Which Jane Austen?
Arranged around
various themes the show looked at the myths and the reality of Austen. The first case looked at the myths and had great
examples of books written about her soon after she died which helped to build
the image we have of her. I was interested in the Constance and Ellen Hill biography from 1900
which included interviews with people who remembered Austen. The case also looked at
modern interpretations such as Jane in Space and of course Pride and Prejudice
with Zombies.
There were
sections on Austen as a business woman looking at how she dealt with her
publishers. I was surprised to find she had spent two months in London while each
of her books was being published to correct the proof sheets herself. And of
course when in London you go shopping and there was another lovely section
looking at the shops she had mentioned in letters home and plays she had gone
to see.
I was fascinated
by a section on scandals in the Austen family. Her uncle’s wife, Jane Leigh
Perrot, was accused of stealing lace form a shop and was in custody for eight
months before she was acquitted. The trail was published and if found guilty
she would have faced transportation. Also her cousin Eliza Hancock may have
been the love child of Warren Hastings and she married Austen’s brother after
her first husband was guillotined.
The show was well
set out with good labels telling the story and objects and books open in the
appropriate pages then illustrating the points raised. This was a good way of
using all the novels and different editions without it being an exhibition
about the novels.
Closes on 29
October 2017
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