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‘Miss Austen’ on PBS wonderfully delivers the love and loss Jane Austen fans know by heart

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While using Jane Austen’s famous line can show my appreciation for her work, it doesn’t fully convey the depth of our debt to her.

Due to Austen’s prose being so refined, her humor dry yet biting, her irony delightful, her insights keen, her heroines unyielding, her novels have endured for two centuries. They serve as a mental getaway, a realm to indulge in. Packed with character depth, gripping storylines, intriguing in their historical context, brimming with lively and realistic dialogue, her books, first published from 1811 onwards, possess a timeless quality – they seem both representative of and ahead of their era. Many readers view them as the foundations of contemporary romantic comedy, making them ripe for screen adaptations.

Since there are only seven completed novels, three of which were published posthumously and one unsubmitted for publication, and because humans are always eager for more – or, put differently, we never stop seeking additional content – the ACLU (Austen Cinematic and Literary Universe) is still growing through sequels, adaptations, contemporary reinterpretations, and imaginative retellings.

Titled “Miss Austen,” a captivating new limited series set to debut on PBS’ “Masterpiece” this Sunday, presents a biographical fiction perspective. Written by Andrea Gibb from Gill Hornby’s 2020 novel, it primarily focuses on Jane Austen’s sister Cassandra. The title can be interpreted as referring to either sister. Notably, Cassandra is not portrayed as a villain in this series for her historical act of burning many of Jane’s letters following her death. Although the story maintains the characteristic charm found in an Austen novel, the need to adhere to real-life events subtly guides some plotlines towards a more somber tone.

The story unfolds across two distinct timeframes, intertwining events and echoing similar motifs. In 1830, thirteen years following the demise of Jane Austen (Patsy Ferran), Cassandra (Keeley Hawes, displaying depth and emotion) receives a distressing message about the impending death of Eliza Fowle’s husband (Madeline Walker). Prompted by friendship, as she serves as something of an aunt to Eliza’s daughters Isabella (Rose Leslie) and Beth (Clare Foster), who appear destined for spinsterhood like the Austens, Cassandra also seeks Eliza’s letters penned by Jane, intending to preserve any content that might tarnish her sister’s reputation from potential future historians.

Besides the letters, there’s Cassandra’s arrogant sister-in-law Mary (Jessica Hynes), who is also Eliza’s sibling. She believes that their correspondence could be useful for a book about her deceased brother-in-law, Austen family member James (Patrick Knowles). Essentially, they serve as a means to prompt Cassandra, who covertly reads them, into a sequence of flashbacks – some joyful, some remorseful – as she ponders her life with Jane and the paths she chose and those she didn’t. Synnøve Karlsen portrays the younger Cassandra, and her performance bears a striking resemblance to Jennifer Ehle, who played Elizabeth Bennet opposite Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy in the acclaimed 1995 BBC “Pride and Prejudice.” (Jane tells Cassandra, “You are my Lizzie Bennet to the core,” implying she agrees with me.)

Television

Gill Hornby, the author, and Christine Langan, the executive producer, discussed their process of transforming Hornby’s book into a TV series, as well as the enduring appeal that Jane Austen’s work holds for both readers and viewers alike.

In each plotline, both the Austens and Fowles are forced out of their homes into less fortunate situations. The Austen parents, with the hopeful father (Kevin McNally) and anxious mother (Phyllis Logan), could effortlessly play the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet in a “Pride and Prejudice” remake. On the other hand, the arrival of new vicar Mr. Dundas (Thomas Coombes), causing trouble for the Fowles, seems to be a purposeful nod to the subservient Mr. Collins from “Pride and Prejudice.

As a cinema enthusiast, I must say that the core theme of this series revolves around the profound bond of sisterhood and selfless devotion, interwoven with Austen-esque dilemmas concerning matrimony and financial stability. These themes are beautifully portrayed through the relationships between Cassandra and Jane on one hand, and Isabella and Beth Fowles on the other. The series often presents presumptuous matchmaking as romantic prospects enter the picture – for instance, the enigmatic and somewhat anachronistic Henry Hobday (Max Irons), whom Jane describes as ‘the epitome of perfection, which is incredibly frustrating, as a woman with many flaws, I cannot abide flawlessness in others’. In another storyline, we have Mr. Lidderdale (Alfred Enoch), a dedicated but financially strained doctor who presents himself as another romantic possibility.

Isabella exclaims urgently, ‘I need to find out if Anne Elliot, the main character from Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’, is going to get married!'” (This version tries to keep the original sentence structure but makes it more conversational and easy to read.)

“Is that the only outcome that would be happy?” asks Cassandra.

“Yes.”

Cassandra tells Isabella, “You know, there are countless paths to joy for ladies like us,” highlighting their shared experiences. “For Jane, writing was her deepest passion, and she found solace in the characters within her novels. However, in real life, no man measured up to the heroes she read about.

Similar to Isabella, viewers also have unique definitions of happiness and would ideally like a universe where love blossoms for all. However, it’s important to note that not many of us are prodigious individuals whose primary focus is timeless work, as opposed to romantic relationships. It’s worth mentioning (though perhaps already apparent to the characters) that Fowles’ narrative offers subtle chances for an ending that aligns more with the style of Jane Austen’s works.

The conclusion will have you going quickly through a stack of handkerchiefs, unless you are incredibly uncaring or lacking empathy.

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2025-05-04 13:31

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