Magnetic chemistry, social anxiety, and the in-laws from hell: Pride & Prejudice (aka Meet The Bennets)

By many reckonings, this is the most famous novel in English. It’s also the book Jane Austen described as her own “Darling Child.” As we head to the milestone of Jane’s 250th Birthday in December (get ready for the minced chicken and negus party) Sophie and Jonty dig into one of the most joyful, funny, sexy stories ever told.

In this episode we ask why this small novel of village life exploded into a global cultural icon, inspiring retelling upon retelling, and catapulting Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennet’s romance into a modern myth.

You’ll hear about some lesser-known experiences from Jane Austen’s life that informed the writing, and why it took her so long (aspiring writers, take heart). Sophie tries to shoehorn four historical secrets at the start of the episode, but Jonty only lets her share two of them on air. And he dings her for being too interested in legal history.

Instead, the duo argue about why mismatched attraction, or mistaking steamy passion for implacable dislike, is such an evergreen literary trope, and how much Elizabeth’s love of Darcy depends on seeing his enormous house.

Both hosts give favorite jokes another outing – listeners can decide if repetition make them more funny. Not as funny as Austen, that’s for sure. Tune in for a tune-up about the original Meet the Parents, a tale of colliding families, ghastly mothers in law, and male bonding activities.

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Books Mentioned or Used as Sources:

Rachel Cohen, Austen Years: A Memoir in Five Novels, 2020.

Claudia L. Johnson and Clara Tuite, 30 Great Myths About Jane Austen, 2020.

Sandra MacPherson, “Rent to Own, or, What’s Entailed in Pride and Prejudice,” Representations, 2003.

Claire Tomalin, Jane Austen: A Life, 1999.

Fay Weldon, Letters to Alice: On First Reading Jane Austen, 1985.

Hilary Davidson "Reconstructing Jane Austen's Silk Pelisse," Costume, vol 49, no. 22, 2015.

Producer: Boyd Britton

Digital Content Coordinator: Olivia di Costanzo

Designer: Peita Jackson

Our thanks to the University of Sydney Business School.

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