Bringing Austen to Life: Chronicles of Ashton the Janeite

When I arrived in Bath, I felt the same wave of excitement and astonishment as Catherine did as she was met by the richness and welcoming nature of Bath: taken away by the culture of the various people in and out of costume. The Janeites that graciously graced the streets like doves and scattered in various hotspots with their colorful costumes. It was hard for me not to ask who they were dressed as, and most to my surprise, said they simply dressed up for the love of Jane Austen. Still, we had conversations about the characters in Jane's various novels that affected their specific choice of attire. 

Some women wore more expensive fabrics in muslin gowns and wore more jewelry to imitate characters like Emma, as she was wealthier, whilst others wore simpler but still elegant muslin gowns paired with high waistlines, which, when I did research, is a style called empire style. This is what Catherine would have been dressed in when she went to balls, which I found interesting. Some of the gents dressed up with their spouses in dark tailcoats and cravats, which to me made them look quite agreeable, as Mrs. Allen would say. A lot of the gents said their inspo came from characters like Mr. Knightley and Captain Wentworth, but the fan favorites were Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham.

The various attire was even more evident later in the night, when I got a chance to see the balls live. It was just like the book where the men would ask the women to dance. I saw the power of option as in the ball; there seemed to be more women showcasing how Bath is the place where acquaintances are met. A place or environment where you come single and potentially leave married with the intimate dancing as a catalyst. 

As we perused through Bath and the various shops, I was just in awe of the architecture, the buildings, and the stories they had to tell. Seeing the actual Pump-Room was a surreal moment because it was like putting a face to a name. Seeing it after the two weeks of just reading about it was surreal as well as eye-opening to show the difference between the upper rooms and the lower rooms. I was able to see firsthand the value of wealth and status and how that affected who you got to hang around. Not only did I see how committed some of the presenters were when we got the chance to go to the Jane Austen Museum, but in my interaction with the Mr. Wickham actor, I was astounded by how in character he remained as he taught us about Jane's family in a rather humorous way." I LOVED IT!

I decided to join in and dress up as Catherine. In that moment, taking it all in and enjoying every moment of this flamboyant society, I felt as though Bath was making me highly impressionable. In my three days, I came to understand that Jane Austen was truly ahead of her time. The way she captivated the attention of her readers and slipped irony and humor into her novels gave not only people in Bath but people around the world a reason to pick up her books and be so invested. She mixes issues of class, marriage, wealth, and others through the power of her writing. I witnessed people from all over the globe, from California to Spain, gravitating to Jane Austen, who was and very much still is. I wish I had read the other books to relate to more of the other Janeites, but that is an issue I am resolving with haste. I loved my time and will definitely be coming back.

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