The Other Bennet Sister

RosiesMawagain

Treebee

Sorry to be pedantic but it grated with me when Cowper wasn’t pronounced as Cooper. Quite a blooper.

Or indeed Blowper

The same happens in Bridgerton with a character with the name Cowper. It really grates on me.

I’m a bit lost on why people are critical about this, because it’s not incorrect to pronounce Cowper the way the BBC have, both options are correct and in use. Quite a few surnames are like that. I went to school with somebody called Brussell, pronounced Brew Sell, but also knew somebody else with it pronounced like Brussels sprout.

Casdon

I’m a bit lost on why people are critical about this, because it’s not incorrect to pronounce Cowper the way the BBC have, both options are correct and in use. Quite a few surnames are like that. I went to school with somebody called Brussell, pronounced Brew Sell, but also knew somebody else with it pronounced like Brussels sprout.

Hyacinth Bucket would strongly agree

The episodes at the Gardner's house in Gracechurch Street contains words and phrases that were not used until the 2020s, E.g. the word 'stunning'. I won't waste my time with such a poor production any more.

While we’re quibbling, the name Rebecca (for one of the Gardiner children) jarred on me. I feel that in the early 19C it wouldn’t have been a usual name for this social circle - more a servant’s name?? Happy to be shown to me quite wrong.

According to AI:

Based on 18th-century UK records, the name Rebecca was rare among the highest aristocracy, often associated with Old Testament names popular in Puritan, merchant, or Jewish families. A notable figure was Rebecca Franks (1760–1823), a high-society Loyalist who married into the British baronetage (Johnson family) in 1782.
Reddit

Rebecca Franks (Lady Johnson): Daughter of a wealthy Philadelphia Loyalist, she married Sir Henry Johnson in London in 1782.
Rebecca Thompson (18th Century): Identified in 1772 as alegatee and associate of elite society members in London and Jamaica, inheriting property and later passing it to Rebecca Flower.

Context of the Name: While common in the 17th century (e.g., Rebecca Rolfe), by the 18th century, "Rebecca" was more frequently found in professional, mercantile, or merchant families rather than the peerage.
A Parcel of Ribbons

The name appeared occasionally in upper-middle-class and emerging merchant families, who sometimes intersected with aristocratic circles through marriage.
Reddit

How reliable that is I don’t know, but it would perhaps be appropriate for the Gardners?

MartavTaurus

😆

Though if we want to delve further, Ella B is half Italian! Father 🇮🇹
She does have a Latin look about her.

Useless information alert ........
Talking British. Did you know the Princess of Wales is related to Jane Austen?

Ancestral corsetry produced that enviable waist.

Thank goodness we can be more relaxed about our waists now!!

I'm really looking forward to the next five episodes. I don't worry about the details, ie. fake wisteria, mispronunciation of names, authenticity of names, vocabulary for that era. I simply watch it for light entertainment, escapism, simply being the operative word! It would exhaust me to watch it with such a critical eye and I might drop a stitch on my knitting!! 😂

Was there a reason for Mr Bennet's death given? I was surprised at the start of that episode, did I miss something?

He just collapsed on the floor. Maybe heart attack? It wasn't mentioned, unless I missed that bit 🙄.

I'm enjoying it as a jeu d'esprit but am very sorry that Mr Bennet died because I always loved Richard E Grant. But it had to be, for Mary to move on. I'm looking forward to her visit to Pemberly. Will it be Chatsworth again?

TheSunRisesInTheEast

Thank goodness we can be more relaxed about our waists now!!

I'm really looking forward to the next five episodes. I don't worry about the details, ie. fake wisteria, mispronunciation of names, authenticity of names, vocabulary for that era. I simply watch it for light entertainment, escapism, simply being the operative word! It would exhaust me to watch it with such a critical eye and I might drop a stitch on my knitting!! 😂

💖 I absolutely agree with you 💖

winterwhite

While we’re quibbling, the name Rebecca (for one of the Gardiner children) jarred on me. I feel that in the early 19C it wouldn’t have been a usual name for this social circle - more a servant’s name?? Happy to be shown to me quite wrong.

Trends through time in girls' names interest me very much.

Casdon

According to AI:

Based on 18th-century UK records, the name Rebecca was rare among the highest aristocracy, often associated with Old Testament names popular in Puritan, merchant, or Jewish families. A notable figure was Rebecca Franks (1760–1823), a high-society Loyalist who married into the British baronetage (Johnson family) in 1782.
Reddit

Rebecca Franks (Lady Johnson): Daughter of a wealthy Philadelphia Loyalist, she married Sir Henry Johnson in London in 1782.
Rebecca Thompson (18th Century): Identified in 1772 as alegatee and associate of elite society members in London and Jamaica, inheriting property and later passing it to Rebecca Flower.

Context of the Name: While common in the 17th century (e.g., Rebecca Rolfe), by the 18th century, "Rebecca" was more frequently found in professional, mercantile, or merchant families rather than the peerage.
A Parcel of Ribbons

The name appeared occasionally in upper-middle-class and emerging merchant families, who sometimes intersected with aristocratic circles through marriage.
Reddit

How reliable that is I don’t know, but it would perhaps be appropriate for the Gardners?

Unlike the spin-off in question, the genuine Jane Austen novels are not only entertaining but are also unwitting testimony of actual social trends and concerns.

Unlike the spin-off in question, the genuine Jane Austen novels are not only entertaining but are also unwitting testimony of actual social trends and concerns
We do learn so much about that period even though Austen's plots are almost exclusively set within the confines of family life. But we have the context of eg the Napoleonic Wars as well as social mores.

So much depth along with incredibly perceptive characterisation!

I know Caleo, I’m an Austen fan. In the book, they don’t have children at all.

I forgot to mention the fortune of Sir Thomas Bertram based on his sugar plantations andof course, the slave trade.

Casdon

I know Caleo, I’m an Austen fan. In the book, they don’t have children at all.

They have 4 children in fact named Mary, Catherine, Edward, and Philip, and they appear somewhat older in the BBC mini series than they are in the book, with Mary appearing ten, Catherine eight, Edward seven and Philip five. In the 2005 movie, none of the children appear.

Apologies, they do have children, but they are not named in the book. The BBC chose those names for the 1995 adaptation.

MG55

TheSunRisesInTheEast
Thank goodness we can be more relaxed about our waists now!!

I'm really looking forward to the next five episodes. I don't worry about the details, ie. fake wisteria, mispronunciation of names, authenticity of names, vocabulary for that era. I simply watch it for light entertainment, escapism, simply being the operative word! It would exhaust me to watch it with such a critical eye and I might drop a stitch on my knitting!! 😂

Totally agree. I just sit back and enjoy. It is a drama not a documentary. Far more important than things to worry about.

I have never been a fan of Jane Austin books, series or films.
However, I saw a clip of The Other Bennet Sister and the actress playing Mary was captivating and I am thoroughly enjoying the series. I then looked out a set of Austin books, given to me many years ago and to my surprise I want to read them. In school we used to say there was a thing called “Reading Readiness”. ☺️

Perhaps you are an Anne of Green Gables fan?

Maremia

Perhaps you are an Anne of Green Gables fan?

😁

I didn't read Anne of Green Gables until I was an adult and thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Sometimes, the books we read for GCE can't be appreciated at the time and we need to re-read them as adults. Not that I read Jane Austen for GCE, oh no, not worthy enough probably!

Allira

Maremia

Perhaps you are an Anne of Green Gables fan?

😁

I didn't read Anne of Green Gables until I was an adult and thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Sometimes, the books we read for GCE can't be appreciated at the time and we need to re-read them as adults. Not that I read Jane Austen for GCE, oh no, not worthy enough probably!

Love Anne Shirley. Sometimes when I find myself stuck or need to make a choice I think
"what would Anne do?"

Or Aunt Marilla 😁