~lisaC
Tue, Dec 10, 1996 (22:48)
seed
If you could go back in time and talk to Jane Austen, what ONE question would you ask her? Would it be about:* her life?
* how she came up with the ideas for her novels?
* what real life person(s) inspired her characters?
* anything else?
~mich
Tue, Dec 10, 1996 (22:56)
#1
I know I'm dull but...
What happened to Darcy & Lizzie, Duckface and the rest?
What happened to Anne and Captian W? Did Annes family finally get what they deserved?
~geekman
Wed, Dec 11, 1996 (05:49)
#2
"Who inspired you to create Fanny Price?" (Don't worry HC, no offence meant)
~amy2
Wed, Dec 11, 1996 (11:13)
#3
My question to Austen would be: "Could you bequeath me 1/64th of your genius?"
~churchh
Thu, Dec 12, 1996 (12:39)
#4
By the way, here's her nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh's report of what Jane Austen told her family about the characters in the novels...
"She would, if asked, tell us many little particulars about the subsequent career of some of her people.
In this traditionary way we learned that Miss Steele never succeeded in catching the Doctor; that Kitty Bennet was satisfactorily married to a clergyman near Pemberley, while Mary obtained nothing higher than one of her uncle Philips' clerks, and was content to be considered a star in the society of Meriton; that the ``considerable sum'' given by Mrs. Norris to William Price was one pound; that Mr. Woodhouse survived his daughter's marriage, and kept her and Mr. Knightley from settling at Donw
ll, about two years; and that the letters placed by Frank Churchill before Jane Fairfax, which she swept away unread, contained the word ``pardon''.
Of the good people in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion we know nothing more than what is written: for before those works were published their author had been taken away from us, and all such amusing communications had ceased for ever."
In addition, there's also the tradition that she said Jane Fairfax only lived eight or nine years after her marriage to Frank, and wasn't emntirely happy...
~Dina
Wed, Dec 18, 1996 (17:52)
#5
The question I would want her to answer would be one she would possibly not even answer to Cassandra (o.k. HC, I admit it, I have yet to read those letters) who would probably have better manners than to even ask it: Why did you never marry? Or how much of Persuasion was autobiographical?
~amy2
Thu, Dec 19, 1996 (10:56)
#6
Does anyone remember the details of Lefroy, reputed to be her suitor?
~churchh
Thu, Dec 19, 1996 (11:28)
#7
I have some details on Jane Austen's reputed suitors in the AUSTEN-L "Pre-FAQ" at
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/pre-faq.txt
And also in the Jane Austen biography file at:
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/janelife.html
Note: The uts.cc.utexas.edu machine will be down over the next day or so...