A thing for period pieces (English)

I have a thing for period pieces. No matter if it’s a book, a comic or a film, if something had a historical tag on it, I’m more likely to try it on than any other similiar stuff that is set in modern times. When it comes to novels, my interest is even more specific. In fact, If I ever come across a novel that meet most of the following criteria, there’s a very high chance that I would immediately get copy and sit down for a read.

1. It is set in 18th and 19th century
2. It is a social commentary written by a bold and witty female author
3. It challanges the idea of the women’s traditional role in society and at home
4. It advocates for a pragmatic way of making and maintaining relationships where both parties are equal, especially that between friends and love interests
5. The main protagonist is an intelligent unmarried women under the age of thirty and is struggling to find her way in a society where she is at a disadvantage because of her gender, status and/or wealth.
6. The protagonist undergoes a subtle but significant change in the way she see life and judge others after interacting with new acquaintances or those she didn’t know very well before.

This particular type of novels works so well for me is because of the same reason why I love a roller coaster ride. They both provide me with a thrilling experience in which there’s no real peril for my part. I’m thousands of miles and hundreds of years away from the characters in the works of Jane Austen and Fanny Burney, free from most of the social constrains and expectations that they suffer from. After a long day at school, I could easily imagine the rustic charm of the English countryside from the comfort of my bed, knowing that I would never have to meet a fearsome aristocrat like Lady Catherine or General Tilney. I can enjoy the delicious drama and social tension of these characters’ lives without ever being harm.

As much as I enjoy the entertaining aspect of these novels, this, however, is not my main motive for reading Belinda or Jane Eyre. For the most part, I read them for the messages that the authors wanted to tell, regarding everything from daily interactions between close family members to large-scale problems like gender inequality. Though these badass authors had unique styles and vastly different ways of expressing themselves, they all discuss issues that resonate with their contemporaries as well as people who live two hundred years after their death. These women are my teachers and counselors. My book blog, which is essentially a Jane Austen fan blog, is how I demonstrate my deep appreciation for the lessons I absorbed from her works. Austen taught me the importance of the little and seemingly trivial things in life and how they could offer me meaningful insights into the bigger picture. She showed me how my relationships are forever attached to my identity and how balancing these connections is the best way to learn about myself as well as the world around me. Austen changed my life with such a simple philosophy. So did the Bronte sisters, Edgeworth, and others (with varying degrees of course).