It's "Discovering Emma Week" at Along the Brandywine! I'll be participating in various ways on this blog and my book blog during the week, starting with answering these tag questions :-)
1. Have you ever read Emma?
Yes, I have! I read it in high school, and again last year. My review is here, if you're interested.
2. If so, is that how you first made her acquaintance? (If not, feel free to elaborate!)
I'm pretty sure I saw the 1996 adaptation that stars Gwyneth Paltrow first. I may have seen Clueless first, too.
3. Do you have a favorite film adaptation?
Absolutely! The aforementioned Gwyneth Paltrow version, which I will be reviewing later this week as a contribution to Discovering Emma Week. I like that adaptation better than the book!
4. Favorite dress(es) from that film?
I'll share more in my review, but here is my absolute favorite dress:
I love those swoopy tucks at the bottom. And the color is so bright and cheerful!
Here's a bit of a look at the front, which has a nice ribbon accent. I would totally wear that dress.
5. Share a line you love from either the book or movie/s—several if you like!
These are all from the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow adaptation:
"I love... I absolutely love... celery root! And what should they be serving but... celery root!" (I say this rather often. After many years of quoting it, I finally got to eat celery root for the first time last year, and it's quite tasty!)
"Oh dear." "What?" "Oh! Something about the deer we need for the venison stew." (I also quote this a lot. It confuses people, but I don't care.)
"I'm afraid you'll just have to live here, then." (I use this one to tease my little kids when they get stuck in a tree or something.)
"Try not to kill my dogs." (Makes me laugh.)
6. Is Emma one of your favorite heroines? Why or why not?
She's actually one of my least-favorite Austen heroines. She's bossy, meddlesome, vain, and spoiled. Of course, the point of the story is that she comes to realize she's all those things and begins to change, but still, she spends most of the book being so unlikable. I like her much better in the movie, as Gwyneth Paltrow makes her sweeter and kinder.
7. What is one of Emma’s strengths (good qualities)?
She's kind-hearted and wants to help other people be happy.
8. Describe in one (or two…or three) sentences, why Mr. Knightley is so wonderful.
He's exceedingly helpful and thoughtful, always giving things to Mrs. and Miss Bates, trying to get Emma to grow and mature, and even being willing to live with a tiresome father-in-law just to keep Emma happy.
9. Why do you think Mr. Knightley and Emma are so well suited to each other?
Because they're used to each other -- neither will be surprised by the other's quirks and foibles.
10. Would you rather spend a week in Highbury with the Westons—on Abbey-Mill Farm with the Martins—or in London with the John Knightleys?
Probably Abbey-Mill Farm with the Martins. They're such sensible, kind, and forgiving people! Plus I do like farms and dirt and animals.
Don't forget to visit the kick-off post at Along the Brandywine to join the fun! Heidi's holding a giveaway and promises more fun to come all week!
Hamlette - Thank you!! :) And ooohh my, the celery root.... Sooo funny! Also I Just LOVE her dresses in this adaptation!!! (But I suppose I really should save some of my enthusiasm about it as a whole for your review later this week...which I'm eagerly anticipating!! ;))
ReplyDeleteAnd oh! The dogs. Splendid all the way around! :) I think another of my favorites along those lines is when he's tossing the stick later--and talking about it's being "cozy" at home--and she says she'll bring the stick to the ball. ;)
....They just play the parts so well together. :)
Everything in that adaptation is so elegant, isn't it? And funny! I've swapped it back and forth between drama and comedy on my shelves over the years. And I've finished screencapping for my review (it will be Loaded with screencaps), so I hope to finish it in a day or so!
DeleteAwh...I forgot about the celery root. Who says that?
ReplyDeleteThe dress is wonderful. I wish I could rearrange those goofy curls on her head, but the dress is perfect. I think it works well with GP's complexion, too.
This movie really lightens up the whole Emma story. I guess you could say the book gets a little too deep, being a character study, basically. But the 96 movie backs up the view a bit, and keeps you from taking E too seriously.
That's Mr. Elton with the celery root obsession. Emma thinks he's declaring his love for Harriet, but then it turns out he just likes food a lot.
DeleteI love Emma's hair in general, but yes, the curls flowing toward the front are not my favorite. But I figure if even Emma Woodhouse can try out a new hairstyle that doesn't quite work, there's hope for us all.
I don't know that the book goes too deep, but I think it lacks the playful joy that the GP'96 version injected. I certainly don't laugh over the book nearly as much as I do over the movie. Or as much as I laugh over P&P and NA.
Oh, the supercilious Mr. Elton... (I freaked out the other day when I realized the same actor played Mr. E and Nightcrawler. The two really don't go together...)
DeleteYep, that's about right. I think the book made me laugh more because I kept seeing myself, and thinking, 'wow, she is so oblivious am I really this bad?!' The 96 movie, though, makes her very likable.
I know, right? Nightcrawler is so sweet and shy and adorable! Love him. Wish he'd been in X3.
DeleteIt's very interesting that you identify that much with Emma! I do have similar things with Anne Elliot, though. Like thinking she lets people walk all over her too much, and then wondering if I do that too.