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Title:
Evelyn
Series: ----------
Author:
Jane Austen
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre:
Satire
Pages: 32
Words:
10K
Publish: 1792
This was an over the top satire about the amiability of the English. It also satirizes most of the other subjects that Austen touches on as an adult in her later novels. The power of love, and people dying from it. The power of family, and people ignoring theirs.
The title is taken from the town that the main character lives in. Evelyn is not a woman, despite what the cover I have used here tries to make you think. I suspect someone saw the title, thought “Aha, a woman’s name” and slapped a woman on a background and tried to sell this on Amazon or Kobo or something. That’s the danger of not doing your research. On that note, in the state of Pennsylvania, there is a town called Intercourse. Right next to it is another town called Peach Bottom. Imagine what the cover to those (imaginary) books would look like! Certainly wouldn’t be Jane Austen approved.
When I read the previous juvenilia story by Austen (Catharine) I wondered if I could keep on going with these juvenilia shorts. Evelyn has shown me that I can. I simply have to frame my reading in the appropriate context, ie, Austen was a child or teenager when she wrote these for her family and are not meant to be judged as her novels are, being publicly and intentionally released.
★★★☆☆
From CourseHero.com
The story's title is the name of a tranquil, idyllic town that exists without illness or unhappiness. A man named Mr. Gower is passing through the town and falls in love with it. He decides he must find a house in town for himself. He stops at a small inn to ask about any available houses. He learns that there are no available houses because so many people love the town of Evelyn. Mr. Gower is approached by Mrs. Willis before he can despair and she tells him about a possible house for him. Mr. Gower quickly travels to this house to meet the owners Mr. Webb and Mrs. Webb. Mr. Gower meets Mrs. Webb who is incredibly generous and provides a feast and a generous sum of money to Mr. Gower immediately upon his arrival. Mr. Webb enters and asks Mr. Gower what else they can do. Mr. Gower asks for their house and grounds which both Webbs agree to without question. The Webbs introduce their daughters as they prepare to leave. Mr. Gower falls in love with the oldest Webb daughter Maria Webb and they are married the next day.
The couple is incredibly happy for several months until Mr. Gower is reminded of his sister. Mr. Gower's sister Rose fell in love with a high-ranking man named Henry but Henry's father did not approve of the match. Henry was forced to travel to the Isle of Wight by ship before the couple could marry. The ship was wrecked and Henry died. Rose is so overcome with this loss that Mr. Gower wants to do something to ease her pain. Mr. Gower decides to go to Henry's father and ask for a portrait of Henry for Rose. Unfortunately Mr. Gower gets distracted by the beauty and peace of Evelyn before completing his mission. Mr. Gower feels he must complete his mission but first sends a letter home to make sure his sister is still alive. The letter Mr. Gower receives in response tells him that Rose died six weeks earlier. Mr. Gower is overwhelmed by the loss but sets off to learn whether Henry's father would approve of the match if the two lovers were still alive. Henry's father states that he would not. Mr. Gower returns home to find that Maria died a few hours after he left. Mr. Gower is upset, makes arrangements for her funeral, and returns to his family home to be comforted.
Mr. Gower enters his family home and he sees his sister Rose sitting on the couch. He learns that Rose lied about her death to make Henry's family feel bad. She actually learned of Henry's death only a few days earlier when she met Mr. Davenport. Mr. Davenport brought the news of Henry's death and proposed to Rose on the spot. She accepted and the couple was married. Mr. Gower is shocked but congratulates the happy couple and walks to a local inn for a drink. At the inn Mr. Gower meets Mrs. Willis again and immediately asks for her hand in marriage. She agrees and the couple returns to Evelyn. Mr. Gower writes a letter after the couple arrives back home explaining the death of Maria to Mr. and Mrs. Webb. The Webbs' response is short and appreciative and does not show any sign of grief or sadness.
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