How Far Will the "Janeites" Go?

With the rise of social networking, the subtle nuances of social etiquette are often lost. Perhaps this is why Jane Austen’s fan base continues to grow despite having being dead for almost the past 200 years. With 245,344 fans on her Facebook page, her readership is hardly waning.

In a recent article by Arden Dale and Mary Pilon, “In Jane Austen 2.0, the Heroines And Heroes Friend Each Other,” Dale and Pilon explore the relationship new readersare undertaking with Austen. “Janeites”—as they are called—are attracted to not only the elegant, classy side of Austen, take for example, the annual Jane Austen birthday tea party in Boise, Idaho, where post-adolescents dress in “frock coat[s] with cuffs,” but “Janeites”--also defined as "the self-consciously idolatrous enthusiasm for 'Jane' and every detail relative to her"--are also interested in the universal themes depicted in her novels like “marrying for money, crazy parents, [and] dating”.

It’s Austen’s flexibility that has contributed to making her into a budding pop culture icon in the 21^st century. The young adult novels Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Mr. Darcy, Vampyre are perfect examples of how Austen has been adapted to fit the recent supernatural frenzy.

Austen’s adaptation to pop culture trends is not limited to just zombies and vampires. Have you ever imagined what the characters from Pride and Prejudice might talk about if they had access to social networking sites at the turn of the 19^th century? Thanks to Austenbook—a condensed version of Pride and Prejudice told through the lens of Facebook —probably something like this:

It’s not often one can ask an author, “What’s next?” posthumously, but almost two centuries later we continue to wonder what Austen inspired media will be thought of next. Aside from her recently revamped-vampire series, can we see an Austen-Twilight crossover movie in the near future? Maybe not, but that hasn’t stopped other cult films from using Austen as inspiration.

Tyler Durden meet Elizabeth Bennett: