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 short play, The Mystery.
Synopsis
The whole joke on which the play is built is established within the dedication. The author knows the play is unfinished but thinks that lends itself nicely to making the mystery more impactful.
As the play opens, Old Hum and Young Hum are having a discussion. They wish to evaluate the propriety of a situation. The men agree that what they’ve already done and decided upon is the correct course of action.
From there, the setting moves indoors where Mrs. Hum and her daughter, Fanny, are having an equally vague discussion. They are trying to determine how best to proceed with a matter when Mrs. Hum’s other daughter, Daphne, enters the room. The three women whisper about a topic, sharing what they know because whatever the mystery is has already happened. Once the women are satisfied that they know all, Fanny excuses herself and leaves the room.
The final scene features Sir Edward sleeping. He is encountered by Colonel Elliot who wishes to tell him a secret but is afraid of having the information reach others. He is glad then that Sir Edward is asleep because then he feels free to blab.
Analysis
Often as I’m reading these bits and pieces of Austen’s Juvenilia, I like to picture young Jane laboring over the task of writing. I envision her sitting at a desk, dipping her quill in an ink pot, then snickering to herself when she finishes with a piece like this one. The mystery in this tale remains entirely a secret throughout, even though the characters all talk about it amongst themselves.
Perhaps, some readers will find that conclusion unsatisfying. But I prefer to think of that funny smirk that was assuredly on Austen’s face, and that makes me realize this story is precisely as enigmatic as she wanted it to be. The complete text for this story is available to download.
Our journey through Jane Austen’s Juvenilia continues tomorrow. Do join us, if you have the time, as we read what came next for our favorite young author.
Images: A View from the Orkney Isles, Scotland, 2023, Photo Taken by Mindy Killgrove-Harris
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