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 Posted by Laraine on April 30, 1998 at 13:31:55:


In response to JA's heroines: Bright and mistaken, quiet and right, written by Linden on April 29, 1998 at 21:12:00


Back to the Library ] Was Jane Austen trying to tell us something about the virtues of quietness?
 
I don't really think so--
The reason I don't is that the final outcomes aren't reliant on how many or how few mistakes one makes. In fact, I'd make the argument that Darcy and Knightley are the most appealling heros, and they are married to women who've made the biggest lulus. Knightley is the Austen hero I'd most like to wed, and Emma is the biggest maker of mistakes. And the list sort of goes backwards from there. Lizzy makes the next biggest mistakes (because she quite actively argues for Wickham and against Darcy as she misjudges both) but I'd marry Darcy in a shot if we were both unattached ;-).
And so on: Marianne is at times silly, melodramatic, and her sensibility nearly kills her, but I think Brandon is nearly perfect has a husband (especially if he were really Alan Rickman ;-> ) Anne goofs up only once, but it's extremely big time, and yet she gets FW who's a *great* guy (especially after his misjudgements have humbled him a bit and knocked some of the stuffing out of him). Catherine commits some pretty big gaffs, but Henry's an appealling person (at least to me)--he's witty, fun loving, likes pets, and loves his family. I like Edward Ferrars well enough--he has many good qualities and a sort of dry sense of humor that makes me smile, but I don't think he's nearly the "catch" that the others are--he has much less spirit. The calm and thoughtful Elinor is, however, very well suited to him. Bingley's nice but he's not (IMHO) the brightest bulb on the Austen holiday tree. Jane's quiet and accepting nature works well for him. And while (unlike many Pemberlians) I sort of like Edmund, he's the least spririted and in many ways the least interesting of the heroes. And Fanny is the most cautious and most correct heroine. Many people see the last as a marriage of one prig to another, but I think that's way harsh.
I agree with Hil (as usual <-:) about MaryC not being a heroine.
So for me, the idea is to make mistakes, take risks, grow a whole lot, and wind up with Knightley, Darcy, or Wentworth saying (in their different ways) you pierce my soul.





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