Jane Austen vs. her society
Posted by The Mysterious H.C. on April 18, 1998 at 09:38:42:
In response to jane, written by agt3 on April 17, 1998 at 19:36:35
] A real danger in reading a 200 year old novel, it seems to me, is that of projecting the concerns and fads from our own time into the mind of the writer and her characters. I suspect that feminist concerns would have no more meaning or interest to Jane than, say, space travel or pepsi-cola. The impression I receive in reading her is that this was the world she was born into and that she accepts it unquestioningly, and contrives to make great art from the material at hand.
Yes and no; Jane Austen wasn't a radical reformer, and didn't have any particular concrete prescription to offer for social change; but on the other hand, she was very aware of injustices that affected specific people (mainly of her own class), and does show them, though mainly in a rather cool manner:
"Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want." -- Pride and Prejudice
Mrs. Rushworth and Henry C.: "That punishment, the public punishment of disgrace, should in a just measure attend his share of the offence is, we know, not one of the barriers which society gives to virtue. In this world the penalty is less equal than could be wished; but without presuming to look forward
to a juster appointment hereafter..." -- Mansfield Park
"Catherine and Lydia had information for them of a different sort. Much had been done and much had been said in the regiment since the preceding Wednesday; several of the officers had dined lately with their uncle, a private had been flogged, and it had actually
been hinted that Colonel Forster was going to be married." -- Pride and Prejudice
[Mrs. Norris after the visit to Sotherton]: "That Mrs Whitaker is a treasure! She was quite shocked when I asked her whether wine was allowed at the second table, and she has turned away two housemaids for wearing white gowns." -- Mansfield Park
- jane2 agt3 12:59:19 4/20/98
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- And Caroline 12:13:58 4/18/98
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- Leanings Janet 10:40:28 4/18/98
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- My mantra Erin 11:35:27 4/18/98
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- The term "feminist" Carolyn B 14:49:25 4/19/98
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- Defining Feminism Marie Bernadette 18:29:44 4/20/98
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- More on feminism and Austen Erin 22:18:37 4/21/98
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- JA as Humanist Marie Bernadette 13:43:58 4/22/98
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- JA as Humanist Marie Bernadette 13:43:58 4/22/98
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- Arguing over semantics : ) Carolyn B 19:37:22 4/20/98
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- Semantic antics Marie Bernadette 13:50:34 4/22/98
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- The Vote -- not very good example (try education) The Mysterious H.C. 22:34:23 4/20/98
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- This is (in an oblique way, perhaps) my point ; -) Carolyn B 21:44:14 4/21/98
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- This is (in an oblique way, perhaps) my point ; -) Carolyn B 21:44:14 4/21/98
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- Semantic antics Marie Bernadette 13:50:34 4/22/98
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- More on feminism and Austen Erin 22:18:37 4/21/98
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- Made perfect sense to me... MB 16:39:53 4/20/98
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- Defining Feminism Marie Bernadette 18:29:44 4/20/98
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- The term "feminist" Carolyn B 14:49:25 4/19/98
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- My mantra Erin 11:35:27 4/18/98
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