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Miss Austen


A witty, poignant novel about Cassandra Austen and her famous sister, Jane.
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Dinah says of Eliza: "She was a perfect woman, my mistress – too perfect, as I see it…" What does she mean? Do you have sympathy for Eliza?

Created: 04/06/21

Replies: 3

Posted Apr. 06, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Dinah says of Eliza: "She was a perfect woman, my mistress – too perfect, as I see it…" What does she mean? Do you have sympathy for Eliza?

Dinah says of Eliza Fowle: "She was a perfect woman, my mistress – too perfect, as I see it…Perfection brings no end of trouble. Mrs. Fowle would keep her thoughts to herself, which is a daft way to go on, if anyone wants my opinion." What does she mean? Do you have sympathy for Eliza?


Posted Apr. 11, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
scottishrose

Join Date: 07/24/11

Posts: 220

RE: Dinah says of Eliza&#x3a&#...

Eliza was being a proper vicar's wife and doing what was expected of her. It might have been better for her children, particularly Isabella if she had spoken up so that Isabella could marry. Of course, we don't know that she approved of the match either. But she was in a difficult position of she did approve as society at the time would not have looked favorably upon her trying to overrule her husband. I would say she could have tried to convince him of something, but he didn't really seem to be the sort that listened to women's opinions all that much.


Posted Apr. 11, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
susiej

Join Date: 10/15/14

Posts: 363

RE: Dinah says of Eliza&#x3a&#...

I love the character of Dinah and almost think this quotes almost says more about her than Eliza. I took this to mean that Eliza, by following the custom and manner of the day, doing what was expected of her, prevented her daughter from knowing the man she loved and sharing her life with him for far too long a time - at least in Dinah's view. It also kept Dinah from the dream of a life she obviously held onto as the servant of Isabella. I do not have so much sympathy for Eliza as I do for her daughter. After all, Eliza was living the life she pretty much had chosen and was comfortable and happy for the most part - her closed mouth did not really hurt her so much as it did Isabella, and I was gratified to see that eventually Isabella was able to know and have the happiness she deserved. Clearly Dinah was not reluctant as Eliza had been - for it was she in the end - ironically by NOT speaking - that brought the result she felt was long overdue.


Posted Apr. 12, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
katherinep

Join Date: 07/16/14

Posts: 374

RE: Dinah says of Eliza&#x3a&#...

I am in total agreement with susiej and could not say it better. My parents were born at the turn of the 20th century to families in which the man was the head of the household. Something I learned at a fairly young age was that my Mother followed my Father's decisions--BUT by my teens I discovered that this was the case in front of me and my sister but was NOT always the case. When alone both discussed their opinions of a situation and the decision presented as my Father's was just as often my Mother's or the collaborative decision made in the privacy of their room or after we'd gone to bed. I don't think that was an unusual situation for people of those days--the collaboration--and in today's families where there is mutual respect between partners it is often still the situation.


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