Metatext practice: sequels to Jane Austen novels

The article is devoted to the study of one of the phenomena of modern mass literature, namely, sequels to the novels of the classic author Jane Austen. Despite more than two hundred years that separate the English novelist from the modern era, her work not only resonates with readers of the XXI century, but also is a source of inspiration for writing sequels. The relevance of the work is associated with an attempt to classify a large number of works-continuations of famous novels and to identify subgenres, such as "marriage plot" and "detective story". The variety of genres of secondary texts "based on Austen" indicates the demand for both form and content: readers accept the rules of the "philological game" and show interest not only in sequels, but also in other secondary forms: both in literature and in cinema. In addition, sequels to Austen's novels are actively discussed in the literary environment, becoming the subject of study at universities. Thus, the sequel, being in the marginal zone of literature, is of great interest among researchers due to its borderline position. Sequels to Austen's novels, regardless of genre, popularize the classics and convey traditional values in the era of literary default. In addition, they are valuable material for studying the category of secondariness. The reasons for the popularity of sequels to Austen's novels lay not only in literature, but also in popular culture (cinema) can be attributed to the interest of English-speaking authors and readers to their literary heritage, the "eternal" themes raised in the novels, the implicit nature of the narrative, which encourages the authors to "continue" the work.