The Many Takes on Jane Austen

With Love & Friendship being the latest Jane Austen adaptation to hit our screens (think more com than rom), it’s only fair to recognize some of the more unique interpretations on the author’s famous stories. Throughout the years, Austen’s work has been morphed into movies, television shows, and even plays, in the most imaginable ways possible.

Death Comes to Pemberley (2013)

This three-part drama is a spinoff from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but based on the novel written by P.D. James. Six years after the book takes place, Mr. And Mrs. Darcy head to Pemberley for a ball. George Wickham and Captain Denny start arguing, which leads to them leaving the carriage and running into the woods to keep arguing. Gunshots are heard from the distance, a search party is sent, and Wickham appears to be blaming himself for the murder of Captain Denny that just took place.

Lost in Austen (2008)

In this fantasy mini-series that aired in 2008, a woman named Amanda enters the world of Pride and Prejudice, and takes the place of Elizabeth Bennet, through a portal in her bathroom. Amanda starts her adventure in the Bennet family house. Amanda and Elizabeth switch places—and centuries—and Amanda tries her best to make the novel stick to the original plot.

Clueless (1995)

This classic American comedy is loosely based on Austen’s novel Emma. Cher Horowitz is an extremely wealthy teenager from Beverly Hills. Cher starts to play matchmaker for various people throughout her school, starting with two strict and nerdy teachers. After realizing that her matchmaking skills actually work, Cher wants to keep doing good deeds. Cher takes a new student under her wing in a further attempt at match-making, but her plan backfires when she becomes more popular than Cher. The film follows a variety of teenage romance issues, and eventually became a television show and book series.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012-2013)

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a much more modern take on Pride and Prejudice, primarily as it’s being published solely on YouTube in the form of video blogs. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet is a grad student studying mass communications. She still lives at home with her parents and two sisters, Jane and Lydia. Since she is studying comms, her thesis is based on a series of video blogs that she posts to the Internet. All of the original characters appear throughout the story in their own, modern twist.

I Love You Because (2006-2013)

I Love You Because is another adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, only this time it’s in song and dance. Austin Bennett finds out his girlfriend Catherine has been cheating on him right before they go on a date. Austin tries winning her back by pretending not to care, advice from his brother, Jeff, while Marcy Fitzwilliams is also suffering from a breakup. Austin and Jeff end up going on a double date with Marcy and her friend Diana after meeting each other on an online dating site. Jeff and Diana are into each other, but Marcy and Austin do not get along. This tale of modern romance separates itself from other Austen adaptations in some very interesting ways!