title: What's the Python equivalent of $1 in Perl, or any other special variables in regular expressions?
body: <p>I've just made the switch from Perl to Python and am disappointed by the <strong>re</strong> module. I'm looking for the equivalent of $1 in Python, or any other special variables in regular expressions. In Perl I would use this:
  <code>
  $_ = <code>"&lt;name&gt;Joe&lt;/name&gt;";</code>
  s/&lt;(.<em>)>(.</em>)&lt;<code>[/]</code>(.*)>/$2/;
  </code>
  I'm trying to do the same in Python. Thanks!</p>