Jane Austen has been accused in the literary world of neglecting to write on any important events or issues. However, there have lately been quite a few studies that argue otherwise. In fact, many would argue that Austen's genius stems from her style of addressing these issues in a subtle manner. Austen's writing reflects the time period of its publication through its discussion of topics unique to that set of circumstances.
Pride and Prejudice directly addresses the question of authority circulating in England from 1780 to 1830. In this period directly following the English Glorious Revolution, questions arose as to who should rule over whom and what qualified someone to rule at all. There was a "critical divide" between the advocates of a Christian conservatism on the one hand, with their pessimistic view of man's nature, and their belief in external authority; [and] on the other hand, progressives, sentimentalists, revolutionaries, with their optimism about man, and their preference for spontaneous personal impulse against rules imposed from without (Butler).
[...] Works Cited Brown, Julia Prewitt. ‘Social History' of Pride and Prejudice.” New York: The Modern Language Association of America Butler, Marilyn. Jane Austen and the War of Ideas. Oxford: Clarendon Press Christie, William. “Pride, Politics, and Prejudice.” Nineteenth-Century Contexts 20, no (1997). [...]
[...] They argue that the meaning of life in Austen is to be found not by focusing on ourselves, but in service. Brown argues the opposite in ‘Social History' of Pride and Prejudice.” She writes, ethos of Pride and Prejudice as a whole is one of pleasure. This is especially evident in the celebratory atmosphere of the closing chapters The spirit of Pride and Prejudice is one of pleasure, a high-minded job in mastering contradictions not to be confused with regressive indulgence or romantic wish fulfillment (Brown).” Austen's writing reflects the time period of its publication through its discussion of topics unique to that set of circumstances. [...]
[...] The potential for a radical critique is established at the very opening of the novel by Austen's most famous utterance: is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” William Christie writes in his “Pride, Politics, and Prejudice” that “what the sentence does not say what it surely tempts without attempting is “that a single man in want of a good fortune, must be in possession of a wife (Christie).” Through this double- edged nature of possession, Austen shows that when a single man seeks to extend his property by marriage, he soon becomes rightful property” of the daughters of surrounding families.” Situations like this one arise from the unsettled world Austen portrays, with its continual changes of fortune and social mobility that were affecting the landed families of her time. Thus, although Darcy is a landowner established for many generations, his friend Bingley has no estate and has inherited £100,000 from his father; and although Mr. Bennet has an estate, his estate will not pass to his own children. On these issues, we have to take Austen's word for truth because we cannot relate to them. One we can relate to, however, is Austen's argument that happiness is an ideal that should be pursued by everyone. [...]
[...] Jane Austen on historical issues Jane Austen has been accused in the literary world of neglecting to write on any important events or issues. However, there have lately been quite a few studies that argue otherwise. In fact, many would argue that Austen's genius stems from her style of addressing these issues in a subtle manner. Austen's writing reflects the time period of its publication through its discussion of topics unique to that set of circumstances. Pride and Prejudice directly addresses the question of authority circulating in England from 1780 to 1830. [...]
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