Pride andPrejudice, published in 1813, is considered Austen's masterpiece and iswhere the esteemed Elizabeth and Darcy liveforever, it seems. Its famousopening line, “A truth universally acknowledged,” sets the stage for the storyand one of the most endearing courtships in literary history. The noted passageis also the title of a newly published study on why Austen's appeal enduresalmost 200 years later.
Edited by Susannah Carson, A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers On Why We Read JaneAusten (Random House) fulfills thepromise of its title. The great writers are mainly 20th-century authors andliterary critics such as J.B. Priestley and E.M. Forster. C.S. Lewis weighs inas well, contrasting the author's talent for comedy “which approximates toburlesque” with her adept treatment in conveying the depths of despair herheroines endure.
The commentary ranges over wide territory. NovelistLouis Auchincloss references the common criticism that Austen wrote six novelsduring the Napoleonic wars and never mentioned Napoleon's name. He quicklypoints out that she had spoken of this herself and regretted that she had notused the emperor to provide artistic contrast. Virginia Woolf ponders Austen'scareer if she had lived a longer life. Austen was 41 when she died.
Carson'sbook is an excellent starting point for the dilettante Austen reader andprovides further insights for the veteran devotee.
