Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

I had my reservations about picking up this book, because I sometimes find the literature of the 18th and 19th centuries to be somewhat dry. Jane Eyre was decent enough, and Wuthering Heights just made me mad, but I found them both to be lacking in the "can't put the book down" factor.

Pride and Prejudice was a "can't put the book down" kind of book. I had to physically remove it from my sight during my test week and before my pathology project was due, so that I would actually get work done. The style of writing seemed very polite, as well as the characters' ways of treating each other, even those they didn't like. I felt that if we could treat everyone like that, there would be no more war. And yet, despite their "civility" towards one another (the way Jane Austen worded it), there was still an indication that the England in which the characters were living was at war.

To boil it down, and attempting not to give away the whole book, Elizabeth Bennett is an out-spoken woman, the sibling of four sisters, all single and of marriageable age. Their mother's one purpose for living is to facilitate getting her daughters married off. Mr. Darcy is a visitor to their area, and acts as he has been brought up to act- that he is higher in the hierarchy than many people. She finds him too prideful, and later discovers she also is guilty: of judging him without first examining all the facts (her prejudice). The plot is much more complicated than that, with several unexpected twists, and other character's stories woven into it, but the basics are a look at the effects of (go figure) pride, and prejudice.

One thing I found slightly implausible is the ability of the characters to run into each other in all different parts of England, as if they are the only ones inhabiting it. I realize England then was less populated than it is now, but while such coincidences have occurred, they don't happen regularly. But the book was good enough that I forgave it.

Bottom line, this book is great for anyone who likes a good love story or several, anyone who likes 18th century literature (actually more like 19th), anyone who likes to study human nature and anyone who likes good quotes or polite, poetic ways of speaking- almost making prose sound like poetry.

Grace in Thine Eyes

Grace in Thine Eyes, by Liz Curtis Higgs

This book is connected to the series that ended with Whence Came a Prince. It is not necessary to read the first three books in order to read this 4th one. In the author's words, the series is a trilogy followed by a sequel dealing with the next generation of the family, and a knowledge of the events of the first three books is not necessary.

In my opinion, a prior knowledge of the Bible is not recommended. In the first three books, knowing the story of Jacob, Esau, Rachel, and Leah kept me wondering how the author would get around one obstacle or another in translating the books from ancient Hebrew culture into 1790s Scotland. This fourth book, very closely follows the life of Jacob's daughter Dinah. The situation surrounding her life can happen in any time period, so knowing what happens will slightly ruin the surprise, and also will keep you from becoming too attached to some characters.

Interesting to note is that Dinah is not recorded in the Bible with any written words. The author reflected this by making Davina (the character of Dinah) mute, due to laryngeal trauma as a child. I have read a handful of books in which the main character is mute (one by enchantment, two about animals- Vulpes and White Fang, and one by a traumatized psychology). This is the only one I have seen that utilizes music so expressively, to compensate for the lack of a voice. Davina is also a fiddler, so I connected with her very readily because of my friendship with A_____.

This book is an intriguing tale of love, betrayal, shame, forgiveness, deadly revenge, gossip, strength, and wonderful Scottish music. That sounds really cliched, but if you think about it, thats what people like to read. Except the music part. Somehow, even though the notes aren't there on the page, I felt that I could hear the music in the background through the whole book. Davina's voice became synonymous with violin music, so that even though the words were there on the page, it was the music I was hearing in my head as I read.

This book is great for musicians, anyone who likes a love story or Scotland, anyone who has been hurt by a man or gossip and wonders where they can find the strength to make it through the disgrace, and anyone who seeks to have a better understanding of the Biblical story of Dinah.

The Shorter Poems of Robert Browning

The Shorter Poems of Robert Browning, by Robert Browning, compiled by William Clyde DeVane

I found this book at a garage sale for a quarter. It is in decent condition, although it smells somewhat musty. It is no more than 75 years old, but it looks younger, or possibly just less "used." I bought it because I wanted to read some of the poetry of Robert Burns, but as it turns out, Robert Browning is not the same as Robert Burns. Fancy that. There are so many poets named Robert, I can't keep them all straight.

Although I found a few of the poems to be somewhat uninteresting, there were quite a few good ones as well. It was a challenging read. Poetry is hard enough to understand when its written in every day, modern language. Add to that the vernacular of the 19th century and it becomes a college level reading. (Although a few years ago, this probably would have been a high school level reading.)

I was particularly interested in the poems regarding love, because it seems to me that that is what poems are for. Interesting titles to note are Cristina, The Italian in England, The Lost Mistress, A Lover's Quarrel, The Flower's Name, and A Woman's Last Word. Those were the poems I enjoyed, mostly because they deal with relationships- and not always from the man's point of view. There were a few poems in which the poet becomes an actor in order to put himself in the head of someone else, sometimes someone of another gender. I liked the way he was able to capture human feelings within relationships.

And to whet your appetite, here's my favorite, a Sonnet.

Eyes calm beside thee (Lady, could'st though know!)
May turn away thick with fast-gathering tears:
I glance not where all gaze: thrilling and low
Their passionate praises reach thee- my cheek wears
Alone no wonder when thou passest by;
Thy tremulous lids bent and suffused reply
To the irrepressible homage which doth glow
On every lip but mine: if in thine ears
Their accents linger- and thou dost recall
Me as I stood, still, guarded, very pale,
Beside each votarist whose lighted brow
Wore worship like an aureole, "O'er them all
"My beauty," thou wilt murmur, "did prevail
"Save that one only,":- Lady, could'st though know!