Brontë vs. Austen

Haven't done a books post yet, so here I go.



I've read one of each by the three sisters: Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Charlotte's Jane Eyre, and Anne's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. And two by Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice (I felt like it was almost required of me) and Emma.

For me (but not for most people, according to asking around) Brontë trumps Austen. Wishy-washy acoustic coffee-shop music is not enough for me, but something with lots of bass and strong vocals is. In the same way,  Austen, while pleasant, isn't enough, but Brontë's dark gothic plots are. I'm not sure if that made sense. Okay lemme try again:

The worst thing that can happen in an Austen book is an uncomfy social situation, but in a Brontë it's eternal damnation/lifelong unhappiness/doom spanning generations. For me, the latter's just more entertaining. When I express these views to Jane Austen girls they give me this look of disgust and say that I'm "sadistic." Which I am okay with. 

The one on the far left reminds me of that hobbit. Merry, I think. 

But don't get me wrong, Austen is great too. Best describer of social situations and relationships ever. In P&P  the rich-vs-poor, mother-wants-to-marry-off-daughter-to-rich-man, idiotic-sister-runs-off-with-soldier thing is great. (And if you must watch it, do the Keira Knightley version, not that neverending version with Colin Firth.) And in Emma (which I actually prefer to P&P- go watch the Gwyneth Paltrow version if you don't want to read it), its rich-vs-poor again, and from the Rich perspective this time. (That's always more fun.) Plus, there's the older mentor man-and-matchmaker rich girl relationship and looking-down-on-poor-people issue being hashed out, which is interesting to read about. I'll read Sense and Sensibility next, because I want to watch the version with Kate Winslet. I hear it's really good.

Obvious motif. 8D

Emma trailer here. Whole movie is also on YouTube. YAY for that!

I also have an Emma T-shirt 8D

I think I'll ramble too long about the awesomeness of the Brontë sisters. I mean, I had this crazy Wuthering Heights obsession phase in my freshman year. All three that I've read are are extremely close in terms of "goodness", but I can still rank them in order of favorites because I'm that picky.

3. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall : Just finished reading this. A male narrator, finally! A refreshing change from the other books in this post. Rich, mysterious plot about a widow (Helen) who escapes with her son from her alcoholic husband (Huntingdon) to another town and has to change her identity. At the new town, the narrator (Gilbert) falls in love with her, against the town's wishes.

Haven't watched this, but I know that the one on the left is Gilbert and the one on the right is the douchey, alcoholic, cheating husband Huntingdon. They all look good, especially Toby Stephens, so maybe I should watch it. But I imagined Helen as prettier. Oh well. 

Themes: feminism and effects of alcoholism. But this is still #3 because the part about the widow's diary is too long (I think), and she's also extremely strictly religious, which kind of annoys me sometimes.
The worst thing that could've happened in the book: lifelong unhappiness AND eternal damnation

2.Jane Eyre : Ugly poor girl and ugly rich guy with lots of obstacles to their love . A can't-put-down read. I know two crazy people who reread it all the time. The BBC version is really accurate. Also, Toby Stephens is Mr. Rochester. YES!

TV's rendition of "ugly." This picture is hilarious to me.

Issues: appearances and personal morals.
Worst thing that could've happened: lifelong unhappiness for everyone :(

Can't find any good pictures.

1. Wuthering Heights : Ignore the fact that it's discussed in Twilight. That just ruins the image. It's not just for emo girls. Go read it, seriously.

And if you must, the BBC version of this is not bad (Matthew Macfadyen plays Hareton). Lots of intense screaming, pushing people against the wall, frowny faces.
Worst thing that could've happened: all of the above with extra doses of insanity and depression, plus doom that spans generations. And the novel is shorter than both of the above. So cheers for Emily Brontë!

Best of all, this is the only book in this post with a SONG ABOUT IT. The Puppini Sisters is better than the Kate Bush version. Unless you're feeling extra-psycho. Which is how the book will make you feel.