Words are everything

Back to reading!

cavil | KAV-il | verb : to raise trivial and frivolous objection

I have recently been reading two (one is a sequel to the other) books that are sequels to my favorite novel in the whole world: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. They follow Darcy and Elizabeth in the weeks after their wedding, solving mysteries that they happen into. It's written to mirror the regency style prose that Austen used, of course, but the plots also remind me of the gothic era in 18th century literature, with a bit of lightheartedness thrown in.

It's always, of course, the ultimate fan's dream to have the story continued past the last page, and to frame it in the scope of a mystery is something that I find creative and enjoy wholeheartedly. What strikes me as appropriate here is that the gothic novel is something that Austen no doubt read (as they were the read of choice of frivolous girls of the era), but it is a genre she also commented on in one of her other novels, Northanger Abbey.

Now I have reread my last sentence and realize that I suggested that Jane Austen was a frivolous girl in her era. I don't mean that, but I can't think of a better way to put it. Thinking about the era makes me think of the 18th century British novel class I took at school, and how much I enjoyed it (except for reading Tristam Shandy, which I will never be able to get through completely).

I realize now that I enjoy learning about the British literature and even studying the 18th century period (not necessarily between 1700-1799, did you know that?) and then Victorian literature as well. If there was a way to fully integrate this Brit lit side of me and the evolution/ecology side of me, I would do it.

Now, on to the word of the day. I don't think I have seen Jane Austen use the word cavil, but I definitely think she would understand its meaning because several of her characters in her novels raise trivial and frivolous objection to many things, especially the characters that are trivial and frivolous to the heroine of the novel. I feel like if I really tried, I could probably write an essay on that topic. Is it weird that I actually miss writing essays?

p.s. I love public libraries.

p.p.s please look at a canvas of Henri Matisse's from his paper cut out era that I really, really like.

posted by Sharona @ 9:32 PM