海角大神

Fans of Jane Austen will know that the writer didn鈥檛 have the same happy ending her characters did. There was no Mr. Darcy 鈥� or even Mr. Collins 鈥� for her.

鈥淢asterpiece鈥� on PBS offers viewers a carefully crafted, if elegaic, window on her life with the debut of the four-part series 鈥淢iss Austen鈥� on Sunday.

Based on the 2020 novel by Gill Hornby, the story鈥檚 core is the relationship between Jane and her older sister/best friend/life companion Cassandra. One of Hornby鈥檚 aims was to imagine why Cassandra, to the frustration of Austen scholars, burned many of her sister鈥檚 letters. It鈥檚 a mystery whose emotional depths seems appropriate to explore during 2025, the 250th anniversary of Jane鈥檚 birth.

Events celebrating the author are scheduled throughout the year 鈥� particularly in her native England. Aficionados can take their pick of festivals, balls, and exhibits. A French romantic comedy, 鈥淛ane Austen Wrecked My Life,鈥� is slated to be released later in May. Netflix has plans for a new 鈥淧ride and Prejudice鈥� series. The well-acted 鈥淢asterpiece鈥� offering is a more somber affair. Keeley Hawes (鈥淭he Durrells in Corfu鈥�) anchors an excellent cast. And her thoughtful turn as Cassandra offers Janeites some pop-culture solace: Hawes is married to Matthew Macfadyen, who played Mr. Darcy in the 2005 film 鈥淧ride & Prejudice.鈥�

鈥淢iss Austen鈥� begins in 1830, more than a decade after Jane鈥檚 death, when Cassandra (Hawes) rushes to the home of a family friend. The man she goes to see, the brother of her late fianc茅, soon dies. Cassandra stays on to help one of his daughters, Isabella (Rose Leslie), prepare to move.

Cassandra is also determined to retrieve correspondence between Isabella鈥檚 late mother, Eliza, and Jane. All three were confidants. Protecting Jane鈥檚 legacy and privacy are strong motivations for her sister. When a new acquaintance suggests a biography should be written about the author, Cassandra firmly disagrees.

鈥淓verything one needs to know about Jane Austen is to be found within the pages of her novels,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here is nothing more.鈥�

Cassandra stealthily rummages in desk drawers and wardrobes looking for correspondence from an earlier time. While reading, she flashes back on the young women鈥檚 experiences: Finding and losing love. Being turned out of homes, while male relatives, with the ability to earn a living, are comfortably situated. Being expected to nanny a sibling鈥檚 children for no pay.

The often grim realities of women鈥檚 life prospects in the 19th century are fully felt here. (Be sure you have tissues for episode 4.) But so, too, is humor, as when Jane (Patsy Ferran) teases young Cassy (Synn酶ve Karlsen) about a suitor.

鈥淚鈥檓 something of an expert in romantic matters,鈥� she says, insisting she saw sparks between the pair. 鈥淚 think one even caught in my bonnet. Because of your charms, I might have gone up in smoke.鈥�

Jane鈥檚 own sisterly bond likely informed some of her most famous characters: Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, Jane and Elizabeth Bennet. Not all of the sisters portrayed in 鈥淢iss Austen鈥� are amiable 鈥� Isabella鈥檚, for example, are somewhat lacking in filial spirit. But Isabella is also the character whose future eventually offers the most hope.

Those who have the film and TV adaptations of Austen鈥檚 books memorized are in for something much different in tone here. The alluded-to realities of the author鈥檚 life, about as far from 鈥淐lueless鈥� as you can get, serve to make the satire and shelf life of 鈥淧ride and Prejudice,鈥� 鈥淪ense and Sensibility,鈥� and 鈥淧ersuasion鈥� all the more impressive. Knowing that Jane Austen never got her own Pemberley, and seeing the penury and leaking roofs portrayed, are very different things.

But what of Austen and love? As in real life, she is briefly engaged. In this telling, she quickly realizes that she doesn鈥檛 want to give up her true passion, even if it means living a more austere life. Her sister is adamant that, for Jane, this was the only way.

鈥淲riting was Jane鈥檚 greatest love,鈥� says Cassandra. 鈥淣o man was ever worthy.鈥�