Emma by Jane Austen

 

Title:  Emma

Author:  Jane Austen

Narrated by:  Juliet Stevenson

Publisher: Naxos Edition

Length: Approximately 16 hours and 39 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

 

What books do you like to reread?  What is an old favorite book that you return to?

 I love all of Jane Austen’s novels.  The Kewaunee Library Back to the Classics Book Club July pick was Emma by Jane Austen.  I listened to it on audiobook as I’ve come to realize I love listening to classics like Austen via audiobook.  It is the way they originally would often had been read as a family read them out loud to each other.

 I have read and reviewed Emma many times before so in this review I will talk about what struck me on reading it this time.  I was really struck by how judgmental and snobby Emma was.  I couldn’t believe some of the things she said about Robert Martin.  She couldn’t believe he could write a letter because he was a farmer, etc.  She also had thoughts about the Coles as they from trade, and Miss Bates because she was a poor single woman.  Her judgements were inconsistent as we discussed in book club.  She overlooks that Harriet is most likely illegitimate with no family or that the Westons made their money from trade.  I feel like the 2020 movie captured Emma’s snobbishness perfectly. 

 Frank Churchill was also a topic in book club.  The fact that Miss Fairfax still marries him is amazing.  He flirts with Emma in front of Miss Fairfax and in fact makes fun of Miss Fairfax.  It would have been hard to bear.

 I thought that Mr. Elton was interesting.  In the book he is described as very handsome, but the movie versions never seem to depict it.  Austen always seems to always be picking on the clergy even though her father and brother were clergymen.  Mr. Elton is very proud of his new bride, Mrs. Elton, although she is a braggart and overly proud of herself.  I always wonder what will happen to their marriage in the future.

 Juliet Stevenson played Mrs. Elton in the 1996 film version and she is the perfect audiobook narrator.  She especially narrated the characters of Mrs. Elton and Miss Bates in a most entertaining way.  She is a go to narrator of audiobooks for me.

 I enjoyed listening to this story again.  Austen is such a witty writer and writes great dialogue.  Her characters are all very interesting and have such characteristics that are still true to life for people.  I was just sad when it ended.