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Excellent analysis. I can't help thinking of 'poultry' also suggesting 'paltry' which adds to the contrast between Charlotte's welfare and her domestic duties.
I was thinking too that "poultry" might also reference Charlotte's husband in Lady. Lucas' mind, as she does not specifically ask after HIS welfare; perhaps she lumps him together with the other domestic beasts under Charlotte's care. And "paltry" could be a rather sly dig at Charlotte's humdrum marriage, perhaps even her "love life"!
I just have to say that I envy your students. Your videos are a highlight of my TH-cam viewing experience. You do such a great job of breaking down classic literature; much better than my professors in my college years. Thank you for the time you spend making these videos for us :)
@@montanalilac I agree, too! And class is only 45 minutes, and .. I was an English major but I've learned so much that I missed, possibly because I am a slow learner but I can repeat the video over and over to absorb the concepts and commentary.
Another excellent analysis. "Trivial" however, is an academician's word when applied to the very pragmatic issues of poultry and pasturage. "Relational" and "pragmatic" might be a more accurate contrast than "important" and "trivial."
It looks the zeugma in Sense and Sensibility unifies the two things: the "sense" in the Need of more food for livestock and the "sensibility" in the hope for a marriage between Marianne and Brandon. 😁 Thanks for the precious analysis dr. Cox! 😊🙏👏
Very happy to see an example from Northanger Abbey, which to my mind is the underappreciated duckling of Austen's novels. I think it is by far the funniest book she has written, it is wickedly funny and whip smart!
After learning what a zeugma was yesterday morning from this video, I read this in Sense and Sensibility yesterday evening: "Mrs. Dashwood could think of no other question, and Thomas and the tablecloth, now alike needless, were soon afterwards dismissed." (Chapter 47)
I'd forgotten what this technique was called, but I first came across it in Flanders & Swann's "Madeira, M'Dear". Each verse ends in a zeugmatic joke, lightening an otherwise rather dark story. "...he said as he hastened to put out the cat, The wine, his cigar, and the lamps:" "She lowered her standards by raising her glass, Her courage, her eyes, and his hopes." "When he asked, "What in heaven?" she made no reply Up her mind, and a dash for the door." Thank you for this lovely video, detailing Jane's Austen's masterful use of this poetic language.
Cool, I learnt how to pronounce that word, I wouldn't have been sure. On a side note, I believe that "broken arch" doesn't mean "in ruins and crumbling", it is an architectural term that applies to gothic constructions (by gothic here I mean medieval architecture, not 1800s literature though the two are connected obviously) and it's indeed a physical term in relation to the fictional world of Udolfo, but it's "broken" in a geometrical sense, not the first sense of the word "broken", meaning shattered and destroyed, unlike for the breaking of the promises. So there might be even another level of contrast here.
The greatest use of zeugma ever is by Flanders & Swann, in 'Madeira, M'dear'. It comes up in almost every verse, but the first example is, "And he said, as he hastened to put out the cat, The wine, his cigar and the lamps..."
Well, my day is made. Wasn't expecting another video from you again this soon, and I've learned a new word, too! I hope the move is going well, along with everything else in your life. Thanks, as always, for the pearls of wisdom.
Well, that gave me more of a smile than I'm used to getting first thing on a Saturday. Hello Pip (Peregrin "fool of a Took" kitty?)! And hello again, Kevin. At least I assume you're the same Kevin Russell I had the Austen conversation with last week. Hail and well met. I hope you're having a good weekend with lots of fun stuff to read and many kitty snuggles :)
@@Katherine_The_Okay @Kat K Mostly correct. Same Kevin, same station. But I'm actually a big fan of Dickens, too, and Great Expectations is among my favorite books. My Pip (a little mackerel tabby tom) is named for Philip Pirrip. It's a long story, but in our family I have become Joe Gargery and my son has evolved into another Pip, the gentleman with millennial tastes. But no, he's not in debt. I hope you have a good weekend too. Best Regards, Kat. AND isn't nice to see Octavia still being Octavia?
@@kevinrussell1144 Ah, okay. I prefer Bleak House and Christmas Carol from Dickens. Reading Great Expectation always just leaves me wanting to dope-slap Pip and scream in his face "You're not actually dumb, so USE THE BRAINS GOD GAVE YOU!" lol. Dickens has a way with words, I will be the first to admit, but some of his characters just get under my skin. But he is a very eloquent author; I can tell because his characters wouldn't annoy me if he didn't sneakily force me to get invested in them 😅 Your kitty Pip sounds charming. My current baby (Sophie) is a tortoise-shell who hasn't decided yet whether she trusts me, so no lap-jumping for me. But it's only been two months since I adopted her and by all account she had a pretty horrible six years prior to that, so I know we'll get there. And I'm glad your human Pip isn't quite as bad as the book version, even if the book version does eventually grow out of it. And, yes, it is always lovely to see Doctor Octavia being her awesome and insightful self 🥰 Have a great weekend and give Pip the Cat scritchies from me. But not Pip the Human. That would just be weird 😆
@@Katherine_The_Okay Yes, that would be weird. My wife has a 5 year-old female "torty" named Pepper. Strangest cat (only tortoise-shell) we've had. She is a monster on birds. My son's cat is a rescue "socked-tabby" named Tank. He loves John and is the sweetest cat we've ever had. My Pip is a pill, but he's a good boy. He sleeps with me and has to keep tabs on me whenever I'm in. Cats are strange creatures. Sophie is another of the lucky ones; she'll come around. I had Pip (as a little guy) for nearly two weeks before he'd come out from under the bed.
This is so interesting! I'd never heard of this term and I love that there's a word for these parallel constructions in Austen's writing. Thank you for elucidating it!
I think there is a half pun in the last example too. "Marriage" and "pasturage" as a play on words. "Marriage" and "pastor" - i.e., the need of a "pastor" to get better "pasturage".
I loved that last example! When you point it out it seems so obvious that the two concepts (marriage and preferential treatment with land allotment) are linked and yet before your video I missed it. I previously enjoyed the line for the second bit poking fun at the exaggeration inherent in the common expression. No one has "nothing to wish for" no matter their station. Wishing for a marriage to take place is sentimental; wishing for better pasturage is sensible (and also charming! I think it reassures readers that despite being raised in rather higher circumstances, Elinor and Edward are content with life at a parsonage and that this story isn't just 'happily ever after, don't think about it.')
I love zeugma!! It has been my favorite literary technique ever since I found it hiding at the very end of a literary glossary. Thank you for another great video 😊
@@riverAmazonNZ It would be the first. In the televised version of Rumpole and the Official Secret, he looks for a quotation about "tea and scandal", comes across this one and pronounces it "tey".
Hello, Doctor Cox! So far I found an example in P&P Chapter 7. May be not the most elegant but - At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent arrival of a militia regiment in the neighbourhood; it was to remain the whole winter, and Meryton was the headquarters. Continue searching for more.
Ooh, interesting because while the militia may continue to supply news throughout the rest of the story, I don’t think they do happiness at least not so universally.
This may sound very very geeky, but the zeugma is my ABSOLUTE favourite of all literary devices. I use it a lot - it can be so drily funny and so versatile. But, perhaps because English is not my first language, I never consciously noticed that Austen did it!
Have you ever covered why Edward Ferrars thought Lucy Steele's letter-writing style was so bad? Near the end of Sense & Sensibility, he shows Elinore the final kiss-off letter that Lucy sends him, and he disparages her style extremely. From my modern, American perspective, it didn't look that bad to me. I'd be interested in a discussion about why he thought it was so dreadful. 🙂
Lucy Steele’s letter was coming from the same place as Lydia Bennet’s when she wrote her elopement letter to Harriet… it has nothing to do with the writing style, and everything to do with proper etiquette… “Oh! thoughtless, thoughtless Lydia!" cried Elizabeth when she had finished it. "What a letter is this, to be written at such a moment!” There are certain letters, at certain times, that you just do not write… I hope this helps…
The way you explain things are so elegant, beautifully explained and detailed I always end your videos feeling a little more enlightened about the world of Jane Austen ❤
Not trained to spot these literary techniques, I read Austen's novels concentrating on the story line, which could be several in parallel. Grateful for getting enlightened and validated on how great her literary works are!
Congratulations on the new job! I'm very glad that you are still making videos. Could you please explain why Elizabeth tries so hard to thwart her mother's schemes to leave Jane and Mr. Bingley unchaperoned when we all know he is about to propose?
Because Mrs. Bennett is so obviously throwing them together. Jane and Elizabeth, who have far more sense and far more social sensitivity than their mother, find this embarrassing, and Jane begs Elizabeth not to leave her.
Thanks so much for making these delightful videos, Dr. Cox! I have an English degree but never could afford grad school, so my free time has been as much an imitation of grad school as I can make it. I had never heard of zeugma! Yet another way to enjoy my favorite author. 💐
I think the Tilneys and Trapdoors example also shows Catherine’s youthful infatuation. She’s really excited to be going to Blaise Castle, but then spends half the time reverting back to thoughts of Henry.
I think it is important to point out that the two words yoked together refer to something that would not normally be joined, eg. something tangible and something intangible :”taking tea” and “taking counsel”, “time” and “her aunt”…
I think the most interesting thing about zeugma jokes is that they compare two things in a way that highlights how different they are in seriousness, but how they might be considered of equal importance to the person the joke is about. Like Lady Lucas worrying about her daughter's welfare and her daughter's chickens. I can imagine Lady Lucas determining Charlotte is doing well in a few minutes but then going on and on about the stupid chickens. 😂
This was so interesting!! I was wondering if you would consider talking a little about a favourite scene from Mansfield Park- where Fanny sits on the bench at Sotherton and observes Maria, Crawford, Julia and Rushworth? There are so many layers in this scene and I always feel like I’m missing things.
Hello. It is so nice to see you again. It is the first time I have ever heard of zeugma. I certainly hadn't heard it mentioned back in my studying days. Wonderfully informative. Best wishes. See you in a month.
I always knew Jane Austen was clever, but this analysis really opened my eyes to HOW clever she was. How did she learn that style of writing? Would she have known it was called "zeugma"?
Jane would have had access to the books in her father's house where he was teaching pupils. She would have read widely and her innate intelligence took care of the rest.
I love literary criticism of my favourite works- especially when I don't have to write an essay about them! The more I hear of the literary techniques she used I her story-telling, the more I appreciate her genius.
Very interesting, thank you so much. I always thought that Austen used a lot of bathos, but now I see that what I thought was bathos was in reality often zeugma. So many thanks for making me aware.
I would love to see a video on why Lizzie's feelings for Darcy changed when she visited Pemberly, as she told Jane when she related the proposal to her. I read a breakdown of it somewhere where it wasn't just because of the servants high opinion and general praise of his kindness and thoughtfulness, but also his sustainable land management practices. I would link the post thread of it but I don't think youtube would allow me to! Thanks for all these wonderful videos. I'm really happy I found them--I just got done listening to Jennifer Hale read P&P aloud for a second time, and I knew there was so much flying over my head that watching these videos is just a whole other layer of things I missed that I'm really glad you lay out in a way that's easily understandable, and you give background information too for the time! I can't wait for more!
I never knew what this device was called. So presumably Flanders and Swann's lines 'She lowered her standards by raising her glass, Her courage, her eyes, and his hopes' ('Have Some Madeira, M'Dear') is also an example of zeugma, if I have understood the term correctly?
Hi! Just discovered your channel and I love it. There are a lot of topics that I hadn't considered and which I'm learning here. Greetings from México :D
As so often with Austen, the comic voice has a serious undertone. Lady Lucas's concern for Charlotte's poultry is very much also a concern for her welfare. Lady L may not be the brightest woman in Austen, but even she must surely be aware that Charlotte has married purely for an establishment, to avoid a penniless life as an old maid and not for love. If that establishment is not as secure as she might have hoped, she will have made a very unlucky decision indeed. We recall that events in Emma are precipitated by a series of poultry thefts too. No chickens would mean no eggs either- a severe hardship. Off the topic of this video, but it has just struck me that the two couples of Elinor/Edward and Marianne/Brandon are in an analogous situation to Mr & Mrs Norris and Sir Thomas & Lady Bertram. In both cases we have pairs of not-well-off sisters, one of whom has made a highly advantageous marriage to a wealthy landowner, whilst the other sister has benefited by marrying a clergyman who is awarded a living on his brother-in-law's estate. We can see in Mansfield Park how Mrs Norris manipulates affairs so that she continues to benefit even after her husband's death. Like Elinor, she is much the more practical of these two sisters (though Elinor is of course a far nicer person than the odious Mrs Norris.) I think that many church livings were passed to family members (often a younger son who was not going to inherit the main estate), so Col Brandon's offer to Edmund - a relation by marriage of the Dashwoods - is a signal of his desire for Marianne to be his wife perhaps? All the very best for your move Dr Cox and for your much deserved new job!
And the serious undertones have comic tinges. I think there's an implied pun in the use of the word poultry in the 2 cases you cited, and elsewhere in P&P where Lady Catherine de Bourgh tries to micro-manage Charlotte's household. The argument by which Mr Woodhouse is induced to consent to Emma and Mr Knightley's marriage is certainly paltry.
I like the observation of the disparity between the Dashwood and Ward sisters. Though I would argue that the Wards weren't exactly poor. We know that Miss Maria Ward (later Lady Bertram) had £7000 and while that is at least £3000 short for marrying a baronet, it's a quite decent amount. I presume that sisters would receive equal shares so Miss Ward (later Mrs. Norris) and Miss Frances Ward (later Mrs. Price) would have £7000 each. The difference in the sister dynamic is in the vicar's wife. Elinor marries Edward for love and is well matched. Miss Ward starts to hope for better prospects after her sister's marriage and must after a while contend herself with marrying Mr. Norris.
The things you learn. I thought the word soundly vaguely Greek, but was wondering if was something like crushed pulps at the bottom of an olive oil press. I like your explanation better. Good to hear from you again, too.
Thank you, Dr. Cox. At 75, I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I attempted it at around 12 but found the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennett unbearable. I thought I read it later in life. However, it was the many adaptations of P&P that fooled me. I loved the book. My feeling is that had Jane been born in 1939, the same year John Cleese was born, she would have been a member of Monty Python. I also snickered at how people say that the 1995, BBC series was the most true adaptation of the novel. I preferred director Joe Wright's take. Several people studying cinematography have reported on Wright's use of the camera. Then there is the matter that Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen are better than the 1995 leads. I had never heard of zeugma before but can hardly wait to play it in a Scrabble game! I had described her humor as snarky! Thank you, again!
Pride and Prejudice, chapter 3: "…but his friend Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report (…) of his having ten thousand a year."
After Knightley rode through the rain to declare his love for Emma, Mr Woodhouse is concerned about Knightley’s health. Austen observes that he (Mr Woodhouse) should be more worried about Knightley’s heart rather than his lungs.
Thank you for the very good and interesting analysis of the novels of my favourite author. I always find that Austen has a very fine sense of humor but still I didn't understand this zeugma humor! To be sure, it's something too fine for me...hahaha! Example, all description of Sir Walter is humorous for me. Also of Mr Collins and so on. Something that surprises me, very much is the deep knowledge of life she has. Well, this is only my personal vew...may be I didn't know how to express myself . By the way, sorry for my english, I'm Chilean
Your excavations are always a treat and a revelation -- had never heard of zeugma but now I'll never miss it while reading Austen. Gratitude as always, hope you are enjoying your new position -- thanks very much for continuing to share your wisdom :)
15:40 I’d really like to hear a book about the ways *Sense & Sensibility* is a darkly cynical book! You may have touched on it over your videos, but a dedicated video on that reading would be really interesting! I really enjoy analyses that completely change how you perceive texts.
Miss Manners (Judith Martin) is a lover of Jane Austin. She also uses humorous zeugma in her writing. She says. "Courtship encourages great new sensibilities and underwear"
Regarding Lady Lucas asking about the poultry, I thought it was a serious enquiry as keeping poultry was a very important way for women at the time to earn income, by the keeping of poultry to sell and to supplement the household food. I took it to mean she was very seriously concerned with the welfare of the home and Charlotte looking after herself. With the cow's pasture and Marianne reference, an interpretation of it that I came across that seemed to fit, was one that they found the marriage so obvious as a next step and one they were already so settled with in their minds, that the pasture for the cows was more uncertain and of more concern than the marriage of Brandon and Marianne.
Thank you for yet another informative & enjoyable video, Dr. Cox. I thoroughly enjoy how Austen uses zeugma -- a favoured rhetorical device for Alexander Pope -- to give her satirical voice more 'bite.' "Sense & Sensibility" is, I believe, one of Austen's more astringent novels, where she relentlessly tracks the effect of money on the lives of her characters. Yoking hopes of a happy marriage and better bovine pastures *humanizes* the near-perfect Eleanor & (imperfect) Edward, and I am grateful for that touch of levity. Austen avoids anything saccharine in her work....
I always learn a lot from your videos, dr Cox, appreciate that so much ❤ Now I can see a lot of Zeugma (and Zeugma jokes) also in Nabokov's novels, he was pushing it to extreme and I always loved it :) thanks again
I love your analysis of Austin characters and would really like to know your take on aunt Norris in Mansfield Park and her impact on the other characters in the story. Or a comparison to other evil people in Austin. So happy your still doing videos thanks!
I wanted to shout 'yaaas queen' 😄, please dissect Mrs Norris for us- I'm in the last third of MP (for the fifth time); it would be so very pleasant to hear your take.
The Lady Lucas bit reminds me a bit of Lady Catherine’s interest into the minutiae of the household. It gives the impression that although Charlotte has changed abodes, her situation might not be all that different in terms of managing the people around her. It makes me think both that her mom and Lady Catherine are similar, making her more of a good fit for her husband/position than Elizabeth would have been.
Actually, I think the pasturage available for Elinor and Edward's cows depends on the glebe land attached to the living, thus the Church and not the landlord. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but while Col. Brandon has the gift of the living, the living itself is Church property. I have a bit of a picture of how this works from other novels, particularly Anthony Trollope's The Vicar of Bullhampton where one of the main subplots hinges on the possession of a piece of land and whether it's attached to the vicarage or the neighboring estate. Thank you for this - I have smiled often at the examples you give but never had a word for it before. I'll have to remember zeugma.
I’ve only just found your channel after reading Pride and Prejudice and I’ve been enjoying your analyses. This has nothing to do with this video but I’ve been wondering why the Bennett sisters refer to their family members as “my mother” or “my father” or “my aunt” or whomever, rather than our family member. “Our mother”, for instance, when talking to each other. It might not be anything deep, but thought I’d ask.
Hi Dr Cox, I really love your videos and reads the austen books again and again because of them. Just finished Mansfield Park and would love to hear your thoughts on Henry Crawfords love for Fanny. And if they were married, would it be an happy marriage do you think?
Thank you for these witty examples. We studied zeugma at university, and it was always one of my favourite techniques. Will certainly look for examples next time I read Jane Austen.
Now I feel obliged to quote another author in saying (writing) of the Handbook of Literary Terms “this charming volume should have been my constant study” …. Or words to that effect.
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Excellent analysis. I can't help thinking of 'poultry' also suggesting 'paltry' which adds to the contrast between Charlotte's welfare and her domestic duties.
A really interesting observation, Viv - a kind of half-pun then too?
I would add that paltry feels rather appropriate for Mr. Collins himself.
I was thinking on that one, too! It really underscores the order of priorities.
I was thinking too that "poultry" might also reference Charlotte's husband in Lady. Lucas' mind, as she does not specifically ask after HIS welfare; perhaps she lumps him together with the other domestic beasts under Charlotte's care. And "paltry" could be a rather sly dig at Charlotte's humdrum marriage, perhaps even her "love life"!
@@marijeangalloway1560 My daughter's nick name for Mr. Collins was "the Duck".
In “Be Prepared” from The Lion King, the line “our teeth and ambitions are bared,” is a zeugma!
I just have to say that I envy your students. Your videos are a highlight of my TH-cam viewing experience. You do such a great job of breaking down classic literature; much better than my professors in my college years. Thank you for the time you spend making these videos for us :)
Hear hear! I absolutely agree!
@@montanalilac I agree, too! And class is only 45 minutes, and .. I was an English major but I've learned so much that I missed, possibly because I am a slow learner but I can repeat the video over and over to absorb the concepts and commentary.
Another excellent analysis. "Trivial" however, is an academician's word when applied to the very pragmatic issues of poultry and pasturage. "Relational" and "pragmatic" might be a more accurate contrast than "important" and "trivial."
It looks the zeugma in Sense and Sensibility unifies the two things: the "sense" in the Need of more food for livestock and the "sensibility" in the hope for a marriage between Marianne and Brandon. 😁 Thanks for the precious analysis dr. Cox! 😊🙏👏
Austen has such a command over language in writing, which is why it's such a delight to read and re-read her over and over!
I enjoy very much when a zeugma combines an idiomatic use of a word and a literal one, it's incredibly entertaining.
Very happy to see an example from Northanger Abbey, which to my mind is the underappreciated duckling of Austen's novels. I think it is by far the funniest book she has written, it is wickedly funny and whip smart!
It’s hilarious. I’ve laughed out loud while reading it many times.
My favourite too
Plus, it has Henry Tilney.
After learning what a zeugma was yesterday morning from this video, I read this in Sense and Sensibility yesterday evening: "Mrs. Dashwood could think of no other question, and Thomas and the tablecloth, now alike needless, were soon afterwards dismissed." (Chapter 47)
By the way, congratulations on your exciting new position, Dr. Octavia. Very well-deserved, I'm sure.
I have never heard of “zeugma.” Thank you for taking the time out from your busy life to post this enlightening video.
I'd forgotten what this technique was called, but I first came across it in Flanders & Swann's "Madeira, M'Dear". Each verse ends in a zeugmatic joke, lightening an otherwise rather dark story.
"...he said as he hastened to put out the cat,
The wine, his cigar, and the lamps:"
"She lowered her standards by raising her glass,
Her courage, her eyes, and his hopes."
"When he asked, "What in heaven?" she made no reply
Up her mind, and a dash for the door."
Thank you for this lovely video, detailing Jane's Austen's masterful use of this poetic language.
Love to see Flanders and Swann fans!
Cool, I learnt how to pronounce that word, I wouldn't have been sure.
On a side note, I believe that "broken arch" doesn't mean "in ruins and crumbling", it is an architectural term that applies to gothic constructions (by gothic here I mean medieval architecture, not 1800s literature though the two are connected obviously) and it's indeed a physical term in relation to the fictional world of Udolfo, but it's "broken" in a geometrical sense, not the first sense of the word "broken", meaning shattered and destroyed, unlike for the breaking of the promises. So there might be even another level of contrast here.
The greatest use of zeugma ever is by Flanders & Swann, in 'Madeira, M'dear'. It comes up in almost every verse, but the first example is, "And he said, as he hastened to put out the cat, The wine, his cigar and the lamps..."
And she lowered her standards by raising her glass, her courage, her eyes and his hopes 😆
@@GS-lq2is does he end up having his way with the young girl in the end of that song? Its not exactly clear?
@@tamravenhill301 oh, I think definitely yes
@@GS-lq2is this was the one I thought of too!
My favourite in that song is, "When he asked, 'What in Heaven?!', she made no reply, up her mind and a dash for the door"
Well, my day is made. Wasn't expecting another video from you again this soon, and I've learned a new word, too! I hope the move is going well, along with everything else in your life. Thanks, as always, for the pearls of wisdom.
I saw your Kat handle jump onto the screen as I handled my cat, who just jumped into my lap. Well met. Say hello to "Pip".
Well, that gave me more of a smile than I'm used to getting first thing on a Saturday. Hello Pip (Peregrin "fool of a Took" kitty?)! And hello again, Kevin. At least I assume you're the same Kevin Russell I had the Austen conversation with last week. Hail and well met. I hope you're having a good weekend with lots of fun stuff to read and many kitty snuggles :)
@@Katherine_The_Okay @Kat K Mostly correct. Same Kevin, same station. But I'm actually a big fan of Dickens, too, and Great Expectations is among my favorite books. My Pip (a little mackerel tabby tom) is named for Philip Pirrip. It's a long story, but in our family I have become Joe Gargery and my son has evolved into another Pip, the gentleman with millennial tastes. But no, he's not in debt.
I hope you have a good weekend too.
Best Regards, Kat.
AND isn't nice to see Octavia still being Octavia?
@@kevinrussell1144 Ah, okay. I prefer Bleak House and Christmas Carol from Dickens. Reading Great Expectation always just leaves me wanting to dope-slap Pip and scream in his face "You're not actually dumb, so USE THE BRAINS GOD GAVE YOU!" lol. Dickens has a way with words, I will be the first to admit, but some of his characters just get under my skin. But he is a very eloquent author; I can tell because his characters wouldn't annoy me if he didn't sneakily force me to get invested in them 😅
Your kitty Pip sounds charming. My current baby (Sophie) is a tortoise-shell who hasn't decided yet whether she trusts me, so no lap-jumping for me. But it's only been two months since I adopted her and by all account she had a pretty horrible six years prior to that, so I know we'll get there. And I'm glad your human Pip isn't quite as bad as the book version, even if the book version does eventually grow out of it.
And, yes, it is always lovely to see Doctor Octavia being her awesome and insightful self 🥰 Have a great weekend and give Pip the Cat scritchies from me. But not Pip the Human. That would just be weird 😆
@@Katherine_The_Okay Yes, that would be weird. My wife has a 5 year-old female "torty" named Pepper. Strangest cat (only tortoise-shell) we've had. She is a monster on birds.
My son's cat is a rescue "socked-tabby" named Tank. He loves John and is the sweetest cat we've ever had. My Pip is a pill, but he's a good boy. He sleeps with me and has to keep tabs on me whenever I'm in.
Cats are strange creatures.
Sophie is another of the lucky ones; she'll come around. I had Pip (as a little guy) for nearly two weeks before he'd come out from under the bed.
This is so interesting! I'd never heard of this term and I love that there's a word for these parallel constructions in Austen's writing. Thank you for elucidating it!
I think there is a half pun in the last example too. "Marriage" and "pasturage" as a play on words. "Marriage" and "pastor" - i.e., the need of a "pastor" to get better "pasturage".
Beautifully done!!
I loved that last example! When you point it out it seems so obvious that the two concepts (marriage and preferential treatment with land allotment) are linked and yet before your video I missed it.
I previously enjoyed the line for the second bit poking fun at the exaggeration inherent in the common expression. No one has "nothing to wish for" no matter their station. Wishing for a marriage to take place is sentimental; wishing for better pasturage is sensible (and also charming! I think it reassures readers that despite being raised in rather higher circumstances, Elinor and Edward are content with life at a parsonage and that this story isn't just 'happily ever after, don't think about it.')
Also, in typing that out I feel like it has to be an intended pun with "pastor" in the parsonage and cows' "pasturage."
I love zeugma!! It has been my favorite literary technique ever since I found it hiding at the very end of a literary glossary. Thank you for another great video 😊
Ha, same here. I was taught zeugmata in Latin class.
Am enjoying this. I remembered the Queen Anne bit when you came up to it: I think "tea" and "obey" were exact rhymes at the time.
tey and obey, or tea and obee? I’m guessing the first but just a wild guess
@@riverAmazonNZ It would be the first. In the televised version of Rumpole and the Official Secret, he looks for a quotation about "tea and scandal", comes across this one and pronounces it "tey".
Hello, Doctor Cox! So far I found an example in P&P Chapter 7. May be not the most elegant but - At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent arrival of a militia regiment in the neighbourhood; it was to remain the whole winter, and Meryton was the headquarters.
Continue searching for more.
Ooh, interesting because while the militia may continue to supply news throughout the rest of the story, I don’t think they do happiness at least not so universally.
This may sound very very geeky, but the zeugma is my ABSOLUTE favourite of all literary devices. I use it a lot - it can be so drily funny and so versatile. But, perhaps because English is not my first language, I never consciously noticed that Austen did it!
That was so interestingly! I studied English literature in college but never encountered the concept of Zeugma. Thank you!
Have you ever covered why Edward Ferrars thought Lucy Steele's letter-writing style was so bad? Near the end of Sense & Sensibility, he shows Elinore the final kiss-off letter that Lucy sends him, and he disparages her style extremely. From my modern, American perspective, it didn't look that bad to me. I'd be interested in a discussion about why he thought it was so dreadful. 🙂
That would be interesting.
Lucy Steele’s letter was coming from the same place as Lydia Bennet’s when she wrote her elopement letter to Harriet… it has nothing to do with the writing style, and everything to do with proper etiquette…
“Oh! thoughtless, thoughtless Lydia!" cried Elizabeth when she had finished it. "What a letter is this, to be written at such a moment!”
There are certain letters, at certain times, that you just do not write…
I hope this helps…
I recommend your channel to all my customers when they purchase any Austen.
The way you explain things are so elegant, beautifully explained and detailed I always end your videos feeling a little more enlightened about the world of Jane Austen ❤
Not trained to spot these literary techniques, I read Austen's novels concentrating on the story line, which could be several in parallel. Grateful for getting enlightened and validated on how great her literary works are!
Congratulations on the new job! I'm very glad that you are still making videos. Could you please explain why Elizabeth tries so hard to thwart her mother's schemes to leave Jane and Mr. Bingley unchaperoned when we all know he is about to propose?
Because Mrs. Bennett is so obviously throwing them together. Jane and Elizabeth, who have far more sense and far more social sensitivity than their mother, find this embarrassing, and Jane begs Elizabeth not to leave her.
Thanks so much for making these delightful videos, Dr. Cox! I have an English degree but never could afford grad school, so my free time has been as much an imitation of grad school as I can make it. I had never heard of zeugma! Yet another way to enjoy my favorite author. 💐
I think the Tilneys and Trapdoors example also shows Catherine’s youthful infatuation. She’s really excited to be going to Blaise Castle, but then spends half the time reverting back to thoughts of Henry.
I think it is important to point out that the two words yoked together refer to something that would not normally be joined, eg. something tangible and something intangible :”taking tea” and “taking counsel”, “time” and “her aunt”…
I think the most interesting thing about zeugma jokes is that they compare two things in a way that highlights how different they are in seriousness, but how they might be considered of equal importance to the person the joke is about. Like Lady Lucas worrying about her daughter's welfare and her daughter's chickens. I can imagine Lady Lucas determining Charlotte is doing well in a few minutes but then going on and on about the stupid chickens. 😂
I wonder if Austen wrote this as a slight dig at her own mother. She was very fond of digging into household arrangements I believe.
This was so interesting!! I was wondering if you would consider talking a little about a favourite scene from Mansfield Park- where Fanny sits on the bench at Sotherton and observes Maria, Crawford, Julia and Rushworth? There are so many layers in this scene and I always feel like I’m missing things.
Hello. It is so nice to see you again. It is the first time I have ever heard of zeugma. I certainly hadn't heard it mentioned back in my studying days. Wonderfully informative. Best wishes. See you in a month.
I always learn something new from your videos. Thank you!
Word of the Day: Zeugmatic
Ha! And why not indeed!
I always knew Jane Austen was clever, but this analysis really opened my eyes to HOW clever she was. How did she learn that style of writing? Would she have known it was called "zeugma"?
She learned this without an English
literature degree!! (She probably never
visited Oxford or Cambridge.)
Jane would have had access to the books in her father's house where he was teaching pupils. She would have read widely and her innate intelligence took care of the rest.
I love literary criticism of my favourite works- especially when I don't have to write an essay about them! The more I hear of the literary techniques she used I her story-telling, the more I appreciate her genius.
Thank you! It is so good to finally know a NAME for this stylistic device!
I took the passage in p&p to be indicating how long and minutely LL was questioning Maria - interested to hear a totally different construction
I know you are extra busy these days. Thanks for making another excellent lesson. 🌸🌿🌸🌿
I love zeugmas! In fact, I learned about them from Austen's work and now I use them whenever I can
Very interesting, thank you so much. I always thought that Austen used a lot of bathos, but now I see that what I thought was bathos was in reality often zeugma. So many thanks for making me aware.
I am delighted with my unexpected way of seeing Austen and my favorite literature interpreter !
I’ve missed both!
Dear Ms Cox, still here and looking forward to your future videos! 😊
I would love to see a video on why Lizzie's feelings for Darcy changed when she visited Pemberly, as she told Jane when she related the proposal to her. I read a breakdown of it somewhere where it wasn't just because of the servants high opinion and general praise of his kindness and thoughtfulness, but also his sustainable land management practices. I would link the post thread of it but I don't think youtube would allow me to! Thanks for all these wonderful videos. I'm really happy I found them--I just got done listening to Jennifer Hale read P&P aloud for a second time, and I knew there was so much flying over my head that watching these videos is just a whole other layer of things I missed that I'm really glad you lay out in a way that's easily understandable, and you give background information too for the time! I can't wait for more!
I never knew what this device was called. So presumably Flanders and Swann's lines
'She lowered her standards by raising her glass,
Her courage, her eyes, and his hopes'
('Have Some Madeira, M'Dear')
is also an example of zeugma, if I have understood the term correctly?
Hi! Just discovered your channel and I love it. There are a lot of topics that I hadn't considered and which I'm learning here.
Greetings from México :D
As so often with Austen, the comic voice has a serious undertone. Lady Lucas's concern for Charlotte's poultry is very much also a concern for her welfare. Lady L may not be the brightest woman in Austen, but even she must surely be aware that Charlotte has married purely for an establishment, to avoid a penniless life as an old maid and not for love. If that establishment is not as secure as she might have hoped, she will have made a very unlucky decision indeed. We recall that events in Emma are precipitated by a series of poultry thefts too. No chickens would mean no eggs either- a severe hardship.
Off the topic of this video, but it has just struck me that the two couples of Elinor/Edward and Marianne/Brandon are in an analogous situation to Mr & Mrs Norris and Sir Thomas & Lady Bertram. In both cases we have pairs of not-well-off sisters, one of whom has made a highly advantageous marriage to a wealthy landowner, whilst the other sister has benefited by marrying a clergyman who is awarded a living on his brother-in-law's estate. We can see in Mansfield Park how Mrs Norris manipulates affairs so that she continues to benefit even after her husband's death. Like Elinor, she is much the more practical of these two sisters (though Elinor is of course a far nicer person than the odious Mrs Norris.) I think that many church livings were passed to family members (often a younger son who was not going to inherit the main estate), so Col Brandon's offer to Edmund - a relation by marriage of the Dashwoods - is a signal of his desire for Marianne to be his wife perhaps?
All the very best for your move Dr Cox and for your much deserved new job!
And the serious undertones have comic tinges. I think there's an implied pun in the use of the word poultry in the 2 cases you cited, and elsewhere in P&P where Lady Catherine de Bourgh tries to micro-manage Charlotte's household. The argument by which Mr Woodhouse is induced to consent to Emma and Mr Knightley's marriage is certainly paltry.
I like the observation of the disparity between the Dashwood and Ward sisters. Though I would argue that the Wards weren't exactly poor. We know that Miss Maria Ward (later Lady Bertram) had £7000 and while that is at least £3000 short for marrying a baronet, it's a quite decent amount. I presume that sisters would receive equal shares so Miss Ward (later Mrs. Norris) and Miss Frances Ward (later Mrs. Price) would have £7000 each.
The difference in the sister dynamic is in the vicar's wife. Elinor marries Edward for love and is well matched. Miss Ward starts to hope for better prospects after her sister's marriage and must after a while contend herself with marrying Mr. Norris.
The things you learn. I thought the word soundly vaguely Greek, but was wondering if was something like crushed pulps at the bottom of an olive oil press. I like your explanation better. Good to hear from you again, too.
Love your Jane Austen videos and couldn’t wait to watch your video on Wit…but where did it go??? I sure hope you repost it!!
Thank you so much for such an educational talk. I learn something new each time I listen to your analysis.
Thank you, Dr. Cox. At 75, I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I attempted it at around 12 but found the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennett unbearable. I thought I read it later in life. However, it was the many adaptations of P&P that fooled me.
I loved the book. My feeling is that had Jane been born in 1939, the same year John Cleese was born, she would have been a member of Monty Python. I also snickered at how people say that the 1995, BBC series was the most true adaptation of the novel. I preferred director Joe Wright's take. Several people studying cinematography have reported on Wright's use of the camera. Then there is the matter that Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen are better than the 1995 leads.
I had never heard of zeugma before but can hardly wait to play it in a Scrabble game! I had described her humor as snarky!
Thank you, again!
I have a degree in Creative Writing, and this is a new term for me! Thank you for your thorough analysis. I hope you are enjoying your new job!
Learning this kind of terminology and seeing how to understand the details of these works is so fascinating, thank you!
I actually learned something new today. Thank you Dr. Cox.
I love how you open up Austen's books even more for us. Thank you for these videos!
Great to have you back - thank you
Do you have any of your own examples of Jane Austen’s use of zeugma?
Not as good as your examples but another from Sense and Sensibility "Thomas and the tablecloth, now alike needless, were soon afterwards dismissed".
Pride and Prejudice, chapter 3: "…but his friend Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report (…) of his having ten thousand a year."
@@luisez.5888 I wouldn’t consider this a zeugma,
After Knightley rode through the rain to declare his love for Emma, Mr Woodhouse is concerned about Knightley’s health. Austen observes that he (Mr Woodhouse) should be more worried about Knightley’s heart rather than his lungs.
Zeugma. Currently reading both Sense and Sensibility & Pride and Prejudice. I will have to look for zeugma.
How great it was to receive both a notification and an education from you after a brief pause! ;-) Hope your new position is treating you well.
Nice video. I've never heard of this before. Very interesting
Thank you for the very good and interesting analysis of the novels of my favourite author. I always find that Austen has a very fine sense of humor but still I didn't understand this zeugma humor! To be sure, it's something too fine for me...hahaha! Example, all description of Sir Walter is humorous for me. Also of Mr Collins and so on.
Something that surprises me, very much is the deep knowledge of life she has. Well, this is only my personal vew...may be I didn't know how to express myself . By the way, sorry for my english, I'm Chilean
Again, Dr. Cox, you offer an excellent analysis of a rhetorical device and Austen's genius. Thank you! 🙂
Excellent. New terminology for me and I enjoyed the examples.
Oh nice to see you missed your videos dearly - love from Australia xx Amany
Wonderful video 😊
Your excavations are always a treat and a revelation -- had never heard of zeugma but now I'll never miss it while reading Austen. Gratitude as always, hope you are enjoying your new position -- thanks very much for continuing to share your wisdom :)
Really enjoying your content. Thank you for what you do
15:40 I’d really like to hear a book about the ways *Sense & Sensibility* is a darkly cynical book! You may have touched on it over your videos, but a dedicated video on that reading would be really interesting!
I really enjoy analyses that completely change how you perceive texts.
Yay! The doctor is back!
I always wondered if there was a term for that. Fascinating information this time!
Miss Manners (Judith Martin) is a lover of Jane Austin. She also uses humorous zeugma in her writing. She says. "Courtship encourages great new sensibilities and underwear"
Good to see you again Dr Cox. I hope your new role is treating you well. New and interesting concept for me today - thanks.
Regarding Lady Lucas asking about the poultry, I thought it was a serious enquiry as keeping poultry was a very important way for women at the time to earn income, by the keeping of poultry to sell and to supplement the household food. I took it to mean she was very seriously concerned with the welfare of the home and Charlotte looking after herself.
With the cow's pasture and Marianne reference, an interpretation of it that I came across that seemed to fit, was one that they found the marriage so obvious as a next step and one they were already so settled with in their minds, that the pasture for the cows was more uncertain and of more concern than the marriage of Brandon and Marianne.
Wonderful!
Thank you so much, that was really interesting. I’m going to have to do some close Re-reading.
Thank you for yet another informative & enjoyable video, Dr. Cox. I thoroughly enjoy how Austen uses zeugma -- a favoured rhetorical device for Alexander Pope -- to give her satirical voice more 'bite.' "Sense & Sensibility" is, I believe, one of Austen's more astringent novels, where she relentlessly tracks the effect of money on the lives of her characters. Yoking hopes of a happy marriage and better bovine pastures *humanizes* the near-perfect Eleanor & (imperfect) Edward, and I am grateful for that touch of levity. Austen avoids anything saccharine in her work....
I love this new (to me) word!
I always learn a lot from your videos, dr Cox, appreciate that so much ❤ Now I can see a lot of Zeugma (and Zeugma jokes) also in Nabokov's novels, he was pushing it to extreme and I always loved it :) thanks again
You are amazing!
Welcome back
I love your analysis of Austin characters and would really like to know your take on aunt Norris in Mansfield Park and her impact on the other characters in the story. Or a comparison to other evil people in Austin.
So happy your still doing videos thanks!
I wanted to shout 'yaaas queen' 😄, please dissect Mrs Norris for us- I'm in the last third of MP (for the fifth time); it would be so very pleasant to hear your take.
Wow, I really loved this analysis!
Wonderful! Thank you Octavia.
Very interesting, I always read these examples of the extent of their interest
Thank you for pointing to these. I know so little about literature, but I'm in there kicking around with you. Good going on this 'lesson'.
Fabulous!
This was interesting & educational. I wasn’t familiar with the term, though I had noticed the technique used once or twice before :)
The Lady Lucas bit reminds me a bit of Lady Catherine’s interest into the minutiae of the household. It gives the impression that although Charlotte has changed abodes, her situation might not be all that different in terms of managing the people around her. It makes me think both that her mom and Lady Catherine are similar, making her more of a good fit for her husband/position than Elizabeth would have been.
Wonderful, thank you. what a gem of a literary device.
Excellent, as always.
Awesomingly explained... especially double zeugma...
Actually, I think the pasturage available for Elinor and Edward's cows depends on the glebe land attached to the living, thus the Church and not the landlord. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but while Col. Brandon has the gift of the living, the living itself is Church property. I have a bit of a picture of how this works from other novels, particularly Anthony Trollope's The Vicar of Bullhampton where one of the main subplots hinges on the possession of a piece of land and whether it's attached to the vicarage or the neighboring estate.
Thank you for this - I have smiled often at the examples you give but never had a word for it before. I'll have to remember zeugma.
Thanks!
I’ve only just found your channel after reading Pride and Prejudice and I’ve been enjoying your analyses.
This has nothing to do with this video but I’ve been wondering why the Bennett sisters refer to their family members as “my mother” or “my father” or “my aunt” or whomever, rather than our family member. “Our mother”, for instance, when talking to each other. It might not be anything deep, but thought I’d ask.
Hi Dr Cox, I really love your videos and reads the austen books again and again because of them. Just finished Mansfield Park and would love to hear your thoughts on Henry Crawfords love for Fanny. And if they were married, would it be an happy marriage do you think?
Thank you for these witty examples. We studied zeugma at university, and it was always one of my favourite techniques. Will certainly look for examples next time I read Jane Austen.
I miss your Austen videos. Hope you're doing well though.
Love your Chanel!
Now I feel obliged to quote another author in saying (writing) of the Handbook of Literary Terms “this charming volume should have been my constant study” …. Or words to that effect.