Jane Austen: gum that stretches and stretches

Fears confirmed as he directed the movie Carrie Cracknell. writers Rum Bass Y Alice Winslow he tried to modernize the novel by using tools such as breaking the fourth wall. [el personaje habla directamente al público] and unlikely dialogues. a mix of the series flea bagof the Phoebe Waller Bridgeand the aforementioned Bridgertons of the Shonda RhimesIt creates a product that works very well separately but, together, is questionable for those who enjoy Austen’s work. Netflix has managed to stir up controversy about the movie, which isn’t entirely negative when it comes to attracting an intriguing audience, but theirs probably won’t go down in the history of best adaptations.

Alejandra PalesA journalist specializing in the series and responsible for the Tokipop podcast, this new audio-visual version of the series Persuasion It is a betrayal of Austen’s writings. “They translated this a kind of comedy with a protagonist between the clumsy and spoiled, which I think is quite far from the novel, which is dramatic”. He explains that it is not a matter of ‘purity’ but of respect for the public. “If we have to say something, I’m inclined to go overboard, but if it’s just to make it look cooler or to simplify it, no. There are embarrassing scenes, like Anne Elliot going to pee in the woods, like we were idiots and we didn’t know people peed their entire lives”.

idea Maria Belen Menargues Cuartero It’s heading in the same direction as Palés. He is currently the administrator of the Instagram account @fan.janeausten, which has 12,700 followers, and his content is mainly based on images from different film and television adaptations made from the author’s works. He also published his short novel in 2018. my dear Jane Austen (Red circle). for him”The sweet and bitter Anne Elliot is nothing like the role played by Dakota Johnson. The actor who played Captain Frederick Wentworth, cosmo jarvisNor does he convey the so-called indifference he shows in the book. There was a lot of expectation, so it was disappointing.”

But there is always some light in the dark. Blanca Pujals, creative with Charlotte Freixenet From Punkisdecimononiques, a podcast of Victorian women of the 19th century (in Catalan), she states that she likes the movie. “It doesn’t have the profession of being a faithful adaptation, it retains the humor of Austen that many adaptations forget a bit. Here It shows that everyone involved was very fascinated and tried to adapt their humor for the 21st century. with more or less success. Anne admits that Elliot had little to do with the original, but relatives and absurd situations “very Austen. I think it’s lucky that there is an adaptation on Netflix with trendy cast, because many people will see the movie, want to know more, and read the books.

STRING GUM?

The list of adaptations of Jane Austen’s works for film and television is so long that the possibilities for creating new and original ones may be running out. Has the author’s legacy been rubbed too much? Writer among the respondents Espido FreireA scholar of Austen’s work. published the books Dear Jane, Dear Charlotte (Editorial Aguilar, 2004) and In the footsteps of Jane Austen (Editorial Ariel, 2021) and podcast Pride and Prejudice, available on Podimo, among other works on the nineteenth-century author. For him, this question does not arise with ” Shakespeare or with bram stockist, For example. A legacy is not stretched, it is shared as long as it makes sense to the reader. How much is ‘too much’? Classical texts have this capacity. And there’s been Jane Austen for a while”.

sisters almudena Y carmen romeroEnglish linguist and engineer respectively created the web Jane Austen’s site twenty years ago, to make the author known in Spanish beyond the university and specialist circles. This site caused tea room“This is a forum for the author to share that love. Our work has allowed us to interact live with other fans, for example, at meetings, picnics, or collaborating with universities and libraries.” For them, Austen’s job is a bit worn. “Sometimes one wonders how valuable it is to get back to the author with sequels or adaptations, even though some creators have contributed nothing other than capitalizing on the Austen brand and its fans. There are many other writers who deserve adaptations, for example Emilia Pardo Bazanjust to give an example” they say.

María Belén Menargues says there will never be too many adaptations for Austen lovers. “What they do remains a challenge for broadcasters and film and television companies alike. They have survived over the years. Alejandra Palés argues that it’s okay if the producers are clear on what and how they want to adapt the novels. “little Women, of the Louisa MayAlcottIt has been adapted millions of times. But the latest version greta gerwig She has a very determined discourse, through the character of Jo March, there is a basic thesis about what it means to be a woman and have a career at that time. It tells the story from a certain point of view.”

Another different issue is movies adapted from Jane Austen’s novels but modernized. what happens with this Bridget Jones’ diary Y pride and Prejudiceor with unannounced Y Emma, For example. For Alejandra Palés, this is acceptable, because Persuasion, “At no point do they tell you that this is a faithful adaptation. Bridget Jones more of a mirror game called Bridget’s heartache Darcy. Even in her second novel. Helen FieldingBridget Jones interviews Colin Firth Who plays Darcy in the BBC version of Austen’s novel.

The ‘nineteenth-century punk’ Blanca Pujals loves these versions and goes “crazy” with the faces people make when told they are based on these books. “It shows that Jane Austen’s dramatic and humorous genius is universal and timeless. It’s great that their modern adaptations are references to current pop culture. Alicia Silverstone couldn’t be more faithful to Emma’s character and demeanor. I love them all, even the freest ones, Weddings and PrejudiceIndian version or Big city Inspired by, by Whit Stillman Mansfield Park”.

There has been a resurgence of interest in Austen’s work in recent years, it is agreed. But while Alejandra Palés thinks that men should still be interested in her literature, Pujals says in Spain:Thanks in part to these new adaptations, the gender barrier has finally been broken. It’s fun to find so much criticism on Twitter or TikTok.” He points out that in England, Austen’s literature was never said to be “for girls” derogatory. He recommended them to those who returned with post-stress. Rudyard Kipling He wrote a story entitled Janeitesabout a group of soldiers who are fans of Austen”. In the end, “passions must be shared,” as Freire said.