Game the Forty-Seventh: Favorite Scenes

Greetings, dear reader! I was on my lunch break today, lying in a rose garden and looking up at the sky (this is my favorite way of spending my lunch hour. I'm in an office the rest of the day, and I need to know what trees look like by lunchtime), and I had a thought. One of several, but this is the one that matters to this post. I realized that waaaay back when, we had the "How I Met P&P 95" game, but I don't think we've had a "Name Your Favorite Scene" game. *

Hence this game. It's not "game" in the traditional sense of there being a winner (winning, after all, is overrated). It's more of a sharing of anecdotes. The "rules" (these are "rules", the same way this is a "game") go something like this: name your favorite P&P 95 scene, the episode it's in, and the reasons it's your favorite (note: "Mr. Darcy in a wet shirt" is a perfectly valid reason).

I'll start: I am actually torn. I love Mr. Collins's failed "proposal", simply because it is so comical that it's painful to watch in parts.

Although Mrs. Bennet's effusive sobs ought to have a mention of their own...

The "Voi che sapete" scene certainly gets an honorable mention (I go rewatch that scene on its own from time to time), and I would be remiss not to mention Lady Catherine's call to inform Lizzy of her disapproval.

It Shall Not Be Endured!

But at the end of the day...Proposal Number Two. Even after seeing it more times than I care to admit to, I still grin like a loon whenever I see it. It just makes me happy.

So, dear Reader... which scene's your favorite?

Yours, etc.

Miss Elizabeth

*If we have had this game, I do apologize. But really, it can't hurt to play it again, can it?

Game the Forty-Sixth: P&P Slogans

Hello, folks! Today we're going to resurrect the "games" part of the Club. I loved the games when Amy and Melody did them, and was truly wracking my brain to find a way I could follow them up with something reasonably similar.

Which is why we have The Slogan Competition. Well, okay, not really a competition, but certainly an attempt to see who can come up with the most delightful, entertaining, or snarkiest (other categories to be made up as we go along) slogan for P&P.

So, rules: come up with a slogan for either the novel or P&P 95 (although you certainly can get extra points for a really snarky P&P2005 slogan) that you feel encompasses the work, include a picture (or a link to it) if you'd like to, and post it in the comments section.

Oh, the frivolity!

But I did come up with a good one...

The winners will be announced around the middle of next week. Good luck, and have fun!

Yours, etc.

Miss Elizabeth

The Changing of the Guard

Once upon a time, on a dark, insomnia-inducing night rather like this one, a young lady followed her first blog. That blog happened to be the P&P95 Forever Club. Later that night (technically the next morning), that same young lady started her own blog. To paraphrase Jane Austen, no one who had ever seen that young lady in her blogging infancy would have supposed that she would end up here.

Hello-- my name is Miss Elizabeth, lately of Modern Miss Bennet, and I am that young lady. And here refers to the fact that I am now the Blog Author (or authoress, to be entirely correct) and your Club Manager. Fear not: Melody and Amy are still the founders and administrators, and I doubt we've seen the last of them. But you'll be hearing from me a bit more often from now on. I shall endeavor to keep this blog running much as it has, in the grand P&P95 tradition, and to build on what came before me. Anything else would be unfair to the club, I think.

I won't lie, though-- I feel a bit as though I've just been informed that I am hosting a ball at which I know none of the guests. Were I more like Mrs. Bennet, I would sag against the wall and weep about my nerves. But because I am not Mrs. Bennet, and would rather like to get to know all of you better, I am going to stand here at the imaginary doors of the blog and greet you. That's what the comment section is for-- and if you'd like to find out more about this impertinent young lady who's taken over your favorite blog, you can read all about me here.

Until next time, then, I remain
Yours very sincerely,
Miss Elizabeth

P.S. A few housekeeping details: over the next few weeks, I'll be dusting off the rest of the blog. I've already begun to do so (you may have noticed some changes in the sidebar), but I would very much appreciate a bit of your help. Part of this dusting off involves checking all the links found on this site, so if you find a link that doesn't work during your perusal, let me know so I can Get Right On It. Please and thank you :)
Yours, etc.
Miss E

The Gardiners: Too Soon Forgotten? {A Guest Post by Rae}

There are things we all love about Pride and Prejudice--Mr. Darcy, of course, and we all love Lizzy as well. We often talk about them, the rest of the Bennets, Mr. Collins, and the Bingleys. We talk about the Gardiners, too, but not as often, it seems to me. 

Have we all forgotten how important the Gardiners are? When we read Pride and Prejudice, do we skim over the ending couple of pages, squealing instead over Darcy and Elizabeth? (Of course, this is not to say that I haven't done this two out of the three--maybe four--times that I've read it, and it's completely understandable. After all, Darcy and Lizzy!) Do we really take the time to read the last paragraph? 

Here's the thing: the Gardiners are quite possibly the most important characters in the book. Jane Austen said so! Let me quote the last paragraph of the book, in case you cannot recall:

"With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them."

See what I mean? The Gardiners "had been the means of uniting them"! To be sure, Darcy and Elizabeth saw each other at Netherfield and Longbourn and Rosings, but if you take only their interactions in those places, then it is very doubtful that their acquaintance would have improved, or that "Elizabeth's opinion of him would have improved upon closer acquaintance." (Note: that is not the direct quote. :)) Jane Austen herself said that the Gardiners were "the means of uniting them" and so who are we to argue?

Besides their very key role in Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship, the Gardiners are such lovely people. I don't think anyone could help loving them. As is my favourite way to do this sort of thing, let me just list some of the random things I love about the Gardiners.


-They are a wonderful example of a married couple. As was pointed out in THIS POST, Lizzy didn't really have a good example in her own parents, but the Gardiners showed her an ideal couple who loved and respected each other.

-Mrs. Gardiner was just the sort of companion/mother figure Elizabeth needed. Elizabeth was...rather unfortunate...in her mother. We love to watch Mrs. Bennet (at least I do), but I think we can agree that she was a rather un-ideal mother. Mrs. Gardiner was, from what we know, a good mother, and we see how she acts towards Lizzy. She was exactly what an aunt should be--a good friend, with some motherliness mixed in. She was able to sympathise with Lizzy, as well as offer advice.

-They really love Elizabeth. It seems to me like the treat her almost like a child, and almost like a peer or something. I suppose they treat her just like a niece. :) I love their relationship, though, and it does Lizzy so much good.

Now, of course, this post would be very sadly lacking if I did not give "that one scene" a major highlight. The scene to which I am referring is, of course, the one at Pemberley when Mr. Darcy shows such exceeding civility to the Gardiners.

Of course, then the Gardiners sadly misunderstand Mr. Darcy's character, but still. This scene seems to me to be one of the most important ones of the book. Mr. Darcy is able to show Elizabeth that he is a gentleman. To whom may we owe this scene? The Gardiners, and Mrs. Gardiner in particular. If it weren't for her, they would never have gone to Pemberley, and if they hadn't gone to Pemberley, then the rest of that business that happened between Darcy and Lizzy in Derbyshire would never have happened, I think. I really don't think they would have had an acquaintance in Derbyshire if it were not for that one scene. 

Do you begin to see what I mean? The Gardiners are quite possibly the most important characters in the entire novel! Let me quote the last paragraph again:

"With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them."

Let me point out another thing in this paragraph: "Darcy...really loved them." What does that say?! Do you see what a big deal that is? Mr. Darcy loved them. We all know how selective he is about his acquaintance, and even more selective about people he loves. Of course, who could help loving the Gardiners? I'm quite sure he found them a far more pleasing aunt and uncle than Lady Catherine. 

Rae of Rae: A Drop of Golden Sun

September, 2016

Giveaway Winner

I'm so sorry everyone. I was awfully busy, and then I forgot, and then I was awfully busy, and then I forgot... you get the picture.

BUT.  We have a winner for the recent giveaway, and that would be Rae!  Rae, please email us and get us your address so we can send you the book! :)  (Assuming you live in the U.S., that is.)

Also, thank you to Hannu for your entry!  Unfortunately, I couldn't count them in the giveaway since it would be awfully expensive to ship out-of-country, but I'm still appreciative!

You Should Really Read This Exciting Post.

...wow.  I am REALLY rusty when it comes to writing post titles.  Not that that was ever my forte...

Um.  Hello, lovely peoples.  Miss Marianne here.

I know it has been AGES  since you've seen a new post on this blog, and I apologize most sincerely.  When we started this blog, Miss Dashwood and I were young and innocent :P and didn't have jobs.  She was still in high school, and I'd graduated and wasn't doing any college yet.  So at the time this was a reasonable undertaking.

Now, however... well, we just don't have the time to keep up with it, especially since we have our own individual blogs.  But that doesn't mean we want it to fall into the void of old blogs that are never updated!

That is why we are asking for your help.  And are having a giveaway.

This is the prize for the giveaway:

I somehow ended up acquiring two copies of this book and it's lovely fun and you will adore it.  For a possibility of winning my extra copy, just do these very simple things...

1. FOLLOW THE BLOG and BECOME A MEMBER
Sorry, you don't get any entries for these.  They're just requirements for the others.

2. WRITE A GUEST POST FOR US
This is the main reason for the giveaway.  We need content!!!  The post can be about pretty much anything you want, as long as it is P&P-related (P&P95-related is ideal).  Even something simply Jane Austen-related might be acceptable.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Here are some details:

• 1 entry: 10-250 words / minimum of one picture (this could be an observation, a quote, etc.)
• 2 entries: 250-750 words / minimum of three pictures
• 3 entries: 750-1,500 words / minimum of five pictures
• 4 entries: 1,500+ words / minimum of five pictures

You may submit as many as you choose.  If you want an intro/bio/link to your blog, please include this in the post yourself. Submit the post by emailing it to shelvesinthecloset95 at Gmail dot com.  Copy and paste the following into the email to fill out when submitting. 

POST TITLE:
FONT STYLE: [Default, Arial, Georgia, etc.]
ANY SPECIAL FORMATTING NOTES:
CONTENT: [paste here] 

Please attach all images to the email manually.  DO NOT copy and paste images.  Simply indicate where you want the photos placed in this format (example): 

"{PHOTO 3, netherfieldpark.jpg}"
Please DO include the file name so they don't get mixed up if they reorder when you send the email, which sometimes happens. 

3. POST ABOUT OUR RESOURCES
My special request is that you inform other P&P95 fans of the resources on this blog.  The website is designed to be a go-to to find P&P information, not simply a "blog," and I'm not sure how many people know about all the interesting information that is available.

This is worth two entries. Comment below and paste a link to your post.  (It can be a blog or any social media.)

YOUR DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 26TH.  Ready, set, go!