrated by Sheilah Beckett
Candide, or Optimism
Original price $2.25, probably bought new
Slightly worn paperback
B
This pessimistic satire is similar to Gulliver's Travels, but it's mostly set in the real 18th-century world. Gulliver travels the globe and finds that all humanity is corrupt. Candide travels the globe and finds that only in El Dorado is this the best of all possible worlds. As in Cymbeline and Pericles, disasters rain upon Candide and nearly everyone he encounters, but the crises are told so wittily that the short novel is constantly entertaining, even things that wouldn't be the slightest bit funny in reality (mutilations, murders, rapes, an earthquake, etc.). I will admit that the first chapter, where things are just absurd, is the most enjoyable and, if the story had gone on much longer, it would've worn thin. The ending, with its message that "we must cultivate our garden," is not exactly optimistic but at least holds out more hope than the idea that the best we can do is try to live like horses.
This translation is smooth and presumably captures both Voltaire's dry understatement and his blunt honesty. Beckett's illustrations in this edition are more explicit than necessary, with nudity included even when it's not supported by the text. (Check out Cunegonde hovering naked in the murder scene on page 38.) The best of these line drawings is the one on page 69, where Candide is in El Dorado.
Voltaire (born François-Marie Arouet), translated by André Maurois, illustrated by Sheilah Beckett
Candide, or Optimism
Original price $2.25, probably bought new
Slightly worn paperback
B
This pessimistic satire is similar to Gulliver's Travels, but it's mostly set in the real 18th-century world. Gulliver travels the globe and finds that all humanity is corrupt. Candide travels the globe and finds that only in El Dorado is this the best of all possible worlds. As in Cymbeline and Pericles, disasters rain upon Candide and nearly everyone he encounters, but the crises are told so wittily that the short novel is constantly entertaining, even things that wouldn't be the slightest bit funny in reality (mutilations, murders, rapes, an earthquake, etc.). I will admit that the first chapter, where things are just absurd, is the most enjoyable and, if the story had gone on much longer, it would've worn thin. The ending, with its message that "we must cultivate our garden," is not exactly optimistic but at least holds out more hope than the idea that the best we can do is try to live like horses.
This translation is smooth and presumably captures both Voltaire's dry understatement and his blunt honesty. Beckett's illustrations in this edition are more explicit than necessary, with nudity included even when it's not supported by the text. (Check out Cunegonde hovering naked in the murder scene on page 38.) The best of these line drawings is the one on page 69, where Candide is in El Dorado.
Friday, December 9, 2011
David Simple
1744 for The Adventures of David Simple, 1753 for David Simple: Volume the Last, Penguin Classics edition 2002
Sarah Fielding
Original price $15.00, bought used for unknown but definitely much less
Worn paperback
C
As with Don Quixote, I'm treating the second part as a continuation rather than a sequel, despite almost a decade's gap. In fact, "Volume the Last" opens with "Book 5." Henry Fielding's sister shared his love of Shakespeare and classic literature, so this is a more erudite book than most of the other early novels by women I own. Also like Henry, Sarah was greatly influenced by Don Quixote, and her "Simple" hero has the Quixotic quest of searching for a true friend. Unfortunately, along the way he meets many insincere and unkind people. As his story goes on, the lives of himself and those he cares about become increasingly disastrous, but he endures with Job-like patience.
The problem is, I find this more depressing than inspiring. Mrs. Orgueil may've been an accurate portrayal of a type of 18th-century fine lady, but I got tired of reading of her casual cruelty, which among other things leads to the death of a child. On the plus side, Sarah does a better job incorporating "side stories" into the larger narrative than Henry did in Joseph Andrews, although ironically she may've contributed Leonora's letter to that novel.
Sarah Fielding
Original price $15.00, bought used for unknown but definitely much less
Worn paperback
C
As with Don Quixote, I'm treating the second part as a continuation rather than a sequel, despite almost a decade's gap. In fact, "Volume the Last" opens with "Book 5." Henry Fielding's sister shared his love of Shakespeare and classic literature, so this is a more erudite book than most of the other early novels by women I own. Also like Henry, Sarah was greatly influenced by Don Quixote, and her "Simple" hero has the Quixotic quest of searching for a true friend. Unfortunately, along the way he meets many insincere and unkind people. As his story goes on, the lives of himself and those he cares about become increasingly disastrous, but he endures with Job-like patience.
The problem is, I find this more depressing than inspiring. Mrs. Orgueil may've been an accurate portrayal of a type of 18th-century fine lady, but I got tired of reading of her casual cruelty, which among other things leads to the death of a child. On the plus side, Sarah does a better job incorporating "side stories" into the larger narrative than Henry did in Joseph Andrews, although ironically she may've contributed Leonora's letter to that novel.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tom Jones
1749, 1993 Wordsworth Classics edition
Henry Fielding
The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling
Original price not shown, bought used for 50 cents
Starting to get a bit ratty
B+
My last paperback copy of Tom Jones, from around 1965, fell apart from too many rereadings. As with Don Quixote, I like going on a journey with these characters. Fielding gives an even broader world than Cervantes did-- with scoundrels and heroes and folks in between, with lawyers, doctors, parsons, innkeepers, the idle rich and their servants, and so on. Also, Fielding offers us town vs. country. All the while, Fielding comments on, well, everything, from ethics to boxing. Some things are wonderfully timeless, like the remark about people who name-drop books they haven't read. And some things are rooted in that world of 1740s England.
Why isn't this an A-, or higher? Well, I don't like either squire. Western is a crude brute and Allworthy is a sanctimonious bore. Fielding seems to think they're both lovable. Also, the view of marriage and relationships is often bleaker than a rollicking comedy should have. I never know whether to take the novel as a Hogarth comic strip or as a drawn-out soap opera. (Everyone has a back story!) I don't love this book, but I'm very fond of it and will probably continue to read it every couple years.
Henry Fielding
The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling
Original price not shown, bought used for 50 cents
Starting to get a bit ratty
B+
My last paperback copy of Tom Jones, from around 1965, fell apart from too many rereadings. As with Don Quixote, I like going on a journey with these characters. Fielding gives an even broader world than Cervantes did-- with scoundrels and heroes and folks in between, with lawyers, doctors, parsons, innkeepers, the idle rich and their servants, and so on. Also, Fielding offers us town vs. country. All the while, Fielding comments on, well, everything, from ethics to boxing. Some things are wonderfully timeless, like the remark about people who name-drop books they haven't read. And some things are rooted in that world of 1740s England.
Why isn't this an A-, or higher? Well, I don't like either squire. Western is a crude brute and Allworthy is a sanctimonious bore. Fielding seems to think they're both lovable. Also, the view of marriage and relationships is often bleaker than a rollicking comedy should have. I never know whether to take the novel as a Hogarth comic strip or as a drawn-out soap opera. (Everyone has a back story!) I don't love this book, but I'm very fond of it and will probably continue to read it every couple years.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Joseph Andrews
1742, 1960 New American Library edition
Henry Fielding
Joseph Andrews
Original price not shown, bought used for $1.95
Decent condition considering the age
C
While the idea of a male version of Pamela (a novel that I couldn't get through years ago because I was disgusted by the manipulative villain/love interest) is a good one, Fielding's first novel is weakened by boring characters (main and supporting), a meandering style, and frequent outbreaks of violence. These last two qualities are perhaps due to this story being "written in the manner of Cervantes." But what Fielding apparently didn't understand is that we care about Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the rest, and we're happy to wander with them, as well as see them suffer and survive. Even the "off topic" stories introduced in Don Quixote are more entertaining than the ones in Joseph Andrews. Also, Cervantes had compassion and humor. Fielding had these qualities in Tom Jones (coming up next), but not here.
So what does the story have going for it? Some nice turns of phrase, like the bit about hunger being better than a French chef, and surprisingly the portrait of the manipulative villainess/not-love-interest. Lady Booby at least has a conflict and character arc, unlike the actual love interest, Fanny Goodwill, whom Irvin Ehrenpreis observes in his afterword, has "the main function in the plot...to be nearly raped." Repeatedly.
Henry Fielding
Joseph Andrews
Original price not shown, bought used for $1.95
Decent condition considering the age
C
While the idea of a male version of Pamela (a novel that I couldn't get through years ago because I was disgusted by the manipulative villain/love interest) is a good one, Fielding's first novel is weakened by boring characters (main and supporting), a meandering style, and frequent outbreaks of violence. These last two qualities are perhaps due to this story being "written in the manner of Cervantes." But what Fielding apparently didn't understand is that we care about Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the rest, and we're happy to wander with them, as well as see them suffer and survive. Even the "off topic" stories introduced in Don Quixote are more entertaining than the ones in Joseph Andrews. Also, Cervantes had compassion and humor. Fielding had these qualities in Tom Jones (coming up next), but not here.
So what does the story have going for it? Some nice turns of phrase, like the bit about hunger being better than a French chef, and surprisingly the portrait of the manipulative villainess/not-love-interest. Lady Booby at least has a conflict and character arc, unlike the actual love interest, Fanny Goodwill, whom Irvin Ehrenpreis observes in his afterword, has "the main function in the plot...to be nearly raped." Repeatedly.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Gulliver's Travels
1726
Jonathan Swift
Gulliver's Travels
B
While the misanthropy keeps this from being a great book, it also drives the satire. The Lilliput adventure is best known, although in high school I think I was most drawn to the mockery of the pseudointellectuals of Laputa. At the time, this collection (the short works even more so) was probably the most obscene thing I'd ever read, and having now moved on to the 1740s, the way that four-letter words are bluntly thrown around here still startles. (Changes in censorship and/or mores in the England of George I and that of George II)? Also, while most of Swift's worlds are dystopias, or at least places you might want to visit but not live in, it is striking how even in the "perfect" land of the Houyhnhnms (which I pronounce in my head as "homonyms" just to get through that section), there are such things as race and class, with certain breeds of horses working as servants. And, yes, this is the novel where the word "Yahoo" (for "stupid human") comes from.
Jonathan Swift
Gulliver's Travels
B
While the misanthropy keeps this from being a great book, it also drives the satire. The Lilliput adventure is best known, although in high school I think I was most drawn to the mockery of the pseudointellectuals of Laputa. At the time, this collection (the short works even more so) was probably the most obscene thing I'd ever read, and having now moved on to the 1740s, the way that four-letter words are bluntly thrown around here still startles. (Changes in censorship and/or mores in the England of George I and that of George II)? Also, while most of Swift's worlds are dystopias, or at least places you might want to visit but not live in, it is striking how even in the "perfect" land of the Houyhnhnms (which I pronounce in my head as "homonyms" just to get through that section), there are such things as race and class, with certain breeds of horses working as servants. And, yes, this is the novel where the word "Yahoo" (for "stupid human") comes from.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Battle of the Books
1697 written, 1704 published
Jonathan Swift
The Battle of the Books
C
A companion piece to A Tale of a Tub, which in fact has digressions on this "Ancients vs. Moderns" literary argument. It may be because I've only read Dryden and Aphra Behn of the "moderns," but much of the satire falls flat three centuries later. I kept flashing back to that Merrie Melodies cartoon Have You Got Any Castles?, where a fight breaks out among book characters. (It's the one with the House of Seven Clark Gables.)
Jonathan Swift
The Battle of the Books
C
A companion piece to A Tale of a Tub, which in fact has digressions on this "Ancients vs. Moderns" literary argument. It may be because I've only read Dryden and Aphra Behn of the "moderns," but much of the satire falls flat three centuries later. I kept flashing back to that Merrie Melodies cartoon Have You Got Any Castles?, where a fight breaks out among book characters. (It's the one with the House of Seven Clark Gables.)
A Tale of a Tub
1697 written, 1704 published, The Modern Library (Random House) edition of this and the other Swift works from 1931
Jonathan Swift
A Tale of a Tub
Original price not shown, bought used (obviously) for $2.25
Spine broken
C
Heavy-handed fable about various churches (symbolised by brothers Peter, Martin, and Jack), has its moments but almost completely derailed by unfunny digressions.
Jonathan Swift
A Tale of a Tub
Original price not shown, bought used (obviously) for $2.25
Spine broken
C
Heavy-handed fable about various churches (symbolised by brothers Peter, Martin, and Jack), has its moments but almost completely derailed by unfunny digressions.
Don Quixote
1605 for Part I, 1615 for Part II, Signet Classic edition 1964
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, translated by Walter Sarkie
Don Quixote of La Mancha
Original price not shown, bought used for unknown
Pretty bad condition, not surprising given the age of this paperback and my frequent rereads (at least every 5 years)
B+
Still funny and fresh after four centuries, this meandering set of adventures takes two memorable main characters and a lot of good supporting characters around late Renaissance Spain. Both a satire of and a tribute to chivalry, it manages to make even book-burning entertaining. I could've done with less about whipping, although as it turns out, the trees suffer more than the people. The attitudes to the Turks, Moriscos, and Sancho Panza's imaginary black subjects are regrettable but could be worse given the time. A pleasant surprise are the number of clever women, notably Dorotea. This translation is smooth and accessible, although when one phrase was footnoted as equivalent to "our 'wigs on the green,'" I had to shrug. (It means roughly "a fight's breaking out.")
Due to the difference in calendars in England and the Continent at that time, Cervantes and Shakespeare both died on April 23, 1616. But Cervantes was still at the top of his game a year before he went, while Shakespeare had peaked back in the 1590s.
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, translated by Walter Sarkie
Don Quixote of La Mancha
Original price not shown, bought used for unknown
Pretty bad condition, not surprising given the age of this paperback and my frequent rereads (at least every 5 years)
B+
Still funny and fresh after four centuries, this meandering set of adventures takes two memorable main characters and a lot of good supporting characters around late Renaissance Spain. Both a satire of and a tribute to chivalry, it manages to make even book-burning entertaining. I could've done with less about whipping, although as it turns out, the trees suffer more than the people. The attitudes to the Turks, Moriscos, and Sancho Panza's imaginary black subjects are regrettable but could be worse given the time. A pleasant surprise are the number of clever women, notably Dorotea. This translation is smooth and accessible, although when one phrase was footnoted as equivalent to "our 'wigs on the green,'" I had to shrug. (It means roughly "a fight's breaking out.")
Due to the difference in calendars in England and the Continent at that time, Cervantes and Shakespeare both died on April 23, 1616. But Cervantes was still at the top of his game a year before he went, while Shakespeare had peaked back in the 1590s.
Henry VIII
1613
William Shakespeare
Henry VIII
C-
As in Antony and Cleopatra, WS has a talent for making vibrant historical figures flat and uninteresting onstage. Almost 80 years after her death, was there a reason to strip Anne Boleyn of her vivid personality? Even Henry comes across more vividly in every book I've ever read him in than he does here. Ironically, pious, demure Katherine of Aragon steals the scenes she's in. Also LOL at the way the last scene works in praise not only for Elizabeth I but for her successor James I. (You'd think Henry might be annoyed by a prediction that his daughter will not only be the ruler but die a virgin, considering all his succession issues.)
Overall, this collection of Shakespeare averages out to a C. I'll hold on to it, but I'll probably continue to read it through only once every 20 years.
William Shakespeare
Henry VIII
C-
As in Antony and Cleopatra, WS has a talent for making vibrant historical figures flat and uninteresting onstage. Almost 80 years after her death, was there a reason to strip Anne Boleyn of her vivid personality? Even Henry comes across more vividly in every book I've ever read him in than he does here. Ironically, pious, demure Katherine of Aragon steals the scenes she's in. Also LOL at the way the last scene works in praise not only for Elizabeth I but for her successor James I. (You'd think Henry might be annoyed by a prediction that his daughter will not only be the ruler but die a virgin, considering all his succession issues.)
Overall, this collection of Shakespeare averages out to a C. I'll hold on to it, but I'll probably continue to read it through only once every 20 years.
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Tempest
1610-1611
Shakespeare
The Tempest
B
The penultimate of WS's surviving plays (until Cardenio and The Two Noble Kinsmen turn up) is his first good play in about a decade (since Hamlet). Interesting characters and setting, memorable quotes (including "brave new world"), and the themes of reconciliation, young love, and of course getting monsters drunk, all blend well. Weaknesses: perhaps too many subplots and more needless cameos by the gods. (Ires, Ceres, and Juno here, while Cymbeline brought in Jupiter. At least As You Like It gave Hymen some good lines.)
Shakespeare
The Tempest
B
The penultimate of WS's surviving plays (until Cardenio and The Two Noble Kinsmen turn up) is his first good play in about a decade (since Hamlet). Interesting characters and setting, memorable quotes (including "brave new world"), and the themes of reconciliation, young love, and of course getting monsters drunk, all blend well. Weaknesses: perhaps too many subplots and more needless cameos by the gods. (Ires, Ceres, and Juno here, while Cymbeline brought in Jupiter. At least As You Like It gave Hymen some good lines.)
Cymbeline
1610-1611
Shakespeare
Cymbeline
D
The title character's daughter, Princess Imogen, goes through a series of unfortunate events, but with none of Lemony Snicket's wit. The title is sort of fun to sing to the tune of Chuck Berry's "Maybellene."
Shakespeare
Cymbeline
D
The title character's daughter, Princess Imogen, goes through a series of unfortunate events, but with none of Lemony Snicket's wit. The title is sort of fun to sing to the tune of Chuck Berry's "Maybellene."
Friday, November 25, 2011
The Winter's Tale
1594-1611
Shakespeare
The Winter's Tale
C-
While certainly a continuation of Shakespeare's midlife slump, this is a definite improvement over the somewhat similar Pericles (a king's wife and daughter disappear for about fifteen years, presumed dead), even if Leontes is a jealous idiot for half the play. Credit goes to the comic relief: Autolycus the pedlar, the Shepherd, and the latter's son the Clown. Also, things aren't quite so far-fetched and there's a lot less distasteful material. And, yes, this is the play that J. K. Rowling took Hermione Granger's first name from, as well as being the drama with the wonderful stage direction "Exit, pursued by a bear." Plus, there's a certain d-word that will make you blink in surprise in Act IV, scene iv.
Shakespeare
The Winter's Tale
C-
While certainly a continuation of Shakespeare's midlife slump, this is a definite improvement over the somewhat similar Pericles (a king's wife and daughter disappear for about fifteen years, presumed dead), even if Leontes is a jealous idiot for half the play. Credit goes to the comic relief: Autolycus the pedlar, the Shepherd, and the latter's son the Clown. Also, things aren't quite so far-fetched and there's a lot less distasteful material. And, yes, this is the play that J. K. Rowling took Hermione Granger's first name from, as well as being the drama with the wonderful stage direction "Exit, pursued by a bear." Plus, there's a certain d-word that will make you blink in surprise in Act IV, scene iv.
Sonnets
1609
Shakespeare
The Sonnets
C-
Mostly over-rated and over-quoted, although I'm sort of fond of cynical Sonnet 138 (the one with all the puns on "lie").
If I count these as a group, and weight the two longer poems (Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece) about equally, WS's poetry averages out to a low D, the three shorter poems (which average out to a C) pushing to a definite D. But then I'm generally not a poetry fan, as my book collection reveals.
Shakespeare
The Sonnets
C-
Mostly over-rated and over-quoted, although I'm sort of fond of cynical Sonnet 138 (the one with all the puns on "lie").
If I count these as a group, and weight the two longer poems (Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece) about equally, WS's poetry averages out to a low D, the three shorter poems (which average out to a C) pushing to a definite D. But then I'm generally not a poetry fan, as my book collection reveals.
A Lover's Complaint
1609
Shakespeare
A Lover's Complaint
C
OK short poem on the usual topic of frustrated romance.
Shakespeare
A Lover's Complaint
C
OK short poem on the usual topic of frustrated romance.
Coriolanus
1608
Shakespeare
Coriolanus
F+
Possibly WS's most boring play, in which an unappreciated Roman hero gets exiled as a traitor during a political campaign.
Shakespeare
Coriolanus
F+
Possibly WS's most boring play, in which an unappreciated Roman hero gets exiled as a traitor during a political campaign.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Pericles
1608-1609
Shakespeare
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
D-
Our title-character hero solves a riddle that reveals that a neighbour king is incestually involved with his daughter. (The riddle is painfully obvious and it's unclear why this is used as a way to weed out suitors for the said daughter.) So Pericles has to run for his life from the evil king, who later conveniently dies offstage. Then Pericles marries a different king's daughter, who seems to also die offstage, giving birth to their daughter, Marina. But it turns out that she's not really dead, so she's revived and becomes a priestess of Diana. Meanwhile, Pericles has Marina raised by friends for the next fifteen years or so. But the foster mother pays to have her killed off, except Marina is kidnapped by pirates, and then ends up in a brothel, where her purity makes the customers try to be more virtuous. In the end, father and daughter, and then mother, are happily reunited.
Probably the most ludicrous plot in all of WS, but much less bloody and racist than Titus Andronicus.
Shakespeare
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
D-
Our title-character hero solves a riddle that reveals that a neighbour king is incestually involved with his daughter. (The riddle is painfully obvious and it's unclear why this is used as a way to weed out suitors for the said daughter.) So Pericles has to run for his life from the evil king, who later conveniently dies offstage. Then Pericles marries a different king's daughter, who seems to also die offstage, giving birth to their daughter, Marina. But it turns out that she's not really dead, so she's revived and becomes a priestess of Diana. Meanwhile, Pericles has Marina raised by friends for the next fifteen years or so. But the foster mother pays to have her killed off, except Marina is kidnapped by pirates, and then ends up in a brothel, where her purity makes the customers try to be more virtuous. In the end, father and daughter, and then mother, are happily reunited.
Probably the most ludicrous plot in all of WS, but much less bloody and racist than Titus Andronicus.
All's Well That Ends Well
1606-1607
Shakespeare
All's Well That Ends Well
D-
As with Measure for Measure, a "light" title hides a darker play that involves bed-partner substitution, along with other questionable material. AWTEW is worse because we're actually supposed to be rooting for not very sympathetic Helena and totally unsympathetic Bertram to get together. Helena is sort of a female doctor but lacks the cleverness of Merchant of Venice's "lawyer" Portia.
Shakespeare
All's Well That Ends Well
D-
As with Measure for Measure, a "light" title hides a darker play that involves bed-partner substitution, along with other questionable material. AWTEW is worse because we're actually supposed to be rooting for not very sympathetic Helena and totally unsympathetic Bertram to get together. Helena is sort of a female doctor but lacks the cleverness of Merchant of Venice's "lawyer" Portia.
Antony and Cleopatra
1606
Shakespeare
Antony and Cleopatra
D+
Not very interesting version of Cleopatra. Rather than being a clever, complicated woman, she's basically a jealous nag, but a sexy jealous nag. Antony's just there to Othellically think the worst of the woman he supposedly adores. Octavian comes off as more interesting than either.
Shakespeare
Antony and Cleopatra
D+
Not very interesting version of Cleopatra. Rather than being a clever, complicated woman, she's basically a jealous nag, but a sexy jealous nag. Antony's just there to Othellically think the worst of the woman he supposedly adores. Octavian comes off as more interesting than either.
Macbeth
1603-1606
Shakespeare
Macbeth
C+
Another brief halt in WS's decline, Macbeth is a bloody political drama with some pretty good speeches. The "ironic" predictions could've been fulfilled a bit less eh. "Look out, here comes an army with branches! Look out, here comes a man delivered by cesarean!"
Shakespeare
Macbeth
C+
Another brief halt in WS's decline, Macbeth is a bloody political drama with some pretty good speeches. The "ironic" predictions could've been fulfilled a bit less eh. "Look out, here comes an army with branches! Look out, here comes a man delivered by cesarean!"
Timon of Athens
1605-1606
Shakespeare
Timon of Athens
D
For some reason reading this, I kept thinking of the folktale The Little Red Hen. I guess it was the whole "I've spoiled you ungrateful bastards and now you won't help me in my hour of need" thing, although Timon serves the gang water and stones rather than refuses to share the bread. But it's hard to care about Timon or his "friends," and there are no memorable lines.
Shakespeare
Timon of Athens
D
For some reason reading this, I kept thinking of the folktale The Little Red Hen. I guess it was the whole "I've spoiled you ungrateful bastards and now you won't help me in my hour of need" thing, although Timon serves the gang water and stones rather than refuses to share the bread. But it's hard to care about Timon or his "friends," and there are no memorable lines.
King Lear
1603-1606
Shakespeare
King Lear
C-
Speaking of over-rated, it's hard for me to get into a play where most of the characters are unsympathetic, except for Cordelia of course. This soap opera is mildly interesting, but I'd rather read Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres, or listen to "I Am the Walrus" for that matter.
Shakespeare
King Lear
C-
Speaking of over-rated, it's hard for me to get into a play where most of the characters are unsympathetic, except for Cordelia of course. This soap opera is mildly interesting, but I'd rather read Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres, or listen to "I Am the Walrus" for that matter.
Othello
1602-1603
Shakespeare
Othello
C+
Shakespeare's streak of bad 17th-century plays is temporarily interrupted by this decent if over-rated drama. Iago isn't in Richard III's league as a charming villain, and the Othello & Desdemona marriage must have some of the worst communication issues ever, but there are some nice turns of phrase here. Plus, it's hard to dislike a play that inspired a boardgame title. (Hungry, Hungry Hippos is of course a classic comedy.)
Shakespeare
Othello
C+
Shakespeare's streak of bad 17th-century plays is temporarily interrupted by this decent if over-rated drama. Iago isn't in Richard III's league as a charming villain, and the Othello & Desdemona marriage must have some of the worst communication issues ever, but there are some nice turns of phrase here. Plus, it's hard to dislike a play that inspired a boardgame title. (Hungry, Hungry Hippos is of course a classic comedy.)
Measure for Measure
1600-1603
Shakespeare
Measure for Measure
D+
The title suggests a comedy like As You Like It, but instead it's the story of a hypocritical politician who gets tricked into sleeping with his wife while thinking he's successfully blackmailing a virgin into bargaining for her fornicating brother's life. Oh, and there's the Duke sneaking around disguised as a friar in order to spot the corruption of the politician he's appointed, and not speaking up till the end.
Shakespeare
Measure for Measure
D+
The title suggests a comedy like As You Like It, but instead it's the story of a hypocritical politician who gets tricked into sleeping with his wife while thinking he's successfully blackmailing a virgin into bargaining for her fornicating brother's life. Oh, and there's the Duke sneaking around disguised as a friar in order to spot the corruption of the politician he's appointed, and not speaking up till the end.
Troilus and Cressida
1601
Shakespeare
Troilus and Cressida
D+
Both tasteless and forgettable, but nice to see where the word "pandar" comes from.
Shakespeare
Troilus and Cressida
D+
Both tasteless and forgettable, but nice to see where the word "pandar" comes from.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Hamlet
1599-1601
Shakespeare
Hamlet
B
Like Romeo and Juliet, this is perhaps overquoted but still remains entertaining. The bloodbath ending is a bit over the top, though nowhere in the neighbourhood of Titus Andronicus. Also, Ophelia's fate is probably the most tragic and/or unnecessary, because she's the most innocent of the characters. And the side-trip to England, which seems only there so WS can make affectionate fun of his countrymen, is a bit odd. On the plus side, the dialogue, Hamlet's especially, is clever and multi-layered. Plus, Polonius is a delight in all his hypocrisy and thick-headedness.
Shakespeare
Hamlet
B
Like Romeo and Juliet, this is perhaps overquoted but still remains entertaining. The bloodbath ending is a bit over the top, though nowhere in the neighbourhood of Titus Andronicus. Also, Ophelia's fate is probably the most tragic and/or unnecessary, because she's the most innocent of the characters. And the side-trip to England, which seems only there so WS can make affectionate fun of his countrymen, is a bit odd. On the plus side, the dialogue, Hamlet's especially, is clever and multi-layered. Plus, Polonius is a delight in all his hypocrisy and thick-headedness.
Twelfth Night
1601
Shakespeare
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
B+
Probably my favorite of all Shakespeare. Very witty and playful, but not without its darker side (Malvolio's subplot). This became the very silly movie She's the Man (2006), which is nowhere on the level of 10 Things I Hate About You. The 1996 version, with lovely Helena Bonham-Carter as Olivia, comes closer to capturing the magic of the play. If the play has weaknesses, they are that the joke on Malvolio goes a little too far, and Duke Orsino is sort of a jerk.
Shakespeare
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
B+
Probably my favorite of all Shakespeare. Very witty and playful, but not without its darker side (Malvolio's subplot). This became the very silly movie She's the Man (2006), which is nowhere on the level of 10 Things I Hate About You. The 1996 version, with lovely Helena Bonham-Carter as Olivia, comes closer to capturing the magic of the play. If the play has weaknesses, they are that the joke on Malvolio goes a little too far, and Duke Orsino is sort of a jerk.
The Phoenix and the Turtle
1601
Shakespeare
The Phoenix and the Turtle
D+
Short but forgettable poem on the romance between two birds. (Turtle as in turtledove.)
Shakespeare
The Phoenix and the Turtle
D+
Short but forgettable poem on the romance between two birds. (Turtle as in turtledove.)
As You Like It
1599
Shakespeare
As You Like It
B
A bit slow to get going, but the Cesario courtship training and the "Rosalind" doggerel are great. Also, probably the best female friendship in all of Shakespeare. The "mewling and puking" seven ages speech is in this one. Possibly the best "fool," too.
Shakespeare
As You Like It
B
A bit slow to get going, but the Cesario courtship training and the "Rosalind" doggerel are great. Also, probably the best female friendship in all of Shakespeare. The "mewling and puking" seven ages speech is in this one. Possibly the best "fool," too.
The Passionate Pilgrim
1599
Shakespeare
The Passionate Pilgrim
B-
The "Venus & Adonis" stuff is handled better here than in the longer version, and there are some nice insights into relationships. The most "human" poem so far.
Shakespeare
The Passionate Pilgrim
B-
The "Venus & Adonis" stuff is handled better here than in the longer version, and there are some nice insights into relationships. The most "human" poem so far.
Julius Caesar
1599
Shakespeare
Julius Caesar
D+
Although this has the "friends, Romans" etc., speech, it's otherwise flat.
Shakespeare
Julius Caesar
D+
Although this has the "friends, Romans" etc., speech, it's otherwise flat.
Henry V
1599
Shakespeare
Henry V
D+
The title character is more of a jerk than in the other plays. Otherwise, this is pretty boring.
Shakespeare
Henry V
D+
The title character is more of a jerk than in the other plays. Otherwise, this is pretty boring.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Much Ado About Nothing
1598
Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing
B
Good, solid romance/farce, where the darker subplot blends in well. The Benedick & Beatrice love-hate relationship of course has influenced rom-coms for over four centuries, and it's a relief to see how witty the original is. (Well, as original as WS gets.)
Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing
B
Good, solid romance/farce, where the darker subplot blends in well. The Benedick & Beatrice love-hate relationship of course has influenced rom-coms for over four centuries, and it's a relief to see how witty the original is. (Well, as original as WS gets.)
The Merry Wives of Windsor
1597
Shakespeare
The Merry Wives of Windsor
C+
I suspect that this play is better on stage than on page. It's an OK farce but the subplot is forgettable and probably needs to be seen. (What colour was Anne Page wearing if not white or green?) Also, funnier than any joke in the play is Kaiser Wilhelm's joke about The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Shakespeare
The Merry Wives of Windsor
C+
I suspect that this play is better on stage than on page. It's an OK farce but the subplot is forgettable and probably needs to be seen. (What colour was Anne Page wearing if not white or green?) Also, funnier than any joke in the play is Kaiser Wilhelm's joke about The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Henry IV, Part 2
1596-1597
Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part 2
C
The strongest part here is the father-son relationship between the two Henrys, and more should've been done with that.
Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part 2
C
The strongest part here is the father-son relationship between the two Henrys, and more should've been done with that.
Henry IV, Part 1
1596
Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part 1
C+
The main interest here is Prince Hal and Falstaff, but it's hard to warm up to nobles who go in for petty crimes.
Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part 1
C+
The main interest here is Prince Hal and Falstaff, but it's hard to warm up to nobles who go in for petty crimes.
The Merchant of Venice
1596
Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice
C+
Whether or not the Shylock plot is anti-Semitic, it's less interesting than the Portia plot. Lots of memorable quotes but I didn't feel invested in most of the characters.
Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice
C+
Whether or not the Shylock plot is anti-Semitic, it's less interesting than the Portia plot. Lots of memorable quotes but I didn't feel invested in most of the characters.
King John
1596-1597
Shakespeare
The Life and Death of King John
C+
This history play has no connection to the War of the Roses, for a change. "The Bastard" (son of Cordelion, Richard I) steals all his scenes.
Shakespeare
The Life and Death of King John
C+
This history play has no connection to the War of the Roses, for a change. "The Bastard" (son of Cordelion, Richard I) steals all his scenes.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1595
Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream
B
This is both a farce and a fairytale, with the play within a play getting a deserved MST3K treatment. The plot hangs together better than it should, maybe because it's all a dream. And of course there's the "What fools these mortals be" line.
Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream
B
This is both a farce and a fairytale, with the play within a play getting a deserved MST3K treatment. The plot hangs together better than it should, maybe because it's all a dream. And of course there's the "What fools these mortals be" line.
Romeo and Juliet
1593-1595
Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
B
OK, so the title characters are two teens who are too hormone-clouded to think, "Oh, maybe I should verify that he/she is actually dead before I off myself." Still, this play has a lot of justly famous lines and vivid characters, particularly the Nurse. Aside from the ending, the plot is stronger than most of WS's.
Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
B
OK, so the title characters are two teens who are too hormone-clouded to think, "Oh, maybe I should verify that he/she is actually dead before I off myself." Still, this play has a lot of justly famous lines and vivid characters, particularly the Nurse. Aside from the ending, the plot is stronger than most of WS's.
Richard II
1595
Shakespeare
Richard II
C+
Mostly notable for the "This England" speech. Does a decent job of explaining how the whole Lancaster vs. York thing got started.
Shakespeare
Richard II
C+
Mostly notable for the "This England" speech. Does a decent job of explaining how the whole Lancaster vs. York thing got started.
Love's Labour's Lost
1594-1595
Shakespeare
Love's Labour's Lost
C+
Lots of wordplay, not much plot, except in the cliffhanger ending.
Shakespeare
Love's Labour's Lost
C+
Lots of wordplay, not much plot, except in the cliffhanger ending.
The Rape of Lucrece
1594
Shakespeare
The Rape of Lucrece
F
While I suppose parts of this are well written, this poem is alternately creepy and boring. I really don't want to read about how gorgeous a rape victim's hair is, nor do I want to hear that she has to kill herself because she's no longer "pure" for her husband. Yes, it's a product of its time, but I'm not of that time and couldn't wait for this poem to be over.
Shakespeare
The Rape of Lucrece
F
While I suppose parts of this are well written, this poem is alternately creepy and boring. I really don't want to read about how gorgeous a rape victim's hair is, nor do I want to hear that she has to kill herself because she's no longer "pure" for her husband. Yes, it's a product of its time, but I'm not of that time and couldn't wait for this poem to be over.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Comedy of Errors
1594
Shakespeare
The Comedy of Errors
C+
Although the double twinning is a cute gimmick and WS keeps it clear who's who, there's a bit too much of people going back and forth in this play. ("Go now and don't return until you explain why you left and then returned to talk to someone who wasn't really me.") Also, beating the servants kills my farce buzz.
Shakespeare
The Comedy of Errors
C+
Although the double twinning is a cute gimmick and WS keeps it clear who's who, there's a bit too much of people going back and forth in this play. ("Go now and don't return until you explain why you left and then returned to talk to someone who wasn't really me.") Also, beating the servants kills my farce buzz.
Venus and Adonis
1593
Shakespeare
Venus and Adonis
D
Early poem by WS, with a classical setting. And I just don't care. Adonis is some prude who'd rather go hunting than shag a goddess, and then I'm supposed to feel bad for overly aggressive Venus when Adonis dies. That said, some of the adjectives are nice.
Shakespeare
Venus and Adonis
D
Early poem by WS, with a classical setting. And I just don't care. Adonis is some prude who'd rather go hunting than shag a goddess, and then I'm supposed to feel bad for overly aggressive Venus when Adonis dies. That said, some of the adjectives are nice.
Richard III
1592
Shakespeare
Richard III
B-
If I can turn off the anachronism-spotting part of my brain (especially in regard to Clarence's children), this is quite enjoyable. Richard is a good villain, yet a few other characters (mostly the women) get memorable lines. On the other hand, it is a history play, which means battle scenes that are quite boring to read and a bit too much "Let me make a speech that points out that I am making a speech that shows how historically significant and dramatically ironic what you just saw is."
Shakespeare
Richard III
B-
If I can turn off the anachronism-spotting part of my brain (especially in regard to Clarence's children), this is quite enjoyable. Richard is a good villain, yet a few other characters (mostly the women) get memorable lines. On the other hand, it is a history play, which means battle scenes that are quite boring to read and a bit too much "Let me make a speech that points out that I am making a speech that shows how historically significant and dramatically ironic what you just saw is."
Titus Andronicus
1591-92
Shakespeare
Titus Andronicus
F+
I tried to go into this with an open mind, not thinking "This is Shakespeare's worst." But really, everything is so over the top and implausible, and there aren't any worthwhile characters or any lines. The + on the F is because I did laugh out loud a couple times. Not quite so bad it's good, but I suppose there are productions of it that might qualify.
Shakespeare
Titus Andronicus
F+
I tried to go into this with an open mind, not thinking "This is Shakespeare's worst." But really, everything is so over the top and implausible, and there aren't any worthwhile characters or any lines. The + on the F is because I did laugh out loud a couple times. Not quite so bad it's good, but I suppose there are productions of it that might qualify.
Henry VI, Part 3
1590-91
Shakespeare
Henry VI, Part 3
C+
This is an improvement over the earlier parts, mostly due to a bigger role for villainous Richard (later III).
Shakespeare
Henry VI, Part 3
C+
This is an improvement over the earlier parts, mostly due to a bigger role for villainous Richard (later III).
The Taming of the Shrew
1590-91
Shakespeare
The Taming of the Shrew
C-
It's not just the misogyny, although that is indeed there (if milder than I remember). It's also that I don't really care about the kid-sister subplot either. That said, there are some slightly witty lines in this, and it's definitely not WS's worst. And, yes, supporting my "sometimes the movie is better" theory, Ten Things I Hate about You is better on every level.
Shakespeare
The Taming of the Shrew
C-
It's not just the misogyny, although that is indeed there (if milder than I remember). It's also that I don't really care about the kid-sister subplot either. That said, there are some slightly witty lines in this, and it's definitely not WS's worst. And, yes, supporting my "sometimes the movie is better" theory, Ten Things I Hate about You is better on every level.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
With this and most of the other works of Shakespeare, I'm going with the dates from Wikipedia, so 1589-91, from a 1983 collection.
William Shakespeare (supposedly, ha ha)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Price for book unlisted, but it's hardcover so it probably wasn't cheap
Very good condition of whole book
B- for this play
Amiable farce and not a bad start, if this is indeed WS's first. My favorite characters are the comic relief servants, Speed and Launce.
William Shakespeare (supposedly, ha ha)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Price for book unlisted, but it's hardcover so it probably wasn't cheap
Very good condition of whole book
B- for this play
Amiable farce and not a bad start, if this is indeed WS's first. My favorite characters are the comic relief servants, Speed and Launce.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Utopia
1515, Norton edition 1975
Sir Thomas More, Latin translated by Robert M. Adams
Utopia
Original price not shown, bought used for $3.50
Surprisingly good condition
C+
The two main things you have to know about Utopia are is it's not Utopian in the usual sense, since it's not a place most people would want to live, and it's more of a criticism of early Renaissance culture and politics than it is any kind of a blueprint for a society. Why does every city in Utopia have to have roughly the same number of households and why does every household have to have roughly the same number of adults? Why is discussing politics considered treasonous? Why, outside of a 1980s TV-movie starring John Ritter and Penny Marshall, would the two "injured parties" in adultery want to marry each other? Gulliver's Travels is a better satire (funnier and more cutting), while Looking Backward is a more pleasant alternative society. But as the book that invented the genre (at least for "modern" readers, ignoring the ancient Greeks and all), this isn't a bad start.
Sir Thomas More, Latin translated by Robert M. Adams
Utopia
Original price not shown, bought used for $3.50
Surprisingly good condition
C+
The two main things you have to know about Utopia are is it's not Utopian in the usual sense, since it's not a place most people would want to live, and it's more of a criticism of early Renaissance culture and politics than it is any kind of a blueprint for a society. Why does every city in Utopia have to have roughly the same number of households and why does every household have to have roughly the same number of adults? Why is discussing politics considered treasonous? Why, outside of a 1980s TV-movie starring John Ritter and Penny Marshall, would the two "injured parties" in adultery want to marry each other? Gulliver's Travels is a better satire (funnier and more cutting), while Looking Backward is a more pleasant alternative society. But as the book that invented the genre (at least for "modern" readers, ignoring the ancient Greeks and all), this isn't a bad start.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Canterbury Tales
Roughly 1385 to 1400, this edition 1982
Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
$2.95
A bit shabby condition but not bad
C
This Bantam Classic edition has just a few tales: The Prologue, The Knight, The Miller, The Wife of Bath, The Merchant, The Franklin, The Pardoner, The Prioress, and the Nun's Priest. The original Middle English is on the left-hand page, the modern translation on the right. I mostly read the translation. While the stories have some nice details and turns of phrase, and I appreciate Chaucer's ability to write in the styles of a diverse group of people, I can't say I was particularly gripped by this reread. My favorite tale was the Nun's Priest's, because I like the idea of a flock of educated chickens. The Prioress's Tale would have to be my least favorite, not only because of the anti-Semitism, but because the story (murdered kid keeps singing about the Virgin Mary) doesn't really interest me. The translation, by A. Kent Hieatt and Constance Hieatt is well done (although they keep euphemizing "queynte" in the many places it occurs), and the tales move along briskly, with the exception of course of The Knight's Tale. Verdict: Keep but not reread more than the once a decade I seem to do.
Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
$2.95
A bit shabby condition but not bad
C
This Bantam Classic edition has just a few tales: The Prologue, The Knight, The Miller, The Wife of Bath, The Merchant, The Franklin, The Pardoner, The Prioress, and the Nun's Priest. The original Middle English is on the left-hand page, the modern translation on the right. I mostly read the translation. While the stories have some nice details and turns of phrase, and I appreciate Chaucer's ability to write in the styles of a diverse group of people, I can't say I was particularly gripped by this reread. My favorite tale was the Nun's Priest's, because I like the idea of a flock of educated chickens. The Prioress's Tale would have to be my least favorite, not only because of the anti-Semitism, but because the story (murdered kid keeps singing about the Virgin Mary) doesn't really interest me. The translation, by A. Kent Hieatt and Constance Hieatt is well done (although they keep euphemizing "queynte" in the many places it occurs), and the tales move along briskly, with the exception of course of The Knight's Tale. Verdict: Keep but not reread more than the once a decade I seem to do.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Lais of Marie de France
Late 1100s (probably 1170s or 1180s), this translation from 1986
Marie de France
The Lais of Marie de France
$9.95
Decent condition
C+
Sort of an odd book to start with, since not much is known about the author or the text. A lai is a short story-poem, but this translation puts the twelve lais into prose. Compared to some medieval works, this is pretty accessible, since it's simple courtly romances. Marie has a conversational style, which can be cute, like when she swears a story really happened, but can get a bit annoying when she recaps the plot in a seven-page story. Also, some of the details are a bit ridiculous-- the woman who carries around her lover's sword for twenty years until the day she can pass it on to their lovechild, or the weasel who knows of a plant that brings weasels and people back to life-- and I don't know how I'm supposed to take this. As parody? As folktale? Still, should I keep and someday reread this book? Sure.
Marie de France
The Lais of Marie de France
$9.95
Decent condition
C+
Sort of an odd book to start with, since not much is known about the author or the text. A lai is a short story-poem, but this translation puts the twelve lais into prose. Compared to some medieval works, this is pretty accessible, since it's simple courtly romances. Marie has a conversational style, which can be cute, like when she swears a story really happened, but can get a bit annoying when she recaps the plot in a seven-page story. Also, some of the details are a bit ridiculous-- the woman who carries around her lover's sword for twenty years until the day she can pass it on to their lovechild, or the weasel who knows of a plant that brings weasels and people back to life-- and I don't know how I'm supposed to take this. As parody? As folktale? Still, should I keep and someday reread this book? Sure.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Introduction
The Project
I'm in the process of moving, for the first time in seven years. Every time I move, I wonder why I own so many books. Yes, I like to reread, but do I really need all of them? I donated a few books as I packed, but those were the easy ones to eliminate, ones I couldn't imagine ever rereading. The only way to evaluate whether to keep the rest is to reread them. Plus it'll be fun to revisit the books en masse. Hence this project.
When I say every book, do I mean every book, like the dictionary or my senior yearbook? All I can say at this point is that I'll decide that when I get there. I'm going to do this chronologically by the original year of publication, although that's looking to be a bit more complicated than it sounds.
1. If it's a clear copyright, great.
2. If it's before the times of copyrights, I'll go with the year it was written, distributed, or (in the case of Shakespeare for instance) performed.
3. If it's a translation, I'm going to go with the year of translation, unless it's a decade or more after original publication.
4. If it's a collection of writings (essays, short stories, novels), then I will read each piece in the year it's from if clearly indicated, unless the editing is significant enough in itself to go with the year the collection was published.
5. Barry Williams's Growing up Brady is going to be in both 1992 and 1999 because the later edition has significant changes. On the other hand, I will reread the British editions of Harry Potter and just note the illustrations for the American editions.
6. Within each year, I'll go alphabetically by author. "Anonymous" will be first.
How long will this project take? No idea, probably years if not decades
How many books do I own? No idea, a few hundred?
What will I do if I acquire more books before the end of this project, as is very likely? Drop them in chronologically if I haven't gotten to their years yet, otherwise not blog about them.
Format
Year, original and this edition if different
Author, and perhaps Illustrator
Title
Price of this copy, both original and what I probably paid for it used
Condition, including any interesting notes other people wrote (I don't write in books unless a typo really bothers me.)
Grade, F- to A+
Review
I may revise this, but at least this gives me a starting point.
I'm in the process of moving, for the first time in seven years. Every time I move, I wonder why I own so many books. Yes, I like to reread, but do I really need all of them? I donated a few books as I packed, but those were the easy ones to eliminate, ones I couldn't imagine ever rereading. The only way to evaluate whether to keep the rest is to reread them. Plus it'll be fun to revisit the books en masse. Hence this project.
When I say every book, do I mean every book, like the dictionary or my senior yearbook? All I can say at this point is that I'll decide that when I get there. I'm going to do this chronologically by the original year of publication, although that's looking to be a bit more complicated than it sounds.
1. If it's a clear copyright, great.
2. If it's before the times of copyrights, I'll go with the year it was written, distributed, or (in the case of Shakespeare for instance) performed.
3. If it's a translation, I'm going to go with the year of translation, unless it's a decade or more after original publication.
4. If it's a collection of writings (essays, short stories, novels), then I will read each piece in the year it's from if clearly indicated, unless the editing is significant enough in itself to go with the year the collection was published.
5. Barry Williams's Growing up Brady is going to be in both 1992 and 1999 because the later edition has significant changes. On the other hand, I will reread the British editions of Harry Potter and just note the illustrations for the American editions.
6. Within each year, I'll go alphabetically by author. "Anonymous" will be first.
How long will this project take? No idea, probably years if not decades
How many books do I own? No idea, a few hundred?
What will I do if I acquire more books before the end of this project, as is very likely? Drop them in chronologically if I haven't gotten to their years yet, otherwise not blog about them.
Format
Year, original and this edition if different
Author, and perhaps Illustrator
Title
Price of this copy, both original and what I probably paid for it used
Condition, including any interesting notes other people wrote (I don't write in books unless a typo really bothers me.)
Grade, F- to A+
Review
I may revise this, but at least this gives me a starting point.
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