“Love and friendship” is a youth story by Jane Austen , written in 1790. Jane Austen wrote her stories in three notebooks. Notebooks are preserved to this day. One of them is owned by the Bodleian Library , the other two are owned by the British Museum . In addition to Love and Friendship, written by Jane at the age of fourteen, they also include her work History of England (work by Jane Austen) , written by the writer when she was fifteen. One of the features of the story is the epistolary style in which it is written.
Content
- 1 Summary
- 1.1 First letter
- 1.2 Second letter
- 1.3 Third letter
- 1.4 Fourth letter
- 1.5 Fifth letter
- 1.6 Sixth letter
- 1.7 Seventh letter
- 1.8 Eighth letter
- 2 See also
- 3 Sources
- 4 References
Summary
First letter
Laura from Isabelle
The first letter briefly tells us about Laura’s life from Isabelle’s point of view. The latter asks Laura to tell about the failures and adventures of her life to Isabelle's daughter, Marianne. She claims that from the time Laura became fifty-five, she can forget about the dangers of unrequited love and stubborn dad.
Second Letter
Isabelle from Laura
Laura fundamentally disagrees with Isabelle’s statement about her safety from failures only because of her advanced age. She agrees to write to Marianne and describe in detail the experience of her life, thereby satisfying Marianne’s curiosity and giving her some useful lessons.
Third Letter
Marianne from Laura
Laura’s story begins in the third letter and continues in twelve subsequent ones (that is, until the very end of the story). In the thirteenth, she will briefly talk about her parents, her birthday in Spain, and her education at a monastery in France. At eighteen, Laura returns to her parents' home in Wales. Laura pauses to describe herself at this age, emphasizing her “accomplishments” as what makes a woman a better couple for her future husband. She ends her letter with the idea that her failures do not make less impression than ever, achievements began to fade.
Fourth Letter
From Laura to Marianne
In the fourth letter, Jane Austen reveals to her readers the connection between Laura and Isabelle. Laura tells Marianne that Isabelle was her neighbor in Wales, and that the latter lived there because of poverty, in order to save. Laura portrays Isabelle less educated and beautiful than herself, but with a broader horizons due to frequent travels. Isabelle warns Laura of the fresh vanity and idle waste of London, Bath and Southampton, while at the same time instilling in Laura the desire to know the world.
Fifth Letter
From Laura to Marianne
In the fifth letter, Laura recalls the December evening, when a stranger, along with his servant, stopped at her house. Hearing a knock on the door, Laura and her family are trying to determine the source of the knock by comparing it with the knock of a hammer. Laura portrays her initial admiration for the young gentleman, claiming that he is the most charming and attractive young man she has ever seen.
Sixth letter
From Laura to Marianne
The sixth letter consists of a dialogue in which a wanderer named Lindsay tells Laura and her family about himself and what happened to him before arriving at their house. He comes from an aristocratic family. He is often called Edward. His father wanted him to marry Lady Dorothea, but he refuses out of reluctance to please his father. Edward hit the road to his aunt’s house, but lost his way and ended up in Laura’s house. The letter ends with Edward hastily marrying Laura.
Seventh Letter
From Laura to Marianne
In the seventh letter, Laura and Edward go to his aunt's house in Middlesex. Edward's marriage to Laura came as a surprise to his aunt and sister Augusta. Laura noticed the unpleasant cold and repulsive secrecy with which Augustus met her. She overheard Edward's conversation with Augusta, in which she expresses her concern about his reckless marriage and the reaction of their father following him. From the written it becomes clear with what difficulty Edward and Augusta achieved this, confronting his father. The dialogue between Edward and Augusta Austin was diluted with romantic sentimentality. Soon Lady Dorothea arrives, whom Laura cheers up with a warm welcome.
Eighth Letter
From Laura to Marianne (continued)
Upon the arrival of Lady Dorothea, Sir Edward unexpectedly paid his visit.
See also
- Love and friendship (film)
Sources
- Deresiewicz, William. Jane Austen and the Romantic Poets. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004
- Austen, Jane. “Love and Freindship.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. Lynch, Deidre Shauna, and Stillinger, Jack. New York: WWNorton & Company, 2006.