Episode 35: Taylor Swift x Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

In this series we are matching Taylor Swift songs to Jane Austen characters and novels! This was highly requested from you all so I’m excited to share this content with you. 

I have split the content up into shorter episodes so you can binge the lot, pick the novels you like the most or enjoy this series in stages. This was a fun series to create, and I am joined by Ann and Martha who have been on the podcast before and are good friends of mine.

Thanks again to our sponsor Haus of Bennet: https://hausofbennet.com/ Use code whatthediscount at the checkout for 15% off!

TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lbg54tnj_g 

Series order: 

Introduction 

Sense and Sensibility (12th March) 

Persuasion (12th March) 

Northanger Abbey  (19th March) 

Emma (19th March) 

Pride and Prejudice (26th March) 

Mansfield Park (26th March) 

We have created Spotify playlist for the series so you can listen to the songs based on the novels!

Where can you find Martha? 

Instagram: @marthabethanreads
Episode 10: Bridgerton Gossip (S1, S2 and the books)
Episode 21: The Mysteries of Udolpho and the Gothic in Northanger Abbey

Where can you find Ann? 

Instagram: @paper.hearts.library & @disneyprincesslessons
Youtube: PrincessLessons YouTube Channel
What the Austen? Episodes: The Disney Princess & Disney Villain series on the podcast 

Transcript

Izzy Meakin  00:00

This is the what the Austin podcast I'm your host Izzy and every episode I am joined by a friend and fellow Janeites  to chat about Jane Austen's work, please follow and subscribe both here on Instagram and on YouTube. It really helps the podcast grow and all your support means so much if you fancy going a little bit further. And once you join the Jane Austen discord chat and have access to extra content such as cheat sheets and early access to episodes, consider joining the Patreon and then become a full fledged member of the jnh hive. I just want to say a big shout out to all of my current Patreon members. You guys honestly keep the podcast going and I love all of our discussions on Jane Austen and the episodes but now let's get into this week's episode

Izzy Meakin  00:59

Hi, Janeites and welcome back to the what the Austen podcast. We're on to the fifth novel Now if our Jane Austen Taylor Swift series, so we're going to be covering Pride and Prejudice today. We've already covered quite a few of the novel. So if you haven't yet listened to them, feel free to go ahead. And we have some really great picks and some of the other episodes. Martha and and of course are back with me today. So yeah, let's get into it. All right, I can run through some of the ones I had on this one. So the first one I was actually so happy with my first pick for this one. So the first one that I picked on the list is actually a Lizzy Lady Catherine pick in that is you need to calm down. Because I just I honestly when I was listening to I could so see Lizzie like saying some of the stuff in the song like, you know, you need to calm down, you're being too loud. And you need to just stop. Can you just not step on my gown and something that Lizzie would say to Lady Catherine. And there's another one that said, but you would rather be in the dark ages. And that's like still like Lady Catherine where she's like so against them getting married because she's like, you know, you're going to pull out the shades of Pemberley

Ann  02:07

and making that song. I just think it's like it makes her think about like her just like even though she didn't make a sign. It's just like, taking her all night just like stewing about what she's gonna say to Elizabeth.

Izzy Meakin  02:19

Or travelling or travelling to Lizzie's house. She like rocks up. And that like the start of this hunger is like damage when they open the door, and she's just so funny, so yeah, I thought that was a good pig. For that dynamic.

Ann  02:36

That was one of my bonus pigs because it's so

Izzy Meakin  02:38

great. Yeah. Since you kind of cracks me up about that one. So that was my number one pick for Pride and Prejudice. Number two, I did tell me why. Because I feel like that's like Lucy's response to Darcy's first proposal, where she's literally just like, What the hell? Why have you said all these awful things like I'm sick of your attitude? And why do you say you love me? But then you cut me down? Like, what are you? Isn't that just exactly what it's like, and Darcy's first proposal where he's like, I love you. Like, that's, that's a fact. But also, you know, I've had to go against my better judgement and say it. So that was my number two pick, I like it. And then number three was mine. So I know we've covered that one quite a few times. I think that's probably the most reoccurring song that we've had for different knotting going on. And it's such a good one. But yeah, just that I think that's kind of like at the end of Pride and Prejudice, where they're looking back and they're just kind of reflecting on the journey they've gone through together. And it's kind of like, you know, sitting by the water and also, you made a rebel of a callous man's careful daughter and I feel it's very much like the Mr. Bennett Lizzie dynamic. So yeah, that was the the last one on my list.

Ann  03:53

There's a lot of careless dads in in Jane Austen.

Izzy Meakin  03:59

But yeah, did you guys have any I didn't know if you wanted to add some new math or on the Tell me tell me why section Did you?

Martha  04:06

I really liked that as a pic. I think tell me why it's a really good one. Actually, I hadn't. I hadn't picked that one myself. And I think that sums up so well, because she's literally like, why are you saying this to me? When you clearly have like big issues with what you're saying? Which actually leads into one of the songs I pick, which I'll talk about in a bit.

Izzy Meakin  04:27

Yeah, no, you go for it. You can read yours.

Martha  04:29

Okay, so my first one so when this came on, because I was like listening to my Taylor Swift playlist on shuffle and then kind of thinking like when someone come on, I'd be like, yes or no and then think I literally burst out laughing. And it was gorgeous from yet for take reputation. And if that isn't Mr. Darcy thinking about Lizzie, I don't know what it is. So like when he when he's like when it's like I'm so furious at you for making me feel this way. He's so angry that he likes her because he doesn't want to but he does. As. And the other line that really stood out for me is when Taylor thinks you should take it as a compliment that I'm talking to everyone here is so Darcy he's so doesn't want to like her initially. And that links really well with your pickup. Tell me why? Because Lizzie just doesn't understand why he likes her. And to be honest, neither initially, and he's really. I was like, cackling to myself while writing down my notes for gorgeous because I was like,

Izzy Meakin  05:28

Oh, I love it. I actually think that's one of my favourites. I

Ann  05:32

love it. And then when you said that it actually made me think to the point where she says, like a you should take it as a compliment that I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk. And you could like translate that to like, you should take it as a compliment that I proposed you and made fun of your family.

Martha  05:48

Yeah, it was making me laugh so much. That was my first one. And it was

Izzy Meakin  05:52

I love it. I was actually just thinking as well that that lyrics as well. You could see that about Lizzie and do the moment where she's like trying to find something that she can laugh about Mr. Darcy, and Caroline's like, you can't laugh at Daisy. There's nothing to laugh about it. She's like, Oh, that's rubbish. Because you

Ann  06:09

know, I love that it does. You could actually kind of see it from Lizzie's perspective, too. So that is a really good pig, Martha.

Martha  06:15

Yeah, that was my first one. And then the other one. I've worked to others and the other one, but one of them is like less entertaining. But my next one that I think's really funny is karma. And I feel like that is just Lizzie's anthem, like the whole way through all this stuff happens. But in the end, like she comes out on top, she defies everyone's expectations, and she defies societal norms. And she ends up with who she was. And I think it's also huge karma to both Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins. So karma was like perfect for her. And I think Lizzie's favourite album would be the reputation of having a reputation.

Izzy Meakin  06:50

I think reputation is so outspoken. And that's so let's see, that

Martha  06:54

is not from reputation, but it's got reputation error kind of vibes, isn't it? Where it's like, yeah, and also kind of the moving on from a set reputation, whereby the end like Lizzie's, like, well, we're married now, do what you want with it. Which leads me on to my last one, which is sweet, nothing, which I knew we had earlier for another one of the novels, but I can kind of see. After that everything kind of finishes. And they get married. I can just kind of see them like running off to Line Park and well, I say time buck.

Izzy Meakin  07:24

Line Park in the 1995 version.

Martha  07:26

Yeah, exactly where he jumps in the lake. Yeah, I can just kind of see them running off to Pemberley and just kind of shutting out the world. And like not thinking about Lydia and Wickham, and like not thinking about her mom and dad who can be really hard work and just kind of like living in their own little happy bubble for a little bit. And he doesn't want anything from her apart from her. And like, he doesn't even want her to know that he kind of dealt with the Wycombe situation, he expects nothing in return. So I really liked that bit. And also, the scene that sticks out in my mind obviously happens in the book, but I can picture it from the 1995 version when he comes to see her when they're staying in in Lampton. And she's just found out about Lydia, and actually she confides in him straightaway because she's like, like, the world is ending. I need someone to talk to you and it's going to be you. So sweet. Nothing I thought kind of suited them really well.

Ann  08:18

I like that. And you know, when he said that I I also thought about from Darcy's perspective, because Caroline wants, you know, the prestige and the status from him and you know, the Elizabeth doesn't even want him at all in the first place, so she doesn't really want anything from him either suffer when she does see Pemberley I think she wants to have a little bit

Martha  08:44

I think everyone would definitely if they could, especially if calling first

Ann  08:47

definitely a sign me. Please, sweepstakes Pemberley and Beatrice

Izzy Meakin  08:58

Yeah, I love it. Oh my gosh, that's amazing. What some great pics there for sure. And you want to do you want to run for your pics?

Ann  09:08

Yes. And I love the fact that we all had one that cracked us up and it was all something different and because I had one that cracked me up to that I had a lot of fun thinking about that I if there's not a fan video about this, I really want there to be but for me, I thought kind of Elizabeth theme song maybe about the going to the assembly at first and everything would be 22 from read, because I just love all the sassy vibes. And it's kind of like imagining everyone you know, it's like a perfect night to dress up like hipsters and make fun of our exes. And while they're not really making fun of exes, it just shows like that playful side and Elizabeth does end up making fun of Darcy but just sort of that playful side of we're going out and we're just gonna have fun she doesn't take it too seriously. But I love the thing the line that says his Taylor Swift anyway, like and her just kind of making fun of it the way that she says that it makes me think of the way that Elizabeth makes fun of Darcy like Oh, who's who's Elizabeth Bennett? She's not just tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me even though like their beauty is famed, it's that same kind of thing and it's and I just love the way Taylor is making fun of that like Taylor Swift anyway and and since it just reminded me I was cracking myself up just, you know who's Elizabeth Bennett anyway, I could just make sure her saying so that was the one that cracked me up I just want to see like all the Bennet sisters like singing and dancing to 22 and like walking into the the assembly

10:31

love the trigger five, and then on a completely

Ann  10:33

different serious note. It kind of took me a while to warm up to the song since another Midnight's pick, but the so many lines stuck out to me, for Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, and that is the 3am track, the Great War. And I thought it kind of like there's a lot of stuff about Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, because there's a line that talks about egos swinging, which I do think there's a lot of pride for it similar to having an ego. And it talks about you drove some good faith treaties. And so I was saying Darcy, like, drew up a good faith treaty by telling her about Wickham and, and he kind of wrote that letter. So it was almost like a good faith treaty. But she drew the curtains closed because she was just too mad at him. And so she couldn't even like protect her sister about like, and really just because she was just frustrated by the whole thing. She didn't know what to do about it. She didn't know if it was her place to say anything about it. And then there's that line about I drink the put my poison all alone or something like that. And I was thinking that they both really like drink the poison all because they're too they have too much pride, to admit that they started to like each other because of their stubbornness. And let's see, even though Darcy does plenty to earn a Lizzie's disdain, Lizzy also punishes him for the things that he never did, which is a line from that song. Because of Wickham like at first, like, you know, she just like believes everything. Wickham says about him. And so she punishes him for things that he actually never did. looked up at me with honour and truth and called off the troops. And so I feel like you know, like, Darcy does kind of look up at her with honour and truths and like tells her the truth about everything. And eventually, like she does call off the troops because she does kind of like campaign a war against him when she's believing Wycombe. There's another line, I thought I lost you we can plant a memory garden it makes me think of when Lizzie tells Darcy to think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure. So I think of like, it was a little bit of a stretch for you think of like gardens as being kind of like a lovely thing. I know a memory gardens a little bit different. But it's sort of like we're just gonna like put the pretty things in the garden. And think about it as only a remembrance gives us pleasure. So those are all my reasons for that song.

Izzy Meakin  12:47

I love that I didn't pick that song. But you leave it to me this like so many links there. I love that.

Ann  12:52

I feel like it's not an immediate but yeah, when I started looking at these lines, I was like, oh, there's a lot here.

Izzy Meakin  12:59

Yes. And also, I think it's really impressive because some of the the ones some of the songs that I picked, it was only like a couple of lines that really stood out to me. But I feel like there's a running theme for you that song where you can really pick up on like, what happens in Pride and Prejudice. I love that.

Ann  13:15

And I love that you know there is there's a lot of like military stuff in the background and then it's like a war theme. And you know, so I don't know I just really I liked that pic even though I feel like it's not immediately obvious. I liked it. And I feel like I have some like little bonus ones like blank space with Lydia. I could really see that being Lydia's theme song. And you know, there were others that I really liked. But I think this is another kind of strange one but I like this from Bingley's perspective is back to December because I was looking at another field ball and it's so close to December it's like November 26 And he leaves right after that. So I was thinking about being leasing I go back to December all the time. And I just thought Wow, interesting to think of that instead of from a girl's point of view. Like that's from his point of view and how you know if the what is the Lyric, the chain is on your door, I understand it's kind of like when he comes back and he's trying to say like, you know, like I still love you and like don't think that I'm an idiot and I don't know I just I liked that song from his perspective.

Izzy Meakin  14:16

Oh my god, I'm so shocked and I feel like we need to do an episode with the secondary characters and

Ann  14:23

a lot for like secondary characters for this one but I really would love to see music video of Lydia just like somebody dressed up as Lydia singing blank space. I think that would be hysterical. Like space from 1980 and I forgot to mention the album.

Izzy Meakin  14:38

Yeah, I feel like I forgot to mention that what I'm gonna do guys is I will tag obviously songs and the albums all the way like anything that we mentioned it will all be there. So in the order probably life will be underneath the bio or on my website just so that you can like follow along and you can listen along as well. I feel like that'll be said yeah, I need to do is listen to the songs so As we go awesome okay do you have any more on your list and for Pride and Prejudice

Ann  15:08

had one more bonus one because like I said I keep coming up ones for secondary characters but would have could have should have from Midnight's I thought about Georgiana Darcy, like, I want a fanfiction of that like because she's so young we can kind of preyed on her youth and her innocence. And I could just, I could see that, like Waco, maybe caused her trauma. And she just really looks back at that I regret you all the time. I don't know. I think that's probably making a little bit more dramatic than Jane Austen intended but when not just make the best like Jane Austen fanfiction of her trying to get over the trauma of Wickham and maybe we come trying to come back into her life and mess with her again. I don't know I just that just that was my last bonus one because it just evoked like fanfiction for me. I

Martha  15:49

really like that.

Izzy Meakin  15:51

Yeah, I think so. I think it probably was a really traumatic experience. Obviously, it's kind of just plays a part in in continuing the like, the plot for us and asked the story that we're following but I think in its own right is quite a dramatic. Like it's been like the the one with the lies or will it be like I was like a whole story. Yeah. Ryan Ryan is all just was pretty intense. So yeah, there's definitely some like, underlying intense storylines going on.

Ann  16:18

And that song I feel like could go with will be analysed it to you. I feel like we don't really like look at that. I always wonder like of Georgia, and she's so shy and quiet. But how much of that is she feels like she made such a stupid mistake. And she feels very traumatised. And so yeah, I know that the Darcy's are kind of like more reserved and quiet. But like, how much of that is that experience that she's just had. And I think it's so cool that Elizabeth really senses that she needs like extra, an extra boost, or like an extra little Guiding Light, but she's not like telling her what to do or anything. There's just a little moments of connection between them that I feel like Elizabeth sense is what she needs. And I love that too.

Izzy Meakin  16:52

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Oh my gosh, that's actually just made me think of a whole extra chapter I could have added in my dissertation as well, which I'm just like, oh, my gosh, I love it. Martha, did you have any bonus tracks with Pride and Prejudice?

Martha  17:07

Why had so many riding brothers took me the longest to narrow down. So I picked my main three. I'm not gonna go through them all, but one of the ones that I had. So there's one for secondary character. I think nothing new is kind of how Charlotte feels when she's like, I'm 27. I need to do something like people tell you to go out and have your fun. And then when you reach some point, they're like, well, you're washed up now. So kind of that for her and obviously, why she chooses. Mr. Collins, because she's like, well, no one's gonna pick me now. Because I'm nothing new.

Ann  17:37

Love that.

Martha  17:38

Yeah, I've got loads, because it took me so long. There's so many that would work for this. But the other one that I'll pick out, is afterglow. Now this is more how I imagine their relationship once they're married. Because I can feel that like, it's not going to be smooth sailing, like no, no relationship is no marriages, but I can kind of see her, like Lizzy kind of still being a little bit of an antagonist, and then still having kind of a fiery relationship, which I think would keep the passion alive for them. And it's kind of what works for them. But after go kind of gave me these wives where they're like, Taylor says, like, oh, I blew things out of proportion. And now you're blue. put you in jail for something you didn't do, which you said about earlier with, like, how she treats him when she finds out about Wickham. But like, obviously, I wouldn't be happy. But I felt like they'd always have a little bit of drama, which I'm kind of here for because I think it's yeah, it suits them both.

Ann  18:33

I like that one. Yeah, definitely. It's a good one.

Martha  18:36

Was me more projecting how I imagined them post. Yeah. Who's the story

Izzy Meakin  18:39

finish? Post story still happy?

Martha  18:42

I think they'd still have arguments, because I think they're both quite stubborn people. And they're quite far.

Izzy Meakin  18:46

Yeah, I agree. I agree. Yeah, definitely. And did you have any more bonus tracks for Pride and Prejudice?

Martha  18:54

I will stop there. Because I'll be here for a long time. You

Izzy Meakin  18:57

know, it's funny, though, I had no bonus tracks of Pride and Prejudice. I actually found Pride and Prejudice the hardest, what I didn't

Martha  19:02

do, I find it hard to narrow down, but I had a lot of ideas. So I also had peace. Because I feel like there's these kind of things like are you sure you want to be with me? Because like, I could never give you peace. He definitely won't give them peace.

Izzy Meakin  19:18

Like when Jean and bangli move, because they're like actually we can't put up with

Martha  19:23

and then my other one was long story short, because like she kind of like dabbles with Wickham and then realise actually, that's mistake and then ends up with the right person.

Izzy Meakin  19:31

Yeah. You know what, that's so interesting. I literally I really struggled to find matches, which is interesting. But ones like sensibility I had loads for so it's honestly it's so cool. And I think about like, how different like, I think that's great in the sense that we've all picked different stuff as well for a lot of them is we obviously take different stuff away from the novels, but also from Taylor's songs, and we can pick different aspects of them out. Which I love. I think that's so cool. That's everything for Pride and Prejudice because But off then if we don't have anything else to add, I've also just remembered so I'm gonna remind myself as well as remind you guys I'm going to create a Spotify playlist to share all of the songs that we cover are probably going to be albums and they're probably easiest to just do the songs. So yeah, I'll pop all of the songs into a Spotify playlist and that's what I'll add into the bio. So I will make sure that the links on the website also at the bottom of these episodes as well so that you can find it easily and then you can listen along to the songs as well as the podcast if that's at all possible. That's everything from us today. There is another episode already out and it's also the final instalment of this series. So it's been so much fun so far. I hope you enjoyed the final episode and I will see you then