Reveries Under the Sign of Austen, Two
"It is well to have as many holds upon happiness as possible" — Henry Tilney, NA: a blog on Austen, 18th century & Women's Art
Mapping Tom’s Journey Friends and readers, I bring together in one place my essay-blogs on the extraordinary learning journey I took with a group of older retired people at the Oscher Institute of Life-long Learning (attached to American University in DC) when we read and discussed Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones. I was asked by a … Continue reading “After teaching Tom Jones for 10 weeks”
An inn on the road where Tom and the military men at table (Osborne/Richardson Tom Jones, 1963) A rare flashback in the two films: Bridget Allworthy when young, waving goodbye to Mr Allworthy as he sets off for three months in Bath: she is pregnant, the man who impregnated her dead, and she will have … Continue reading “Tom Jones, the last 3rd: sexual violence against women, libertinism; Hamlet & a history of the novel (5)”
Fielding and the landlady at Upton who is staring horrified at Mrs Waters’ state of undress (John Sessions and Ruth Sheen, 1997 BBC Tom Jones) Tom and Mrs Waters aka Jenny Jones eating later that night at Upton (Albert Finney, Joyce Redmond, 1963 Richardson/Osborne Tom Jones) Dear friends and readers, Herewith a fourth blog on … Continue reading “Tom Jones on the road: allusive, filled with sex; gypsies, Punch & Judy & The Provok’d Husband (4)”
Glastonbury Tor, Sometsetshire Dear friends and readers, This is another blog of lecture notes for a course I’m teaching at the Oscher Institute of Lifelong Learning at American University. As happened last spring, the second week I was supposed to teach, the first class was cancelled (not the course itself, we will begin meeting next … Continue reading “Reading Tom Jones: Obstacles & Fielding’s life (1)”
Wm Hogarth, The March to Finley, a scene from the ’45’ Rebellion (1749) (click to enlarge) A Syllabus For a Study Group at the Oscher LifeLong Learning Institute at American University Day: Ten Monday afternoons, 1:00 to 2:50 pm St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, 2815 36th Street, Northwest, Washington DC Dates: Classes start Sept 28th; … Continue reading “Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones: A Fall Syllabus”
Dear all, I’ve returned to my movie project and over the last week or so have been rewatching the 5 Sense and Sensibility that are my terrain for one of my chapters of a book on Austen films — or a narrower subset of Austen films. I’m aware my 69 page typescript might seem obsessively … Continue reading “S&S/Austen films; Pallisers/ Victorian films; & TomJones,Clary/18thc films”
In one of her poem’s a heelpiece to a lady’s shoe (18th century of course) speaks Her self-description: “a Traveller or Pilgrim, wandering about from House to House, in order to partake of the Benevolence of such good People [to her friends living in Windsor Forest] as you are … ” (ie., poor but honest … Continue reading “Foremother poet: Mary Jones (1707-78), Chantress”
Natasha McElhone and Jodhi May as Mary and Anne Boleyn (2003, BBC The Other Boleyn Girl, written and directed by Philippa Lowrthorpe) Dear friends and readers, I’ve just been watching the powerful 2003 BBC film adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl, written & directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, with (most notably or memorably) Jodhi … Continue reading “A feminist approach to Henry Fielding or the nature of historical fiction? — Anne Boleyn, Jenny Jones, Lady Townly & the Poldark extravaganza”
Dear friends and readers, Did you know that the type character that Bridget Jones stands for — poignant, yet funny, appealing, warm, idealistic yet thoroughly attuned to this world — as played by Renee Zellweger made her first entrance as the half-crazed heroine in Nurse Betty (director Neil LaBute, screenplay John C. Richards, producer Gail … Continue reading “Nurse Betty: Renee Zellweger’s first incarnation as Bridget Jones in a witty satire”
Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Don (Tobias Menzies) in Holofcenter’s latest film, You Hurt My Feeling Just back from Nicole Holofcener’s You Hurt My Feelings, a movie which did my feelings good 🙂 I like all her films, and since Outlander, Tobias Menzies is a great favorite with me. I really am moved to write a … Continue reading “Nicole Holofcener’s You Hurt My Feelings — did my feelings good — a summer film”
Reveries Under the Sign of Austen, Two 