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Wit Beyond Measure

Storytelling Podcasts

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a reader in possession of Austen novels must be in want of a podcast. Hosts Catrina and Elle are lit majors who love reading these books through a modern and historic lens.

Location:

United States

Description:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a reader in possession of Austen novels must be in want of a podcast. Hosts Catrina and Elle are lit majors who love reading these books through a modern and historic lens.

Twitter:

@wbmpodcast

Language:

English

Contact:

6304781055


Episodes

The Power of a Note

3/17/2023
Persuasion: 21 - 24 The long awaited conclusion to the Persuasion conversation! What is the deal with Mr. Elliot? Why did Wentworth just walk out on Anne at in the theater like that? How is all of this drama going to come to an end? Can Anne even handle it!? Of course she can, this is Austen after all. This week Elle and Catrina talk all about Mr. Elliot and his motives, pick apart his dastardly plot, and have a tense conversation about just how swoon worthy the end of this book really is. After all, how powerful can a simple note even be?

Duration:00:55:32

Anne Finds a Friend

12/14/2022
Persuasion: Chapters 17 - 20 Anne is still stuck in Bath, but at least now she has a friend. After dealing with her family for too long, Anne is pleased to find an old school friend who is staying in Bath due to illness and financial troubles. What's more, the Crofts have come to Bath as well and Anne takes a walk with the admiral to find out that there is news of Louisa - also that Wentworth is on his way. Before she knows it, Anne's thoughts shift from avoiding her family to spending time near Wentworth. This week Elle and Catrina discuss all of the happenings in Bath. Everyone is milling about, sending letters, and repeating the same gossip over and over. Catrina highlights Anne's apprehension of Mr. Elliot now that she has spent more time with him. Elle, on the other hand, wonders if Mr. Elliot didn't pull a John Thorpe and say something shady to Wentworth about Anne. At least there is some good Austen-swooning romance brewing! Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:54:00

Why Did it Have to be Bath?

11/8/2022
Persuasion Chapters 13-16 Anne seems to keep finding herself in awkward situations. First she is alone at the Musgrove home while everyone is still in Lyme. Then she retreats to Lady Russell's home only to be asked to spend the day with the Croft's in Kellynch Hall. When the Musgroves return and things begin to feel normal again, Anne and Kady Russell are told that the notorious Mr. Elliot has made amends with Sir Elliot. After hearing this news, Anne finally makes her way to her least favorite place, Bath. Also, Louisa lives! This week Catrina and Elle try to get into the mind of Anne Elliot. How is she feeling given everything that has happened lately? Elle talks about how Anne really doesn't like Bath, while Catrina talks about how Sir Elliot is still an embarrassment to the family. Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:47:32

Anne Elliot is a Snack

10/27/2022
Persuasion Chapters 9-12 Anne is finding that having to spend a lot of time around her former lover, Captain Wentworth really isn't that bad. He is always hanging around the Musgrove family and flirting with Louisa and Henrietta. He is always nice and cordial to Anne. He fails to catch Louisa, who falls and breaks her head. It's probably fine. Also, Anne catches the eye of a handsome gentleman. This week Elle and Catrina discuss Captain Wentworth's interactions with Anne and his dangerous flirting with the Musgrove sisters. Elle compares them to the Bertram sisters, who also found themselves fighting over a man. Catrina, however, talks about how ironic it is that Wentworth only starts to see Anne as the snack she is once another man sets his eye on her. Who is this mysterious man? Will the Musgrove sisters fall into the same trap as the Bertram sisters? Does Louisa survive her injury? Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:58:47

It's Fine. Everything is Fine

10/19/2022
Persuasion Chapters 5-8 Everything is fine, perfectly fine, right Anne? Sure your ex is hanging around. A lot, actually. He is always around. What's up with that? Oh, he is also flirting with your sisters-in-law. Yeah, it's fine. It's fine. Everything is totally fine. This week Elle and Catrina go through all the drama that has been happening around Anne Elliot. Wentworth comes around, and Anne has to face him for the first time since breaking his heart. We're sure it's going to be just fine. Right? Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:52:54

Meet Anne Elliot

10/12/2022
Persuasion: Chapters 1-4 Sir Elliot of Kellynch-Hall has high standards. He has no sons, and his heir chose not to marry his eldest daughter. Now he must face a massive lifestyle change to pay his debts, and he isn't thrilled about the prospect of renting his home. Luckily his clever middle daughter, Anne, and friend Lady Russell help him. However, this new renter puts Anne in an awkward situation of the heart. Season five has finally started, and Catrina and Elle tackle Jane Austen's Persuasion. Elle admits that she has never read Persuasion despite it being one of Austen's most popular novels. Needless to say, she has no idea what is going on between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:57:30

Season 5 Trailer

9/15/2022
Persuasion is one of Austen's most popular novels, but somehow Elle still has no idea what it is about. But, she has seen Sweet Home Alabama? Is it the same thing?

Duration:00:02:58

Mansfield Park with a Twist

8/3/2022
Final Mansfield Park adaptations! What would happens if Fanny Price decided to take her life into her own hands? How would her life change? Would Edmund get his just deserts? What if Lady Bertram was really into ancient Egyptian artifacts? What if she accidentally woke up an ancient mummy, who happened to fall in love with Fanny Price? Is it Mansfield Park meets The Mummy*? This week Elle and Catrina read two Mansfield Park adaptations that add a bit of a twist. Elle reads A Contrary Wind, where Fanny gets tired of her place at Mansfield Park and becomes a governess. But Fanny's absence throws off the lives of everyone, especially Mary, Edmund, and Henry. Catrina gets "weird book of the week" for reading Mansfield Park and Mummies. This wild adventure adaptation is Austen's novel with the added obstacle of mummies and a love stricken pharaoh. *The Mummy (1999) starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz of course. Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:01:04:36

Mansfield Park "Modernized"

7/13/2022
Mansfield Park Adaptations What would life at Mansfield Park look like if it wasn't the early 1800s? What if the park was picked up and moved to 1930s Chicago, or modern day England? What would the story look like without the societal restrictions of the time, but with the modern inconveniences we have today? This week Catrina and Elle take a look at two more "modern" Mansfield Park adaptations. Elle's book, Bellevere House, takes place in 1930's Chicago and adds a comedic flair to the Austen classic. It also features a much better version of Edmund. Catrina's book, She's the One, fast forwards Mansfield Park to modern day England. This version of the Bertram family looks more like the Osbornes than the Austens. Both of these books were self-published, and Catrina's book is available on Kindle Unlimited. Check them out! Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:50:26

A Modern Look at Austen and Women's Rights to Bodily Autonomy

7/5/2022
This week Catrina tells Elle all about a modern Young Adult adaptation of Mansfield Park. Elle shares a list of great books by Indigenous authors to check out, including swooning romances, rom-coms, fiction, and poetry. On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court decided that the historic ruling of Roe vs Wade should be overturned. This will send any laws regarding women's rights to abortion healthcare access to the states, many of which have already put in place extremely restrictive and dangerous trigger laws. Catrina and Elle take time to discuss their opinions on this ruling. Elle also discusses abortion access and laws during the revolutionary war era up to the early 1800's. Would Jane Austen have had access to an abortion? Would it have been legal for her to get one? Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:58:10

Prequels and Sequels

6/18/2022
Mansfield Park book adaptations What was Mrs Norris' life like before the events in Mansfield Park? How did she become one of the least liked characters in all of Austen's novels? What happened after Fanny and Edmund's happily ever after? What does the future look like for Susan Price, Tom Bertram, or Henry Crawford? This week Catrina and Elle read a prequel and a sequel to Austen's Mansfield Park. Catrina learns the origin story of Mrs. Norris, taking place long before her sisters married when they lived in the clutches of a terrible uncle. Elle takes a look at what happens after Mansfield Park, specifically following Susan Price and her life as the new helper to Lady Bertram. Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:49:42

Mansfield from a Different Point of View

6/1/2022
This week Elle and Catrina discuss a few Mansfield Park book adaptations. What would Mansfield Park look like through the point of view of Edmund Bertram? How would Mary Crawford tell her won story? These adaptations look at the story through different points of view. Elle read Edmund Bertram's Diary, by Amanda Grange. As part of Grange's Austen heroes series, this book follows Austen story beat by beat through the POV of Edmund. While Grange always delivers a great read, this book suffers from one glaring problem in Elle's opinion. Catrina read Mary Crawford: Revisiting at Mansfield Park, by Julia Barrett. While this adaptation is actually a sequel to Mansfield Park, it explores the repercussions of Mary's actions in the original story. So, what happens when Mary finds her way back to Mansfield? Well, her new love interest might just surprise you. Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:56:52

2007 Mansfield Park Film

5/20/2022
Mansfield Park - 2007 - Staring Billie Piper and Hayley Atwell This 2007 adaptation might ring truer to the books for some, while still falling flat for others. Only inspired by the novel - unlike the 1999 version - this is a true adaptation of Mansfield Park. But does it hold up? Does it do the novel justice? Elle and Catrina are at odds about this adaptation. While Elle feels that this is a truer adaptation, Catrina prefers the 1999 version. While this adaptation did some things well, it was lacking in other ways. But how much do those differences matter? Is it important that Fanny goes to Portsmith? How do these versions of the characters live up to their novel counterparts? Was Billie Piper the right choice for Fanny? Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:00:58:21

1999 Mansfield Park Film Adaptation

5/11/2022
Mansfield Park - 1999 - Staring Frances O'Connor and Johnny Lee Miller What happens to Mansfield Park if Fanny Price was more like Jane Austen? This adaptation of Mansfield Park is far from a true adaptation. In the title sequence it says that the film was inspired by Mansfield Park and Jane Austen's journals. This leads to an interesting combination of real-life people and fictional characters. Elle and Catrina have their critiques of this film that range from overall storytelling to the change in character motivations. Most importantly they agree that this version of Fanny Price is not actually Fanny Price. But does this mean this film has missed the mark? Does it do Mansfield Park justice? Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Kensington's newest title from Alexandra Ivy, UNSTABLE. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com.

Duration:01:03:22

Our Final Thoughts on Mansfield Park

5/4/2022
This week Elle and Catrina wrap up Mansfield Park and discuss some things that really stuck out to them. Elle was very interested in looking at how this book strongly focuses on morality and how modern readers may find a connection with Fanny Price to be somewhat of a stretch. Catrina was interested in comparing Fanny's relationships to both Edmund and Sir Thomas - using several popular romance novel tropes to prove that the development of her relationship to Sir Thomas was way more interesting, while her relationship to Edmund sort of fell flat. As always, we ended with our Mansfield Park superlatives! This round was very interesting and definitely ended on a funny note, so tune in to see who was *actually* the biggest flirt and who would have made a cute couple if only they could have interacted with each other! Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Kensington's newest title from Alexandra Ivy, UNSTABLE. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com.

Duration:01:04:34

Happily Ever After?

4/27/2022
Mansfield Park: Chapters 44-48 In these final chapters of the novel, Fanny is stuck in Portsmouth while chaos is happening in London. Letters arrive to the Price household describing Tom Bertram's (junior) serious illness, Maria's indiscretion, and Mary Crawford's conniving. In the aftermath, Edmund finally goes to pick up Fanny and bring her back to Mansfield Park, where, once home, Fanny learns all that happened between Edmund and Mary that caused their falling out. Now, with Mary out of the picture - is it finally happily ever after for Fanny? This week Elle and Catrina discuss just how diabolical Mary really is, while wondering if Edmund truly deserves Fanny. They also discuss how Sir Thomas has grown a lot over the course of the story and comes to realize all of his shortcomings as a parent. Which is good for him, because unfortunately Mrs. Norris isn't so lucky, as her favorite niece has become her punishment. Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts.

Duration:01:08:39

Sir Thomas Was Right?

4/20/2022
Mansfield Park: Chapters 39-43 Fanny is super unhappy in Portsmith. Her house is hectic and her family doesn't seem to care that she is there. But don't worry, things are only going to get weirder when Henry Crawford shows up. At least there hasn't been any word about an engagement from Edmund or Mary Crawford yet. This week Catrina and Elle take a good look at the Price family. Austen is known for showcasing the flaws of beloved family members and the Price family is no exception. Catrina also asks Elle if she thinks Henry Crawford is genuine in his affections for Fanny. It's the epistolary portion of Mansfield Park. This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Lexi George, DEMON HUNTING WITH A SOUTHERN SHERIFF. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com” Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Folic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts

Duration:00:53:00

The Audacity of Edmund Bertram

4/13/2022
Mansfield Park: Chapters 35 - 38 Edmund feels it's necessary to offer his opinion on the matter of Fanny and Henry's potential engagement. While he disguises his concern as help, it really isn't helpful at all. What's more, Sir Thomas decides to remind Fanny how good she's got it by sending her back home. Needless to say, Fanny needs a vacation, but she isn't going to find it at her parent's house. This week Elle and Catrina agree that Edmund Bertram is the worst hero so far. Elle gets up in arms about his mansplaining. Catrina can't decide if dastardly is the right word to describe Sir Bertram. Either way, both men need to stop telling Fanny how to feel. Also, the Price house is nothing but anxiety. This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Lexi George, DEMON HUNTING WITH A SOUTHERN SHERIFF. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com” Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Folic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts

Duration:01:02:39

No Means No Guys

4/6/2022
Mansfield Park: Chapters 31 - 34 The men in Fanny's life just don't understand. After getting an unexpected and unwanted proposal from Henry Crawford, Fanny spends the rest of these chapters telling him no. But Henry isn't the only one Fanny has to deal with. Sir Thomas freaks out when she tells him she will not marry Henry. Surely Edmund will come to her rescue... yeah, no. This week Elle and Catrina get angry at all of the men at Mansfield Park. They remind the characters again that no means no. Fanny shouldn't have to deal with all this nonsense cuz she doesn't want to marry a trash king. Also, what the heck Edmund?! You're better than that. This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Lexi George, DEMON HUNTING WITH A SOUTHERN SHERIFF. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com” Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Folic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts

Duration:01:10:29

Is There Love in the Air?

3/30/2022
Mansfield Park: Chapters 27-30 Fanny's anxiety around Mary Crawford's gift continues to rise after Edmund also gifts her a necklace. Edmund starts to get anxious about whether Mary is willing to marry him after he becomes a clergyman. Henry becomes buddy-buddy with William and Mary gets into a pretty intense fight with Edmund. All of this before the ball at Mansfield Park even begins! This week Elle and Catrina discuss everything from Fanny's necklace dilemma to Henry Crawford's declaration of love. Catrina gets frustrated at Edmund and Mary's constant back and forth between liking each other and complaining about the church. While Elle continues to not believe Austen when she reads that Henry Crawford is "in love." What's more, is Fanny officially out now? Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Folic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts

Duration:01:00:22