Hello! A hearty welcome to all my fellow Janeites as well as those who are joining our ranks for the very first time. This year, the Jane Austen Summer Program is dedicating this space to exploring all of Jane Austen’s literary works in honor of her 250th birthday celebration. We have elected to start with the fragments and bits that were cobbled together during her youth and are now lovingly referred to as her Juvenilia. And so, with that in mind, we turn our attentions to Jane Austen’s epistolary short story, Amelia Webster.
Synopsis
This work is dedicated to the correspondence which occurs between a set of close friends and lovers. In the first letter, the reader is introduced to Amelia Webster. She is the recipient of a brief note from her friend, Matilda Hervey. Briefly, Matilda informs Amelia of her brother George’s arrival at home. From there, it is George’s turn to pen a missive. He writes to his dear friend, Henry Beverley. Now that he is home, he is well-pleased to find his mother and sisters in such excellent health. In particular, he believes his friend, Henry, ought to marry his sister, Maud (Matilda), because he simply will not be able to find a better match elsewhere. Moreover, George insists that should Henry argue the matter, he would feel mortally wounded.
Amelia Webster is the authoress of the third note, but she shares very little other than being happy to hear of George’s return home.
The plot thickens in the fourth letter as Benjamin Bar writes to Sally Hervey. They have been carrying on a secret correspondence for some time and he has found a new place in which to deposit their notes. He explains that he chose one which happens to be quite a distance from her house because he thinks being out of doors and getting some exercise will be good for her sickly constitution.
When Amelia writes again to her friend Maud (Matilda) she only expresses regret at having missed an opportunity to stop by the house and see her whilst traveling in the area. The reader learns next that even though Amelia did not have occasion to pop in and see her friend, George, Matilda’s brother, did happen to spy Amelia and he is now enamored with her. In his letter, the sixth in this series, he confesses that he has been unable to consume food because his love for her is so all-encompassing.
In the final missive, the reader learns that George Hervey and Amelia Webster were recently wed. Also taking their marital vows were Henry Beverley and Miss Matilda Hervey, as well as Benjamin Bar and Miss Sarah Hervey. Through this bit of correspondence that is sent from a man named Tom to his friend Jack, the reader understands that these marriages were able to progress and come about in a variety of ways. George threw his sister Matilda and friend Henry together. George fell instantly in love with Amelia and wished to marry her. And as for Benjamin and Sarah, they perhaps had been in love for ages and were only able to bring their relationship out into the open because their siblings made matches.
Analysis
In many ways, the reader can see where Austen may have begun dreaming of the plotlines for her later novels while fiddling with these early works. The heroines in Austen’s books all experience love and come to be married through different means. Just looking at Pride and Prejudice alone, the reader is treated a tale of unrequited love, that then is given a second chance to flourish with Jane and Mr. Bingley. Lydia and Wickham engage in a bit of a clandestine romance that eventually leaves both characters feeling unsatisfied. Elizabeth has her share of ups and downs in the romance department, but truly finds happiness and respect for another when her enemies to lovers situation with Mr. Darcy is resolved.
So, while the story of Amelia Webster is short and sweet, it may well have been the precursor to other works Austen had yet to create.
Please download the file and read the story for yourself. And, if you’ve got the time, pop back in tomorrow, as we continue to sort through Austen’s Juvenilia together.
Images: The grounds at Highclere Castle: 2023: Photo taken by Mindy Killgrove-Harris
Comentários