Too bad ITV didn’t hire these folks to make the films. They might have done a better job.

Thanks to Alert Janeite MCG for the tip!

Yes, we Janeites are an obsessed group. Why should we apologize for it? On the scale of odd behavior, obsession with Jane Austen ranks rather low; yet we often are scolded or mocked for it by those who know better.

This article at The Social Affairs Unit–well, we thought we would be swinging the Cluebat of Janeite Righteousness earlier, but upon rereading we actually agree with quite a bit of it. But when the author starts blaming Janeites for the failings of Hollywood filmmakers, we must protest.

Jane Austen must be one of the greatest misunderstood novelists in the history of English literature. Film-makers and legions of strangely obsessed readers called “Janeites” have been happily going about the business of misunderstanding her novels for years. The reason, I suppose, is simple. On the surface, she seems to be talking of romantic love. So the film-makers misconstrue her in order to make money out of the Janeite’s yearnings. She is the 18th-century Helen Fielding (as opposed to Henry), and her heroines are bonneted Bridget Jones.

That presupposes that there is a connect between “what Janeites want” and “what Hollywood sees fit to give us.” Jane Austen films, at least of late, are made to a perception of what the filmwatching public at large wants and needs from a Jane Austen film. Janeites, especially those who might protest on the grounds of infidelity or illogic, are marginalized as “those Austen people” and “purists” and “those mean, snarky Austen bloggers” who demand an unreasonable fidelity to Jane Austen’s novels and known life and are too silly and stupid and stubborn to understand that those won’t play in Peoria.

Although, reading this entry at Gawker, perhaps they are right and we are wrong.

Like berry-colored lipstick and chunky-heeled Steve Madden boots, caring a lot about Jane Austen is a fad that needs to be left in the 90s where it belongs.

Would that it were true; if the painfully-hipsters would abandon Jane, we could go back to reading the books and talking about them and having fun, and let our Cluebat gather dust. Thing is, “caring a lot about Jane Austen” has been going on for close to two centuries, and isn’t about to stop because the tragically hip have declared it must; especially when heroic Janeites such as Heather Anne keep fighting the good fight.

I handed him the receipt, fresh from the register. “I just bought some stuff, including this book here.” I took the book out and handed it to him. “And I noticed on the receipt that the title was spelled incorrectly, so I just wanted to let you know.”

The CSS took my receipt and peered at it. “I’m sorry?”

“See, the name of this book is Jane Austen in Scarsdale. It is based on Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Austen is spelled a-u-s-t-E-n, and in your system it is spelled a-u-s-t-I-n.”

His eyebrows closed in on each other. (Hee! –Ed.)

“And Austen with an ‘I’ is wrong,” I said, since he didn’t seem to understand the problem.

“Is this a joke?” he asked.

“No. I was just wondering if it was hard to change the name in your system so that it prints out correctly on the receipt. I wouldn’t even mention it, it’s just that, you know, it is Jane Austen.”

The CSS did not reply.

“Jane Austen,” I repeated.

“I know who Jane Austen is,” he said.

“Awesome. So you see my point. She’s one of the most important authors in the canon of world literature. I mean it’s not as if you’ve misspelled Koontz.”

Well done, madam; well done, indeed.

For audiobook fans, LibriVox has announced that Sense and Sensibility is now available for download. Enjoy!

(Hat tip to Open Culture)