I have been reading my favorite book again. It has been my favorite since I was about 14. When the Colin Firth movie came out, I was literally obsessed with it. Then, I was a little annoyed because now everyone seemed to be in love with Jane Austen and seemed to be a Jane Austen expert even though they had never read the book.
I have read Pride and Prejudice more than any other book except the Book of Mormon. I have not read it for a few years, though, because I wanted to be able to forget some of it, so there were at least a few surprises and fresh delights as I read it.
Annemarie just reread the book and we watched the movie last week, so I decided I would read it again.
Now, I want to tell you my new discovery. I have wondered which version of Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth, Kiera Nightly) was more correct in portraying Longbourn. In one version it is a tidy, well-kept place. It the other it is run down, dirty, and a little messy. I just discovered the answer and it is an answer I like.
When Lady Catherine comes to visit Elizabeth at Longbourn to secure her promise not to marry Mr Darcy she sits with the ladies for a few minutes in the sitting room and then she asks Elizabeth to take a turn with her in the park. Elizabeth agrees and "As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and prounoucing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on."
If they had been run down and untidy Lady Catherine would never have found them to be decent looking.
I have a long list of reasons why the Colin Firth version is more true to Jane Austen. This is perhaps a minor one, but I have thought about it a lot so I was glad to find an answer.
