Jane Austen’s first published work, Sense and Sensibility, a romantic novel, appeared in the year 1811. The world was first introduced to her portrayal of realism in English literature. Wisdom, self- control, emotion, enthusiasm, love, romance and heartbreak- all the basic realities of life are portrayed through Austen’s characters the Dashwood sisters- Elinore, Marianne and Margaret. At the end of the novel, the reader is given full freedom to decide whether sense and sensibility has emerged or not. This book is a beautiful and powerful introduction to Austen’s classics, a sensible, sensitive and delightful read about the extraordinary power of women ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is considered to be the finest novel of Jane Austen, and is a work of art in the history of English fiction.
Being the paragon of the romantic era of the 18th century, Jane Austen’s zealous novel Emma does more than highlight the faults and first-world problems of the English genteel. Emma detours from the romanticism to subtly tease the overall social mechanics of the changing Georgian/Imperial era, challenging the social decorum that overencumbered the freedom of the individuals locked in this rigid, elitist society tuned towards the refined aristocracy through significant highlights in social rules and the extolling of certain virtues. The most obvious topic both in romantic literature and superb gossip is marriage. In Emma, marriage is characterized sharply different in contrast to Austen’s other novels by omitting a fundamental principle of old-world
The gender roles of Jane Austen’s time, and the mirroring of them in Persuasion, are good examples of how hard it can be to resist inequality amongst sexes. Gender inequality is a social issue that recurs throughout the novel. Most of the characters that face gender inequality comply with their oppression. Moreover, the characters that are oppressed by gender inequality have come to expect such injustice. Jane Austen’s Persuasion demonstrates true-to-life examples of how both women and men accept their “role” in society, accept and expect it.
The setting in Emma relies heavily on the class system as it determines the quality of life and social interactions through birth and inheritance. Regency England’s rigid codes of propriety and hierarchy is demonstrated as Emma says, “They ought to be taught that it was not for them to arrange the terms on which the superior families would visit them” in regard to the lack of invitation to the Coles’ party. Austen’s use of characterisation highlights Emma as one to uphold the rules of social hierarchy. Patriarchy is conveyed in the stratified society as it is only through Mr. Knightley that Emma finally comes to understand the immaturity of her tendencies. He says at the Box Hill picnic, “to have you now, in thoughtless spirits, and the pride of the moment, laugh at her”.
Throughout her lifetime, Jane Austen wrote many novels dealing with current issues of her time. In the 19th century, it was not socially acceptable for women to receive pay for this type of work; therefore, “The pen has been in [men’s] hands” (221). This caused Austen to initially publish her novels anonymously. In order for Austen to authentically represent her voice and opinions on current issues without compromising her identity, she in turn used the characters and events in her published novels to convey them for her. Austen maintained her credibility on the significant subjects in her time by doing so.
Austen proves that it is important to get to know what people’s true intentions are. She does this by the evolution in the book of how people view
ane Austen’s historical background was the most relevant and helpful aspect added within her literary works since she provided typical features of her epoch (the Regency Period) in them through characters, events, social customs, and so on, as it is seen in Pride and Prejudice. Due to historical factors, Austen’s point of view in her works was ‘biased’, that is to say, she had her own opinion on different matters, and as it is known, she was a proud feminist who expressed her beliefs when she wrote. The Regency Period was a time of social instability in England: from the ‘madness’ of King George III, to the passivity and excessive life of his son, who was to be King George IV. Obviously, the judicial power did not favour every single person
In conclusion Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” as a whole illuminates and demonstrates the true meaning of “thoughtful laughter” in the form as simply to express a situation through humor. Jane Austen puts Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in a situation where one makes a faulty judgment about the other, and with that we as the readers “laugh” as Jane Austen describes how Elizabeth and Darcy faced challenges that came about from these misunderstandings. Jane Austen provides the readers amusement in Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s situation but also gives an understanding of a larger concept when analyzed further. Overall, Darcy and Elizabeth came to a conclusion that resulted in a happy relationship when realizing their errors in their decisions. Jane Austen 's use of “thoughtful laughter” helped convey the idea that humor through misunderstandings can allow for happiness to be achieved in a
Emma and Elizabeth are special among other heroines as Emma is able to examine her own state of thinking of being in love to the realization she is not, and Elizabeth shows her own introspection in the process of thinking and re-thinking. Another important feature of Austen’s novels is heroine’s learning experience as a centre of the novel. From the studied literature, it follows that the learning experience leads to the problematic of ‘self’ which Austen’s fallible heroines deal throughout the novels. Jane Austen tried to explore mainly the fields of self-realization and self-knowledge, which means Emma and Elizabeth must overcome their mistakes to find what is right and only then they can reach the ‘self’ development. The first part of the thesis also showed the critical view on the heroines.
HOW IS THE CONCEPT OF SENSIBILITY DURING THE ENLIGHTMENT ERA AND SOME SOCIAL TRADITIONS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY REFLECTED IN JANE AUSTEN’S NOVEL? Jane Austen was a Georgian era author, best known for her social commentary in novels including Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. She was born on December 16, 1775, in Hampshire, England. She grew up in an environment that stressed learning and creative thinking. In order to acquire a more formal education, Jane was sent to boarding schools during her pre-adolescence.