Becoming Jane Discussion
Published April 20, 2011 | 
By Regina Jeffers
Becoming Jane is an imaginative, romantic tale that captures Jane Austen’s spirit, while playing with the truth. Many of us on this site have written our own “what if” stories, and so, maybe, we might be able to suspend reality and accept the witty, enchanting romance as all good storytelling. This film takes some well known facts from Austen’s life and spins them into an ingenious tale of lost love.
The film opens in the year 1795 and explores the feisty beginnings of an emerging 20-year-old writer, who wishes to live beyond what is expected of her – to actually marry for love. Anne Hathaway portrays Jane Austen, and James McAvoy plays the non-aristocratic Tom Lefroy, whose intellect and arrogance first raises young Jane’s ire and then captivates her heart. 
Juliann Jarrold, the film’s director says that “A couple of recent biographies have sort of honed in on this romance with Tom Lefroy, because it’s the older bios that tend to say she [Austen] didn’t have this romance; that somehow, out of her imagination, she was able to portray these amazing characters. Straight after [the alleged romance], she started writing First Impressions – and then Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey.” (BTW, do you not love the facial similarities between the real Tom Lefroy and James McAvoy in these two pictures?)
The film is known for taking the truth and making it a reality. For example, there is some evidence that Ann Radcliffe influenced Jane Austen; however, the film creates a meeting between the two. During this encounter, Radcliffe asks Austen of what she will write.
Radcliffe: Of what do you wish to write?
Jane: The heart.
Radcliffe: Do you know it?
Jane: Not all of it.
Radcliffe: In time you will. If not…well, that situation is what imagination is for.
The film also provides us with plenty of “Jane” talk. For example, we hear part of the story/poem that Jane has created as a tribute to her sister Cassandra’s engagement.
The boundaries of propriety were vigorously assaulted, as was only right, but not quite breached, as was also right. Nevertheless, she was not pleased.
When others question Jane’s ambitions to become a novelist, she responds,
Novels are poor insipid things, read by mere women, even, God forbid, written by women.
Novels are poor insipid things, read by mere women, even, God forbid, written by women.
But beyond the plot’s twists and turns, Becoming Jane playfully references Austen’s themes, characters, and story lines. So my question is how many such references can you name? Here are some (but not all) that I noted.
- From Pride and Prejudice, we find…
- Jane’s character resembles a cross between the flirtatious Lydia Bennet, who loves to dance, and Elizabeth Bennet, whose verbal swordplay with Mr. Darcy is enticing. Mr. Warren is the klutzy clergyman whose proposal reminds us all of Mr. Collins. (He also is a bit like Mr. Elton in Emma.)
- Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith) is so Lady Catherine De Bourgh. She does not want Wisley to consider Jane as a mate, and I love the scene where she mentions “a little wilderness.”
- Lefroy’s character reminds of us the “worthless” activities of George Wickham early on in the film. Like Wickham, Lefroy studies law, but with not much success. Later he is very much Darcy in his judgment of “country” life.
- From Sense and Sensibility, we find …
- Like Marianne Dashwood, Jane’s decisions are not based on “sense,” but on her “sensibility” (emotional response).
- Jane’s situation, if she does not marry Wisley, will be very much like the Dashwood sisters after losing their home.
- From Northanger Abbey, we find …
- Jane plays cricket, very much as did Catherine Morland.
- Jane defends her desire to write novels.
- The scene in Uncle Benjamin’s house between Jane and Lefroy reminds one of the staircase scene between Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland.
- References to Ann Radcliffe’s (as well as other Gothic novels) are made in the novel. In the film, Jane visits Radcliffe.
- From Mansfield Park, we find …
- Lady Gresham’s line to Jane about her duty to marry well reminds us of those spoken by Lady Bertram to Fanny Price.
- Lady Bertram spends her days with her pug dog, as does Countess Eliza, Jane’s cousin.
- From Persuasion, we find …
- Although she loves him, Jane breaks an engagement with Lefroy so that he has a chance for a better future. This is similar to what happens between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth.
- In the novel, Anne meets Wentworth at a concert, where she must translate the opera for her cousin. She recognizes their love still exists, but she can say nothing. “How was the truth to reach him?” In the film, Jane meets Lefory many years after their separation at a concert. He has married and has a daughter named “Jane.”
Regina Jeffers
Regina Jeffers writes Austen-inspired sequels and mysteries, as well as Regency and contemporary romance.
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26 Responses to Becoming Jane Discussion
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I can't think of any references besides the ones already mentioned by Regina. I think it's time re-watch Becoming Jane after an absence of almost 3 years.
Oooh, I need to watch the whole movie now! I have only seen portions of Becoming Jane, and you've really whetted my appetite!
I always enjoy your insightful posts about films, Regina.
Thanks for the image of the real Tom Lefroy. James McAvoy was well cast in the role, so it would seem.
Becoming Jane is in my collection of DVDs, but I have only watched it once. Your information makes me willing to give it another try. I will do so again soon but my first priority, when I have some free time, is The King's Speech, which I purchased yesterday.
Joanne
There is a book entitled "How to Read Literature Like a Professor." In it, there is a chapter about rain being symbolic of something bad happening. In this movie, when the Austens are dining at the great house, it begins to rain. My students immediately turned to me and said, "Who is going to die?" Then the letter arrives in the movie announcing the death of Cassandra's betrothed.
I really loved this movie. Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy are favorites, for one, so that increased my viewing pleasure. My daughter is highly enamored with McAvoy and we have a long standing tease over his handsomeness being superior to my movie star crush Matthew Macfadyen. She is wrong of course but I allow her to live within her delusion.
Still, I love him and I very much enjoyed this movie. I never worry too much over a movie being 100% accurate since that is never the case. If it is well done and entertaining that is usually good enough for me.
But, from what I have read it seems like the movie makers latched on to some facts. Thanks for your insightful comments, Regina. Now I am impressed with Becoming Jane even more than I had been!
This is stated in one of the special features, but another observation is the use of color in the costumes. Examples: Notice how the affluent young girls are often shown wearing pastels while Jane is portrayed wearing darker colors meant to illustrate having to do work around the home.
I'm also agreeing with Sharon in one since that it really doesn't matter if a film is portrayed 100% accurately. Because to me, if a film is that entertaining, I will pursue the interest further.
Absolutely lovely post Regina;)
I enjoyed this film b/c of the cast and because of all the Austen snippets mentioned in your post. Thanks for gathering them up for us.
Sharon,
Staunch Janeites rejected the film immediately, but I always took the "twists" as being great "what if's." It is a fictionalized biography, after all. BTW, I agree with you about MM, but JM is mighty fine, as well. I like my men tall.
Christy and Mary,
Sixteen of my students actually met me at the artsy movie theatre in town to watch this film when it first came out, which was August, and school was not in session. Afterwards, they asked about the "reality" found in the film. As we sat in a semi-dark theatre, I explained about Jane's and Cassandra's life, etc. What was odd was that no one else left. All the other movie goers stayed to hear my mini-lecture on Austen.
Regina, I figured you would agree with me on MM over JM. LOL!
Don't get me started on "staunch Janeites"! Ha! I think they prefer the Victorian idealized Jane that her family presented in later years rather than the idea that Jane may have actually been a human female with desires and so on. For me this movie was great not just because it showed Jane possibly loving someone and all that speculation, but because it showed her as a free spirited, fun loving young woman. We know so little about how she was that I think any "what if" is as accurate as the next. But that is just MHO!
I thought the same thing back when I saw it, that there were several hints at her novels. Has been too long since I've seen it to come up with anymore. Fun post!
Oh, I just read your comment, Regina, and I actually have that book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, but haven't yet read it.
Kara,
I love the book "How to Read Literature Like a Professor." When we were reading The Things They Carried, one of the characters is Jimmy Cross (or JC…Jesus Christ character). My students caught it right away. Obviously, Jimmy was sacrificed to the Vietnam War. His last name being "Cross" made it even more dramatic.
Most people will say that Lefroy did not name his daughter after Austen. His wife had a wealthy relative with the name of "Jane." It is likely they named the girl for the relative in hopes of a legacy for the girl.
I am happy that I "encouraged" several of you to revisit this film. It is a favorite of mine.
I really enjoyed this movie and in fact bought it last year on DVD. I know it might not be technically correct in all aspects, but I thoroughly enjoyed all the references and similarities to her novels, like you mentioned.
I have never watched this movie. It's not that I have any issues with its accuracy (this film was never portrayed as being historically accurate) or the cast (I love Anne Hathaway as Jane). You'll probably laugh, but my reason is that I know the love affair is doomed and that makes it just too depressing for me. I really dig my happy endings in movies and am happy to skip them if I know there isn't one. I know, pretty pathetic, but that's me. Not that I don't think Jane had a happy life as a single woman able to pursue her career as a writer but since this movie was promoted as her love story, I just felt it would leave me sad in the end.
Lisa,
Although the ending is evident to every Jane Austen fan, it is not necessary depressing. There are those few tears, but not devastation.
Wonderful post Regina! Love your comparisons!
I have scene the movie a few times but not of late. When I watched it at the cinema with my daughter for the first time we cried and cried!
We had a long chat afterwards to buoy ourselves and realise that Jane's life was quite sad (as portrayed by this movie) and why it was so.
I have always loved Anne Hathaway and I thought she played Jane very well. I had not known much about James McAvoy before this but am now a big fan of his work. I love the emotion he gives in his performances.
I do love the film but find it difficult to watch only because I wish for Jane a happy ending like all her wonderful novels and it pains me to know that her life may not have ended so happily in the romantics stakes. Perhaps she was content with her lot anyway.
I can't think of any extra comparisons however I will look out for all of the ones you mention when I am game enough to watch my DVD again!
TSBO devotee
Vee
Vee,
I loved JM in his role in Shameless. You should see him in Starter for 10. It was a magnificent bit.
Wonderful, wonderful post, Regina! I loved all the references you found to Jane's real works within the world of the film. Makes me want to watch it again, just for fun.
It seems we should have a film watching party on a monthly basis. We could all watch the same movie on a particular day and then blog about our reactions.
Wonderful analysis, Regina – as usual.
I have only seen this once and it's a bit of a blur. However, I remember a moment when I thought Wisley was portrayed as Jane's Darcy opportunity. Of course, like Lizzy Bennet at the start of P&P, she missed the chance to probe beneath his offputting exterior.
I hadn't realised that JA wrote P&P straight after the Lefroy episode. I agree – he has elements of both Wickham and Darcy, but I think he inspired Wickham more.
I enjoyed this movie for several reasons. LOVE Anne Hathaway and any reference to Austen (however fictional) peaks my interest. I know someone that's an Austen "purist" and she just griped and griped about the lack of authenticity. I just don't care. LOL I too loved the "what if" factor. Great piece Ms. Jeffers!
Movie Watching party sounds fab!
Regina, I love hearing your perspective on things and this is no exception! It has been quite some time since I have pulled this movie out. It is definately time. Of course this time I will be watching for all the references!
Juliet,
To me, Wisley was like Darcy the second time he proposed…very tentative, but he said many of the same sentiments as Darcy during the first proposal. I suppose he was to be the stark contrast to Lefroy.
Stephanie,
I am in for the movie party. Instead of concentrating on the negative, I thought it was more important with my students to talk about what is real in the film. For example, that Jane wrote over 200 letters, but Cassandra burned many of them to protect her reputation – just as her family rallied around the character of Jane Austen to protect her when she returned from her elopement.