Jane Austen Moral Development

Introduction

When it was proposed to the class to work on a literary work, I decided not to talk about a book in concrete, but rather about Jane Austen, in general.

I will talk about various topics relating to the author, including her biography, since some aspects of her life contributed to her writing forms; her common way of writing and also the main topics discussed; the general aspects of the characters and also criticism regarding her.

Biography

Jane Austen was born in 16 December 1775 (Steventon Rectory, Hampshire, England) and she died in 18 July 1817, when she was forty-one years old (Winchester, Hampshire, England).

As a novelist, she was considered one of the most widely read writers in English literature. The use of realism

Her writing is divided into seven main themes:

Education and Reading

Austen’s plots are mainly about education, her heroines go through a process in which they can see clearly themselves and their conduct and, consequently, become better people. Her narratives have moments of self-realization, which are the most dramatic and memorable in her novels, with this, she is trying to educate readers, particularly their emotions.

Morality

This is a central theme of Austen’s works. For her, morality has to do with manners, duty to society and religious seriousness. She often uses words such as “duty” and “manners” throughout her fiction as signifies of her ethical system. Manners are just not etiquette, but also a moral code, her fear was that economic considerations would overcome moral considerations in human conduct. One more time, she tries to educate readers about morality.

Religion

Critics and commentators agree that Austen was “a conscientious and believing churchwoman”. Her style was influenced by the language of King James Version of the Bible, and by the Book of Common Prayer. Mansfield Park and Persuasion are the novels that are recognized as examples of her

She discusses social status and social position in terms of rank, station and degree and not in terms of class. She often portrays characters in the professional classes.

Individual and Society

The tension between the claims of society and the claims of the individual are mentioned in her works.

Characters

The characters in Austen’s works are middle-class people, driven by principles that can be common to any reader, not landlocked in exotic colonies, but on English country life. Except in Mansfield Park, colonies are never referenced, which are a common theme in the novels of the season. It is common in the novels of Austen find small social groups, usually composed of rural families.

Women are seen as an important part of society, just as men.

Criticism

In the 20th century, academics consider that she is one of the most genuine English-language writers, and she is often compared with William Shakespeare.

Conclusion

For the realization of the written task, I saved all the research carried out for the oral presentation, but I also added new information, that I thought that would be useful for the written