The Gen Z ification of Jane Austen

 Over the summer Netflix released one of the newer Jane Austen adaptations. Which are always eaten up. And over the years there have been many attempts to modernize these classic tales. Much like everyone’s favorite adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Emma, the movie Clueless. This brought a new twist to the story updating it and bringing the tale to new generations. 

However this new Netflix adaptation of Persuasion seems to have fallen a bit flat. The original story by Austen is dramatic and romantic. It tells the story of a woman who was convinced not to marry her true love she mourns the loss of him for 8 years while he is off at sea saving beached wales and becoming a great captain. Until they meet again on a visit to her sister. While the story is mildly humorous in ways when looking at the lavish characters that are her family it is overall a sad story filled with pining, passion, and love. 

Yet, this adaptation has taken this drama and turned it into a comedy. Adding Fleabag like humor adding in an absurd amount of fourth wall breaking and Gen Z humor. With lines like “ he’s a 10 and I never trust a 10” to self deprecating humor not in the original story. And while I am always looking for new interpretations of these classics especially as the ultimate Jane Austen fan girl. I have to say it seems trying to appeal to people in their early 20s and teens seems to take the importance out of the story and date the movie in a bad way. Making it so it will be unbearable to watch in five years when the slang they have added is out of style and meanings are no longer known or relevant. Whole period pieces can be modernized as we have seen this one does not work.