Comments on: Jane Austen – our newest – scholar rogue…?

By: Jerry Wechsler

Jerry Wechsler — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 20:17:38 +0000

Like Yeats, one of the great western Bhodisatvas. Her concerns are broad, and the secular ones you mention are indeed hers; but her novels reveal, I think, a more esoteric concern, namelly, that of “essence change.” The growth represented by Miss Bennett and Mr. Darcy is the result of full self-knowledge and complete remorse of conscience. This is both Socratic and Gurdjieffian, and is the transformation the Bible calls “metanoia” – at least, that is my take. I sometimes tell people that Jane Austen was such a high Zen-Master, she didn’t even know she was one….

- Jerry Wechsler

By: No Blood for Hubris

No Blood for Hubris — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 01:40:12 +0000

Sorry, the words “reigns supreme” are creating horrid traumatic flashbacks to Condi Rice’s erstwhile dictum on Iraq — “Let freedom reign!”

I’m like sooo triggered.

Please stop.

love,

By: Buddhist Jihad

Buddhist Jihad — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 01:36:04 +0000

Surfed here, saw Jane, thought: urrgh, me Tarzan: you Jane.

Urrgh.

Or something like that.

A good omen, in any case.

By: Jim Booth

Jim Booth — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:31:36 +0000

Denny – I don’t know about that English prof thing – Sam had me for two classes in high school, and you see how he turned out – and I made him read P&P….

Mike – Blackadder is the only person who could make Jane Austen a man – and make me laugh about it. That opening scene with George is hysterical….

Elaine – We are in total agreement, my dear. I love that terminology – “reigns supreme” – that’s it in a nutshell.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:55:11 +0000

It is the truth and humour in her work that shines out – as a social commentator she reigned supreme.

By: Mike Sheehan

Mike Sheehan — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:32:04 +0000

And all this time I thought Jane Austen was a man.

By: Dr. Denny

Dr. Denny — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:17:52 +0000

Why couldn’t you have been my English prof in one of my three freshman years?

I would have enjoyed Jane if you had …