Thursday, April 11, 2013

JANEITES - April A to Z

The term Janeite came in to use by the devoted Readers of Jane Austen, and later used as a term of ridicule for the fanaticism and idolatry of everything Jane Austen.  The term came into being, after the publication of J. E. Austen-Leigh's, A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1870. That I know he is a nephew of Austen, places me precariously in the fanatic column.  (Don't read this book in Kindle, as it is ever so hard to read in that format.)

Original Janeites were curiously, male dominant. With such worthy members such as, Rudyard Kipling,  E. M. Forster, Sir Walter Scott and Benjamin Disraeli.  After WW l,  Austen went through a period of adulation that bordered sainthood.  Scholars started to deride the Janeites as people who admired her in the "wrong" way.  A little like the Trekkies vs. Trekkers.  Now we, who admire all thing Jane, consider ourselves, scholarly time-travelers. If you are a Janite you can play the game on facebook...Jane Austen's Rogues & Romance.



As mentioned on Day A, I am a fan and I plan to make that pilgrimage to Chawton some day. I have read her books, read many of the books about her and watched the movies. I have even tried to write like her.  You can read my feeble attempts under the tab Charlotte's story at the top of my web page. However, I am only an Janeite in the summer months, the rest of the year I obsess about other things.
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13 comments :

  1. ReginaApril 11, 2013 at 8:37 AM

    A summer Janeite? Must be all the outside reading that happens.

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  2. JenApril 11, 2013 at 9:19 AM

    I've never heard that term used!

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  3. JackieApril 11, 2013 at 9:28 AM

    Janeites... How fun!

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  4. PatApril 11, 2013 at 10:12 AM

    A three-month obsession. Hmmmm.....that can't be all bad! ;)

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  5. GhadeerApril 11, 2013 at 11:12 AM

    I think I'm a moderate Janeite! But it has become a recent trend to be obsessed with all things Austen, particularly because of all those Pride and Prejudice parody shows going on.

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  6. AkelamaluApril 11, 2013 at 12:07 PM

    I've never heard that term before - I like it!

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  7. Daniel B.April 11, 2013 at 2:41 PM

    Ya know, in some respects, she deserves the homage. After all, she largely invented the modern novel, or at least how the read.

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  8. ZebaApril 11, 2013 at 4:08 PM

    How interesting. Wow.

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  9. Elise FallsonApril 11, 2013 at 5:07 PM

    I've never hear of Janeites before! That's really interesting. (:

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  10. BBBApril 11, 2013 at 5:50 PM

    Very interesting, I had no idea.

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  11. Liz A.April 11, 2013 at 7:29 PM

    Jane Austen is so cool. I think I had heard Janeite before somewhere, but I had no idea it had such a long history.

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  12. MelodyApril 12, 2013 at 2:57 AM

    I, too, have read her books and watched the movies...but surprisingly enough, I don't think I've read any books about her!

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  13. ValerieApril 12, 2013 at 4:46 AM

    I hadn't heard that term either. But I have now. Methinks I should research more.

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