Pride and Prejudice
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Would this be published in today's market?
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message 51:
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Joanna
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Jul 25, 2011 07:16PM
I think it is relevant. Her observations on human behaviour and the issues of love and monetary survival have never vanished from society, regardless of the evolution of time.
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Joanna wrote: "I think it is relevant. Her observations on human behaviour and the issues of love and monetary survival have never vanished from society, regardless of the evolution of time."I really like what you said here :)
Veronica wrote: "I think that, in order for her to get it published today, she would have to give Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy some sort of physical relationship that was similar to what is seen today. I don't believe t..."Adding physical intimacy between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and updating the language wouldn't change the story. What is it, only 7 or 8 plots in existence? The same stories get published over and over. P&P was a great book. I think it'd get published.
I have to agree with everyone! I mean people now a days, are looking for anything new, so language would be a biggie, but it's the truth. There is so much intense passion between Elizabeth and Darcy, without even a single kiss or "sex part". I mean, people now want to see something exciting and daring. Jane Austen spoke of true love and passion, something that we definitely lack now. I sure hope it would though. Imagine a world without Jane Austen!!!! *gasps*
the book was so long and missing the point most of the times so I guess there will be a lot of editing
Yorky wrote: "I bet she would have been told to sex it up lol, more action and less dialogue. I absolutely love Pride and Prejudice and think its perfect but very scary to think what would happen to it in a mod..."@ Yorky - just take the time to read "The Truth about Mr. Darcy" and you will see what this century would have done to Jane's wonderful story!
@ Veronica - Jane would have had to be a woman from the last two centuries (20th and 21st) in order to give a physical side to Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam's relationsip. She could only write what she knew about - her own context.
Yep, I totally understand that.
Farrah wrote: "What do you think? If Jane Austen submitted her book for publication today would it make the cut? Could she even get an agent?I think because of the quality of the writing she would get an agent...."
They absolutly would publish this book if she submitted it now. Whether she changed the era to curret time or not, I think it would still hit the hearts and minds of the readers who love her style of writing, her enthusiasm and relativity to the trials of finding and realizing love.
Definitely, would be published (with little changes here and there, I guess) Jane Austen's take on human behaviour and society is as accurate as it can be. The romance is timeless and the social norms appropriate for any era.PS. Having read 'The Truth about Mr. Darcy' I'm glad 'Pride & Prejudice' was written long before the so-called pepping up of plots!
She was writing to make money to help her family survive. One of the main differences I see is that women today rarely need to get married just to survive, which is one of her recurring themes. We have so many more options of jobs and careers, and are rarely as trapped as so many of her characters are. I think that's one of the main reasons she would have trouble publishing it today.
I guess I don't really understand the question. This book IS being published today - over, and over, and over again as modern day versions of the same tale written by current authors. The story still draws an audience. The humor and romance have a very strong appeal.
Barbara wrote: "I guess I don't really understand the question. This book IS being published today - over, and over, and over again as modern day versions of the same tale written by current authors. The story s..."Right. Well said.
Barbara wrote: "I guess I don't really understand the question. This book IS being published today - over, and over, and over again as modern day versions of the same tale written by current authors. The story s..."http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
Veronica,the impropriety was in the Wickham character, it would never have been in Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth relationship. They were shocked and alarmed at the impropriety - that is a major part of the plot. Me thinks you've read too much modern romance. The juicy stuff you want explicitly related happened 'off camera' in P&P. I think the 'properness' of the characters is part of the appeal of the novel.
Caroline wrote: "I'm going to step on LOTS of toes, but no, I don't think this novel would be published today because it is terribly wordy. I am a lover of classics, with an English degree, but I cannot stand Auste..."I agree! Absolutely. She would be told to cut cut cut. To me the story doesn't start until about two thirds through the story.
But that just shows how the art/craft of novel writing has developed over the two centuries.
Alex
Veronica wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I think it is relevant. Her observations on human behaviour and the issues of love and monetary survival have never vanished from society, regardless of the evolution of time."I re..."
Thank you :)
Wendy wrote: "Farrah wrote: "What do you think? If Jane Austen submitted her book for publication today would it make the cut? Could she even get an agent?I think because of the quality of the writing she woul..."
Nice one!
None of them would get published today because they would not be considered big commercial moneymakers. Hence we have top best sellers by Pamela Anderson, the Kardashian sisters, and now Kendra Wilkenson, that will keep them all rich, while quality goes by the wayside. Undoubtedly none of the above even know how to write.Call me cynical, but that's how I see it.
Elaine wrote: "None of them would get published today because they would not be considered big commercial moneymakers. Hence we have top best sellers by Pamela Anderson, the Kardashian sisters, and now Kendra Wi..."Don't they all use ghost writers, anyways?
Elaine's view isn't cynical; it's spot on. Neither Austen nor others would be published today, not without substantial revision. Look at bestseller lists from decades ago -- HG Wells, Sinclair Lewis, Edna Ferber, Thornton Wilder, Sholem Asch, Theodore Dreiser, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rachel Carson, Hemingway, Steinbeck, and so on and so forth. Compare to bestsellers of today: Danielle Steel, Dean Koontz, Jean Auel, Dan Brown, John Grisham, Ken Follett, the truly awful Philippa Gregory, Jackie Collins, Daniel Silva's sillinesses, Anne Rice, the latest offerings from Stephen King....
And of course "authors" such as Pamela Anderson, the boring Kardashians, Paris Hilton, etc use ghostwriters. It's absolutely necessary as they are all functional illiterates.
Unfortunately, I doubt it would be published nowadays. It would seem trite and lumped in with all the other cheesy romantic books. Jane Austen was such ahead of her time during her era. But different from other romance novels, she was able to show such inspiration to her characters, you feel it when you read.
maybe you are right about the cheese part but who can tell what people might read nowadays.
It is hard to say. Imagine if Jane Austen had never published her books. The book world would be very different. It would be like trying to imagine what fantasy books would have been like if Tolkien had never published his books. Some authors works totally change everything that came after them. So, if Jane Austen's books had never been published, it is hard to say if they would today be the kind of books that publishers today would want.But forget that for now, I think if the book world was the same, her books would still be published, but they wouldn't be the same. The language would be altered. For example, the word "condescend" is used in a positive light, while today, the word has strong negative connotations. And sentences like "Did not I?" are recognizable, but they sound archaic. We're much more likely to say "Didn't I?" although we might say "Did I not?" if we were being more formal.
Back in 2007, an Austen fan in the UK called David Lassman submitted Jane Austen's books, including the mighty Pride and Prejudice, to eighteen publishers and agents. He changed the names of characters and the titles. Only one person spotted that this was Austen's work, another thought they were "a really original read" and the other sixteen cheerfully rejected or ignored the manuscripts. Despair is too small a word...In my own dabblings with the publishing world, I was very struck by the perception that these people don't read much. Slaves to fashion and obsessed with 'the next big thing,' they seemed bizarrely insecure about their supposed area of expertise. As individuals, they were usually likeable enough but, some-unfathomable-how, all in the wrong job. Search me.
S.A. wrote: "I may have this wrong - but I think Jane Austen might have started off self-publishing. Many of the classic authors did. Commercial publishers have never been good at spotting true quality; they ne..." Sadly, this idea appears to have plenty of foundation.
I think that she wouldn't have trouble finding a publisher and getting it published today. Her stories have charm, passion and true romance that authors like Nicholas Sparks now lacks. I think that she would definitely have an equally strong fan base, as well.
I think Pride and Prejudice would be recognised today as an outstanding work, but certainly within the category of historical. The language is so very different, and of course so is the described lifestyle: by necessity this dates P. and P..This is probably my all-time favourite novel, since the characters are so well drawn, and the plot, highly engaging.
Given the immense popularity of the television mini series, doesn't it follow that, as a new release, Jane Austen's masterpiece would hit the top of today's best seller list?
I agree with Nicholas. Sad but true.Shelley
Rain: A Dust Bowl Story
http://dustbowlpoetry.wordpress.com
I think it would be published today. Actually, I think Bridget Jones Diary sort of falls into the category of a modern day Pride and Prejudice.
But it WAS published "today". If you've read Bridgett Jones' Diary, you'll know that it was an updated version of Pride & Prejudice.
I recently read Pride and Prejudice for the first time (although I saw a BBC dramatisation of it starring Colin Firth) and I thought it was an excellent story. Yes the language was a bit flowery and a bit of a hard slog at times, but isn't that the way people tended to write in those days?I just read The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, and even though the story was good, it did get bogged down in the style of the writing.
Pride and Prejudice, I agree, is a timeless classic though - long may it be read and enjoyed by book lovers everywhere!
Linda wrote: "I recently read Pride and Prejudice for the first time (although I saw a BBC dramatisation of it starring Colin Firth) and I thought it was an excellent story. Yes the language was a bit flowery a..."In the case of The Picture of Dorian Grey, I think the movie is lightyears better than the book.
Is that the movie which also has Colin Firth in it?
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