By Narayan Saimbi
For those that missed it, one of this summer’s Hollywood bombshells was that Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is getting another silver-screen adaptation (the last one being in 1995). This adaptation is being produced by Working Title Films, Focus Features and November Pictures. The cast (so far) includes the likes of Daisy-Edgar Jones as Elinor Dashwood, Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood, George MacKay as Edward Ferrars, Catríona Balfe as Mrs Dashwood and Frank Dillane as John Willoughby (as well as many more). Here’s why you should read some of Austen’s novels before you watch this movie and why there’s never been a better time to do so than now.
Sense and Sensibility
So of course, I am going to kick this list off with Sense and Sensibility. The novel follows two sisters (Elinor and Marianne Dashwood) as they are thrown into poverty after the death of their father. Throughout the story, we are shown that due to the Dashwood’s loss of income, and thereby status, both sisters are led on by men who want to romantically pursue them but are forced to abandon these prospects due to their respective families’ desire to maintain status and wealth. Austen writes Elinor and Marianne as antonyms of each other; one calm and reserved, the other emotional headstrong and brash. But despite these differences in personalities, both sisters are subjected to the emotional ravages placed on them after those that they love abandon them in favour of other women with higher income and status. Whilst the novel does eventually have a happy ending (spoiler alert, I know), Sense and Sensibility serves as a cautionary tale to take care with who you choose to love. I would highly recommend you read this novel before its next film adaptation releases in cinemas in order to get a full picture of what the story is really about.
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is arguably Jane Austen’s most famous work (with no small part of that going to Keira Knightley’s performance in the 2005 film adaptation). Similar to Sense and Sensibility, the novel follows Elizabeth Bennet, one of the five daughters of Mr Bennet, in her pursuit of a husband in order to gain her father’s inheritance after he passes away. Towards the start of the novel, we are introduced to Mr Darcy, an incredibly wealthy bachelor who warms up to Elizabeth more and more as the novel progresses (despite calling her “not handsome enough” during their first interaction with each other). As the story progresses, we see Elizabeth battle with the prospect of marrying Mr Darcy and her struggles in doing so despite the class difference between them. Pride and Prejudice is one of Austen’s best works for a reason- Elizabeth and Mr Darcy are written in such great depth that you are instantly transported to Georgian England with every page that you turn. A great place to start for anyone who has never read an Austen novel.
Image Credits: K嘛
Emma
Emma serves as more of a change of pace to both Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. The novel begins by introducing us to Emma, a 21 year old socialite with a high regard for class status, and her love to matchmake the people in her life (most notably her friend Harriet). Throughout the story, we see Emma make mistakes in both her demeanour and decisions but through the guidance of her close friend Mr Knightley, we see her mature and learn lessons in both humility and reservation. Notably, Emma Woodhouse is quite literally Austen personified- before starting the novel, she said she would write “a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like”. With this in mind, I believe Emma is Austen’s writing at its purest form. She is not trying to please anyone with how she writes and there is no greater overall intention in this book apart from to create a story that Austen herself wants to read. I think that is absolutely fantastic and is certainly a great reason why you should add Emma to your Austen reading list.
Image Credits: Charlotta Wateson
That is my list of Jane Austen novels that you should read before you watch the next Sense and Sensibility movie. I have only settled on these top three but I have done that for two reasons. Firstly, it is in my humble opinion that these are Austen’s best works- mainly for the fact that they are the ones I am most familiar with. But secondly, all three of these novels have on-screen adaptations, whether that be through a TV series or a feature film. Within our world of streaming sites, all of these great stories are at the tip of our fingers. Thus, after you’ve read the books, you have the opportunity to easily watch these tales play out in real life with the actors you love taking on the roles of these iconic characters. Ultimately, Jane Austen is one of the greatest English novelists of all time. All I can hope is that this list serves as an adequate way to introduce you to her.
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