| Status: | Active, full but can join waiting list |
| When: | Monthly on Monday mornings 10:30 am 3rd Monday of the month |
| Venue: | Group Leaders Home |
250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth in 2025, the Jane Austen reading group (JARG) continues to enjoy exploring Austen's Northanger Abbey. Reading short passages during the sessions helps bring her characters to life, while writing deepens our appreciation of the prose. The engaging discussions, and shared love for Austen’s work makes every meeting a delightful literary escape.
As you read the following examples it is fascinating to see how, within a small group, different members can have diverse interpretations of the same chapter.
Written by JARG member Anne Halse:
Catherine's stay in Bath consisted of repeated visits to shops and the Pump room and, with Mrs Allens’ help they endeavour to become acquainted with other residents. Capt. Tilney was their first connection.
He enquires of Catherine where she has visited in Bath and discusses how he would like to be recorded in her journal. He belittles the ability of women to write, after which he turns his wit on Mrs Allen’s obsession with clothing, describing his many purchases of muslin.
Catherine retires thinking that she is falling in love before Tilneys' love is declared. Mr Allen has already satisfied himself that Tilney is of reputable character.
Written by JARG member Kay Edge:
The reader will share Catherine’s excitement as she tastes the pleasures a season in Bath has to offer a young lady with scant experience of life – the shops, the town and, of course, the Pump Room. She and Mrs Allen could only lament their lack of acquaintance!
Imagine, then, our heroine’s introduction to the handsome Mr Tilney, happy to dance and talk agreeably about the play or the Upper Rooms, even admiring her new muslin gown, though teasingly predicting it might fray. Such concern charmed Mrs Allen, whose sole passion was her clothes, while Mr Allen, having ascertained their charge’s escort was a respectable clergyman, felt he had done his duty by her.
JARG group description
The JARG (Jane Austen Reading Group) meets monthly, usually on the 3rd Monday, from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Each session, we select passages from a chosen Jane Austen novel to read aloud and discuss. Alongside exploring the text, we also reflect on Austen's life and the context of her times. Our discussions often include readings or references to other Jane Austen novels and her biography.
In our 1st meeting held in September 2024 we started reading Northanger Abbey. Join us for an engaging look into the world of Jane Austen!
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