Posted by Cassia on June 17, 1997 at 16:51:44:
In reply to Juvenilia (sp?) posted by A-M on June 15, 1997 at 23:48:31
] JA was a fabulous and naughty writer. I'm currently reading her juvenilia, and it shows her sense of humour unfettered. The 6 popular novels she wrote are so constrained compared with her unfettered writings from her youth. Obviously when she took on a project for the purpose of publishing it she made it sufficiently respectable for consumption by the general public.
] Up till now I had expected JA to have been like Elinor Dashwood or perhaps Anne Elliott. Now I think that she was like Elisabeth Bennett, and perhaps even less restrained than that popular lady. I now have no problem imagining JA playing tricks on people and having a good belly-laugh about it.
] Has anyone else read her early stuff? What do you think about them?
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I prefer the juvenilia to both Mansfeild Park and Sense and Sensiblity! I, too, enjoy her unfettered style and her parody of social and literary conventions. When you finish them you can try Lady Susan, a short novel with a truly bad leading lady.
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