In the eighteenth century, a linguistic big bang spun off a new etymological universe: the language of sensibility. "Sensibility" and its related terms either appeared for the first time, took on meanings unique to the period, or gained enriched connotations. The denotations of these new linguistic planets have proved as elusive as the rings of Saturn, however. This hypertext offers a new approach to understanding the language of sensibility, one that accounts for the multiple possibilities of meaning. Rather than attempting hard-line definitions, this project offers the tools for recognizing the multivalent connotations of such sensibilious words as "virtue," "sense," and "benevolence." Our hypertext groups excerpts from major words of sensibility according to 24 primary words; we imagine the sensibilious reader exploring these passages to glean a new understanding of the vocabulary and the literature of the period.
The Austen Project pairs six bestselling contemporary authors with Jane Austen's six complete works: Sense & Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion and Mansfield Park. Taking these well-loved stories as their base, each author will write their own unique take on Jane Austen's novels. The Austen Project will launch with the release of worldwide bestseller Joanna Trollope's reimagining of Sense & Sensibility in October 2013, and will continue with Val McDermid's reworking of Northanger Abbey in Spring 2014 and Curtis Sittenfeld's Pride & Prejudice in Autumn 2014.
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