Monday, June 7, 2010

Persuasion: A Reading

This pretty much finished up Persuasion, my dears.  We may touch on it again, but this is the last big hoorah.  This is a reading of one of my favorite parts of the novel (yes, it's the letter, and a small bit leading up to it.)
Ignore the bad editing (my brother kept opening the squeaky door) and enjoy.


Why this is one of my favorite scenes:
Setting aside the dreaminess of the letter, I adore this scene for its recklessness.  I know you're saying, huh?  But think about it.  These two are so caught up in their emotions for each other that, even though they are in a relatively public place, and even though neither has confessed feelings for the other, they both basically lay themselves bare and risk getting caught doing so!  Wentworth writes his letter and disregards whats going on around him, save Anne's conversation with Harville, and then leaves a rather raw, sentimental and emotional letter lying there in someone else's house -- he could easily have been found out when he went back.  Meanwhile Anne makes it clear in her conversation with Harville that she understands love and has loved (not something you readily confess as an unmarried woman going on spinsterhood), and then proceeds to read the letter immediately rather than wait until gaining the safety of her room.  She then basically goes after Wentworth and they profess their love on the street.  Shocking.
I love it.

3 comments:

  1. Oh wow. What a great and brave idea. Love it :)

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  2. I love persuasion and that is my favorite part too. My favorite movie is the one with Ciran Hinds plays Capt. Wentworth (he is one of my favorite British actors) I love this story more than P&P, I know its shocking..LOL This is my fav Jane Austen story.

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  3. Have you seen this reading? Kals posted the link on Twitter. Swoooooooooooooooon!

    http://www.cartenoire.co.uk/cartenoire/page/podcast/greg-wise/greg-wise-reads-persuasion-by-jane-austen/655

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