New film: ‘Spotlight on The Watsons’

The Watsons is the earliest surviving manuscript of a novel by Jane Austen in the process of development. Looking at it in depth can teach us a lot about the way Jane wrote. This film examines the manuscript itself and offers insights into Jane Austen’s creative process.

This short film accompanies our new permanent exhibition: ‘Jane Austen and the Art of Writing’. Like the exhibition, it uses objects as a way in to explore what we can learn about Jane Austen’s life as a writer. A short clip of the film is on display in the exhibition itself – this longer edit (24 mins) allows us to explore more details about the manuscript itself and what we can learn from it.

Watch it freely on our YouTube channel: WATCH HERE!

With thanks to The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, where The Watsons manuscript is held and where this film was made.