Swift and Sensibility. . .
Guest Author: Jennifer Hill
From the shades of Pemberley to the falling leaves of Norland, news of Taylor Swift's latest album has been making the rounds. Swift has carried home armloads of awards since 2006, yet her music is often denigrated for being too pop, too self-involved, too this, too that, and perhaps - if the reviewers were honest - just too "teen girl." But other critics suggest that this visceral connection to the emotional landscape of young women is precisely Swift's power and wisdom. Perhaps Swift's songs are the perfect anthems to make a soundtrack for Austen's juvenilia.
So if our favorite Austen heroines (and some of our favorite antagonists) were modern girls, getting ready to listen to T-Swift's back catalog while they waited up for Midnights to drop, what would they choose? Guest DJ Jennifer Hill is here to answer that question!
Catherine thinks of Henry whenever she hears “Mine.”
Her BFF Isabella plays “Style” while giving her significant looks, but Catherine just can’t think of them like that.
Elizabeth listens to “Shake it off” when she remembers the dance where she first met Darcy, and tries to forget ever dedicating
"Bad Blood” to him.
Whenever Jane convinces her to do karaoke with the Bingley sisters, she alternates between singing“You Need To Calm Down” and “Mean.”
Lydia and Wickham always pick “Me!”
Marianne turns on “I Knew You Were Trouble” when she wants to wax poetic about Willoughby.
Elinor just listens to “Cardigan” on repeat.
Emma likes to say that “Mr. Perfectly Fine” should be Frank’s theme song, but stops when Knightly gives her the look.
She then turns on “Lover” and he gives her a much fonder look.
(Catch that look for yourself by joining us for A Day Out With Emma! Dec. 3 in Chapel Hill, N.C., we'll celebrate "Emma" with a day of presentations, crafts, holiday shopping and more, all leading up to Kate Hamill's new stage adaptation of the novel by PlayMakers Repertory Company. Click to REGISTER TODAY!)
Fanny plays “You Belong With Me” for Edmund, but he always seems to be humming “Blank Space” (which Mary says is her favorite).
And at the end of a long day, Anne re-reads a certain email, listens to “Willow” and pictures herself sailing away.
Listen to Jenn's playlist, "Swiftly Austen," here:
What tracks would you add? Tell us in the comments!