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The Common Reader
Oliver Traldi: Jane Austen and the Defence of Virtue

The Common Reader

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 74:12


My colleague Oliver Traldi recently published an essay called ‘Jane Austen's Virtuous Liberalism'. It's a very nice discussion of the ways in which Austen understand the challenges of character formation.Virtue, as Austen sees it, faces two tough challenges. First, people whose characters are not yet formed must see how to be virtuous rather than vicious. Then, the virtuous must somehow find a way to succeed in their struggles against the vicious without adopting vicious means.In this episode, Oliver and I discussed Austen's ideas of virtue, what that has to do with liberalism, the relationship between philosophy and literature more broadly, as well as poetry and ideas about the Great Books. We also talked about the Keira Knightly Pride and Prejudice. Yes, we both liked it. Here is why Oliver thinks Jane Austen is so popular among philosophers.TRALDI: And so I do think that even though she's not making arguments, she's not laying out philosophical theories, there is a level of precision in her thinking about virtue, which I do think is something that it took me a little aback.And I think it's part of why—one person who quote-tweeted my article was Daniel Kodsi, who's a friend of our colleague John Maier and his coauthor often. And he runs this magazine called The Philosophers' Magazine, which I had written before. And Daniel quote-tweeted my article with something like, “Add Oliver to the list of all the philosophers who love Austen.”OLIVER: And it's a long list.TRALDI: And I think it's a long list. And I do think this precision is part of it that she does, that it is—again, it's not like a philosophy journal article, but it is an intellectual sophistication that is often not present in novelists that we really appreciate.And here is an extract about Austen, Smith, and the wonderfully fertile period at the end of the eighteen century.TRALDI: But yes, I think it's obvious—without knowing the background, I'm sure there are scholarly questions about, how much Smith did Austen read? And they're both 250th—a lot was happening in 1775 and 1776.OLIVER: Those were great years. Those were the good old days.TRALDI: They were great years. In the great books syllabus, you get to the end of the 1700s and suddenly there's this—you have Smith, you have Kant, you have the American Revolution, you have the French Revolution, you have Burke. Rousseau is right before, Montesquieu is right before. I mean, it was a real—OLIVER: It's a great time.TRALDI: It was a great time. A lot was being done. And obviously, you know, I love the 1800s. I love the Romantics. But you could teach a whole great books course from 1750 to 1800, probably.OLIVER: You've also got all the dictionaries and all that kind of work going on as well. It's a very, very fertile—explorations.TRALDI: Yes, yes. There's all sorts of—yes, it was an amazing time.OLIVER: So did you, having read these two, Austen and Smith, close together—TRALDI: Yes, and I should say that my reading of Austen was much more careful than my reading of Smith.OLIVER: Sure, but you wrote this before you read Smith.TRALDI: Yes, absolutely.OLIVER: Or at least you fully conceived it. Do you see a lot of Smith in Austen?TRALDI: “A lot” might be—This was my favourite bit.TRALDI: Yes. But this is one of the great—I know we talked about this, but it's one of the great—you see this in Smith, you see this in Austen—commerce has its own virtues, and they are very traditional virtues. You have to be trustworthy. You have to be pleasant. You can't really be wholly self-interested in every moment because people have to be willing to deal with you given your—I mean, think about Yelp reviews or even just word of mouth. “Oh, that person screwed me over.”OLIVER: There's a discussion in one of Hayek's papers, which is—it's a very Smithian point he makes about, the nature of the knowledge problem means that it's not so much that I'm trying to get information about the thing you're trying to sell me, but I'm really trying to get information about you and whether you are someone I should be buying from. Which is exactly the project that the novelists and Smith—there's a sort of period between Smith and the early novelists, running through Austen to George Eliot, when they're all working on that problem together.TRALDI: Yes. I do think in Austen, it's often—the real puzzle is, how do you make out somebody else's character?OLIVER: Exactly.TRALDI: This is a phrase that Lizzy Bennet does use with regard to Darcy. And how do we actually figure out who the trustworthy and untrustworthy people are?OLIVER: And if you're too philosophical about that, in the sort of analytic sense, I think you can end up not paying enough attention to the particulars of that question.TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: Because when you actually try and do it, it's really, really hard.TRALDI: Yes. And I think this is the sort of—reading Austen, you get a sense of—and there are very few philosophy papers on things like this. Reading Austen, you get a sense of, what sorts of details in a normal life are the ones that I can extract information from to make out somebody else's character?Oliver is an analytical, political philosopher. You can find out more about his work here. Here he is on Twitter. His Substack is orting. You can watch the episode on YouTube here.TranscriptHENRY OLIVER: Today I am talking to Oliver Traldi. Oliver is an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Toledo in Ohio. He is my colleague on the Emerging Scholars Program at the Mercatus Center, and he's written a book about political beliefs as well as many other articles for magazines, online.He's got a Substack. He's maybe the most prominent political and epistemological young philosopher of his generation. [laughter] But most importantly for us, he is interested in Jane Austen and the idea of virtue. Oliver, welcome.OLIVER TRALDI: Thank you so much for having me.Reading Austen as a PhilosopherOLIVER: Let's just start—before we get to this article you've written, tell me about being a philosopher but reading Jane Austen, because she's often read and commented on by people who are not philosophers or who are only philosophers by acquaintance or whatever.TRALDI: Right.OLIVER: Is it different reading as a philosopher, do you think?TRALDI: I think yes and no. One thing as a philosopher, there are—contemporary philosophy, we have very exacting standards of rigor and clarity. And when we look for a theory, we want something that's been improved by hundreds of people and thousands of journal articles.And so, if you were to simply extract a theory of virtue from a novel and say, “Does this—is this the end-all, be-all of moral thinking?” obviously you're going to be disappointed. So I think as a philosopher, you have to look for other types of things, other types of sensitivities rather than logical sensitivity.You have to say, how sensitive is the author to the different types of situations where people's virtue can be exhibited or challenged? Or how sensitive is the author to the different types of pressures that a character's convictions can be put under, or the different sorts of compromises that they might have to make, or the different sorts of people who might not be virtuous who they might have to interact with and sort of, you know, contract with or avoid? And what are going to be the impacts of different kinds of choices in those situations?So the novelists, I think, tend—if they do it well, a novelist who's interested in morality will understand living morally probably better than a philosopher, while maybe not understanding, say, arguments about whether morality supervenes on reality or vice versa, or what grounds morality, or different theories of meta-ethics or whatever.OLIVER: I mean, there are obviously some novelists who do have a better appreciation of those things than others, we should say.TRALDI: Yes, I think that's absolutely true. And as I wrote in my article, I do think Austen in particular had an appreciation for this issue that you might call moral disarming or unilateral disarming. You know, does the moral person put themselves at a disadvantage relative to the immoral person? And then how do we actually help—how does morality survive?So that's a kind of philosophical question, but I tend to think—I taught last year—I think we've talked about this a bit. I taught in a great books program at Tulsa.OLIVER: This is the Jennifer Frey program.TRALDI: This is the ill-fated Jennifer Frey program. Jennifer—I don't know if you've met her, but she's an incredibly charismatic person. But somehow the program, despite being enormously successful, did not survive. You know, I was there for a year, and they decided that was long enough.OLIVER: [laughs] You don't think your arrival was the—TRALDI: No, no. I hope not. I most certainly hope not.OLIVER: No. General problems of higher education prevailed. Yes.TRALDI: Yes, many, many problems of higher education these days. But yes, so I think—what was I saying?OLIVER: Well, I think we're getting to this question of, you are not just a philosopher; you teach the great books.TRALDI: Right, exactly. The great books. That's where I was. Yes.Philosophy and the Great BooksOLIVER: So, one thing I'm interested in is that, you know, reading as a philosopher, you get a slightly different perspective on Austen. When you read other fiction, poetry, whatever, is there a benefit to you as a philosopher? Does it broaden you in some way?TRALDI: Yes. I think absolutely, it's broadening, but it's also focusing in a different way. You know, contemporary philosophy is often described or captured with the word epicycles. So what we mean when we say epicycles is, you have some major theory, which is supposed to answer some big question. And then your career as a philosopher—you're like three layers deep in the theory, in some sub-debate, and you're making some really fine-grained distinctions.And if you can make those distinctions successfully, you've had a really great career. But I think it's easy to forget, why are we doing—you know, what attracted us to philosophy? Why are we doing this to begin with?And the great novels, great books in general—one example I always use is the Book of Job. It doesn't really—it's not doing clear philosophy on the question of why do bad things happen to good people. But when you read it, you feel the question, why do bad things happen to good people? You get it, you know? You get why this is a question that people have worried about for thousands of years. You get why it calls out for an answer.You know, there's a lot of truth out there. I'm looking at a set of coat hangers, and I could count the coat hangers. But if you were given the decision, would I rather have an answer to how many coat hangers are across the room from me, or why do bad things happen to good people? You'd probably go with the latter one. There's somehow some kind of depth or importance to that question, right?And I think there's—a great novelist can often generate some vividity to these questions. They can show how these questions are part of a good life, asking these questions, trying to have these questions answered—or a not-so-good life.Certainly in Austen there are a lot of characters who learn to be more virtuous. Probably Emma is the clearest example. But you might also think of Marianne Dashwood. Really—OLIVER: Lizzy Bennet.TRALDI: Lizzy Bennet really learns to be a better person. I actually think her character is rather close to Emma in a lot of ways.OLIVER: Yes, I think Emma's sort of a clear rewrite of Lizzy in some—yes, yes.TRALDI: Yes, and in some ways more evocative, actually. Yes. I mean, we can talk about all these books. But yes, I think there's these things, even—obviously qua literature, they have other virtues, right? Which much philosophy doesn't have; very little philosophy has the literary virtues.But the philosophical virtue that a lot of literature does have is you see, okay, these are the—this is what a life is like. This is what making choices is like. These are the big questions when you decide how to live your life and what kinds of choices to make.And I think Austen—these questions are all through Austen, even though nobody has to murder anybody in Austen. Nobody has to make decisions about war and peace or about, you know, civilizational decline or civilizational progress or anything like that. These people making these small choices in a lot of ways. But those are the lives that most of us lead. And when you read Austen, you think, “Oh, okay, there's a virtuous and a vicious way to lead this kind of rather normal life.”The Good LifeOLIVER: The question of what is a good life, or what is a good life in a commercial society, maybe, is the sort of bedrock of what she's doing.TRALDI: Yes, I think so. And that's why I think Austen—you know, Austen wasn't on our syllabus at Tulsa, but she was certainly discussed. And the “what is a good life” question—to me, it's the big question that a great books program for college students should always come back to.If I didn't know what else to talk about, I would just say, “Well, we just read this book.” You know, we read these old biographies of Charlemagne from, like, Einhard—Notker the Stammerer and Einhard, his adopted son or whatever. I don't remember. But this is like 800s. I'm sure you know more about this stuff than I do.And I wasn't quite sure what to do with them because what do I know about Charlemagne? So I just said, “Does it seem like Charlemagne lived a good life?” And you know, you're off to the races. And I think that's important at that age, because that's the age at which—OLIVER: For the undergraduates?TRALDI: Yes. I think that's the age at which you're starting to make your own big decisions about what sort of life to lead. And I think for me, looking back to myself at that age, I think one thing I did wrong—at Tulsa I was in some ways as much a student as a teacher. I was rereading a lot of this stuff for the first time in decades. And some of it I was reading for the first time. As I told you, I was reading a lot of Austen for the first time for this essay.OLIVER: Right, right.TRALDI: And yes, it was stuff that I had thought about at a theoretical level, you know, like what are the ins and outs of this theory or this philosophical move or something like that. But you feel the question a bit differently when you're like, “Okay, I'm an adult. I have to decide whether to live in this way or that way.”The world is open to you. You could convert to Thomism [laughter] like so many have tried to have me do, or you could become a merchant after reading The Wealth of Nations. Or you could become a revolutionary after reading Marx, or you could become a Nietzschean. You know, there are all these choices open to you.OLIVER: Please don't become a Nietzchean.TRALDI: No, no. That is, I'm a—OLIVER: Keep your children out of school if that's going to be the result. [laughs]TRALDI: Yes. I'm a committed moralist, so I cannot, but he is—he made a comeback, that's for sure.Philosophy and PoetryOLIVER: Now, there's this obviously sort of long-running question in philosophy about, what is the relationship between philosophy and poetry? Are they antagonists, or are they in some way, you know, twins, and each provides one half of what is needed for a complete way of understanding the world? Do you have a position on this?TRALDI: Yes, I mean, I think they're what the kids call twinning.OLIVER: Twinning? [laughs]TRALDI: I think they're twinning. No, no, I think that means something different. I think that means when you're wearing the same outfit or something like that.OLIVER: So we're almost twinning with our stripes—yes, I see.TRALDI: We're almost. We actually—we are stripes and blue. Yes, we're closer than I would've expected.I would say closer to twins. There are a lot of claims that philosophy is at odds somehow with this or that. There's also this—certain people will say, “Well, ever since Socrates, philosophy has been at odds with politics.” And a big part of philosophy is, how do you survive? Well, I don't know. Nobody's trying to kill me. I think of myself as a decently committed philosopher.OLIVER: It seems to me this changed fundamentally in the Enlightenment and with the Romantics, and they see it all much more joined up. It's a sort of ancient-and-modern dynamic.TRALDI: Yes, there may be an ancient-and-modern distinction there. But yes, for me I don't see any kind of contradiction. Now, there are—and I think this comes out of what I said before—philosophical attempts to understand poetry. And certain kinds of literary and aesthetic devices do sometimes fall a little flat.The philosophical literature on metaphor, for instance—I think some theories of metaphor really don't get why people use metaphors. [laughter] So one of the most important theories of metaphor is that they're all just false, that it's like everybody who uses a metaphor is lying. This isn't the full theory. There are bells and whistles added.OLIVER: Sure, sure.TRALDI: But yes, so I think there's no contradiction. But at the same time, they are different modes in some ways, and people who do the one are often trying to do something different than the other.I do think that the desire for rigor and precision and clarity that philosophers have can be a little maddening to nonphilosophers, who see the pull of philosophical questions like, “What sort of life I should lead?” and then see, what do philosophers actually do?And we're doing all this modal logic and all these truth tables and all this very technical stuff that looks like math. And they say, “That can't possibly be the right way to think about how to live.” And it's true that there are these studies of—that suggest ethicists aren't actually very good people and things like that, although you have to wonder what is the background ethical theory that went into evaluating them.So yes, I don't think there's really a contradiction between philosophy and anything else. But certainly, there was a point in my life where I always come back to trying to write poetry and do poorly and then stop. But it was always something where I would say, “Okay, if I'm doing philosophy in the afternoon, I better wait till the evening to write poetry.” You have to sort of reboot and get into a different mode.OLIVER: Iris Murdoch used to write philosophy in the morning and novels in the afternoon. That kind of thing.TRALDI: Yes, I think that's very sensible.OLIVER: And she was upstairs for the one and downstairs for the other.TRALDI: Yes. That's even better, you know?Favorite PoetsOLIVER: Which poets do you like?TRALDI: Geez, I guess for an American, I like Wallace Stevens. I wasn't expecting this question. For a Brit, you know, I actually like Philip Larkin a lot.OLIVER: Oh, yes?TRALDI: I know—what is the opinion of Larkin? Is he considered—OLIVER: Very high.TRALDI: Very high? Okay.OLIVER: Some—there are some dissenters, but basically he's the guy.TRALDI: He's the guy, okay. Yes.OLIVER: Twentieth-century English poetry is like Auden, Larkin, Betjeman.TRALDI: Yes, Auden is—actually, my friend Jane Cooper just wrote something about Auden.OLIVER: Yes, Jane is excellent.TRALDI: Yes, Jane is really great.OLIVER: That was in the New Statesman if you want to look it up.TRALDI: That was in the New Statesman. Yes, yes, yes. But Auden, I don't know quite as well.I mean, poetry is—I think it's interesting the way that we receive poetry now. I think you were talking about this a few days ago, about things like poems appearing as inspirational quotes on social media or something like that, and whoever is the most quotable. And you felt like maybe Dostoevsky is very quotable.OLIVER: Dostoevsky has a sort of screenshot quality.TRALDI: Yes, yes.OLIVER: As does Martin Amis.TRALDI: Yes. So I—OLIVER: Whereas Philip Larkin in a funny way—you know, he has very short poems. You can get the whole poem on Twitter. Like, Robert Frost has that. But something like “The Whitsun Weddings,” it's quite hard to just take three lines out. The whole thing works as a—and that, so that poem gets less—TRALDI: Yes. Which is what you would expect from a good poem, really, that it would form a kind of whole.OLIVER: Exactly. If it's a three-page ode, it should have a continuous quality.TRALDI: Yes, it should have a kind of internal structure. Yes.OLIVER: There are some one-line things and—but I think it's notable that a poet like Wordsworth doesn't seem to get a lot of social media play. And I think probably that's one reason.TRALDI: So yes, I think Larkin is somebody who, I did see some shorter references to him, and I thought I'd better just go and look up a ton of poems by this guy. And Stevens was the same way.Death and Philip LarkinOLIVER: So, which Larkin do you like?TRALDI: You're really putting me on the spot here. [laughter] It has been a little while.OLIVER: I lied to you and said it would be about Jane Austen.TRALDI: Yes, now I'm completely screwed. Well, he has a bunch about death. He has one where death is a ship following you. And he has one where death is, like, a fruit that gets picked or something.OLIVER: Apple?TRALDI: Might be an apple.OLIVER: He decides not to throw the apple.TRALDI: There's one with sweetbreads in it. And now I'm really—OLIVER: The ship one, “Next, Please”—that's excellent.TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: He sees the—it's like hearing the music coming, and then the ship.TRALDI: I forgot that that was the title. I forgot that that was the title.OLIVER: And then as the ship goes past, it leaves nothing in its wake. It's very sort of—very gloomy.TRALDI: It's very gloomy, yes. I think I read Larkin in a gloomy phase; it was like Larkin and Radiohead or something.OLIVER: But he's a good example of what you were saying before, that he won't think propositionally. He's logical in the sense that he's sort of orderly, and he goes from one thing to the next. But he's not being a philosopher.TRALDI: No, of course. Yes.OLIVER: But he's very preoccupied with the sorts of questions that philosophers are probing, but has a sort of very meaningful treatment of them.TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: And I think in a way, the sharp response that you want from the reader in those questions, Larkin is better at provoking than someone like Bertrand Russell or some other contemporary of his.TRALDI: Yes, yes.OLIVER: Bertrand Russell's a bit earlier, but you know what I mean.TRALDI: No, I think that's exactly right. And I think that is why I'm a fan of the great books pedagogically and not—I don't know if Larkin will be called a great, you know, like, who knows? I don't really understand that designation, but tings like poetry and novels.OLIVER: The biggest dissenter was Harold Bloom, who said Philip Larkin's just a period piece. And he doesn't understand why everyone likes him.TRALDI: Oh, yes, well, I'm not on board with everything. Oh, I've also been—OLIVER: No, you're not very Bloomian.TRALDI: I'm not very Bloomian, I don't think.OLIVER: Either Allan or Harold.TRALDI: Yes. Well, I actually—this is very embarrassing, but I've actually never read The Closing of the American Mind, which I know is—OLIVER: But why should you? I'm not sure it's retained its—TRALDI: Well, it's certainly been received into my circle. But it is like a classic of anti-ideological—OLIVER: Sure. Have you read Adler, How to Read a Book, that kind of great books stuff?TRALDI: No. There's so many things that I haven't read. I mean, I'm just learning how to read. I learned how to read in Tulsa last year, [laughter] in Oklahoma, which is not where most people would go to learn how to read.Jane Austen and the Problem of MoralityOLIVER: So let's move to Jane Austen. Your thesis basically is, many moral theories face this problem that if I believe XYZ theory and you don't believe it, you can get the advantage of me. Because I'll always stick to my principles and you can just be a bad guy.TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: So is morality screwed? This is what people say about liberalism. This is what you're arguing. And you think Jane Austen's got an answer to that?TRALDI: Yes, I think she has a kind of answer. And again, one decision I had to make while writing the essay was, am I going to go super—this is a completely philosophically rigorous and respectable answer? Or am I just going to kind of sketch it?OLIVER: Slum it in literary criticism? [laughter]TRALDI: Yes, I wouldn't put it quite that way, but—and I think I went for the latter, where I just wanted to kind of evoke the answer. And I think the answer has something to do with living in a large enough society where—and Austen I think is not the only person to give this answer. But you live in a large enough society where, when people see you acting well and somebody else acting poorly, the disadvantage that you have in that one interaction is outweighed by the advantages you have from the society that you gain from being seen to act well by many others.So one thing I didn't mention here, but a connection I made when I was first coming up with this idea, is that it's actually a lot like what Martin Luther King Jr. says about civil disobedience. So he says, you might think, if you're out there and the police are coming at you with bats, or the white supremacists are coming at you with bats or whatever, weapons or whatever, you might think, “I'm on the losing end of this interaction.”But actually what will happen is that this interaction will be seen by many others. And you, by keeping your calm, will be seen to be the virtuous one, and they, by being violent, will be seen to be the vicious ones. And this can only help your political cause. I'm probably abstracting some of the details of King's presentation.OLIVER: In a vulgar sense, this is the sort of “be the change you want to see” approach.TRALDI: Yes, but also, be the change you want other people to see. You know? Because that's how it gets saved from—and again, one of the ways in which this is not quite philosophically rigorous is because the philosopher can say, “Well, what about an example where nobody's going to see it? Or what about an example where the situation is set up that in doing the right thing, you're perceived to have done the wrong thing?” And you get back into tough problems. And that's why we have philosophy. You know, there's always going to be these puzzles.OLIVER: But we don't get the—I think this is what the novelists are helpful for. We don't get to set the conditions in our lives. You know, when you're doing a philosophical problem, you can just say, “Well, these are the conditions. What happens then?” And what Jane Austen is so good at is saying, “I'm going to take her and drop her in this house, and that's life. And she's just going to—she won't even know what the conditions are for a long time.” That's the novelist's preoccupation.TRALDI: Yes. Yes. It's interesting what you said about not even knowing what the conditions are. It's one thing I love, which is there in, I think, a lot of Austen—and it's done by a lot of my favorite novelists. I think Kazuo Ishiguro is really good at this. It's just novels where you see the characters' growing awareness of their circumstances and—OLIVER: Like in Klara and the Sun or something.TRALDI: Yes, or I think certainly in Never Let Me Go and in Remains of the Day, a lot of the action is in a situation where you understand what's going on better than the characters do.Clues and GamesTRALDI: And I think we talked about this the other day. In Austen, Emma, for example, is this sort of, like, halfway detective where she sees a lot of clues that could help her understand the nature of the life she's leading and the circumstances she's in, but she always misinterprets the clues. But on the other hand, it's not like she misses them entirely. She's kind of on the right track, and at least she's trying.OLIVER: And what I think Austen does so well in that book—I think it's her most important book—is that by putting us, without quite realizing it, with Emma's blinkers on, as it were, and only allowing our perspective to be her perspective, she makes us the detective.But whereas in a detective novel, you know, there's a funny little man and he is a detective, and he says, “Oh, there's a clue in this novel,” the read of—on the first read very often goes straight past what they must later realize to be a clue. And that is such a normal condition of life, that, “Oh, actually, that was one of the conditions, but you couldn't have known it. Sorry.” And you can only work it out in retrospect.TRALDI: Yes. In modern love, these are sometimes called red flags. [laughter] I think it's not quite a precise analogy, but yes, I think it's right. And I certainly—I had read Emma years ago and didn't really notice. As you say, on my first read, I didn't really notice, even having watched—I think it was the, what is it, the Kate Beckinsale version maybe, from ITV in like 1996 or something.It was really in reading it for this essay that I noticed that this feature that, starting on page 30 or 40 or so, there's a—and they're often in games. The clues are often in games. So very early on, Elton is playing some sort of poem game with Emma.OLIVER: The riddles, yes.TRALDI: The riddle game. And you know, Emma already misinterprets his riddles as being about Harriet rather than about her. But then there's also—the riddles also have some relation to things that happen much later.OLIVER: Then there's the anagram game at the end.TRALDI: There's the anagram game at the end. Yes, it's the—and I don't think there are many games like that in any of the other Austen.OLIVER: People play games, but we're not taken into them and have them narrated in that way.TRALDI: And they're not word games in general. There's card games and things like that. And you know, in Pride and Prejudice, Wickham has all these gambling debts and things like that.OLIVER: Yes.TRALDI: You know, in—I don't know if you know Whit Stillman, but for the same magazine a couple years ago I wrote about Whit Stillman, who's a sort of conservative filmmaker who's a huge Austen fan and brings in Austenian themes to a lot of his movies, but writes them about characters in the 1960s and '70s. And one of them was called The Last Days of Disco, for example, about—and some of the broader social themes he talks about are also there in Austen.So one thing that was just on the edges of my consciousness as I read through the novels for this essay was the question of the noble man versus the working man, which I think is very present in Austen and has something to do with her conception of virtue: that the virtuous person will be engaging in commerce in some way.OLIVER: Those moments of the noble and the virtuous man or whatever often take place in a shop, like the drapier in Emma or the jewelry shop in Sense and Sensibility.TRALDI: That's interesting. That's interesting.OLIVER: She's very careful to take us into a commercial situation and contrast.TRALDI: See, that is the sort of detail that I think a philosopher—I think we—the mere—the vibe of, “You're in a shop, and this means something.” I think this is something philosophers are—we can watch for the action; we can judge the characters' actions. But then there are these questions of atmosphere and milieu. And certain things happen in a shop; certain things happen at the seaside. In Persuasion there's an injury by the seaside.OLIVER: Yes. That's one of the most exciting scenes in Austen. Very dramatic.TRALDI: Yes, yes. I think actually Persuasion in some ways is quite different than her other books. It has a sort of—you know, in some ways it feels a little more like Frankenstein or Wuthering Heights at points. There's a little bit of a windblown, dark quality to it at times. It's a little bit bleaker. It's a little hard to explain why, but that's just a feeling that I had reading it that maybe had changed with some of the other literary tastes of the time.Artlessness in Austen's HeroinesOLIVER: Now, the quality that you focus on in the heroines, in this question of virtue defending itself against bad actors who break the rules, is artlessness.TRALDI: Yes. So this is a term Austen uses quite a bit, and almost always, she very much picks and chooses the characters who are going to receive this term. And I thought that this is like—it's not only her artless characters who face this question about how can morality survive, or how can virtue prevail, but I think they're the limit point.Like, if you really are unwilling to use—and I mentioned in the essay, when Darcy describes—I forget what; maybe it's him describing how he found Lydia and Wickham, or it's something to do with Wickham—he said, “I had to resort to arts.” So it must be, the “arts” back then means—one of the meanings of the term is dishonesty or subterfuge or something.OLIVER: Yes, if someone was artful, it could have—TRALDI: Yes, like the Artful Dodger.OLIVER: Exactly. Could have negative connotations for sure.TRALDI: Yes. And so the artless one, you know, they're missing something.So it's the question of, if you view—morality in a way means you're missing something, right? You've taken arts out of your arsenal. You've taken tools that could deal with certain situations, and you've just decided not to use them. So the question is, how can it be an advantage to have less tools?You know, we're here at Mercatus; the economists would tell you it's never advantageous to have fewer choices, right? There's no paradox of choice. It's never advantageous to have fewer choices. And so I think this is the—if morality is a kind of unilateral disarmament, artlessness is the clearest case of that.OLIVER: And you're seeing that in Fanny Price, Elinor—TRALDI: You see that in Fanny Price. You see that in Elinor. Harriet Smith is described as artless over and over again. And then there are these other characters who are described as artful, or other things that are mentioned as arts.I think Harriet, in a lot of ways, is the one who's most often described this way. And it's interesting because you think of Emma changing a lot in Emma, but Knightley actually shifts in his evaluation of Harriet, who he thought of as sort of an unserious person. And Knightley himself comes to recognize her artlessness as a kind of seriousness which makes her a good match, not ultimately for him, but for his dude, Robert.OLIVER: The farmer.TRALDI: The farmer, yes.OLIVER: He doesn't change his view of her social position, though.TRALDI: No, certainly not. But he does change his view of her character, basically. You know, her artlessness is not silliness. It has a sort of depth to it.And yes, certainly Fanny. In the Whit Stillman movie Metropolitan that's part of what set me on this, there's this whole discussion of the book Mansfield Park and this old Lionel Trilling essay about it where he says, how is it—there's this question about how modern people can even like Mansfield Park because we've sort of lost the notion of virtue being exciting or something.One of the most provocative lines to me in Austen was in Sense and Sensibility where it says that Elinor glories in Edward's integrity, which is an odd thing to glory in. You don't glory—nobody is on Instagram showing off their integrity, you know?OLIVER: It's like that René Gerard quote people like to pass around: “Everyone is on diet pills and nobody wants to be a saint.”TRALDI: I like that. That is very Instagrammable.OLIVER: Exactly. Exactly.TRALDI: That's very good, actually. I like that. Yes, so there's something provocative about the notion that virtue can be exciting, and in particular can be romantically exciting.The Importance of IntegrityOLIVER: Or even less than that. One thing I think is difficult for people interpreting Austen today is that virtue, whether it's exciting or romantically exciting, or the notion of integrity is of interest for its own sake.There's a lot of—you know, we have integrity as an organization. It's very important for me to have integrity as a professional. But there's not as much a sense of, just having integrity is the good life. We don't need to be complicated about this. That's just—you should just do that. And Austen's very firm on that all the way through.And criticism wants to pull her towards sometimes feminism, sometimes discussions of slavery, sometimes various other things. And she's just constantly sort of resisting that by saying, “I like integrity. I like good people. I don't think it's that hard.” It's a good line you've picked up on, I think.TRALDI: There's a character in The Wire who says, “A man's gotta have a code.” I think he's Omar, who murders the drug dealers and steals from them.OLIVER: I haven't seen it.TRALDI: So he says, “A man's gotta have a code.” And I think there is a—even in a character who in some ways is bad, we admire the integrity of having a code and sticking to it.There is this debate, I guess in moral philosophy, or at least on the outskirts of moral philosophy, about, “Well, if your code is wrong, maybe it's better not to stick to it.” I don't share that perspective. I think part of the good life is holding yourself to certain standards. And if those standards turn out to be wrong, the holding yourself is still of moral value, right? Not allowing yourself—OLIVER: It doesn't mean they're not adjustable.TRALDI: Yes, no, of course. If you decide the standards are wrong, and in Austen—OLIVER: It's sort of implicit in the idea of having standards that you will be honest and therefore accept when your standards need to be improved or whatever. Right?TRALDI: Yes, I think that's absolutely right. And in Austen we certainly see people shifting their standards. And I think one thing that I—of course, modern readers and watchers of Austen do not quite understand some of these things. But I think in Pride and Prejudice in particular, we're supposed to feel that Lizzy Bennet is quite hard on people and has to learn to improve herself in that way.OLIVER: We're delighted with her when she does that because we think it's sassy.TRALDI: Yes, exactly. If you go on YouTube, you can see all these, like, “Lizzy Bennet owning people's lives for 50 minutes,” these compilations of clips from the various movies or whatever. And she's obviously very, very clever.But she realizes—after coming to understand who Wickham is and feeling that she might not have another chance with Darcy, she comes to realize that she has had certain prejudices, which have made her blind to the realities of the world and blind to what might be her best options.So yes, I was saying I believe in integrity; that's all I was saying. And integrity obviously is adjustable, but I tend to think that it's better—even if the rule is wrong, it's better for the person who has it to hold themselves to it, rather than to adjust to try to get an advantage.And in philosophy, we have all sorts of terminology for these sorts of questions: “Are you an internalist or an externalist about reasons or about rules or whatever?” I think the more literary way to say it would just be that integrity is a virtue. And people should stick to their codes unless they see a good reason to change them.Austen and Adam SmithOLIVER: Now, you have recently been reading Adam Smith.TRALDI: Yes, I did read a lot of Adam Smith for this debate we had last week. Although I did a poor job because I had forgotten that the debate was about whether Smith was a philosopher or an economist. [laughter] I thought it was simply, is he a philosopher or not? So I put myself in the odd position of arguing that Adam Smith is not an economist.But yes, I think it's obvious—without knowing the background, I'm sure there are scholarly questions about, how much Smith did Austen read? And they're both 250th—a lot was happening in 1775 and 1776.OLIVER: Those were great years. Those were the good old days.TRALDI: They were great years. In the great books syllabus, you get to the end of the 1700s and suddenly there's this—you have Smith, you have Kant, you have the American Revolution, you have the French Revolution, you have Burke. Rousseau is right before, Montesquieu is right before. I mean, it was a real—OLIVER: It's a great time.TRALDI: It was a great time. A lot was being done. And obviously, you know, I love the 1800s. I love the Romantics. But you could teach a whole great books course from 1750 to 1800, probably.OLIVER: You've also got all the dictionaries and all that kind of work going on as well. It's a very, very fertile—explorations.TRALDI: Yes, yes. There's all sorts of—yes, it was an amazing time.OLIVER: So did you, having read these two, Austen and Smith, close together—TRALDI: Yes, and I should say that my reading of Austen was much more careful than my reading of Smith.OLIVER: Sure, but you wrote this before you read Smith.TRALDI: Yes, absolutely.OLIVER: Or at least you fully conceived it. Do you see a lot of Smith in Austen?TRALDI: “A lot” might be—OLIVER: Primarily from Theory of Moral Sentiments.TRALDI: So I would say that the notion of sympathy as being fundamentally part of how you recognize a good person seems to me to be there in Austen. The characters are—OLIVER: And this is the thing about awareness of other people and learning from that awareness.TRALDI: Awareness of other people and learning from other people and feeling other people's emotions. One thing that is related to sympathy in an odd way—and I think actually Austen and Smith conceive of it a bit differently, but that is there for both of them, in particular in Sense and Sensibility—is this notion of self-control or self-command.OLIVER: Self command. Yes. Yes.The Importance of Self-CommandTRALDI: Now, Smith gives a really odd argument about self command, which is that if you don't have control over your emotions, you will end up feeling or expressing something that other people can't sympathize with. And this is bad because sympathy is good, or something like that. I actually think it's a rather confused argument.OLIVER: I think what he's saying is that if you display a lack of self-command, then no matter what you are feeling, people find it difficult to deal with that sort of uncontrolled behavior. It's not the particular expression of feeling; it's the fact that you are a little unstable or—TRALDI: Yes, I think that's right.OLIVER: —a bit extra.TRALDI: I think what Smith doesn't do is explain quite how that's bad. But what I think is that actually, in Sense and Sensibility, it's a little bit the reverse, where actually Elinor and their mother, they do sympathize with Marianne. They do feel what she's feeling after—who's the other, the w guy in Sense and Sensibility? They're all w's.OLIVER: Oh, Willoughby.TRALDI: Willoughby, right, right. Not Wickham, Willoughby. When Willoughby—OLIVER: You can just say “the cad.”TRALDI: The cad. There's always a cad. So when the cad leaves, Marianne has all these emotions, and you really feel them. And Marianne also has a lack of self-command when Willoughby is there. There's this whole episode, which I didn't quite make the most of but felt very important, where they go to the house of this woman. They just sort of barge into this house, Willoughby and Marianne.And this is really supposed to show something about the relationship. If you and your partner barge into somebody's house, it can't be a good relationship somehow because it's leading you into bad actions. That's my sense of what that episode is supposed to show from the highest possible remove.OLIVER: I think, yes, and I think there are several other instances of that: when they ride in the carriage together, unaccompanied.TRALDI: Right, right.OLIVER: And there's a sort of general consternation about this. And Marianne sort of says, “Oh, well, how can it be a problem?” And they—part of the consternation is, you're breaking the rules in a very flagrant way, but also that you are assuming that it's okay because you'll get married. And this assumption is a very big one.TRALDI: Yes. And obviously there is this assumption that—she doesn't recognize quite how—she thinks her position is much more secure than it actually is, which is how it turns out in the book. But I think we're supposed to think that even if she were right about Willoughby's affection, which in a sense, she—Willoughby—OLIVER: No. Even if they do get married, she's broken the rules in a way that—TRALDI: She's broken certain rules in a way that is—but I think what's different from Smith is, there is sympathy from her family even though she lacks self-command. But that is precisely—so it's sort of a different theory of why self-command is good. It's precisely because her emotional state is actually draining for her family.And then Elinor says—when she learns that Elinor has actually been going through something—OLIVER: The same.TRALDI: —very similar, and maybe even rougher, in this whole thing with Lucy Steele telling her about this, you know, blah, blah, blah.OLIVER: Which is a beautiful name—to steal. I mean, it's great.TRALDI: It's an amazing—honestly, in some ways Sense and Sensibility may have been my favorite. I think it's just lovely.OLIVER: If I just wanted to just read one for fun, that's what I go to. I do, yes.TRALDI: Yes. And there's a lot—none of these things are quite perfectly in there. But I think honestly, everything that's in the other novels has a little part to play in Sense and Sensibility. You know, I think if I were to recommend just one, if somebody was like, “I have time for just one,” I might recommend Sense and Sensibility.But in the end, Marianne says—again, it's one of these amazingly evocative lines. Elinor says, “You didn't act that badly. Do you compare your conduct with Willoughby's?” And she says, “No, I compare it with—Elinor, I compare it with your conduct. You have this self-command.”And it's precisely the fact—it's not—and I think this is why philosophers do like Austen, because it's not—it's still literary, but there is a precision to her moral evaluations. It's precisely the fact that Elinor knew that her family loved her and didn't want to burden—it's all quite conscious. She didn't want to burden her family with her emotions. But you actually see that Elinor has this family trait of having very strong sentiment, which Marianne does, and simply also has this virtue of self-command.And that is—there are film adaptations and TV adaptations that demonstrate self-command, but it's a very hard thing to film. It's something you feel inside. It's a very hard—the actors have to be very good for you to see—you see pieces of it in some of the adaptations of Persuasion and some of the adaptations of Sense and Sensibility, but self-command is very hard to find.Austen AdaptationsOLIVER: Which adaptations do you like the best?TRALDI: I'm forgetting—I often like the long ones that I think were for the British ITV. So I like the—I think Kate Beckinsale was in the Emma one. Although I think there was one of Persuasion, which was also quite good. I like the one of Northanger Abbey. I don't think it's that good, but it's kind of cute, which I think it's probably the cutest of her long novels.Whit Stillman did a very loose adaptation of Lady Susan, which is hilariously funny at times, and also has Kate Beckinsale and some other great actors in it.OLIVER: Did you see the new Persuasion on Netflix a couple of years ago?TRALDI: No. No.OLIVER: It has that—is it Dakota Johnson, the actress, who's famous for other non-Austenian—Fifty Shades of Grey or whatever.TRALDI: Yes, and isn't she one of the Avengers or something like that?OLIVER: Something like that. But everyone was very upset that it was this terrible adaptation.TRALDI: Oh, yes.OLIVER: Didn't—it sort of killed all of Austen's words. She looks at the camera; she drinks from the bottle. I actually thought it was quite fun. On the basis that all adaptations are bad—TRALDI: I think if you allow some looseness, it can be quite fun. So for example, the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, I think if you're just sort of like, “Well, this is just somebody who was inspired by Pride and Prejudice,” you can have a lot of fun with the movie.OLIVER: I think as an interpretation of the book, that film is quite bad.TRALDI: Oh, yes. I think it's absolutely missing the mark.OLIVER: But in terms of like, the countryside and the house and the geese and the food, it's fantastic.TRALDI: Oh, yes. It's lovely to look at.OLIVER: The dresses, right? The clothes are amazing.TRALDI: And a lot of the—and the cast is honestly like—OLIVER: Yes, it's great.TRALDI: The cast is really, really great. And the parts as they are—OLIVER: Rosamund Pike is maybe the best Jane on TV.TRALDI: She's terrific. And who's the one who plays Kitty?OLIVER: Yes.TRALDI: Who is in—and the father is the guy from The Hunger Games. I forget his name, but I think the father is excellent in that. But of course, it's not exactly the father from Austen.OLIVER: No, no, no.TRALDI: But as a movie itself—but yes, I like a lot of these longer TV versions.One odd thing—they make these choices. So there is some scholarly apparatus brought to bear on some of them. So I think maybe it's Persuasion that there were multiple versions of, and some of the adaptations use pieces from the unpublished version, which are interesting. And as I was reading it, I had to Google around a bit and figure out these things.Austen's Moral PrecisionTRALDI: I was going to say about Austen's moral precision, the other place where I think this comes in—and I wrote a bit about this in the essay—is near the end of Mansfield Park, when—the names are what I'm worst at—when Edmund, right, is finally disillusioned with—OLIVER: Mary.TRALDI: With Mary Crawford?OLIVER: Mm-hmm.TRALDI: It's because there was this affair. There's always a sibling or a cousin who makes some horrible mistake, you know? So there was this affair, and Mary Crawford can only criticize it by saying that they weren't very prudent, you know, in prudential terms. They took a big risk. They made a bad decision. You know, they really screwed themselves over.OLIVER: They could have made it work. Yes.TRALDI: Yes. And Edmund realizes that she lacks moral fervor because he thinks the appropriate criticism should be a moral one. And as a psychological matter, it shouldn't even enter your head, I think is the idea. I'm extrapolating a bit, but if you see somebody acting this badly, to then say, “Well, geez, you're doing something that isn't in your interest”—for that to be your first thought indicates that your priorities are highly misplaced in a way that, to him, is quite unattractive.And this also struck me as a moment of—this is something we philosophers talk about. What is the distinction between prudence and morality? They both tell you what you should do, in some sense, but there's different—the shoulds have different forces, right? So Edmund has a certain moral precision and sensitivity which, actually, Fanny is basically the only person he knows—not that everybody in the house is a bad person; his father is a decent guy, and one of the aunts is okay, I think.But yes, there's a real sophistication to this evaluation. And it's funny to me that she actually used this as the—I mean, I suspect that even at the time there were readers who were just like, “Wait, I really don't get what the nature of Edmund's problem is here,” because it's not like Mary—Mary's not like, “Oh, yes, I support infidelity.” You know? She's not like— it's if you blinked, you might miss it, the mistake that Mary has made.And so I do think that even though she's not making arguments, she's not laying out philosophical theories, there is a level of precision in her thinking about virtue, which I do think is something that it took me a little aback.And I think it's part of why—one person who quote-tweeted my article was Daniel Kodsi, who's a friend of our colleague John Maier and his coauthor often. And he runs this magazine called The Philosophers' Magazine, which I had written before. And Daniel quote-tweeted my article with something like, “Add Oliver to the list of all the philosophers who love Austen.”OLIVER: And it's a long list.TRALDI: And I think it's a long list. And I do think this precision is part of it that she does, that it is—again, it's not like a philosophy journal article, but it is an intellectual sophistication that is often not present in novelists that we really appreciate.Every Word MattersOLIVER: I mean, one way people talk about the great books is to say that every word matters. And a lot of novelists will say that about their own. Well, you know, Elizabeth Bowen used to say, “What you're doing is to make everything count.” Austen is one of the examples where it's actually true. Every word is being used carefully.TRALDI: Yes. It's funny, this bears on another Twitter argument I had recently about this phrase logographic necessity. Basically, every word in a great book is there for a reason. I think that's right. Although you have to be careful about—if you were to say, “Well, every word in Plato is there for a reason, so you can't really say he's wrong about every—” you would be kind of abandoning the philosophical mission.OLIVER: I mean it in the sense of what you might call the artistic or structural integrity of the book. Not everything has to tell in the meaning sense. But it all holds as a unit for some—TRALDI: Yes. I think everything is there—there is what we could call an internal reason for everything to be there. Everything is there to hold together—OLIVER: Like the making of a piece of furniture or something.TRALDI: And I think you hear—I think this is one thing that—and not all classical music, but I think it's one thing that distinguishes classical music even from very good contemporary pop music or jazz or rock music, is that you have this sense of, “Yes, every note I hear basically is holding up a larger structure of some sort.”OLIVER: Yes. And Jane Austen is very Mozart in that way.TRALDI: Yes, I think that's right. Yes.Austen's Place in Great Books ProgramsOLIVER: So should Jane Austen have a bigger place on great books programs, based on all these things you've said about her?TRALDI: Yes, this is—so, there was actually a debate—I did not write the piece in response to this debate, but this is—OLIVER: Tanner Greer.TRALDI: Yes, there was—Tanner Greer weighed in on this, and my friend Circe. I think—OLIVER: I think they're just desperately wrong.TRALDI: You think they don't—that she—OLIVER: I think Emma is obviously a book that should be on one of these syllabuses. Maybe Sense and Sensibility.TRALDI: Yes. I think the ones I would consider are Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park. I do think they're actually longer than I realized, which is always—I mean, there are these very practical concerns with putting together a syllabus.OLIVER: Sure, sure. Although I want to ask you about that, because my response to a lot of these debates, which is maybe just because of where I studied, but just make them read more. And if they don't do the reading, that's their, you know—TRALDI: That's true. Well, I don't want to get into this too much. We already make them read a lot compared to—so for example, a year ago, I had my students read two novels in a week, which is more than most courses make college students read.OLIVER: But that's by no means unreasonable.TRALDI: No, no, of course, of course.OLIVER: You know.TRALDI: Well, exigencies of the teenage mind aside—OLIVER: Because I often think this, when people debate how things should be taught and why it's so important to keep these programs, and they'll talk about the importance of writing essays. And then it turns out the students maybe write one essay a semester. And I sort of think, well, who cares? All this rhetoric for one essay.TRALDI: Yes. I don't know if I'm really ever going to assign essays again. It just is—the age of AI is upon us.OLIVER: Sure. But you see what I mean.TRALDI: No, yes, I know exactly what you mean. And I do think reading a lot is the main part of—and certainly, you know, when I read all seven of these in two weeks, that's much more reading than I normally do, as well, to write this essay.OLIVER: But you didn't have to lie on the sofa afterwards with a cold compress. You were fine.TRALDI: In a way it was a really good two weeks. If you get to read—I mean, this is why we have good lives, right? If you get to read Jane Austen and you call that work, it's a nice life.OLIVER: So yes, will you be putting Emma on your program?TRALDI: I would definitely consider Emma. I would definitely consider Sense and Sensibility. I would consider Mansfield Park. I think these are the ones that have—the moral element is very prominent. But it's obviously there in all of her books.OLIVER: You can have a really good moral discussion about Mansfield Park, which is a bigger, broader thing than Pride and Prejudice, for example.TRALDI: Yes, I think so. I would definitely consider—in the 1800s there were—obviously the British novel of the 1800s was a big deal, and there's—OLIVER: [laughs] We did quite well, yes.TRALDI: You all did quite well. So the ones we did at Tulsa—we had Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights and The Picture of Dorian Gray. And then we had one Irish, The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. And I don't think anybody—if you replaced one of those with Emma or Mansfield Park, I don't think anybody would say, “Oh, you made a horrible call.”OLIVER: I think Tanner's point was that you simply don't have that many slots for an English novel that deals with these sorts of ideas, and that it should obviously be Middlemarch because that is the bigger novel. It's about bigger questions of society. It's about the whole—it's got more greatness in it, whereas Austen is sort of more about the individual.TRALDI: So I do think that this question of greatness—I think there are some people who read Austen and they think, “Well, this is—obviously it has all these sorts of themes, but it's not great. It has this littleness to it. It has this smallness to it.”OLIVER: It's domestic.TRALDI: That is not my reading of it. I think if that's the question, I don't feel that way. I think it pulls out these great themes about the nature of virtue and the nature of moral learning, becoming a better person, the nature of love. We read Sappho. We read the Symposium.To me, you read Wuthering Heights and you say, “Oh, this is a really big book because it's about society and how trauma gets passed down, and it has these horror elements, and it's very dark.” But actually, it's quite hard to figure out, how do we turn Wuthering Heights in a discussion about how to live? With Austen, it's just completely straightforward.OLIVER: [laughs] How not to live, maybe.TRALDI: Yes. In Austen, it's just completely straightforward. This is the discussion. This is what she had in mind as well, this question of how to live. So to me, Austen is completely—in terms of her successes as an artist, she belongs. In terms of her themes, she belongs. So I would not rule her out. I think she is absolutely a great, and who knows what that means, but I think she would be completely appropriate on any of these syllabi.Reading PlansOLIVER: Very good. And what will you read next?TRALDI: What will I read next? I mean, our—from the beginning, I'm thinking I should read some more poetry. It's been a while. Actually, speaking of—this is funny. Well, I want to get into William Empson. He had an odd life, which I think somebody should do like a movie about him or something.OLIVER: Yes, he'd make a great movie.TRALDI: I think Empson would be a good movie. So that might be—OLIVER: Are you going to read the poems or the criticism?TRALDI: Probably a little of both, but that's for a while from now. I think, you know, at the moment I'm back to reading philosophy. So what novel will I read next? That's a good question. What should I read next?OLIVER: If you like Jane Austen?TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: Maybe read one of the people that she admired, like Samuel Richardson or Fanny Burney, someone like that.TRALDI: You know, I do think—you saying Samuel Richardson reminded me, I've read very little Samuel Johnson. I think reading some of the great critics, I think, writing this piece—OLIVER: Oh, Johnson, yes. You would like Johnson.TRALDI: I think I would like Johnson. I think I would like Empson. The history of literary criticism is something I have very, very little idea of.OLIVER: Oh, well, then, Johnson. I mean, he's the best.TRALDI: Yes, I think I should, I should definitely read Johnson.OLIVER: English literary criticism begins and ends with Samuel Johnson.TRALDI: You know what, this is a little different, but—I might have talked about this with you a little bit—I want to read The Fable of the Bees, Mandeville, because reading about Smith—a lot of the ideas that we think of as Smithian are actually Mandevillian, and he kind of moderated them.OLIVER: Well, he hated Mandeville.TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: Very hard on him.TRALDI: Yes. So a lot—like the invisible hand, it's only a small part of Smith's thinking, but it was like the entirety of Mandeville's thinking, this sort of dynamic.OLIVER: Well, I think it means different things for them. I think Mandeville, in a funny way, is more philosophical in the sense you were saying, and trying to make these propositions. And Smith was saying, “Well, what about feelings? What about all these funny things that we can't account for? Like, look around. It's too messy.”TRALDI: No, that makes sense to me. Yes, I think between Mandeville and Smith, Mandeville is somebody who thought virtue was sort of like a con.OLIVER: A fool's game.TRALDI: Exactly. You're sort of a sucker if you try to be virtuous.OLIVER: I think he also just assumed that if you were commercial, you were obviously on the get.TRALDI: Yes. But this is one of the great—I know we talked about this, but it's one of the great—you see this in Smith, you see this in Austen—commerce has its own virtues, and they are very traditional virtues. You have to be trustworthy. You have to be pleasant. You can't really be wholly self-interested in every moment because people have to be willing to deal with you given your—I mean, think about Yelp reviews or even just word of mouth. “Oh, that person screwed me over.”OLIVER: There's a discussion in one of Hayek's papers, which is—it's a very Smithian point he makes about, the nature of the knowledge problem means that it's not so much that I'm trying to get information about the thing you're trying to sell me, but I'm really trying to get information about you and whether you are someone I should be buying from. Which is exactly the project that the novelists and Smith—there's a sort of period between Smith and the early novelists, running through Austen to George Eliot, when they're all working on that problem together.TRALDI: Yes. I do think in Austen, it's often—the real puzzle is, how do you make out somebody else's character?OLIVER: Exactly.TRALDI: This is a phrase that Lizzy Bennet does use with regard to Darcy. And how do we actually figure out who the trustworthy and untrustworthy people are?OLIVER: And if you're too philosophical about that, in the sort of analytic sense, I think you can end up not paying enough attention to the particulars of that question.TRALDI: Yes.OLIVER: Because when you actually try and do it, it's really, really hard.TRALDI: Yes. And I think this is the sort of—reading Austen, you get a sense of—and there are very few philosophy papers on things like this. Reading Austen, you get a sense of, what sorts of details in a normal life are the ones that I can extract information from to make out somebody else's character?In philosophy, we do ask, what is a good character and what is the good action in this sort of situation? What is the bad action in this sort of situation? But it's not for the philosopher to say, “Okay, in the sorts of situations you're likely to be in, what do you pay—where do you direct your attention to try to figure out these things about?”And it's not—I don't think Austen—it's not super subtle either. In Persuasion—I mentioned in the essay—in Persuasion, it starts out by saying Anne really cared about paying off the family's debts, and the rest of her family didn't give a s**t, you know? And it's sort of like, okay, so we just immediately are like, Anne's the sort of person who you might want to have a business transaction with because if she has a debt to you, she might actually pay it. And I forget if that's the exact detail, but it's something like that, you know?OLIVER: And there's also the novelist—Jane Austen is very good at what you don't see, which aga

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 50 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2026 17:12


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 50, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:After a strong resistance from Mrs. Ferrars, Edward was finally admitted to see her and became once again her son. After this he felt able to reveal his engagement, and though Mrs. Ferrars tried again to convince him to marry Miss Morton, but on seeing that he did not waver, she allowed him to marry Miss Dashwood. She eventually bestowed on him just enough money to allow him and Elanor to live on too. Though they would have liked to have waited until the house was finished before marrying, Edward and Elanor marry in the early autumn. They are then visited by everyone they know, including Mrs. Ferrars and the other Dashwoods. All that remains is for Marianne to eventually Marry Colonel Brandon. Eventually too, Mrs Ferrars forgives Robert. As he was never forbidden from marrying Lucy, he never really did anything wrong, and thanks to buckets of flattery from Lucy, she too becomes a welcome member of the family, and even a favourite.Elanor is always seeing her family at her cottage at Delaford. Mrs Dashwood is very keen on seeing her daughter married to Colonel Brandon. They feel they he truly loves her, and eventually his attachment to her becomes known by Marianne. She slowly falls for the Colonel, and through her connection he becomes incredibly happy. It is said that Marianne becomes just as attached to the Colonel as he is attached to her. Willoughby is made forever miserable by this marriage, and though he is able to enjoy himself at times, he can only think of Marianne with regrets. The Dashwood girls, and the two men who secured them live very, very happily at Delaford together.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 49 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 27:20


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 49, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:It is indeed true that Edward is free and more importantly, has come to Barton to ask Elanor to marry him. She readily accepts the proposal, and by supper time everyone is happy and content. Edward was especially happy as not only has he secured someone for a bride whom he truly loves, but he has been freed from an engagement by no choice of himself from someone who he did not love. Edward goes on to say that if his mother had given him some form of employment after leaving Longstaple, but he had nothing to do he thus went back and forth to Longstaple and be in love. He is so happy to be with Eleanor, and Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne are overjoyed, though Marianne is sad for what passed with Willoughby. Elanor is so happy and full of love for Edward, but also full of questions. Edward stays the following week at the cottage in Barton and during that time he and Elanor talk non-stop. She finds out about Lucy's marriage. Elanor is very confused about the union as she believed Robert Ferrars to dislike the girl. Edward tells her that he probably did at first, but that his brother is very vain, and was probably worn down by Lucy's flattery. He goes on to say that when he went to Oxford, he received letters from Lucy which seemed full of love. But a few days ago, he received a letter from her saying that she has married his brother. Elanor reads the letter and is pleased to find out more information the affair. Edward is very excited to properly meet Colonel Brandon in a few days' time. He wishes to thank the man properly for the job given to him. Edward and Elanor are very concerned about their financial situation however and would need forgiveness from Mrs Ferrars to secure enough to live on. Edward does not know how his relationship with his mother will change following Robert's marriage. He thinks that his mother will eventually forgive him, but not right away. The Colonel and Edward get along very well, and they are joined by a shared affection for the Dashwood girls.The Dashwoods receive letters from town from their friends who give them some more news about the changes in the Ferrars family. Mrs Jennings writes saying that she is furious with Lucy and feels very sorry for Edward. John Dashwood says that his mother-in-law is distraught and Fanny is in a terrible state. Robert is banished, and Lucy is never to be welcome before either.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 48 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2026 10:07


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 48, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor is devastated. She admits that she always gets a hope in her heart that something would happen to prevent Edward from Marrying Lucy; something from himself, or his friends, or on Lucy finding someone else. But Edward is married, and before he could possibly have taken orders. She assumes that Edward and Lucy must soon be settled at Delaford, and imagines Lucy being the manager of the house. She wishes to hear news about the event, but no news comes from any of their friends in London. She asks her mother when she will write to the Colonel, and she replies that the Colonel is expected to arrive in a couple of days. At that moment, a man stops his horse at their gate. But this man is not Colonel Brandon… She goes to get a better look and sees Edward. The whole house is shocked, and Elanor would have loved to say something but cannot make a sound. When he enters, he looks unhappy, and fearful. Mrs. Dashwood tries to greet him very warmly, and he mutters out a reply. Elanor wishes she did the same but instead talks of the weather. A long pause takes place. Elanor finally breaks it and asks if Mrs. Ferrars is at Longstaple, which surprises Edward. She then clarifies that she meant Mrs. Edward Ferrars. After some hesitation Edward says that she must mean Mrs. Robert Ferrars, which stuns everybody. Edward adds that they must not have heard about the union, and reaffirms his statement, saying that they were married the previous week. Elanor runs out of the room in tears of joy, closing the door behind her. Edward, stunned, and relieved by the actions of Elanor, leaves the house to walk in the road. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 47 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 15:36


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 47, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs Dashwood listened attentively to Elanor's tale of Willoughby. She feels pity for him, but does not fully forgive him, for what he did to Eliza and her daughter. In the evening, Marianne starts to talk of Willoughby, and though it is very hard for her, she wishes to assure her family with knowledge that she is well. Elanor and her mother nonetheless try to reassure Marianne that she is wise to try and forget Willoughby as he would have ruined her life with his selfish lifestyle. Wile around the dinner table, the butler comes home and announces that he ran into Lucy and Mr. Ferrars in town. He says that they are married… Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne look directly at Eleanor. She is visibly upset. Mrs. Dashwood tries to get as much information out of their butler as she can, and after finding everything out, goes to her daughter. The family have lost their appetites, and sit in silence together…SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 46 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2026 20:41


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 46, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne slowly starts to get better at the Palmers, and very soon, the Dashwoods return to Barton. The journey takes them two days, and as they come into the area, Marianne starts to get emotional, remembering good times with Willoughby. In the sitting room, Marianne seems to determine herself to be composed. After dinner she tries to play the piano where she sees an opera that she used to play with Willoughby and though she tries to play, she finds that her fingers are too weak from her illness to play properly. The following day, Marianne announces that, once she is recovered, that they will walk every day, and declares that she will enter a course of serious study by reading and playing her piano. Elanor is happy about Marianne's ideas, and dreading her fulfilment of her promise to Willoughby, decides to postpone telling her sister about his coming. After a few days, on a sunny day, Marianne gets permission to walk outside with her sister Elanor. While on the walk, Marianne points out the place where she first fell and met Willoughby and asks Elanor if they will every talk about him. Elanor treasures Marianne's words and slowly determines to tell her everything Willoughby said. Marianne is very shaken by her words and asks to be escorted home, where, through a choked voice, she tells Elanor to tell her mother about Willoughby before running upstairs. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 45 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 14:19


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 45, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor is very shocked after her meeting with Willoughby, but still feels some compassion for him after his confession and apology. When she goes upstairs, she finds Marianne awake and feels fearful of betraying herself to her sister. In 30 minutes, she hears the carriage of Colonel Brandon and runs downstairs to greet and calm her mother's nerves. She embraced her child, and as soon as she was recovered, went to see Marianne. She was overjoyed but tried to stay calm for her daughter's sake. Elanor tries to go to sleep, but Willoughby is in her thoughts. She doubts if, after telling Marianne of all that passed, if Marianne would ever be able to feel happy. The following day, when they finally got some time alone, Mrs. Dashwood tells Elanor that Colonel Brandon confessed his love for Marianne to her. The mother is overjoyed with this news, and Elanor is not surprised by the remarks. He confessed seemingly without thinking and claims that the Colonel said that he loved her from first sight. Elanor says that she highly values the Colonel and would look on this attachment as a blessing on the family, which satisfies her mother greatly. Mrs. Dashwood also dismisses the age gap, saying that his person is exactly the time that would make Marianne happy. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 44 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2026 39:03


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 44, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor instantly tries to flee from him, but he orders her to listen. He says that he has business with Elanor, and in her shock to this answer, allows him to speak. He asks if Marianne is really going to be okay, stating that he heard from one of the servants that she is better. Elanor, because of his attitude, thinks that he is drunk. He says that he had a pint at Marlborough; he rode from London that day. He says that he has come to tell his story, and hopes that by telling it, both she, and Marianne will forgive him. He starts his story by saying that he had no intention of having Marianne fall for him. He only wished to spend his time in Barton in a more pleasant way. He says that since his youth he had expensive habits and friends, and that he accumulated a lot of debt. Because of this, he was determined to marry someone of extreme wealth. This is why he did not attach himself to Marianne at first, but he claims that as time went on, he did fall for Marianne. But he could not marry her, as she had no wealth… He calls himself a fool. He says that he had determined to tell Marianne about his affection, but Mrs. Smith had found out about Willoughby's connection with Colonel Brandon's ward, and because of this threatened to cut him off unless he married the girl. As she had no money, he couldn't do it, and thus, had to leave Barton for London. He seems to deeply regret having hurt Marianne too much and even goes on to claim that she was the first girl that he ever loved. He continues his story by saying that he believed it would be easy for him to get with Miss Grey, his current wife, and that it nonetheless caused him a huge amount of pain to see break off with Marianne. He then goes on to talk about Marianne's letters. He says that he was deeply pained by the letters and knowing that Marianne was in town was like lightening. He would have loved to have seen her, but he knew that his attachment to the girl would have ruined his plans to marry rich to escape from his debts. He tried all that he could to avoid the Dashwood's but eventually they were brought together by Sir Middleton… After this encounter, Miss Grey suspected that Marianne was the girl who truly had his heart, and when the final letter came to him, and she saw her name on the note, she read the note aloud. She forced Willoughby to write his letter to Marianne, to give back her notes, and her lock of hair. He goes on to say that his marriage to Miss Grey is not a loving one, it purely one of convenience and finance… He is a very pitiful figure, and Elanor forgives him for his terrible behaviour. He finishes by saying that the worst day of his life will be when he hears of Marianne's marriage and then leaves then house.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 43 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 22:46


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 43, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne got up the next morning as usual, but as the day progressed, she started shivering and got sicker, and sicker. The Colonel felt alarmed by Marianne's state, but Elanor dismissed it. Eventually a doctor is called, and he states that Marianne will be better in a few days, and that her infection is minor. At the word of infection, Mrs. Palmer leaves with her baby to stay with some relations, where Mr. Palmer is to join her in a few days. Mrs Jennings says that she will stay however, to help nurse Marianne, and while the Colonel wishes at first to leave, he is persuaded to stay by the stern woman. Marianne laments that they are again forced to stay more time from home. Marianne is no better on the following day, but she seems not to be any worse. On the third day, the doctor declares that Marianne is getting better, and Elanor rejoiced in the fact that he letters to her mother were light-hearted. At the end of the day however, Marianne falls seemingly more ill than before and Elanor decides to sit up with her sister all night. Marianne gets more and more disturbed and soon calls out in her fever for her mother and claims that she mustn't go by London. Elanor tries to sooth her sister but checks her pulse and it is not good news. She runs down to the drawing room where she finds the Colonel and tells him what has happened. He offers to ride all night to collect Mrs. Dashwood, and in the time, it takes for Elanor to write a short message to her, his horses are ready, and he sets off. The doctor eventually comes and in spite of Marianne's state, he declares that she will be better. Several hours go by and Marianne is still sick. A heavy storm has begun, and through the storm Elanor believes that she can hear the sound of a Carriage. She runs downstairs, and though it seems to early for the Colonel to be back, she feels nearly assured that it is him, but when she opens the door she sees for the first time in months, Willoughby… SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 42 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2026 11:08


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 42, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:It is noted by Elanor that everyone in their entourage seems to believe that a union between her and the Colonel is a certainty. Marianne finds it difficult to leave the city even though she wanted nothing but to leave for the past 6 weeks, but finally, the Dashwoods leave London and after two days' travel, they arrive at the Palmer residence in Sommerset. Cleveland is a modern built house, and while it has no park, there are plenty of wooded areas which enchant Marianne, and before she has spent 5 minutes at the house, she heads into the garden. She intends to spend almost every hour of every day in the garden, but this plan is sadly ruined by a very heavy and settled rain. The following day, Mr. Palmer and Colonel Brandon join the women at the house by dinner and supply the Elanor and Marianne with some discourse that doesn't revolve around Charlotte's child. The Colonel tells Elanor about Edward, and she finds Mr. Palmer a very pleasant companion, in spite of his elevated ego. The Colonel, while he mainly converses with Elanor, has his eyes on Marianne. After a few days, Marianne catches a very bad cold.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 41 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 15:03


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 41, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Edward, after seeing the Colonel, told the good news to Lucy, and she says that she has never seen him happier. After a few days, Elanor feels that she needs to visit Mrs. John Dashwood and see how she is fairing after the news. Both Marianne and Mrs. Jennings are against this, but she nonetheless goes. She is greeted by her brother, and he is very glad to see her. They talk about Colonel Brandon's offer to Edward, and John asks if it is really true. Elanor confirms that it is true, and states that the Colonel only wanted to do something right by Edward after all of negativity from his family. John goes on to say that Mrs. Ferrars knows nothing about the news and suggests that it must be kept from her until the marriage takes place. Elanor is confused by this as she believes her to be a hateful woman, one who has cast her son off forever. John corrects her, and says that no matter what happens, Mrs. Ferrars will never forget that Edward is her son. Then in a whisper, John adds that he heard that whatever objections existed towards a connection between Elanor and Edward, they would be a far preferable match that that of Edward and Lucy. After a little time, they are joined by Robert Ferrars, and soon, John goes to search for his wife. He goes on to ask about Edward's new job and goes to laugh about it. He can't imagine anything funnier. He goes on to say that in a conversation with his mother, he said that he would never forgive nor see Edward again if he were to marry this woman. Elanor asks he had ever seen Lucy, and he says he has but only once, and he very much dislikes her. After this Mrs. Dashwood joins them and goes to say how grateful she is for Elanor and her sister, and wishes that she saw more of them. She also seems genuinely shocked when she hears how soon they are to leave London.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 40 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2026 14:41


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 40, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:As soon as Colonel Brandon leaves, Mrs Jennings goes to Elanor and suggests that she knows exactly what he proposed to her. Elanor, though slightly confused by her choice of words, accepts the lady's praise for the Colonel. Mrs. Jennings talks too of knowing exactly where she shall find a happy couple and is confused by the Colonel's remarks about the house being a bad one. Before the conversation can be made clearer, Mrs. Jennings has to go, and Elanor begs her not to tell anyone of the news, as Edward needs to be told of the news first, which makes Mrs. Jenning's believe that Edward will be the one to marry the Colonel and Elanor. After Mrs. Jenning's leaves, Elanor sets to writing a letter to Edward, but before she can finish her correspondence, he walks through the door. There is a very awkward pause… they had not seen each other since his marriage was announced, and after more time passes, he says that Mrs. Jennings told him that Elanor had news to tell him. He is very grateful for the Colonel's news, and thanks Elanor more precisely, believing that it is really thanks to her that the position has been offered to him. He then asks for the Colonel's address, says goodbye, and goes to the man to give his thanks. Mrs. Jenning's then returns, and after some more giddy talking about the subject, Elanor corrects the lady's mistake. While initially disappointed she quickly laughs away the mistake and is again happy about the news.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 39 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2026 12:17


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 39, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:The Dashwood girls finally fix a date for their departure from London. The Palmers are going to go to Cleveland, which is only a few miles from Bristol, which means that the girls should be within a day's journey from home. Marianne initially resists this idea as it would bring them very close to Somersetshire, where Willoughby is based, but the thought of soon being home calms her down. Mrs. Jennings announces their departure to Colonel Brandon, and he then engaged Elanor in a deep conversation, which Mrs. Jennings confused to be a sort of proposal.What the two were actually talking about was very different. The Colonel asks about Edward's current situation and mentions that he heard that Edward wanted to take orders. Elanor confirms this, and he follows it up by saying that the curacy in his area is recently vacated, and that if Edward would like it, he may have it. Elanor understands that she must be the one to deliver the news instead of the Colonel. Elanor then comes to say that he is sure that Lucy and he would love the job there, which confuses Colonel Brandon, and he asks if he is still insisting on marrying Lucy, as the salary of the curacy would never be enough to support a family…SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 38 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2026 16:33


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 38, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. Jennings is full of praise for Edward after hearing the news of all that passed between his family and himself. The Dashwood girls are still recovering from the news, however. After a few more days pass, the weather is surprisingly very good, and the whole city seems to go to Kensington gardens, and Elanor and Mrs. Jenning's go to see them. After a few minutes, they come across Miss Anne Steele, who seems very pleased to see them. Mrs. Jennings begs Elanor to ask Anne about everything that passed between Edward and his family since they were kicked out. And after confirming that neither Lady Middleton nor Mrs. Jennings are upset with her or her sister, Anne goes to tell Elanor about everything that happened between Edward and her sister. Three days passed before Edward visited Lucy, he apparently stayed in an inn and gathered his thoughts. When he came to Lucy, he announced that he would understand if she broke the engagement off, as he now has no money, but Lucy said that she wouldn't. Anne proclaims that they are very happy together, and Edward intends to go into orders as soon a possible, after he finishes some business in Oxford. Anne then lets out that she was listening to this information from the other side of the door. Elanor is disgusted by Anne and tries to change the subject, but Anne continues on. Eventually she meets her friends again and leaves Elanor with Mrs. Jennings, to whom she recounts Anne's information to. The following morning Lucy sends a letter to Elanor, thanking her for he kindness, and tells her that she and Edward are very happy together, and asks that if she knows anyone looking for a curate, that she should put Edward forward for it…SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 37 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2026 26:09


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 37, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:After doing her rounds to visit her daughter, Mrs. Jennings comes to Elanor with some gossip. She comes to say, that Mrs John Dashwood is ill, and has been seen by a doctor who happened to be seeing Charlotte's newborn just after being to the Dashwood's place. Mrs. Jenning's then goes on to explain that Anne let slip to Fanny that Edward and Lucy have been engaged for the past year. This threw Fanny into hysterics and she, only after her husband's pleading with her to let them pack their bags first, threw the Miss Steeles out of their house. Elanor is shocked by this account and while she manages to keep her cool before Mrs. Jennings, she feels deeply shocked by what has happened. She then goes to Marianne and tells her of all that has passed. Marianne is distraught by the news and cries all throughout Elanor's recounting of Mrs. Jenning's story and of her knowledge of the affair. Only after Elanor says truly how hurt she was by Lucy's announcement does Marianne believe that her sister truly cared about it. Marianne then laments about how hard it must have been for Elanor to deal with what happened to her and also with what happened to herself. Following this Elanor urges Marianne not to be angry with Edward for his actions, and she does, though very upset with him. The following day, their brother comes to visit and talk through everything that happened at their house too. He explains what happened once Mrs. Ferrars heard the news, and more importantly what happened once Edward arrived… Mrs. Ferrars, Fanny, and John all apparently demanded that Edward end the engagement immediately, and no matter how severe the punishment for keeping it, Edward refuses. John then explains that Mrs. Ferras has vowed to make sure that Edward shall never be able to find a decent job, that he shall only have his 2000 pounds to live off of, and that she will bestow the estate that Edward was to inherit, on his brother, Robert. Mrs. Jennings finds Edwards actions very noble and offers, if the occasion were to arise, to invite Edward to stay with her while he gets onto his feet. John doesn't wish to offend her, so he doesn't say anything, and though Marianne wishes to, she remembers her promise to her sister. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 36 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2026 17:55


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 36, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:After several days, Mrs. Palmer gives birth, and Mrs. Jennings finally leaves the girls alone, and though the Dashwoods would have preferred to stay alone, they are invited constantly to the Middleton's. Lady Middleton does not really like the Dashwood girls, but she feels it her duty to host them. Lucy doesn't really want Elanor and Marianne there either, and all Miss Steele wants is to know what happened between Marianne and Willoughby. Mrs. Jennings is over the moon about Charlotte's new child and can talk nothing of the baby. Fanny and Mr John Dashwood are forced to invite their sisters to join them at a music party in town, and though Fanny would much rather not, it would be seen as a social faux pas if they Elanor and Marianne were not present. At the party, the music is fine, but that is about all, and as Marianne is looking across the room, she sees her brother in conversation with the man who she saw in the jewellery store. Her brother and the man soon come over, and the man is introduced to her as Mr. Robert Ferrars… He is just as pompous and opinionated as his sister Fanny. Robert and Elanor discuss Edward, and Robert declares that Edward's problems stem from his mother not choosing to send his brother to a private school. They then discuss Barton cottage, and he declares that he says that everyone should live in a cottage. Elanor agrees to everything he says, but it is more so to end the conversation. Later at the party, John Dashwood, says to his wife that they should invite his sisters to stay with them, it would satisfy the promise he made to his father. Fanny however refutes this, stating that this would be a slight against Mrs. Jennings, and claims that she also wishes to invite the Miss Steeles to stay, and the following day, an invitation is sent off to Lucy and Anne. And after several days, John and Mrs. Dashwood can talk nothing but praises of the girls, causing Elanor to suffer much at the nearly definite loss of Edward. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 35 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2026 14:12


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 35, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor has seen enough of Mrs. Ferrars to comprehend all of the difficulties that existed between Edward and herself. Lucy seems to believe that the Ferrars women love her, but Elanor believes that this is only because Lucy is not Elanor. Lucy, visiting in Berkley street, gushes over Mrs. Ferrars and Mrs. John Dashwood, and though Elanor states that if they knew about her relationship with Edward, then she wouldn't have been received with such kindness. Lucy goes on however, doting over Elanor's sister-in-law. While the conversation goes on, and Elanor gets more and more tired of it, the servant enters and announces the arrival of Edward…Everyone is equally shocked at the entrance of the man. No one can show their affection towards each other, and Edward is even more shocked by the revelation that Lucy and Elanor know each other. They eventually get a grip on themselves, and Elanor supplies Edward with the information that he should have asked himself. Lucy sits in silence the whole time. Marianne then comes in and greets him with the greatest happiness. Edward asks some questions about Marianne's health, and if London is agreeing with her. She shirks off the question about her health, and about London, she says that seeing him is the only good thing about being in the city. Edward soon gets up to leave, and even after some supplication from Marianne, he leaves, and after 30 or so minutes, so does Lucy. Elanor is furious with Marianne, and Marianne soon goes up to her room in tears.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 34 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2026 16:08


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 34, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. John Dashwood, and Lady Middleton seem to get along very well, both being snobbish and too proud. Elanor wishes to know very much if Edward is in town, and though Mrs. John Dashwood will not tell her this, Lucy soon comes with the news. Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood invite the Middleton's and thus the Miss Steeles, and the Miss Dashwoods to dine with them. Edward is apparently not going to be at the dinner…At Harley street, Elanor and Lucy finally meet Mrs Ferrars, and Elanor immediately determines her to be proud and rude, and when she is disregarded by her, she thankfully feels no pain. Lucy however is very honourably distinguished by Mrs. Ferrars, which does vex Elanor slightly. The dinner is very grand, but the conversation is as dull as their hosts, and when the women retire to the dining room, Elanor wishes that they could share in the same conversation as the men, politics, land, horses, and the like, instead of Mrs. John. Dashwood and Lady Middleton's sons. The men eventually enter the room, and John Dashwood presses a beautifully painted pair of screens into Colonel Brandon's hands, proclaiming them to have been painted by Elanor. These screens get passed around the room, and when they arrive in Mrs. Ferrars hands, the woman doesn't look at them at all, and her daughter brings up miss Morton. Marianne explodes at this slight at Elanor and defends her sister. Marianne then soon bursts into tears, and both Elanor and Colonel Brandon go to console her.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 33 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 17:58


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 33, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor has finally succeeded in getting Marianne out of the house, on the condition that they do not visit anyone. Elanor takes her to a jewellery store, where Elanor was negotiating the sale of some old jewels for her mother. The is heaving, and the girls are obliged to wait. One pompous man is holding up the line. When she finally gets to the front of the line Elanor starts her business when she is interrupted by another gentleman, her brother. They have a quick catch up, and after her business done walks his sisters out to Mrs. Jenning's carriage. The following day, he visits his sisters at Mrs. Jenning's place, where he makes a very good impression on her and Colonel Brandon, who was also visiting. He asks Elanor to walk with him to Sir John Middleton's place where he is hoping to make their acquaintance. She readily consents as the weather is nice. He goes on to nudge her about Colonel Brandon, who he believes is in love with Elanor. She tries to dissuade him from this idea, but he doesn't want to hear it. He seems very keen on the Colonel after finding out about his financial situation. He then talks about Mrs. Jennings and her financial situation and seems certain that she will bestow some money on his sisters too. When they arrive at the Middleton's lodgings, John Dashwood makes a very good first impression, and he seems equally fond of them as well. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 32 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2026 15:34


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 32, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne is told Colonel Brandon's story by her sister, and while she seems to accept what has been said, her mind is not eased. She feels sorry for the girl, and can only think about what might have happened to her. Mrs. Dashwoods writes more and says that she thinks it is a better idea for the girls to stay in the city, as their Barton cottage would be full of memories of Willoughby, and the city would be full of distractions for the girls. She is also hopeful that if the girls stay in London that they will see their brother. Elanor accepts that she will have to see Edward again, though is not looking forward to it after learning about his engagement with Lucy Steele. Every one of their friends are appalled buy Willoughby's behaviour, and vow to never speak to or say a kind word about him again. While everyone abstains from talking to Marianne about the man, they do feel a need to discuss him with Elanor, which she dislikes. Colonel Brandon is however permitted to talk of Willoughby with Elanor and Marianne, though Marianne so rarely talks; this does give him hope that his relationship with Marianne will strengthen in time. In 2 weeks' time, Elanor finds out about Willoughby's marriage, and she has to give the news to her sister, hoping only that it will not hurt her too much and, that there is now no chance of running into the man in town, that Marianne will start to slowly leave the house. The Steele's arrival in London gives more excuses to venture out too, but reminds Elanor only of Edward…SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 31 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 25:43


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 31, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne awakes the next day as miserable as she was the day before, but a little more rested. The girls talk over everything that happened between Marianne and Willoughby before breakfast, and Elanor flits between emotions as her sister stays melancholic. Mrs. Jennings comes in with a letter from the girls' mother. Sadly, the news had yet to reach Ms. Dashwood, and her letter was full of praise for Willoughby, and entreaties for Marianne to tell her more plainly if she and he are engaged. Elanor writes to her mother and explains the new situation to her while Marianne laments further. Mrs. Jennings leaves to visit some friends, and gone, the girls are visited by Colonel Brandon.Marianne flees to her room to avoid the man, and after entering, the Colonel is glad to see that Elanor is alone. He comes to explain some things to Elanor, hoping to give comfort, and lasting conviction in Marianne's mind. The Colonel goes on to talk of his past and his relations with a woman who, to his despair, was married to his late brother. The woman and his brother divorced, and she fell into ruin, and Colonel Brandon was unable to help her as he was posted in India. When he eventually came back to England, he found the woman on her deathbed, with a small child to take care of. He adopted this girl and sent her to a private school. One day however, while staying with a friend in Bath, the girl disappeared for several months. Colonel Brandon only got news about her in the letter he received on his last morning at Barton Park, when he left so suddenly. This girl apparently ran away with Willoughby, forcing the Colonel to duel the seductor to defend his, and the girl's honour. Elanor is shocked by this story, and after briefly exchanging a few more particulars, the Colonel takes his leave, giving Elanor permission to tell Marianne about Willoughby's true character. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

Desert Island Discs
Kate Winslet, actor

Desert Island Discs

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026 52:08


Kate Winslet is an actor who achieved global fame playing Rose DeWitt Bukater, opposite Leonard DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, in the 1997 James Cameron epic Titanic. During her career she has won five BAFTAs, two Emmys, five Golden Globes and an Academy Award for her role in the Reader. Kate was born in Reading in 1975 and attended Redroofs School for the Performing Arts in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Her film debut came in 1994 when she played a teenage killer in Peter Jackson's film Heavenly Creatures. The following year she played Marianne Dashwood opposite Emma Thompson's Elinor in Sense and Sensibility, directed by Ang Lee. Kate's performance earned her a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She went on to consolidate her reputation as one of the most versatile actors of her generation by starring in a list of popular and critically acclaimed films including Hideous Kinky, Iris, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Holiday.Last year Kate directed her first film, Goodbye June, starring Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall and Andrea Riseborough. Kate has three children and lives in West Sussex with her husband Ned and her family.DISC ONE: Georgia on my Mind - Roger Winslet and Sophie Breakenridge DISC TWO: Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs - Brian and Michael DISC THREE: Kiss from a Rose - Seal DISC FOUR: Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald DISC FIVE: Nuvole Bianche - Ludovico Einaudi DISC SIX: Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi - Radiohead DISC SEVEN: Blue Ridge Mountains - Fleet Foxes DISC EIGHT: Pump up the Jam - Technotronic BOOK CHOICE: Outside: Recipes for a Wilder Way of Eating by Gill Meller LUXURY ITEM: Freshly ground coffee CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Georgia on my Mind – Roger Winslet and Sophie Breakenridge Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinleyDesert Island Discs has cast many actors away over the years including Dame Emma Thompson, Cate Blanchett and Dame Helen Mirren. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 30 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026 18:51


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 30, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs Jennings comes to see the girls as soon as she comes home and announces to the girls that she has been informed of Willoughby's engagement to Miss Grey. She says that she is appalled by Willoughby's behaviour, and that if she sees him again, that Willoughby will receive the biggest dressing down of his life. She tries to reassure Marianne that Willoughby is not the only man in the world, and before leaving, says that some friends are coming tonight for supper. At Lunch, Marianne eats with Mrs. Jennings and Elanor. She eats more than she has done in days but doesn't say a word. Mrs. Jennings dotes on Marianne like a parent to a favourite child, but still Marianne's humour doesn't improve, and she retires to her room. Mrs. Jennings and Elanor discuss Willoughby's situation some more, and Mrs. Jennings says that Miss Grey is very very wealthy, and seems to suggest that this is the reason for Willoughby leaving Marianne. Elanor tries to let Mrs. Jennings know that a formal engagement never existed between her sister and that man, but Mrs. Jennings refutes her by saying that it wasn't necessary for him to ask after showing Marianne around his ancestral home like he did. Colonel Brandon comes to the house and talks with Elanor. He tells her that he heard about the Willoughby situation in town and talks in a way that shows how sorry he feels for Marianne. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 29 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 27:17


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 29, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne is awake and writing a note to Willoughby with all of her tormented emotions guiding her. Elanor goes to ask what she is writing about, but Marianne refuses to tell, saying that she will know all, soon enough. As soon as she finished the note, Marianne sends it off, Elanor refusing to open her mouth while her sister writes. At Breakfast, Marianne neither eats nor says anything, and Elanor focuses on keeping Mrs. Jennings busy. A note soon arrives for Marianne, and she runs out of the room with it. Mrs. Jennings takes no notice of this, believing that Marianne is just too in love to think about anything else. Elanor tells the woman again that Marianne is not engaged, but Mrs. Jennings doesn't want to hear about it. Going finally upstairs, Elanor finds Marianne sprawled on her bed with 3 letters laying on the sheets. Elanor takes her sisters hand and cries as well. Marianne hand the letter to her sister and then screams in agony. Willoughby's letter is full of regrets. He states that he never meant to imply to Marianne that he and she were in love, and that he has been engaged elsewhere… He says that he hopes that he can look back on his time with the Dashwoods with fondness… Elanor is disgusted by the letter. She deems it to be full of lies and feels that Willoughby is irredeemable. Elanor reads the letters that Marianne wrote to Willoughby, and comes to understand, after Marianne's explanations, that her sister and Willoughby were never engaged, but is still disgusted in Willoughby's behaviour. Marianne begs to be able to go home to Barton, and Elanor agrees that they can leave, but in a few days' time, to ensure that they are polite enough to Mrs Jennings. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 28 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2026 9:54


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 28, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Nothing happened over the course of the next few days. Willoughby neither came nor wrote. Lady Middleton has invited the girls to a dance, and though Marianne is deeply distracted she consents to go. When they arrive at the venue, they find the room crowded and hot. Lady Middleton sits at a card table, and the girls find some chairs by her. Elanor then spots Willoughby, talking with a woman, and he acknowledges her presence before going back to talk to the other younger woman. Elanor turns to her sister to see if she too has seen Willoughby. She has… Elanor tries to keep her sister composed, but cannot, and soon Marianne stands up, and Willoughby approaches them, addressing himself to Elanor. Elanor is distressed by his address and finds it confusing that he seems to not know about their being in town. Marianne is having none of it however and asks outright why he is ignoring her letters, and why he wont even shake her hand. He reaches out to her, but her touch seems to pain him, and after a moments pause, he recollects himself and says that he regrets that he missed them the previous Tuesday. Marianne questions him again, and he says that he received her letter, and then leaves the Miss Dashwoods alone to see his friend again. Marianne collapses into her chair, distraught. Elanor goes to Lady Middleton and informs her that Marianne is ill and says that they must go home. Lady Middleton is too polite to say no, and the carriage is soon called for, and they go home where Marianne runs up to her room and cries, while Elanor thinks over everything that has happened between her sister and Willoughby. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 27 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 15:41


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 27, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. Jennings, talking about the good weather, gives Marianne some relief in suggesting that the “Sportsmen” would be in the country hunting before making their way into town. Marianne believes that the weather will soon change and bring Willoughby into town. They go into town and deliver letters to all of Mrs. Jenning's acquaintances, and they all feel a change in the weather. Mrs. Jennings is treating the Dashwood girls with the greatest kindness, and Elanor is actually happy to be in the city. Colonel Brandon visits them every day, and Elanor fears that his feelings for Marianne are growing stronger… Eventually a letter to Marianne from Willoughby arrives, and Marianne is now more anxious than ever and refuses to do anything but wait for him to arrive, but Willoughby does not come. Sir John and Lady Middleton arrive in town and invite the Dashwoods over for a ball, where Willoughby, in spite of being invited, does not show his face.Colonel Brandon arrives the next day and seems anxious. After several minutes of silence, he asks Elanor when he should congratulate her on her sister's upcoming marriage. Elanor asks where he has heard about it and says it is strange, as she doesn't know about it herself. He replies that everyone is talking about it, and Elanor notices that he is clearly upset at the information that his “rival” has seemingly won. Elanor reconfirms that she knows nothing about a marriage but does state that Marianne and Willoughby do seem to be attached. On this information Colonel Brandon leaves.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 26 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 15:26


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 26, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:The Dashwoods and Mrs. Jennings leave for London. Marianne is very quiet, presumably thinking of Willoughby, forcing Elanor to talk with their host for the 3 days' journey. Once they arrive in London, the Miss Dashwoods write letters, Elanor to her mother, and Marianne to whom Elanor suspects to be Willoughby. Marianne is anxious all day and thinks that every carriage passing by is a sign of Willoughby. Finally, when someone knocks on the door and Marianne's excitement was at its peak, and it turns out to be Colonel Brandon, Marianne flees from the room. Elanor talks with the Colonel briefly before the entrance of Mrs. Jennings, who presses him to reveal the secrets behind his departure. Marianne is melancholic for the rest of the day. In the morning Marianne is happy again, expecting to see Willoughby. Mrs. Palmer comes over, and is so happy at seeing the Miss Dashwoods, and all of the women of the house go into town. While the rest are occupied by shopping, Marianne is looking all over for Willoughby's figure or face, failing to see him anywhere. When they go home, she is informed by the footman that no letters had arrived for her either. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 34 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2026 16:08


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 34, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. John Dashwood, and Lady Middleton seem to get along very well, both being snobbish and too proud. Elanor wishes to know very much if Edward is in town, and though Mrs. John Dashwood will not tell her this, Lucy soon comes with the news. Mr and Mrs John Dashwood invite the Middleton's and thus the Miss Steeles, and the Miss Dashwoods to dine with them. Edward is apparently not going to be at the dinner…At Harley street, Elanor and Lucy finally meet Mrs Ferrars, and Elanor immediately determines her to be proud and rude, and when she is disregarded by her, she thankfully feels no pain. Lucy however is very honourably distinguished by Mrs. Ferrars, which does vex Elanor slightly. The dinner is very grand, but the conversation is as dull as their hosts, and when the women retire to the dining room, Elanor wishes that they could share in the same conversation as the men, politics, land, horses, and the like, instead of Mrs John. Dashwood and Lady Middleton's sons. The men eventually enter the room, and John Dashwood presses a beautifully painted pair of screens into Colonel Brandon's hands, proclaiming them to have been painted by Elanor. These screens get passed around the room, and when they arrive in Mrs. Ferrars hands, the woman doesn't look at them at all, and her daughter brings up miss Morton. Marianne explodes at this slight at Elanor and defends her sister. Marianne then soon bursts into tears, and both Elanor and Colonel Brandon go to console her.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 25 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2025 11:39


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 25, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs Jennings is finally going to return to her home in the city. She asks the elder miss Dashwoods to join her in London. Elanor immediately refuses, saying that they need to be with their mother, but Mrs. Jennings doesn't want to hear no for an answer. Sir John also understands that Marianne would actually like to go to London, and the girls are thus forced to ask their mother for permission, and Elanor soon consents. Mrs Dashwood is very happy to let the girls go to London as she feels that they would be likely to run into Willoughby in town, and potentially Edward too. Mrs Dashwood is also excited about the possibility of redecorating the rooms of the girls and knows that it would be easier to do if the girls were away for a while. Elanor and Marianne are to travel with Mrs. Jennings in her chaise, and Sir John is very excited to have more people join them in London.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 24 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2025 12:40


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 24, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor finally gets the opportunity to speak to Lucy again about Edward. Lucy is more than happy to talk about it and says that she felt like she had upset Elanor with her information. Lucy claims that as she is used to a small income, she could do without any money that Edward's mother could give him, but she knows that Edward could not. They need to wait until his mother passes away, and Lucy says that she could only wait for Edward, no other man. Lucy says that she has come up with a plan to have Elanor help her get married to Edward. She says that if Elanor were to ask her brother to let Edward go to the church in Norland, then everything would be sorted. Lucy laments that it would perhaps be better to call the whole thing off and asks Elanor's opinion of it. Elanor refuses to answer. Their conversation ends with an invitation to go to London which Elanor refuses as well.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 23 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2025 15:07


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 23, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor thinks over every interaction that she had with Edward during his visit. She questions whether he had duped her, but no, she feels certain that Edward's affection towards her is real, and that his engagement to Lucy is not one of the heart. She feels too that Edward could never truly be happy with a marriage to Lucy, and that his engagement to her will have lessened his feelings for her. She weeps for him but feels as though she can hide her new knowledge from her mother and her sister. Elanor feels that she could get no encouragement from her family if she was to share this information and feels as though she would just make them all feel worse. Elanor determines that she must again speak with Lucy. She needs to know all of her feelings towards Edward and must learn more about her engagement. She feels that Lucy must be a jealous person and must also try to show interest in her relationship to Edward as a friend.These opportunities seem few and in between as the weather has been too bad for a walk, and as they met in a group, it would be unproper for the two of them to meet only by themselves. One day, Sir John came to beg the Dashwood girls to lunch with his wife, as he needed to go to the club. Elanor and Margaret readily accepted, and Marianne was forced by her mother to go. After lunch, they set up some card tables, and soon, Lucy is soon asked by Lady Middleton to continue working on a basket that she had been making for her daughter and Elanor under the guise of lending a hand to Lucy finally finds a chance to be alone and converse with her rival.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 22 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2025 17:09


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 22, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:In spite of the efforts of the Steele girls, the Dashwoods are reluctant to become their friends. Elanor does find her agreeable enough for half an hour, but no more, as the girl is uneducated and illiterate. One day while walking back to the cottage, Lucy asks Elanor if she knows Edward's mother. Elanor finds the question strange, and after some little conversation, Lucy intimates that she knows Edward very well, but has never met his mother. Elanor is shocked by this revelation and Lucy goes on to reveal, because she apparently trusts Elanor, that she and Edward have been engaged for several years, and that she keeps a picture of him on her person, and that the ring embossed with a lock of hair contains the hair of Lucy. Elanor is shocked, and though she tries to remain polite, is very glad once Lucy leaves to go back to Barton Park.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 21 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 17:03


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 21, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:The following day, when the Palmers have finally left them, and Elanor feels that she can finally relax, Sir John and Mrs. Jennings have found 2 more guests to keep everyone occupied. The Miss Steele's are apparently some relations of Mrs Jennings, and everyone is thus forced to be very welcoming. The girls however appear to be fantastic guests, doting dutifully on the Middleton children. When the Dashwood's arrive at the Park, they note that the youngest of the Steele's, Lucy, is very pretty, and that the eldest, seems very noble. One of the Middleton children gets hurt, and Lady Middleton takes her children away to calm them and leaves the Steeles and the Dashwoods alone. The Steeles go to compliment the Middleton family, and Marianne calls upon Elanor to play along, as Marianne is certain that she cannot lie. The eldest Steele girl seems to be very direct, and her sister, Lucy tries to cover up her sister's mistakes in politeness. The eldest Steele girl talks about the lack of beautiful men in the area, and the Dashwoods are very put off by this talk. The Steele's seem to want to get better acquainted with the Dashwoods, to the Dashwoods' dislike…The Steele's talk of Marianne's engagement to Willoughby, and it comes out that Sir John had mentioned the relationship between Edward Ferrars and Elanor. While initially vexed, when she finds out that the Steele's know Edward, Elanor tries to find out what they know about it. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

Bookclub
Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility

Bookclub

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2025 36:47


The award-winning actress Emma Thompson takes questions on Sense and Sensibility in this special episode of Bookclub to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. Sense and Sensibility was Jane Austen's first novel published in 1811 when she was thirty-five years old. The book follows the Dashwood sisters as they navigate their way through love and and threat of its loss. Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment. Emma Thompson won an Oscar for her screen adaptation of the 1995 film, of the same name, in which she played Elinor Dashwood. The film also starred Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood, Hugh Grant as Edward Ferrars, Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon, and Greg Wise as John Willoughby. This episode was recorded at Broadcasting House, London, in August.Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 20 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 13:36


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 20, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs Palmer and the and the Dashwood girls talk again the next day at Barton. Mrs Palmer is very pushy towards the girls, wishing for them to come to the city and visit them. Mr Palmer is as gloomy and miserable as usual. Sir John pokes fun at Marianne for her love of Willoughby, and Mrs Palmer adds that Willoughby does not live too far from them, and invites them to visit them at they home as well as London. Mr Palmer calls out Mrs. Jennings, and Sir John for being what “ill-bred” for not wanting to abide by social rules. He, according to the girls, believe that he wishes to appear superior to everyone else. His wife also reveals that her husband is running for parliament, and as Willoughby is a member of the opposition, Mr Palmer probably wouldn't visit him. Apparently everyone is London is talking about the engagement of Marianne and Willoughby. Mrs. Palmer got the information from Colonel Brandon. Elanor tries to skirt around the subject of Marianne's relationship with Willoughby and tries to get more information about the Colonel. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

You're Dead To Me
Jane Austen (Radio Edit)

You're Dead To Me

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 28:13


Greg Jenner is joined in Regency England by historian Dr Lucy Worsley and actor Sally Phillips to learn all about the life and works of literary legend Jane Austen on the 250th anniversary of her birth in December 1775.It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of England's best-loved authors, and the creator of such indelible characters as Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Emma Woodhouse and Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Whether you have read one of her six books – Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park – or seen one of the many adaptations, most of us have some experience with Austen. But her life story and how it influenced her writing is perhaps less well-known. This episode explores her early life as the daughter of a rural clergyman, takes a peek inside the books a teenage Jane was reading, and delves into her romantic and familial relationships to see what shaped Austen into the formidable literary talent she was. And it asks a key question: was Jane Austen, who wrote such wonderful women characters, a feminist?This is a radio edit of the original podcast episode. For the full-length version, please look further back in the feed.Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Clara Chamberlain and Charlotte Emily Edgeshaw Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 19 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2025 17:07


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 19, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Edward stayed for a week with the Dashwood's, and regardless of how much he seemed to be enjoying himself with the women, he said that he had to leave, though he knew not where to. He detested being in town, and didn't want to go to Norland, but he was going to go to one of them. Elanor believes that it is all his mother's fault. What Edward craves in independence, and in order to get it, Mrs. Dashwood asks why the man he never sought a profession. Edward explains that his wants always went against his parents wishes, and when he finally found something that he would maybe like, and that his family would agree to, he felt himself to be too old. After Edward's departure, Elanor tries to behave normally, and not back away from conversation about him.One morning, soon after the departure of Edward, Sir John Middleton, arrives with a party at Barton cottage. It is the Palmer family, Mrs. Jenning's and her son and daughter. Mrs. Palmer is a younger woman with a plump figure, and Mr. Palmer is a man of around twenty-five who contents himself in reading the paper, while the others talk. They stay for a while, and before leaving, Sir John presses the women of Barton Cottage to come for dinner.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 18 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2025 9:27


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 18, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor sees that Edward is very unhappy, and she is uncertain of his affection towards her. Marianne tries to leave her sister alone with Edward, but he decides instead to go and check on his horses. This seems to have been a good thing however, as he seems to appreciate the village and countryside a lot more than before. Marianne presses him to describe the areas as he sees them, but he refuses, as he has no knowledge of the picturesque. To him, it is a fine country, but nothing more, he cannot describe the country better. During this conversation, Marianne happens to notice a ring on Edward's finger, which is embossed with a plait of hair. Marianne thinks this hair to come from his sister, but Elanor knows it to actually be her own hair, and she is finally relieved and convinced once again is Edward's affections. At the middle of the day, they are greeted by Sir Middleton, and Mrs. Jennings, where the two are very quick to learn that Edward's surname begins with an F. Sir John Middleton also invites them all to tea, and to supper so that they can get to know this gentleman better. Sir John laments about Willoughby's absence, and following his and Mrs. Jenning's departure, Edward goes to Marianne to poke fun at her regarding this unknown man.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 17 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 10:16


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 17, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:On arriving at the cottage, Mrs. Dashwood welcomes Edward Ferras like a son, and his shy, reserve countenance soon fades. He becomes interested in the family again. Mrs. Dashwood asks him about his mother, and Edward replies that while his mother is disappointed, she has concluded that she cannot force Edward to forgo his nature and become a famous orator/politician. Edward, above all else, wants to be happy. Elanor agrees only slightly with Edward's views, saying that money can bring happiness. Marianne is on Edwards side, claiming that “money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give.” Elanor refutes her sister's points, claiming that Marianne does not believe what she says, as her idea of a small income is enough to have servants, horses, carriages, and hunters… Edwards is confused by Marianne's views, but before he can refute, Margret wishes that someone would just give them all a lump of money. The night goes on with them talking about what they would do if they were to all have enough money to do what ever they wished to do. Edward jokes that they would spend it all on books, music, theatre, and the like. He then asks her if her opinions on people only being able to fall in love Once have changed. They haven't. Marianne calls out Edward on his humour, and he retorts that he has never really been very genial. Edward goes on to say that he has never been at ease with people; he always seems to offend, when he is realistically only kept back by his own natural awkwardness. He says that he feels somewhat inferior, and it's probably that that keeps him from being easy with people. Marianne then jabs that he would still be reserved, which he takes offense at, as if he didn't know that he was reserved.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 16 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2025 13:26


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 16, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne is destroyed by the departure of Willoughby. She eats little, and cries for the majority of the time. She seems to nourish her grief by playing songs on the piano that she and he used to sing together, and reads books that they read together too. After several days she falls into a melancholy state. She has received no news from Willoughby, but Mrs. Dashwood seems to think this normal, as their letters get collected by Sir John before delivery. Elinor urges her mother to ask Marianne if she and Willoughby are engaged, but she refuses. The family walks on eggshells and tries not to mention his name and succeed in this endeavour for a few days until Mrs. Dashwood slipped up, causing Marianne to lament that she doesn't know when he will be coming back. After about a week, Marianne finally agrees to walk with Elinor on the downs where in the distance they see a gentleman on horseback riding towards them. Marianne exclaims it to be Willoughby and runs towards him, Elinor runs after her sister, knowing it not to be the man she loves. Arriving at the man, Marianne discovers it to not be Willoughby, but Edward Ferrars, and for a moment she is happy for her sister Elinor. This doesn't last long as Edward seems distant and confused at seeing the girls and is silent unless asked a question. Elinor is also a little disappointed by this, but persists at continuing a conversation with him while walking back to their cottage. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 15 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 16:00


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 15, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. Dashwood and 2 of her daughters go to visit Lady Middleton while Marianne stayed home, which Mrs. Dashwood allowed on the pretence that Willoughby was going to probably pass by. When the come home, they find Marianne in tears running past them up the stairs to her room, and Willoughby in a disappointed state. On questioning, the girls learn that Willoughby has been asked to head to London on business; he is to leave that day. The women are shocked by this statement, and in spite of Mrs. Dashwood extending an invitation for him to stay with them as soon as his business is done, he states that he can not take up her up on her kind offer and leaves.Mrs Dashwood and Elinor are stunned and each of the women think about what could have caused Willoughby to act and speak so unlike himself. Elinor believes that her sister and Willoughby must have, no matter how hard to believe, had a large fight. Her mother soon descends the stairs to join her daughter. Mrs. Dashwood claims to have thought through Willoughby's behaviour and has concluded that the man had not the power to accept her kind offer and is still sure of Willoughby's love for her daughter. She believes that Mrs. Smith knows about and disapproves of Willoughby's attachment to Marianne and has sent him away from her. Elinor and her mother go back and forth a little and Elinor concludes that her mother's reasoning is probably correct, though she would have liked to have confirmation of their engagement. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 14 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 9:25


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 14, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Colonel Brandon's departure is the talk of the park and mainly Mrs. Jennings for 3 days after his departure. She is certain that something dreadful has befallen him, or that money matters have arisen, or that his sister is ill, or that Miss Williams is in town. Elinor is a little upset about the Colonel's departure but is more so engrossed in the silence of her sister and Willoughby. She wants the two of them to declare their love for each other and engagement. She knows that Willoughby doesn't have enough money yet to support his lifestyle, but believes that they could nonetheless announce their attachment. Willoughby seems really attached to the family. He has almost become a son and brother to the family. He seems to pass all of his time with Marianne, and the family. One week after the Colonel's departure, he overheard Mrs. Dashwood's ideas of improving the cottage in the spring, and he wholeheartedly refused the idea. Marianne and Mrs Dashwood eventually convince him that they shan't change the house if it would cause him harm. Willoughby goes on to flatter the cottage in a way that makes Mrs. Dashwood all but convinced of his engagement to Marianne. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 13 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 13:00


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 13, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Mr. Willoughby, the girls and the Middleton family are all gathered at the Park to go to Whitwell, but nothing went to plan. Colonel Brandon, who was to be their guide, received a shocking letter, and announced that he needs to leave for town immediately. Mrs. Jennings pries into him and begs to know what the letter says. He divulges no information however and takes leave. The party is greatly upset by their change of plans, and Lord Middleton tries to cheer them up by suggesting they ride in the carriages and have a ball in the evening. While riding, Willoughby, and Marianne snuck off somewhere… At the dinner table, Mrs. Jennings tells Marianne that she knows where she and Willoughby went that day. They apparently went to Willoughby's aunt's house. Elinor later reprimands her sister for this, but understands too, and listens to her sister when she details some of the rooms to her.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 12 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2025 10:20


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 12, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne confides in Elinor that Willoughby has given her a horse. Elinor shuts down the idea, saying that Marianne didn't think this through and didn't think that they would have to build a stable and hire a servant to ride it. Marianne eventually understands and tells this to Willoughby, where he declares that the horse is already hers, and when she is ready to receive it, she can collect it from his estate, whenever that may be. Mrs. Dashwood overheard this conversation and confirms to herself that the two must be engaged. Margret also comes on the following day to Elinor and tells her that she saw Willoughby take a lock of Marianne's hair and put it in his pocketbook. One evening at the Park, Margret was attacked by Mrs. Jennings for the name of the man who owns Elinor's heart, and though Marianne tries to get her sister to be quiet, Margret lets more slip than necessary. Thankfully the conversation is shut down by Lady Middleton, and Willoughby.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 11 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 10:09


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 10, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:When Marianne was recovered, the private balls at the park began. All of the events taking place were designed to bring Marianne and Willoughby closer. This worked like a treat, and Elinor even ventured to tell her sister that they should not be so overtly attached, but this is dismissed by the two of them. They spent every evening together, to the delight and humour of everyone else, causing Marianne to soon become content with her new life away from Norland.Elinor, however, is enjoying Barton far less. She is feeling alone, and in want of real conversation. Mrs. Jennings, and Lady Middleton, are not great conversationalists. Colonel Brandon is the only person with whom she can converse freely, but he is sadly still attached to Marianne… Elinor starts to suspect that he has previously been hurt in love, and she starts to sympathize with him. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 10 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2025 13:47


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 10, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Margrett has started teasing Marianne about Willoughby, and the man now visits Marianne every day. Marianne is very pretty and has seems to have captured the heart of Willoughby already. They spend so much time talking together, and seem to agree on almost every point, so much so that they soon start to speak informally to each other. Elinor teases Marianne, that they will soon have exhausted every topic of conversation. Willoughby is everything that Marianne has ever wanted in a man, and Mrs. Dashwood starts to believe that Willoughby will soon propose to her daughter. Elinor, at the Park, starts to pity Colonel Brandon, and after some hints at past slights, she starts to talk to him kindly, regardless of the jests from Willoughby and Marianne. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 9 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2025 11:35


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 9, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:The Dashwood women are now fully settled in Barton. Sir John Middleton called on them every day for the first fortnight and urged them to mix with the people in the area. The girls go on many walks and have fallen in love with the country about them. One morning, Margret and Marianne, in spite of the rain, go on a walk together on the hills. Though the clouds were originally keeping away from their path, they soon closed in on top of them and showered their heads. The girls decided to run back to the cottage, but Marianne tripped and fell down the hill. A gentleman was walking nearby and came to her assistance and carried her down the hill to Barton cottage. The man exchanged some polite pleasantries with the family and then left. In the afternoon, Sir John Middleton came by, and the girls flooded him with questions about the handsome stranger, called Willoughby. Sir John seemed to be shocked that he was in the area but went on to explain that no better man existed, and after mentioning that he danced all night at a ball held last year, Marianne became attached. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 8 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2025 8:10


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 8, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:At Sir John Middleton's, Mrs. Jennings, the mother of Lady Middleton, wishes to set the girls up with men. She determines that Colonel Brandon has fallen for Marianne, and says that the match would be good, as he is rich, and she is beautiful. Marianne thinks that this idea is a joke, and feels nothing for him, and just believes him to be an old man. Mrs. Dashwood jokes that Colonel Brandon is only 5 years younger than herself, and that does not make him an old man, but she does understand what he daughter is feeling about the Colonel. Following this conversation, Marianne talks to her mother about he fears that Edward Ferras must be ill as he hasn't visited them yet. And though Elinor hasn't mentioned the man, Marianne feels like her sister must miss him terribly. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 7 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 8:19


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 7 , narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Barton house is not too far from the cottage, and the Ladies head there to be properly welcomed to the area by their new Landlord and Lady. The Middleton's always seem to have company and almost seem to need the company of others. Sir Middleton, hunts, and the Lady takes care of, and spoils their children. Sir Middleton, in the summer, always gets the local boys together to eat and hunt, and in the Winter, holds balls for all of the local ladies. When the ladies arrive, Sir Middleton welcomes them and takes them to the living room. They meet an old friend of Lord Middleton's, Colonel Brandon, and Mrs. Jennings, Lady Middleton's mother. The colonel is on the wrong side of 35, but his is sensible and gentlemanly. Once they get on the topic of Music, Marianne is invited to play Piano, and she charms everyone with her abilities. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 6 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2025 8:18


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 6 , narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:he family is at first sad about their departure from Norton, but as they approach Barton, they become fascinated by the hills and wooded landscape of Devonshire. The cottage is perfectly fine as a house, but as a cottage, it is missing many little aspects that a cottage is in need of, like honeysuckle covered walls. The cottage is very small, but it does have everything the family will need. It is too late in the year for Mrs. Dashwood to do any renovations, but it means that she will have plenty of money to renovate when the Spring begins. Once settled in, their landlord, Sir John Middleton visits them. He is a good-looking man of about 40, and he seems to be, in person, as polite as in letter. He sends them a welcome gift of garden produce and game. They soon visit Lady Middleton too. A younger woman of 26 or 27, and she is very elegant, but rather cold compared to her husband.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 5 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2025 7:32


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 5, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Six months after Fanny becomes Mistress at Norland, Mrs. Dashwood receives a letter from a cousin, Sir John Middleton, inviting her and her daughters to live in a cottage on his property in Devonshire. Eager to distance herself from Fanny, Mrs. Dashwood immediately accepts the invitation and send three servants ahead of her to Barton to prepare the house for her arrival. She informs John and Fanny of their departure and encourages Edward Ferrars to come and visit them at Barton. Following a tearful goodbye to their Norland home, the family sets out for Barton. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 4 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 12:57


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 4, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:In her conversations with her mother and older sister, Marianne Dashwood expresses her disappointment that Edward is not a more handsome, artistic, poetic man. She can tell that Elinor has feelings for Edward, and gets frustrated with her sister when she says that she only “likes” him. Elinor is staying timid however, because she is unsure of how Edward feels about her. Such feelings are not usually expressed until after the engagement.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 3 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2025 11:34


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 3, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Fanny's brother, Edward Ferrars, visits Norland and stays for several weeks. During this time he forms a strong attachment to Elinor Dashwood. Edward is the eldest son of a now deceased rich man, and his fate now depends on his mother's will. He is described as shy and not particularly handsome, but with an open and affectionate heart. His mother and sister want him to earn prestige, but Edward is a simple man, who wants only for domestic comfort.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The Essential Reads
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 2 | Audiobook

The Essential Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2025 12:55


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 2, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Mr. John Dashwood plans to keep his promise to his deceased uncle and treat his female relatives with generosity. His wife, Fanny, however, is a narrow-minded and selfish woman and she convinces him to leave them only 5 thousand pounds apiece. Fanny moves into Norland Park immediately after the passing of Mr. Henry Dashwood and becomes mistress of the estate, forcing John's stepmother Mrs. Dashwood and half-sisters Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret to the status of “visitor.”SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

You're Dead To Me
Jane Austen: the life of a Regency literary icon

You're Dead To Me

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2025 56:08


Greg Jenner is joined in Regency England by historian Dr Lucy Worsley and actor Sally Phillips to learn all about the life and works of literary legend Jane Austen on the 250th anniversary of her birth in December 1775. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Austen is one of England's best-loved authors, and the creator of such indelible characters as Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Emma Woodhouse and Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Whether you have read one of her six books – Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park – or seen one of the many adaptations, most of us have some experience with Austen. But her life story and how it influenced her writing is perhaps less well-known. This episode explores her early life as the daughter of a rural clergyman, takes a peek inside the books a teenage Jane was reading, and delves into her romantic and familial relationships to see what shaped Austen into the formidable literary talent she was. And it asks a key question: was Jane Austen, who wrote such wonderful women characters, a feminist? If you're a fan of iconic authors, Regency romances and women succeeding in a man's world, you'll love our episode on Jane Austen. If you want more incredible women authors with Dr Lucy Worsley, check out our episode on Agatha Christie. For more from Sally Phillips, listen to our episode on Fairy Tales. And for more Regency romance, there's our episode on Georgian Courtship. You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Clara Chamberlain and Charlotte Emily Edgeshaw Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

Escape with Me Bookclub
Sense & Sensibility - Willoughby is Worse than Wickham

Escape with Me Bookclub

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2025 54:52


Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen | Full Discussion & ReactionJoin us as we dive into Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility—a timeless classic of love, heartbreak, and societal expectations. We break down the iconic sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, analyze the contrasting themes of reason vs. emotion, and discuss how this novel still resonates today. Whether you're here for the romance, the drama, or the Austen wit, this episode has something for every book lover.✨ Expect:Character deep divesAusten's take on love and classWhy Willoughby still makes us madOur favorite (and least favorite!) momentsComparisons to other Austen works

tiktok worse sense jane austen austen sensibility willoughby wickham sense sensibility intro don marianne dashwood
Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction
Sense And Sensibility 1: To Wish Was To Hope

Stars and Swords: Footnoting Genre Fiction

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2025 90:13


This week, we begin our eleventh unit and our discussion of Jane Austen's 1811 novel Sense And Sensibility. How are Elinor and Marianne Dashwood compared and contrasted? How sharp is Austen's satire? What exactly makes a flannel waistcoat so unattractive?To see the video broadcast of this episode, click here; to see the slides, click here!Don't forget to check out my new Tolkien-related show, Shire Reckoning!Next week, we finish the first volume of Sense and Sensibility, live on YouTube on Thursday, August 14th at 9PM Central.Footnotes:Sense And SensibilitySense And Sensibility (The Norton Library)Sense And Sensibility (1995)'Leaving the Herd': How Queer Was Cowper? (Conrad Brunstrom)Stars And Swords on Bookshop.org To join me for the live YouTube broadcast, to support the podcast, to join the conversation on Discord and to get access to monthly bonus episodes, please visit Patreon.com/NextWord and pledge your support!  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

LibriVox Audiobooks
Sense and Sensibility (Version 3)

LibriVox Audiobooks

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 653:03


Support Our Cause at https://libri-vox.org/donate Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's first published novel, focuses on the lives and loves of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The sensible Elinor and the sensitive Marianne both fall for men whose affections are otherwise engaged. The novel includes a wonderful cast of colorful supporting characters, as well as Austen's trademark dry wit and ironic narration.

The Baby-Sitters Club Club
The "Clueless" of "Sense and Sensibility"

The Baby-Sitters Club Club

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 54:51


Just as the predator claimed King Willie's skull as a trophy in 1990's Predator 2, so Willoughby (aka Rodrigo Fuentes) mercilessly crushes the hopes of Mary Dominguez (aka Marianne Dashwood) in this modern retelling of Sense (aka Prada) and Sensibility (aka nada). All stories are the same, when you think about it. Music credits: "Thrash Metal," by Wheatman "Big Action Sports Rock," by Alexander Rufire "Tournament," by Crypt of Insomnia Special thanks to Baby Bee Carys for the theme music! Subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BSCCPodcast and support the show at Bit.ly/RattlesnakeJake! Advertise on The Baby-Sitters Club Club via Gumball.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wohlstand für Alle
Literatur #40: Kein Kitsch – Jane Austens VERSTAND UND GEFÜHL

Wohlstand für Alle

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024 20:24


Der Ungleichheitsforscher Thomas #Piketty geht davon aus, dass wir bald wieder in eine Phase eintreten, die Jane Austen beschrieben hat, in der eine kleine erlauchte Klasse von Erben niemals arbeiten muss und nur darauf bedacht ist, den Besitz zu vermehren. Immer mehr Vermögen wird vererbt, sodass die Vergangenheit die Zukunft frisst. So schlüssig das für den ersten Moment klingt, muss man nach gründlicher Lektüre doch feststellen, dass es einige signifikante Unterschiede gibt, wie Ole Nymoen und Wolfgang M. Schmitt in der neuen Folge von „Wohlstand für Alle“-Literatur herausarbeiten. In „Verstand und Gefühl“ („Sense and Sensibility“) schildert Austen das Leben der Schwestern Elinor und Marianne Dashwood, die durch die Wirren von Liebe, Geld und gesellschaftlichen Erwartungen navigieren. Elinor verkörpert die Vernunft, während Marianne von ihren Leidenschaften geleitet wird. Austen entführt den Leser in das elegante England zu Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts und rückt dabei die Komplexität menschlicher Beziehungen und ökonomischer Verhältnisse in den Mittelpunkt. Der Roman, der sich ganz auf eine vornehme Mikroökonomie konzentriert, wurde erstmals anonym im Jahr 1811 veröffentlicht und gilt heute als Klassiker der Weltliteratur. Literatur: Jane Austen: Verstand und Gefühl. Übersetzt von Angelika Beck. Insel. https://www.suhrkamp.de/buch/jane-austen-verstand-und-gefuehl-t-9783458362685 Unsere Zusatzinhalte könnt ihr bei Steady und Patreon hören. Vielen Dank! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/oleundwolfgang Steady: https://steadyhq.com/de/oleundwolfgang/about Ihr könnt uns unterstützen - herzlichen Dank! Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/oleundwolfgang Konto: Wolfgang M. Schmitt, Ole Nymoen Betreff: Wohlstand fuer Alle IBAN: DE67 5745 0120 0130 7996 12 BIC: MALADE51NWD Social Media: Instagram: Unser gemeinsamer Kanal: https://www.instagram.com/oleundwolfgang/ Ole: https://www.instagram.com/ole.nymoen/ Wolfgang: https://www.instagram.com/wolfgangmschmitt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oleundwolfgang Twitter: Unser gemeinsamer Kanal: https://twitter.com/OleUndWolfgang Ole: twitter.com/nymoen_ole Wolfgang: twitter.com/SchmittJunior Die gesamte WfA-Literaturliste: https://wohlstand-fuer-alle.netlify.app

Audiolivros Pessoais
Razão e Sensibilidade - Jane Austen 1/2

Audiolivros Pessoais

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 660:14


Sense and Sensibility é um romance da escritora Jane Austen. Foi o 1º livro de Austen a ser publicado, em 1811, e foi escrito sob o pseudônimo "A Lady". A história relata os relacionamentos de Elinor e Marianne Dashwood, duas filhas do segundo casamento de Mr. Dashwood.

Audiolivros Pessoais
Razão e Sensibilidade - Jane Austen 2/2

Audiolivros Pessoais

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 176:29


Sense and Sensibility é um romance da escritora Jane Austen. Foi o 1º livro de Austen a ser publicado, em 1811, e foi escrito sob o pseudônimo "A Lady". A história relata os relacionamentos de Elinor e Marianne Dashwood, duas filhas do segundo casamento de Mr. Dashwood.

Hearts & Daggers
Ep. 43: LoveFest (Jane Austen)

Hearts & Daggers

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2023 88:36


Summary: Summer is coming to a close and academia is back on our minds. Welcome to our fourth LoveFest, where Holly and Devin talk about Jane Austen for literally longer than they've ever spoken about anything on the podcast before. Born in 1775, Austen received a home-based education and began writing in her teens. Her novels were published anonymously during her short life; she died in 1817 at age 41 of what modern physicians believe to be Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Her six novels, though, have endured for centuries and are recognized especially for their wit, humor, and keen social commentary.  Topics Discussed: Sense and Sensibility (13:09): Elinor and Marianne Dashwood teach the reader via their contrasting approaches to love that a successful romance requires both logic and passion; Holly's introduction to Austen and a mutual favorite Adaptations: 1995 film ft Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, and Harriet Walter. 2008 BBC Miniseries ft. Dan Stevens, Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield. Pride & Prejudice (25:53): This novel is the foundation of what we think of as a romance book and is still the template some 200+ years later; Lizzie Bennet is a heroine for the ages and Darcy one of the best romantic leads in all of literature.  Adaptations: 1995 BBC Miniseries ft. Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. 2005 Joe Wright film ft. Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen  Emma (39:43): Emma Woodhouse goes from playing matchmaking games and meddling in the lives of her friends and acquaintances to realizing she has to mature to earn the proper match of her own in this hilarious, witty novel; Mister Knightley is a favorite of both Holly and Devin.  Adaptations: 1995 film Clueless ft. Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash and Brittany Murphy, 2009 BBC miniseries ft. Romola Garai and Johnny Lee Miller, 2020 film ft. Anya Taylor Joy and Johnny Flynn  Mansfield Park (49:01): Following one of the harder heroines to love and root for, Fanny, the reader journeys through all kinds of tomfoolery and propriety transgressions on their way to a happy ending in Austen's least-loved novel (for Holly and Devin, at least); key themes of class differences, privilege, and morality add meaning.  Adaptations: Don't bother.  Northanger Abbey (1:01:13): It's a teenage dream for the reader as we follow Catherine Morland through her summer in Bath as she discovers herself, the meaning of true and false friendships, and ultimately - love (with a side of melodrama and a “murder investigation”); Austen pokes fun at the Gothic novels so popular at the time.  Adaptations: 2007 Northanger Abbey TV miniseries featuring Felicity Jones Persuasion (1:11:36): In her final work, we follow Austen's oldest protagonist (27, gasp!) Anne Elliot, who had forsaken her love of Frederick Wentworth years ago after pressure from her family about his status. The reader explores the power of love, of self-advocacy, and not bending to societal pressure while rooting enthusiastically for Anne and Wentworth alike. If you want more details on this novel, check out Episode 17, Classics.  Adaptations: 1995 film ft. Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root, 2007 film ft. Sally Hawkins, 2022 film ft. Dakota Johnson and Cosmo Jarvis (skip unless you want a laugh) Hot On the Shelf (1:18:58): Devin: With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson Holly: Let Him In by William Friend What's Making Our Hearts Race (1:21:37): Devin: Barbie Holly: Oppenheimer    Instagram: @heartsanddaggerspod Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com   If you like what you hear, please tell your friends and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so that we can find our perfect audience.

MAKE IT
352 - Tips & Tactics for Producing an International Documentary - Indie Talk feat. Director Maggie Contreras and Producer Charity Wakefield

MAKE IT

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2023 90:00


Hello, Hello!    In this special edition of Indie Talk, we miss Bonsai Nick but bring on two fantastic guest hosts. Director and Producer Maggie Contreras (https://instagram.com/maggiecontreras) and Actress and  Producer Charity Wakefield (https://instagram.com/charitywakefield). Both worked on the incredible documentary Maestra, Executive Produced by David Letterman's Production company, Worldwide Pants. We talk about:     Pros and cons of filming in Cuba Why Producers are elite problem solvers How they got access to the musicians featured in their film Maestra  What steps are required to produce in France effectively  The tricks to getting the most out of a cast and crew The need for a Documentary Filmmaker union Producer Papa Bear once again stumps and educates us with an all-new Things We Should Know and much more...   Enjoy!   The MAKE IT podcast is brought to you by the Voice of the Filmmaker program, which is sponsored by Women in Film and Television, Nashville (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).   If you like what we're doing, please donate here: https://www.bonsai.film/donate.   How you can continue to enjoy MAKE IT content:   Subscribe to the MAKE IT YouTube channel. Subscribe to the MAKE IT Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.bonsai.film/subscribe.   The MAKE IT podcast amplifies the voice of the filmmaker by exploring the filmmaking journeys of actors, writers, directors, producers, and a host of other creatives from across the film industry. We provide a platform for filmmakers to provide advice, lessons learned, personal reflections, and insights through our Filmmaker Conversations, Mistakes in the Making, Industry Insights, Indie Talks, and Film Investment Series. We are the go-to film podcast for independent creatives!   More on Charity Wakefield   Instagram - @charitywakefield Twitter - @charitywakefld   CHARITY WAKEFIELD's resumé boasts a colorful spectrum of critically and commercially acclaimed work that illustrates her fantastic talent.   Charity stars in Hulu Original drama series THE GREAT, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult. Written and executive produced by Tony McNamara (The Favourite) and directed by Matt Shakman (Game of Thrones, Succession), the series charts the rise to power of Catherine the Great and her explosive relationship with her husband, Peter, the emperor of Russia. The series has been nominated for Golden Globe, SAG, Emmy, MTV, and BAFTA Awards.   Since playing the romantic ‘Marianne Dashwood' in the BBC mini-series of Jane Austen's celebrated SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, she has appeared in some of our most noteworthy productions, including the critically acclaimed Channel 4 drama ANY HUMAN HEART, the Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated WOLF HALL, THE HALCYON (ITV), Ron Howard's Emmy nominated GENIUS (Nat Geo);  CLOSE TO THE ENEMYdirected by Stephen Poliakoff for BBC2, the global phenomenon DOCTOR WHO; playing opposite Jack Whitehall in Sky One's BOUNTY HUNTERS, an ‘action-comedy-drama' also starring Oscar nominee Rosie Perez. International projects include working alongside Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in the Susanne Bier-directed SERENA, crime thriller THE PLAYER for NBC with Wesley Snipes, and supernatural drama MOCKINGBIRD LANE also for NBC.   Charity made history as the first woman to play Shakespeare at The Globe Theatre, London, in  Nicole Charles's ‘exhilarating' all-female production of EMILIA, which had a West End transfer to the Vaudeville Theatre. Additional theatre credits include a ‘beautifully executed' (LA Times) THE CHERRY ORCHARD at the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre, SEMINA, THE BLACKEST BLACK and NO NAUGHTY BITS all at the Hampstead Theatre; CANDIDA at the Theatre Royal Bath and THE RIVALS with Celia Imrie at the Southwark Playhouse.   As a producer, Charity's credits include the female-led, jet-black comedy A SERIAL KILLER'S GUIDE TO LIFE, which was long-listed for the Breakthrough Producer award at the 2019 British Independent Film Awards and can be viewed on all VoD sites (Apple TV, Itunes, Amazon, BT, Virgin, etc). Additional producing credits include short films WRAPS, which is now being made into a feature, and MEMENTO VITAE.     More on Maggie Contreras   Instagram is @MaggieContreras @MaestraMovie www.MaggieContreras.com   Maestra is a new feature documentary following five internationally-based women as they prepare for and perform in ‘La Maestra'—the only competition in the world for female orchestra conductors. Personal stories of survival, passion, and perseverance are woven together with the drama and excitement of this one-of-a-kind event created to break yet another glass ceiling for women. Maggie Contreras' directorial debut had its world premiere in competition at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, where it won an audience award.   Previously, she was the producer behind documentary films tackling a wide range of topics, from comics to solar energy. Jonathan Scott's Power Trip (PBS Independent Lens ‘20) is the titular HGTV celebrity and activist's journey across the USA to examine the antiquated utility monopoly system and how solar holds the key to energy freedom. In 2017, Gilbert also premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was distributed by Gravitas Ventures with exclusive SVOD on Hulu. Her work has been seen on AMC, NFL, and Quibi.   Whether it's working with brands or in the field on her next film, Maggie is fueled by the power of true stories.

Woodland Walks - The Woodland Trust Podcast
10. Peckham Rye Park with Charity Wakefield

Woodland Walks - The Woodland Trust Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2022 24:49


Charity Wakefield's passion for the natural world shone through when we caught up at her local green space. I met the actor, environmentalist and Woodland Trust ambassador at Peckham Rye Park to talk about trees, wildlife and acting. Charity explains how nature has made her happy since the tree-climbing, den-building days of her childhood. She is concerned that people have lost their connection with the environment, but is hopeful for the future and encourages us to recognise that we can all make a difference. She believes in ‘people power'. We also talk eco-friendly fashion, filming comedy-drama The Great and climbing a tree to learn her lines in Lewisham! Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk Transcript You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust, presented by Adam Shaw. We protect and plant trees for people to enjoy, to fight climate change and to help wildlife thrive. Adam: Charity Wakefield is an actor, environmentalist and Woodland Trust ambassador. She starred in BBC One's production of Rapunzel, Constance in The Three Musketeers at the Bristol Old Vic, and Elaine in the Graduate at the New Vic. She had a lead role as Marianne Dashwood in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility and has been in Doctor Who, the Halcyon, Bounty Hunters, amongst other productions. And she's now starring in the TV series, The Great about Catherine the Great. Well, I met her at her local park to talk about acting and the importance of the natural world. Charity: So now we are at Peckham Ride Park, which has been my local park for most of my time in London. I now have a baby so there's lots of kinds of mother and baby groups around the area. I have lots of friends here still. Adam: Are you a country girl or did you grow up in the city, or? Charity: Erm, I, I never thought of myself as a country girl. I did grow up though in and around East Sussex. I used to live in a couple of different places down there. We moved a bit as a kid. Adam: Sorry, why don't you, you grew up in the country, why did you not think of yourself as a… Charity: I don't know Adam: You know you thought of yourself as you felt your inner urban woman early on? Charity: I just don't think I grew up with any sense of identity if I'm honest, because I also live a little bit in Spain when I was very small. And like I said we moved around quite a lot. So actually I'm an actress and I trained at drama school and going to drama school at the time of going to university for most people if you do that, that was the first time I really had this interest to work out where I was from, or you know you kind of try to identify yourself by telling each other, and also drama school, in particular, you're looking at different kind of life experiences and personality traits, because it's material for you, right? So, you start kind of realising ‘oh I that this background or that background'. Yeah, for me, being from the countryside just meant desperate driving as soon as I can. I could drive about a week after my birthday because I had secret driving lessons with friends and my dad and stuff. Yeah, I guess I have always loved the countryside and I sort of you know had friends you know the family were farmers and we used to go and make camps in the woods. Adam: Well, that's good, and talking of woods we seem to be, what's down there? That's a very wooded area, shall we go, you lead on, but shall we go down there? Or Charity: This is the Common, this is Peckham Ride Common, and erm I think it was, has been around for at least a couple of hundred years and it's a really big open space with some really huge trees in the middle. They're probably like, lots of them are London planes and oak trees, and I think this section we're about to walk into was actually sort of closed off at the beginning I think it was a big common and this was owned by an estate. A sort of family estate and then opened a bit later which is why as you can see it is much more formal Adam: I was going to say, so we are leaving a sort of really a very large green area with the Shard poking its head above the trees, so your urban environment, but walking into this much more formal sculptured… Charity: And actually you can walk the whole perimeter of this, and this is quite close to the road here but the other side is as you can see really big open and free, so it must have been quite weird at sort of the end of the 1800s, I suppose that kind of bridge between a really rich family that owned this huge part of the park in the middle, so this is yeah, now we are under these beautiful red-leaved trees, you probably know what that tree is? [Laugh] Adam: No, no, no, no, let's not embarrass each other by [Laugh] Charity: [Laugh] Okay no tree testing Adam: No tree testing [Laugh] Charity: Okay Adam: Well, this is, this is beautiful, so let's… there's a lovely, lovely bench with a dedication actually, some flowers connected to that. So why don't we have a sit down here and just have a chat? So, first of all, you mentioned you went to drama school, what drama school was it? Charity: I went to the Oxford School of Drama, which was the smallest, most obscure place I could have probably have found [Laugh] but it probably was the best place for me actually. It's funny, sometimes what's for you won't pass you as they say, erm a tiny drama school in the middle of the north of Oxfordshire. Acting is really hard and part of it is the marathon of it and the difficulties of getting jobs and everybody says this but failing continually and feeling like you haven't actually achieved things perfectly. In the theatre that means doing a show and there being some moments during the night where you think ‘uh that didn't work out right' and you have to be that kind of person that is interested in those kinds of faults and failures and wants to try different things and fix things and part of gaining that resilience is what I think drama school is all about. Adam: I mean apart from, I do want to talk to you more about your acting, but apart from that you do have what I see as quite a close connection to nature, reading a lot of your social media and learning about your activities, so tell me a bit about that, what is it? What is that connection and why do you feel it? Charity: I think growing up, albeit in a kind of little village or a town, but kind of in the countryside it was quite… it was a bit freer back then, I think it was different days, the early 80s. being allowed to sort of wander off, with friends and go into kind of woodlands and stuff. I think, I just feel very happy when I am in nature and I am interested in the differences, everything is growing and changing all the time. And it was interesting I went to LA once, and I thought this is so strange to me because the seasons aren't so apparent. Particularly when you live in the countryside your so kind of affected by those changes and erm I really love animals and I love knowing the circle of life, like where those animals came from, how they're are fed, what they do naturally, and then getting older you start to understand a bit more about the history and human history and how we have you know got to where we are today the kind of beginnings of farming and how society functions and unfortunately we are at a point now where we've outgrown ourselves, and how do we kind of pair that back? How do we get back? Adam: When you say we've outgrown ourselves what do you mean? Charity: I think humans have outgrown ourselves in a sense I think Adam: In what sense? Charity: In the sense that we've lost track I think of the essence of how you, I think yeah, we've lost track of how life is interconnected with nature. Because we're pushing technology further and further and some people are saying the answer is to eventually get into space rockets and go and start a new community on Mars and to me that's mad because I feel like we have everything that we need on this planet. And we just need to reconnect everything. Adam: Why do you think that disconnection has happened then Charity: Yeah well, I think it's a big question. Because I think it happens on so many levels. I think that there is a disconnect with people who are very very fortunate and have a hell of a lot of money, and in some ways don't notice the effect that their companies or their personal lives might be having on the environment because they are so loaded that they get given their food people and they probably never see plastic packaging to know that it exists because they are just delivered things Adam: Right Charity: and they don't really realise the impact that they're having, they're living kind of you know the high life Adam: Sure, do you think we're all living that sort of life? Charity: No, I don't Adam: Or it's just the 1%, or the quarter of the 1%? Charity: No, I don't, I think there are lots of people that are the absolute opposite. They haven't got the time, the money and the education to be able to do anything about it even if they did notice that there is an issue. Adam: And yet it is curious that isn't it, because and yet David Attenborough the national hero, his television programmes are all watched, and you know Charity: But they're not watched by everybody. Adam: They're not watched by everybody but there seems… I mean I get the feeling that you know there's this weird thing where everybody's talking about the environment and very concerned about it, even if perhaps if we're not changing our lifestyle, but my, my sort of view is that people do get it even if they're not changing their behaviour. You, you feel differently, I think. Charity: I think that there's, I think there's lots of people on those both extremes that don't get it at all and I also see lots and lots of people living on the poverty line, particularly where I live in the Borough of Lewisham, who are, and I know some people are working crazy hours and don't have time to think about it. About any kind of impact, and certainly don't have time to do complicated recycling or and they don't have the budget to be able to shop in a kind of, what we would probably on our middle-class wage perceive as a kind of eco conscious way. And because what's difficult is even if you do do that it's very hard to sort of balance what is the best consumer choice to make. As we all know, so we're in a difficult way, but what I do believe is that I believe in people power, and I as you say David Attenborough has made a huge impact and it is much more in the mainstream, hugely so in the mainstream in the last couple of year, and I do think its down to kind of lockdown and people staying at home and having the chance to stop and think and reconnect with their immediate environment but whether that's in a high-rise flat looking out listening to the lack of airplanes, being able to hear nature more, or somebody that's got, you know, fifty acres and has decided to buy a diamond Jubilee woodland for the Woodland Trust, you know, that there, I think we are kind of you united as we are the people who had a chance to stop and listen and look and then it's about people that are in positions of power and money to give us a direction to go in. to give us a positive idea Adam: So, apart from being intellectually being engaged with this, you're worried about it, you're clearly worried about it, you do a lot of things. Charity: mmm Adam: actually, so tell me about the lots of things you do Charity: err well I really love… I've always…So, fashion is a part of my job in the sense that I have to wear lots of different clothes, and um for my work Adam: well then you were recently in The Great Charity: That's right so I do a TV show, period TV show, and so I Adam: So, there's lots of costumes Charity: there's lots of costumes, I don't really have control over where those costumes are made and bought, but sometimes I do so, for example, if I'm producing a film or if I'm in a low-budget theatre production, I might provide my own clothes for that theatre production, and if producing then I am certainly in charge of deciding where we can get clothes, so for example, we go to charity shops and second-hand places because there is so much stuff in the world already. And I try to do that in my personal life. Adam: But do you have a label, a fashion label? Charity: No, nothing like that no Adam: But you, but you talk a lot about conscientious fashion on social media Charity: Yeh, I do because erm, …. Erm I am looking for the word, influencers! And stuff like that because I get approached for things like that and so I'm very conscious that If I am going to be in front of any kind of camera people are going to make a judgment or think that might be a good idea to wear, so I try to conscious about what I'm wearing if in the public in any way. And really that's just an extension of my real life, I've always shopped in charity shops, when I was growing up that was because we didn't have any money, so my clothes were given to me by other families, or when I first started to work, which was around fourteen, I worked in a strawberry farm – that was my first job! And my second job was in another strawberry farm, picking strawberries and my third job was the same strawberry farm but in the grocery shop. Adam: Okay, you got promoted! Charity: Promoted Adam: Promoted out of the fields! Charity: Absolutely, literally up the hill Adam: and Charity: I've become extremely aware of how difficult it is to manage woodland, and I didn't even know that as a concept, I just thought that big areas or parkland or woodland or farmland, I had not concept really of how that was looked after, and that's one thing that I think is I don't know, its both inspired me and made me realise what a huge challenge it is to be able to reforest large areas and the other fact of everything being so slow – trees reaching their maturity at such a slow rate – and that being a very difficult kind of challenge to sort of ask people to become involved with because I think when you're asking people to you know kind of sympathise with a charity or donate money to a charity in some ways its more difficult to say this is an extremely slow process but we need your help urgently… so it has been interesting to learn about that side of things. And I've also been deeply shocked and saddened about how many of our ancient woodlands and hedgerows and trees that are still being cut down in this country, partly for huge roadways but partly for new buildings and farmland and that does feel quite urgent to me. But yeah I've learnt a lot. I think one of my favourite things has been seeing the tree listening which I put on my Instagram if anyone wants to have a look Adam: So, tell me about tree listening. Charity: so, there's a way to hear the water being filtered up and down trees and it's the most beautiful sound and to me, it's a sound that I could go to sleep to. I keep thinking, I must try and find if there's a recording online that I can grab and put on my phone to listen to at night-time. And it gives you that sense of the tree being alive in the here and now. Trees grow so slowly it's sometimes quite difficult to think if the as, as kind of, living in the same time zone as us. So, hearing that, that's a very present sound really, I don't know, it makes you… it makes you want to hug the tree even more [laugh] Adam: Are you a bit of a tree hugger? Charity: Yeah, yeah, I am! Adam: Do people spot you in Peckham? Strange woman hugging trees? Charity: I do sometimes do that, the weird thing is, this was, I was in a different park in Lewisham, and I'd actually climbed the tree because I just felt like it and I also had some lines to learn. And it was quite an empty park and I thought well this is fine, and I was in a tree learning my lines and a lady came and she saw my bags on the floor and she was so freaked out she just looked up and saw me in this tree, and I have to say it was a weird sight. I have to really say Adam: [Laugh] Charity: This is so weird, I'm an actress and I don't know what I'm doing, sorry Yeah, I just, yeah, I love…I think it was also, when I was growing up, a bit of a place to kind of go and hide, you know if you're kind of stressed out or worried as a kid, and rather than run away, go and climb a tree and be up really high – it completely changes your perspective. Adam: Has having a child changed your perspective at all? Charity: I think it just strengthened my love of nature because it's the first thing that you teach kids about. All of the books that people give you are all about spotting different animals and trees, and the sunshine and the bees, everything he loves is related to outdoors, I mean that's, it's his first summer, he's fifteen months old and erm I've moved to a new house recently and been trying to work the garden a bit because it was very very overgrown. So, it's been my great pleasure to be outside and doing lots of digging and his first proper words has been digging, dig, dig, because he heard me say digging and he just started saying dig, dig, dig. [Laugh] Adam: Fantastic Charity: He said that before mummy or daddy. Adam: So, are you optimistic, I mean all those things you talked about erm are you optimistic that the world for your child will actually, things will get better during his early life? Or not? Charity: I feel burdened with the worry of it, and I try to not think about it, because the world is huge and there's only so much, I can do. I do feel optimistic in the human endeavour and human invention and ingenuity. But I am sad that it's going to get to a point of huge environmental catastrophe before real change is made by our governing bodies. But then if you look back at the pictures just pre-industrial revolution of these thousands and thousands of huge billowing chimney pots in London and you know, they're not there now, and the world is a lot greener than it was then, at least in cities. So, I kind of, yeah, I have hope otherwise you know… what's the point? Adam: I mean it's interesting isn't it, there's… I often think about how to shape the narrative here because I think often the narrative of ecology and the environment is one of ‘there's an impending disaster' you know ‘it's all terrible' and I'm not saying that's not true, but I think it's hard for people to engage with because it's like ‘well what, what can I do about that?' and I think it was, hopefully, I got this right, I think it was Barrack Obama who wrote a book on it called the Audacity of Hope and you talked about hope and it is this sort of weird thing, actually to be hopeful is an extraordinary thing, it is audacious to be hopeful and that might be, might be a better message actually, that there is this big challenge and actually the audacity of hope in what can, can we do, individually? Individuals can make a difference. You know yes joining the Trust and what have you, and doing other things, and planting a single tree Charity: I think you also have to look after yourself as a human in the world. Try to give yourself time and love and energy. Then you'll be in a really good spot to be able to help other things and other people and the environment. It's very difficult like I say if you're on the breadline and you're exhausted to actually have the headspace and the energy to do stuff. And you know, and so those people that are unable to do that we need to, I do believe, socially we need to enable people to be able to care for the environment. If you're in a position where you do have enough money, and you do have enough time, and you still feel worried, then there's tons you can do on a day-to-day level. And I actually think that action is much more infectious than talking. I know we're talking here today, but the best thing that I have probably ever done is about two or three years ago I just wrote on Twitter I'm giving up plastic for the month of January, this was before it was kind of fashionable to that and rather than saying everyone should do this, everyone should do that, I just said ‘this is what I'm doing'. I didn't even talk about it. I just said ‘I'm gonna do this' and so many of my friend's a couple of months later said ‘oo you said that and actually, I tried it as well', they didn't even talk to me about it they just kind of tried it. They started, whenever they came over, they said ‘we I didn't bring, I didn't buy any plastic because I knew you weren't interested' I thought wow! You just actually have to put a stick in the mud sometimes and say this is what I'm doing, and try to have the energy to stick to it, and of course, we have… we can't be perfect… the world is set up in a certain way at the moment as consumers, as everything is wrapped in plastic, it's very difficult to get around without, you know in lots of places, without a car because public transport has a lot to be desired and it's expensive, but if you can try to support things that are doing the right thing, that will slowly, slowly build, and if you can have joy in that, that builds as well. Adam: It is interesting to me, we tend to do what our friends do, or people we know do, so, and that's why a single person can make a difference isn't it because, a friend will copy you. And suddenly what you do isn't a single thing, it's a big thing. That's, that's amazing. So, look we're in this park which is very nice. I'm not sure I've met one leaf yet; we're meant to be walking around and I lazily dragged you to this chair! But, have you, I mean there's lots of Woodland Trust places outside of London, they are quite close but also quite far. Have you been to many? Are there any that stick in your mind? Charity: I've been to Hainault, and I've been to Langley Vale. What I would love to do is go to Scotland, I know there's lots of work happening there at the moment and I'd really like to visit, it's really interesting to see the difference between a very very ancient woodland and something that's quite newly developed, and I know that there are some places that the Woodland Trust are trying to connect two different forests, and I think, is it the pine martin (?) that they are trying to get to, sort of, repopulate? And it's very difficult to do that because they like travelling and so you have to have a long distance in between, you know, one dense forest and another dense forest for them to actually want to stick around. So, I would kinda like to see that in action. Adam: Well, the Langley Vale Forest, I have just been to, and it features in our previous podcast. All the commemoration of the First World War. Which I think was one of the most interesting and sort of, I don't know, shocking, I don't know, because there's a lot of… it commemorates really terrible events, but in a sort of, living memory, which I thought was really forceful. And that's I think one of the more interesting podcasts so if you listen to this one, but also that one, I also thought that one was great. So, it's amazing to sort of talk to you about this, but as you were saying, you are an exceptionally busy actor as well, so you're doing… is The Great still in production? Charity: It is, we're filming season three at the moment. Adam: Wow, so how many programmes in a season? Charity: so, there's ten episodes in each season, and the first two have come out via Hulu, and, in America and STARZPLAY, the first season was out on Channel 4 a couple of years ago and the second season is coming out this summer, on Channel 4, and we're filming season three. So, um, it's a lot of fun, it's very silly and it was lovely to be doing something, I was so lucky to be working during the last lockdown, albeit with really rigorous Covid protocols in place, we managed to get it done. Adam: Well fantastic, I will watch out for the next season! And all of your stuff on social media and everything. It's been a real pleasure talking to you Charity, thank you very much! Charity: Thanks. Well thanks to Charity for taking me on a tour of her local small, wooded area in South London, and do remember if you want to find a wood near you, well the Woodland Trust has a website to help. Just go to woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood. Until next time happy wandering. Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks. Join us next month when Adam will be taking another walk in the company of Woodland Trust staff, partners, and volunteers and don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes, or wherever you're listening to us, and do give us a review and a rating. And why not send us a recording of your favourite woodland walk to be included in a future podcast? Keep it to a maximum of five minutes and please tell us what makes your woodland walks special. Or send an email with details of your favourite walk and what makes it special to you. Send any audio files to podcast@woodlandtrust.org.uk and we look forward to hearing from you.

Just Sleep - Bedtime Stories for Adults
Sense and Sensibility: Barton Park by Jane Austen

Just Sleep - Bedtime Stories for Adults

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2022 44:18 Very Popular


Fall asleep tonight to the continuation of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. This book was published in 1811. It follows the romance and heartbreak of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood in the late 1700s. In this episode, the Dashwoods move to and settle in at Barton Park. Edward does not visit and Marianne has a romantic first encounter with Mr Willoughby.If you'd like to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here ------> buymeacoffee.com/justsleeppodIf you like this episode, please remember to follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast app. Also, share with any family or friends that might have trouble drifting off to sleep.Goodnight and Sweet Dreams.... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Thing About Austen
Episode 31: The Thing About Marianne's Smelling Salts with guest Dr. Emily C. Friedman

The Thing About Austen

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2022 28:40


Pull up your fainting couch because have we got a revivifying episode for you! Dr. Emily C. Friedman is here to take us through the olfactory delights of smelling bottles, as well as breaking down what their various scents and applications tell us about characters like Marianne Dashwood and Lady Bertram. Thank you so much to Emily for joining us for this episode! You can find her on Twitter @friede, on Instagram @ManuscriptFiction, on YouTube @CriticalProf, and at www.ecfriedman.com where you can find information about all of her work. You can find us online at www.TheThingAboutAusten.com and follow us on Instagram @TheThingAboutAusten and on Twitter @Austen_Things. You can also email us at TheThingAboutAusten@gmail.com.

Inwood Art Works On Air
Artist Spotlight with Marella Martin Koch

Inwood Art Works On Air

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2022 38:21


Marella Martin Koch is an Inwood-based librettist, director, and playwright that has been praised by the press for her “cleverness in constructing humor for opera” (from DC Theatre Scene) for her 20-minute opera Pepito; written with composer Nicolas Lell Benavides, for Washington National Opera at its Kennedy Center premiere in 2019. Marella also wrote the lyrics for Marianne Dashwood, Songs of Love & Misery and Elinor Dashwood, two song cycles written with the composer Aferdian and commissioned by mezzo-soprano Meagan Martin. Furthermore, she has full-length operatic works in development, which include an adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility with Aferdian, the West Edge Opera Aperture commission Dolores with Nicolas Lell Benavides, and 28th Ave with Michael Lanci. Last, but not least, Marella also is the Founder and Director of The Rally Cat, an energized multidisciplinary performing arts company that inspires and empowers artists and communities through opera, musical theatre, and theatre. 

Inwood Art Works On Air
Artist Spotlight with Marella Martin Koch

Inwood Art Works On Air

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2022 38:21


Marella Martin Koch is an Inwood-based librettist, director, and playwright that has been praised by the press for her “cleverness in constructing humor for opera” (from DC Theatre Scene) for her 20-minute opera Pepito; written with composer Nicolas Lell Benavides, for Washington National Opera at its Kennedy Center premiere in 2019. Marella also wrote the lyrics for Marianne Dashwood, Songs of Love & Misery and Elinor Dashwood, two song cycles written with the composer Aferdian and commissioned by mezzo-soprano Meagan Martin. Furthermore, she has full-length operatic works in development, which include an adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility with Aferdian, the West Edge Opera Aperture commission Dolores with Nicolas Lell Benavides, and 28th Ave with Michael Lanci. Last, but not least, Marella also is the Founder and Director of The Rally Cat, an energized multidisciplinary performing arts company that inspires and empowers artists and communities through opera, musical theatre, and theatre. 

Pod and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility Chapters 26-28

Pod and Prejudice

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2021 56:29


MEN? The Ghosting of Marianne Dashwood, or Elinor Dashwood is a Goddamn Liar: a new play about chapters 26-28 of Sense and Sensibility, in which we see Willoughby again and he does NOT live up to Marianne's expectations. Topics discussed include the return of Colonel Brandon, stanning Mrs. Jennings and modern plumbing, late-term ghosting, the WEATHER, and the horror version of Sense and Sensibility.Study Questions: Topics discussed include the shift to London, Willoughby's behavior, a theory about Eddie, Brandon's behavior, and how our heroines are processing their heartbreak.Funniest Quote: 'Mr. Palmer sauntered towards the Miss Dashwoods to express his surprise on seeing them in town, though Colonel Brandon had been first informed of their arrival at his house, and he had himself said something very droll on hearing that they were to come.“I thought you were both in Devonshire,” said he.“Did you?” replied Elinor.“When do you go back again?”“I do not know.” And thus ended their discourse.'Questions Moving Forward: Men? WTF is up with Eddie and Lucy? Who is the fashionable young lady? Why did Brandon leave Barton?Who wins the chapters? Colonel Brandon, for: "That he may he endeavor to deserve her."Glossary of Terms and Phrases:hartshorn (n): smelling saltsGlossary of People, Places, and Things: Dump their ass, Samuel French, Eternal SunshineNext Episode: Chapters 29-30Our show art was created by Torrence Browne, and our audio is produced by Graham Cook. For bios, transcripts, check out our website at podandprejudice.com. Pod and Prejudice is transcribed by speechdocs.com. To support the show, check out our Patreon!Instagram: @podandprejudiceTwitter: @podandprejudiceFacebook: Pod and PrejudiceYoutube: Pod and PrejudiceMerch store: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/pod-and-prejudice?ref_id=23216

Just Sleep - Bedtime Stories for Adults
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Just Sleep - Bedtime Stories for Adults

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2021 45:38


Fall asleep tonight to the opening chapters of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. This book was published in 1811.  It follows the romance and heartbreak of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood in the late 1700s. In this episode, John Dashwood, their half brother, decides on how much assistance he can " reasonably afford" to give to his sisters who have recently lost their father. Then, they are forced to consider leaving Norland Park and move far from their home.If you like this episode, please remember to follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast app. Also, share with any family or friends that might have trouble drifting off to sleep. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams.... We are also now on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustSleepPod  and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justsleeppod/

What Should I Read Next?
Ep 141: The Enneagram of your favorite book

What Should I Read Next?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 50:07


Anne chats with Ian Morgan Cron, noted Enneagram teacher, psychotherapist, author of The Road Back to You and host of the Typology podcast, about how their favorite literary characters (and maybe a few movie characters) fit into the framework of the super-hot-right-now Enneagram personality system. From Hermione Granger to Jay Gatsby to Marianne Dashwood to Samwise Gamgee... today we cover a LOT of literary ground. If you don’t know anything about the Enneagram personality framework, don’t worry! This episode is totally newbie-friendly.Click over to the podcast website for a list of books mentioned in this episode, a friendly comment section, and helpful Enneagram resources: http://whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/141Ian's website: http://www.iancron.comSubscribe to Ian's show Typology.

Broad Appeal
Emma Thompson Good - Sense and Sensibility - BA046

Broad Appeal

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2017 72:00


You may be yin, and I may be yang, but we can all agree on Emma Thompson. For some, she is the queen of 90s prestige filmmaking, for others (i.e. Brian) she is a role model, an idol, a way of life. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (which Em wrote and starred in) takes 18th century English manners and deconstructs them through the Taiwanese lens of director And Lee. The story of wildly disparate sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood certainly left its impact on your wildly disparate hosts. For Brian it was fuel to the fire of his love and passion for Emma, for Seán it was some frou-frou trailer at the start of the VHS tape of Addams Family Values. But will the older, wiser Seán be able to come to his senses (as opposed to sensibilities) and to look beyond the Empire waistlines to see this film for what it is: a delightful, insightful comedy that is as much Thompson as it is Austen? Reader, he loved it. (That's her, right? - Ed. Note: No, Seán, that’s Charlotte Brontë) Part 1 of 3 Clips from the film presented according to fair use policy. Podcast Theme: "Pipeline" by CyberSDF (https://soundcloud.com/cybersdf/tracks).

Hey, an Actor!
Hey, an Actor: Kate Winslet

Hey, an Actor!

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2017 189:03


Kate Winslet is one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation: fact. With that in mind, how will The Brothers Wilson screw up / trivialize their analysis of one of the most famous people to come out of Berkshire, England? The film choices certainly stack up: starting with Winslet's Oscar win for the post-World War II drama The Reader, proceeding on to her breakthrough role as Marianne Dashwood in Emma Thompson's 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, and then as the female lead in a little film known as Titanic. The always razor-sharp analysis involves Alan Rickman impressions, a timely reference to Divine Brown, and a failure on both hosts to say the word "admirable". This episode also marks the debut appearances of Ralph Fiennes, Ioan Gruffudd, and Billy "Slam Evil" Zane, whilst the actor Greg Wise is mocked for being a minor celebrity. And if you think this episode is ending on a Celine Dion song, you're only partly correct.

Earth-2.net Presents...
Hey, an Actor: Kate Winslet

Earth-2.net Presents...

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2017 189:03


Kate Winslet is one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation: fact. With that in mind, how will The Brothers Wilson screw up / trivialize their analysis of one of the most famous people to come out of Berkshire, England? The film choices certainly stack up: starting with Winslet's Oscar win for the post-World War II drama The Reader, proceeding on to her breakthrough role as Marianne Dashwood in Emma Thompson's 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, and then as the female lead in a little film known as Titanic. The always razor-sharp analysis involves Alan Rickman impressions, a timely reference to Divine Brown, and a failure on both hosts to say the word "admirable". This episode also marks the debut appearances of Ralph Fiennes, Ioan Gruffudd, and Billy "Slam Evil" Zane, whilst the actor Greg Wise is mocked for being a minor celebrity. And if you think this episode is ending on a Celine Dion song, you're only partly correct.

Earth-2.net Presents...
Hey, an Actor: Kate Winslet

Earth-2.net Presents...

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2017 189:03


Kate Winslet is one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation: fact. With that in mind, how will The Brothers Wilson screw up / trivialize their analysis of one of the most famous people to come out of Berkshire, England? The film choices certainly stack up: starting with Winslet's Oscar win for the post-World War II drama The Reader, proceeding on to her breakthrough role as Marianne Dashwood in Emma Thompson's 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, and then as the female lead in a little film known as Titanic. The always razor-sharp analysis involves Alan Rickman impressions, a timely reference to Divine Brown, and a failure on both hosts to say the word "admirable". This episode also marks the debut appearances of Ralph Fiennes, Ioan Gruffudd, and Billy "Slam Evil" Zane, whilst the actor Greg Wise is mocked for being a minor celebrity. And if you think this episode is ending on a Celine Dion song, you're only partly correct.

Hey, an Actor!
Hey, an Actor: Kate Winslet

Hey, an Actor!

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2017 189:03


Kate Winslet is one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation: fact. With that in mind, how will The Brothers Wilson screw up / trivialize their analysis of one of the most famous people to come out of Berkshire, England? The film choices certainly stack up: starting with Winslet's Oscar win for the post-World War II drama The Reader, proceeding on to her breakthrough role as Marianne Dashwood in Emma Thompson's 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, and then as the female lead in a little film known as Titanic. The always razor-sharp analysis involves Alan Rickman impressions, a timely reference to Divine Brown, and a failure on both hosts to say the word "admirable". This episode also marks the debut appearances of Ralph Fiennes, Ioan Gruffudd, and Billy "Slam Evil" Zane, whilst the actor Greg Wise is mocked for being a minor celebrity. And if you think this episode is ending on a Celine Dion song, you're only partly correct.