The ESSE Messenger invites submissions for its Winter 2017 section of professional articles on the topic: Jane Austen Ours
2017 marks the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death. What she left as her bequest to the world was to become a prolific space where sense, persuasion, sensibility and pride remained pre-eminent and where the Elinors, Mariannes, Janes, Elizabeths, Emmas, Darcys, Brandons, Willoughbys and Dashwoods still congregated together or at least briefly crossed each other’s paths. More than 200 years after their first publication, her novels are still avidly read as books and even transformed into successful film adaptations. In the 21st century her creations still provide a source of fascination and continue both to captivate well-seasoned readers and to animate fresh audiences. The questions that naturally arise are, then: Why are people still so obsessed with Jane Austen? Why is her legacy still alive and spreading? Is it because she has a sincere, direct, natural and convincing way of depicting human nature? Is it because her works are easily translated or adapted across various mediums, cultures and time periods? What is it that constitutes Jane Austen’s face in the 21st century? Questions such as these may help to suggest some of the topics for the Winter 2017 issue of the ESSE Messenger. Proposals should be submitted to the Editor by 1 October 2017.