Welcome to my channel where I consider All Things Classic Literature.
CLOSE READING CLASSIC LITERATURE I examine & analyse classic literature in close detail - exposing aspects of texts that you may have overlooked before.
UNFAMILIAR READINGS Where I read aloud underloved & overlooked texts.
Dr Octavia Cox DPhil (University of Oxford) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Lover of Literature! (especially of the 18th & 19th centuries)
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I dont see him as insane, but so spiritually and emotionally evolved into a being who can no longer identify with yhose who stagnate in their lack of introspection ,and desire to understand their humanity
Dr. Cox, welcome back! Please keep putting up Jane Austen commentary videos! What is the best Jane Austen commentary? I am looking for the best book length (ish) commentary on S&S and/or MP, etc.
I just discovered your analysis and love it! Could you possibly in a future video give suggestions on your favorite Austen sequels by other authors please?
Dr. Cox, would you ever consider making an audiobook of one of the novels? With your deep insights and excellent voice it would be great. Thank you for your videos.
I agree with most of your analysis. It must have been Mr. Collins. However,a few points. First, I am sure, given Darcy's attitude towards Collins, that Charlotte had no hopes of Darcy giving Collins a living close to Pemberly. Some other aid in advancement in the Church maybe. Second, most likely Sir William wrote to Mr. Collins about the neighborhood gossip, but Sir William differs significantly from Collins. He is a good natured gossip, never intending any harm or manipulation with his boasts and gossip. Collins is a spiteful manipulative gossip. Neither one of them is very adept at reading people and situations. But Sir William errs through naivity while Collins does so through sanctimoniousness and hubris. Charlotte is quite the opposite. She does tell Collins about Lydia's established poor character but I think this is all she betrays. She is a good friend to Elizabeth. I agree that she would have suspected the effect of lady C.'s behavior actually had. She knows friend well. I don't think she schemed to take Collins away from Elizabeth, she knew Elizabeth didn't want him. At most you might accuse her of trying to take him away from Mary, though it was unlikely he would have wanted her, despite her obvious adoration. He has enough of a stupid man's cunning to know Mary can not benefit his social standing, despite her earnest admiration.
I honestly was so confused while reading this novel in middle school. I didn’t know whether head was down and tail was up because of the constant jumping of timelines.
I am sorry... I understand the Austen plays a joke on us with this free indirect duscourse. But Mr Darcy wasn't shy, he was really proud and disagreable. Maybe people exhagerated these features but they weren't so wrong. Am I right?
One of my husband's favorites poems. Thank you for dissecting for those of us who have trouble understanding poetry. My husband loved poetry. So many books on poetry. Thank you again. JKE
Fanny’s insipid ness comes from never acting on feelings. Inwardly, there is a lot going on, but she just refuses to engage. She never sticks up for herself. She’ just makes me want to shake her. I don’t know if Austen tried TOO hard to make her a victim that it backfires a bit, or if she did it deliberately. Her inner dialog is what is most annoying. I think it lacked any motivative reasoning. Was she silenced inside believing they would kick her out or subject her to unreasonable punishment? Did she think sarcastic comebacks or plot mental revenge? Did she hear a different tune and pay no attention to the abuse? It all seemed too pitiful me. I don’t think that Jane actually understood the inner voice of those who behaved in such a way. The innate narcissism of the brain would take over and create a shield to protect someone who experienced what Fanny did at that age. It’s just what happens. She would develop into a watcher and use weaknesses in those characters to sling little darts or get attention through making them feel sorry for her, but the inner dialog would be manipulative. Or she would become a total impath incapable of seeing anything but need and pain and a desire to fix it. The inner dialog just does not fit.
But why would Edward have cause to discuss with Lucy his brother-in-law's half sisters and stepmother?? Wouldn't that reflect badly on his sister as someone who evicted her husband's relations, as well as make him a common gossip?!?
Renting an estate- that ment the while house with paintings, linnen, furniture? And if they where invalider- how Keep track that little things is going to disapeare!?
Napoleonic Polonaise Scroll 1: Peter the Great took Poltava and routed the Poles and Swedes In the Great Northern War behind our present depictions And predictions by salting our cultural phenomena, must needs, As if the Swedes would ever return to world war malediction. In a world time lapse of half-century wars alive 10-on/40-off; eight centuries, no bore Dug in for the 21st Century since 16-not-19 Forty-five When Ivan’s Cossacks returned, not from Hitler, but from their chore Of submitting Siberia-to-Sakhalin for the Czar Which was what their cannon did against Stone-age Opposition too ancient and ignorant even for Genghis Khan’s Silk Road appendage Rather, then, Catherine; perforce first Greater Peter Rivulets the Baltic under his Russian rule with Petrograd, A stinking, grudgingly-canaled city between one single sand-bagged sewer -- a town knowledgeably built on Serf-and-Peasant bone and blood.
Scroll 2. ‘Peasant/Serf’ are interesting concepts That play a part in the circumstances Of a certain life and times select That seeks above silly novels and Romances An engineering society communally Forgivable in industry and commerce Classically well-read and fundamentally Well-versed Are Poles alive in the spirit of the Enlightenment Reliving and achieving the destiny of their Renaissance Rebuilt like Warszawa from an entropic firmament Ahead of most else of Europe in their political stance. So, bring this tale of Polish conceit and concern About Poniatowski’s Slavonic Empire Including ten years of Ivan’s Cossack Russia crossfire return Left to dissolution and Potemkin’s desire. So what know we of Poniatowski Alone; aloof in the brevity of counsel Ruling the Polish Commonwealth with bravery From the back of a horse, whose damsel Appears to have been Catherine the Great He, a Polish dip; she, then, initially a Holy Roman princess Sought by the Czar for his diminished heir and endorsed by Fate Chiefly for reputedly being provincial and witless; Delivered thus as a gift under shadow of doubt, Her Czar-spouse a misfit, a fop and in-bed a flop; Such detractions were overlooked as couriers were sought And Porniatowski leveraged Poland from underneath Catherine; (“Don’t stop! Don’t stop! Don’t stop!”) Scroll 3: Good things they were doing whilst having a ball Were Pony-boy diplomat and Katy-cat the Great And a lot of what the Serfs were doing in their thrall Got spottily and snottily unenforced as a Peter the Great alleviate. So, what? Yes, Katy-cat Opportunist per se amid Great laughter Managed since at least ’55 to outwit her fake-Czar husband, As amusing chattel who went down easily playing cards thenafter. Thus, times change as do people whence Pony-boy took over Poland As a profound Russian Ally bulwarking against France Spain, Hank-then-Liz, the Unholy Romans and the Ottoman Turks, (The most honorable of the lurking) who most menaced Save the Silk-Road Mongols that even owned Ivan’s Moscow at first. Better than ever, Catherine rolled over in bed, first rate And, satisfied with the West, came up with Potemkin. Whether for boredom or diplomacy and/or the good of the State Now Ukranian serfs had fake real estate options. No "defect of discretion ... for want of wit....."
Some books we read for character development, or for amazing creation (of imaginary settings) or re-creation of vanished worlds. Some we read because the narrative (the story) is so captivating that we cannot bear to leave it. Others (for example, some kinds of mystery stories) we read because the scenes are so clever and appealing that we greatly enjoy spending time in this imaginary space; we don't care that much about "what happened". What IS the story with Wuthering Heights? I don't know, as I have never been able to penetrate any more than 70 or so pages into it. Yes, the narrative devices are clever, but virtually all of the characters are unpleasant (they can all go to the devil), the setting is implied rather than described in detail, the story details are sordid, and Christian love and redemption (although written by a clergyman's daughter) is nowhere on prospect. I have never experienced any pleasure in the act of reading it; it's always as if I am struggling in mental quicksand. I do not understand the fascination. Emily must have been a very strange and angry creature. Charlotte and Anne are Celtic enough but at times almost seem normal. Emily? Who really knows?
The Colonel could have heard about the attempt towards Georgiana or where known as a seducer. It don’t have to more than this. Or that there a gamblingproblems to pay back or he had stolen money.
I am not an English native speaker and among all the RU-vid videos, yours help me the most to really understand literature itself. Truly grateful, so sad you don’t upload as much now. Hope you’re having a wonderful life!
I love this channel. Your ambience and conversation just makes me want to make a pot of tea and listen to you all afternoon sitting right by that window!!! I never wondered about this question but it is such an interesting.
Dear Professor, could you make a video about Sir Thomas' change of behaviour when he comes back from the West Indies? it is hard for me to figure out his character. I would be much obliged! Your lectures are the best!
I was literally reading about the Regency post system in the notes on the back of Barbara Heller's curation of Persuasion just yesterday and wondering how Edmund franking Fanny's letter fit in - thank you Dr. Cox and thank you algorithm for answering my wonderings!
