So, strolling through the Jane Austen exhibit--an experience that had me staring closely, intently, fingers warm and leaving marks on protective glass, all museum etiquette forgotten--I felt as if I was detangling sentences from the past that, because of their ornate penmanship, hadn't been translated from curves and flourishes into meaning in centuries. Of course this wasn't the case; there were "translations" in which many of the sentences were typed up beneath their folded, time-vanilla-ed pages. I went with my dear friend, M., who was in my 18th Century Literature class nearly eight years ago. Of all people to not mind my staring--to, even, slowly decipher the pretty word as we read mundane meanings, a sentence, something like: "I cannot take ---'s shoes, as my trunk, after the journey, will be quite full." There was also a letter written by Jane's sister, an account--in a similar, but larger hand--of Jane's death. Big exhale.
The pages still held many of their folds, and I delighted in seeing how the letters had once been folded and sealed. There were black, pale blue, and pinkish-red remnants of wax seals, but none of the symbols remained.
We weren't allowed to take pictures, and the guards were very strict. And, unfortunately, the gift shop offered only two prints of her letters, and in postcard size--I'd actually dragged M. downstairs quite soon, unable to bear waiting longer to go buy the poster-sized prints of her letters that, I assumed, would be there. Alas: no.
But I have two postcard-sized prints, suitable for framing, of a letter Miss Austen wrote her niece, Cassandra, in 1817. It's written backwards, as were many of the letters between them, but the flourishes--the curves under and over letters, are in place.
And so, a contest, in two parts: the winner of each part will receive a postcard.
Part One: devise a contest. Relevance to subject matter (contests like "write a ____ in the style of Jane Austen") get extra points.
Part Two: win it.
On your mark--get set--write!
7 comments:
Ooh, contest idea: write a query to hook a modern agent with an Austen classic.
You must use Ms. Austen's voice but you may reference modern-day inventions, locales, etc., as if she is living contemporarily. You cannot alter the plot of the book you choose to query.
But you may make up the third paragraph (writing credits) with modern-day likelihoods as you see fit.
:)
Contest Idea:
Write a pick up line as Jane Austen would have her heroine's use.
You may have the hero in a modern setting or in a historical one. But it must sound as if Herself wrote it!
Wish I could have seen that exhibit!
:)
Finish this sentence with panache:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that..."
How about this? Might be quite a challenge. Choose an excerpt from a science fiction novel, not fantasy science fiction, but cult science fiction, such as, Gibson's, Neoromancer, and rewrite it, Jane Austen style. Or, write a blurb for a science fiction book, using Jane Austen's voice.
Oh, man it would be so tough to write anything int he style of Jane Austen. I'd like to see people take the first paragraph of their WIP and turn Austen-ify it.
Oh, or maybe just the first sentence, because in Austen speak that would probably turn into a paragraph!
Thomas Egerton of Whitehall
My good sir,
I would very much like to tell you about my novel “Pride and Prejudice,” approximately 123,000 words long. Part romance and part social commentary, I feel the story would be of interest to a wide variety of personages, not just ladies of some learning and the men who wish to woo them.
The elder Bennett sisters Jane and Elizabeth are known in the Hamptons for their beauty and wit, their only currency as they try to find husbands wealthy enough to forestall foreclosure on their ancestral home. When Bingley, an amiable trust funder who rents a neighboring mansion for the summer, fancies himself in love with Jane, his friend, the imperious Mr. Darcy, convinces him to return to Manhattan, even as Darcy finds himself enthralled with the keen Elizabeth and her fine eyes. Elizabeth, determined to know the particulars for Bingley’s abrupt departure and Jane’s heartache, finds her efforts hampered by Darcy who insults her lack of upward mobility but nonetheless asks for her hand in marriage. Naturally, Elizabeth refuses.
When Lydia, Elizabeth’s wayward younger sister, unexpectedly disappears during a field trip to the Bronx, Elizabeth finds herself asking for assistance from the unlikeliest source – Darcy. Already honor bound to render aid, Darcy hopes to restore Elizabeth’s good opinion of him. When Bingley returns to Long Island the following season to ask for Jane’s hand, the only questions remaining are whether Elizabeth can swallow her pride and if Darcy can learn from his prejudices. You may expect happily ever afters to follow.
I fear I have overstepped my bounds in contacting you thusly. But rest assured, I have some experience. A series of my essays appeared in The Times last summer under the penname James Acton, and I am quite active in the Hampshire Ladies’ Association. This year, I am in charge of our letter writing campaign to increase awareness of humane farming practices.
I ardently hope you find ‘Pride and Prejudice’ to be well-suited for publication.
Yours truly,
Jane Austin of Steventon
Hampshire
Yikes! That's Austen not Austin the city.... Microsoft Word's spellcheck couldn't have saved me from that!
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