Because most philosophies that frown on reproduction don't survive.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Jane Eyre!

I first read Jane Eyre when I was thirteen. I remember staying up all night, in my aunt's guest room, reading voraciously and sobbing a bit when Jane declared to Mr. Rochester, "I am not an automaton!"

Enbrethiliel posts the trailer for the new adaptation of Jane Eyre
, over which I'm drooling. It looks extremely gothic, as it should. I loved the version PBS aired a few years ago, with Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens, but if there's one thing the world can use it's more Jane. Bring it!

(Also, it looks like the new one gets it right that Blanche Ingram had black hair, not blonde.)

7 comments:

Charlotte (WaltzingM) said...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Sorry, I am such a huge fan of Jane Eyre. I know people say it's too gothic, but I fell in love with this story after having a ninth grade English teacher almost ruin it for me. I had no idea this movie was in the works! Oh.my.goodness! It looks amazing!!! Dame Judi and Jane Eyre, all in one... what more could you want?

BTW... my word verification is "frepin" as in... this looks so frepin awesome!

mrsdarwin said...

I love Jane Eyre. And the casting of Judi Dench shows that they're not just tossing out the smaller roles.

lissla lissar said...

That looks fantastic. And I think (inner costume-history nerd coming out) like they got the clothes right, which is amazing. Early Victorian with dropped sleeve puffs, about 1835-40ish.

Was that St. John she was talking to? The blond man?

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

Jane Eyre is one of those books I know so well that I probably wouldn't need to reread it before teaching a unit on it. But it's also one of the books I love so well that I'd reread it, anyway.

And I have . . . I'm not sure how else to describe it . . . grown with it. That is, it has always been there for me, ever since the Children's Illustrated Classics edition I started with at about ten . . . and the library copy of the real novel I read at twelve . . . and the paperback I bought on sale at sixteen for a book report. I took that copy with me to uni because I knew I'd get to read it in at least one English paper--which I did--and now it's totally falling apart. During my big reread a few months ago, I had to wrap it up in clear tape just so it would stop flaking off in my hands. Literally.

And every time I read the story again, I discover something that I had been too young to understand during all the other rereads. There it was, all that time. I just needed more time to see it . . .

Charlotte (WaltzingM) said...

And I have . . . I'm not sure how else to describe it . . . grown with it.


Enbrethiliel,
I know what you mean even though I didn't discover Jane until I was in high school. And that flaky copy you talked about for me was actually my mom's copy from when she was in high school! I just retired it last year because I was afraid of completely ruining it. I am getting to know my new copy right now and foresee many happy moments together!

JoAnna Wahlund said...

I adore Jane Eyre. The BBC miniseries has been my favorite adaptation this far.

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

Thanks, Charlotte. =) But my attachment to this novel gets a little more embarrassing--in a Bronte geek sort of way. During my last reread, I found myself comparing the winding road of my own life to Jane's and thinking that we had so much in common. (Ha! I know, right???) And I seriously wondered whether I had subconsciously been making choices to make my life as much as hers as possible. WWJD: What Would Jane Do?