Posted by Janette on June 14, 1997 at 23:29:19:
In reply to Lack of scriptural reference in JA? posted by Barbara on June 14, 1997 at 14:57:32
] But it strikes me that I can't think of any references to biblical passages in her novels! ( There may be some, but I can't think of any) We probably wouldn't love JA as well as we do if her novels were filled with this type of thing, but it strikes me as odd, to say the least, that the writing of a clergyman's daughter who also has quite a few clergymen as key characters, would be almost or entirely devoid of scriptural reference. This seems exactly the type of thing Mr. Collins might come out with, or that moralizing Edmund might choose to say. Have I missed something? Has anyone noticed any references to the Bible?
The only one I can think of is when Miss Bates says "our lot is cast in a goodly heritage" which is a bit of a misquote of Psalm 16.6. But I think the reason she doesn't put Biblical quotes into the mouths of her ridiculous (Mr Collins) or nasty (Mr Elton) clergymen is that although she is very ready to ridicule individuals she doesn't ridicule the office (I'm thinking of Edmund's defence to Mary Crawford) and is very far from wanting to be thought to be ridiculing the actual basis of their (and her) faith. Does that make sense?
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