Bringing Austen to Life: Austenmania in Bath

Hey y’all! This weekend we were so fortunate as to visit the Jane Austen Festival in Bath! This weekend proved to be fun and very informing as we learned about the city of Bath and the world of Jane Austen. The first day of the festival began with a bang when we were walking around a park in Bath and met the actor who played Mr. Wickham in the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice! Our group was lucky enough to take a picture with him, and talk to him about his work a bit. Upon entering Bath we were immediately swept up into the world of Jane Austen and the many people who are fans of her work. 

After that encounter, we were able to get a formal introduction to Jane Austen and learn more about her life, her family, and her writing. We sat through a lecture about proper manners in the early 19th century, which gave us insight into the social setting of Austen’s books. This whole experience was enchanting, as there were people dressed up as various characters from her books, many others dressed in Regency Era dress, and Jane Austen memorabilia everywhere. There was actually a gift shop selling Jane Austen memorabilia, which allowed me to get a few souvenirs, one of which being an “I heart Tilney” pin! In case you didn’t know, our class has been reading Northanger Abbey the last few weeks, and Mr. Tilney is the love interest in the novel. I had taken a particular liking to this character, and finding a pin with his name on it in the gift shop made me so excited! I simply had to purchase it and wear the pin for the rest of the weekend. I had found a character I loved, purchased his pin, and decided to wear it to show off my excitement. It was then I realized that this was the whole point of the Jane Austen festival. All these people had fallen in love with something about Jane Austen and her works, whether it be a particular story, character, or even just the Regency Era it’s all set in. All these people had fallen in love with something and were gathering together to share this love with one another. Dressing up in Regency clothes and attending lectures, balls, and plays were just ways that people were expressing their love for Jane Austen.

Another aspect of the weekend that was impactful for me was simply being in Bath, the setting for Jane Austen’s novel Northanger Abbey and where she lived for part of her life. Exploring Bath was not only beautiful and fun, but allowed a window into the world of Jane Austen herself and her characters, and what their lives might have been like in Bath. On Saturday, I was able to tour and explore Bath Abbey, a beautiful church built in the 1600s! This was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. I had entered into the world of Christians from centuries past, and I was so grateful to have been able to see it. 

On Sunday, I was able to take a walk from our hostel down to the city center of Bath, and this was such an incredible way to experience Bath. I came across a meadow of green grass and could see the entirety of Bath down a hill. It was quiet and still, and I was able to just breathe and soak in the fact that I GOT TO SPEND THE WEEKEND IN BATH! The weekend had shown me so much about Jane Austen, her fans, and how her works have been inspired and how they have impacted people 250 years later. Even walking down the hill towards Bath on Sunday felt like I was getting a glimpse into Jane Austen’s life. She lived in the country for part of her life, so experiencing that bit of quiet and peace felt like I had a connection to Austen myself; it felt like I could relate to her in a way. I am so glad I got to find a piece of Jane Austen this weekend in Bath, and it has forever changed the way I relate to her works and her fellow fans.

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