Suffering in novels
Posted by Kathy F. on October 07, 1997 at 22:10:40:
In response to suffering sucatash, written by AnneM on October 07, 1997 at 16:37:05
]
] The protaganists in a romance novel must SUFFER before they can be happy. Little details like what we have been discussing just get in the way of their ennobling ordeal. Therefore they are unimportant and can safely be ignored.
] oh, they are not unimportant, or we would not be discussing, or enjoying anything Bronte. they are just a different method of delivering a message. Lizzie and Jane suffered also before the happy ending. Bronte is heavier handed in her shading, and more designing in the shape of the book, whereas in Austen, the story flows more lifelike. and perhaps more enjoyable?
Lizzy suffers almost entirely due to her own pride and prejudice; Jane Bennet suffers partially because of her closed nature--had she been more open of her feelings, Darcy could not have made Bingley think that she felt nothing for him. Jane Eyre, on the other hand, suffers almost entirely bc of forces over which she has no control--her Aunt Reed's fixed bad opinion of her, Mr. Rochester's marriage, her lack of money. It seems that JE suffers so much simply for the sake of suffering; whereas JA's characters suffer as penance for their internal flaws.
Kathy
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