The Jane Austen in Literature

Jane Austen is known as one of the greatest novelists from England. Born in 1775, it is no surprise that her novels are still in print. She is best known for writing pride and prejudice. Back when she wrote pride and prejudice she was a teenager who did not want to come out as an author. She published this book back when a female’s entrance into the public eye was considered was considered not very lady like. Jane’s distinctive literary style relies on a combination of free indirect speech, parody, irony and to some extent realism. Both burlesque and parody are used to bring out a comical effect and to criticize the portrayal of women in novels. This paper looks at the common theme across some of Austen’s novels

Reading and Education

Education is a fundamental theme in Austen’s books. The heroines in her book go through various processes, and at the end of the story, they become better people. For instance in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth goes through a process of prejudicial thoughts. It’s a process of error-when she thinks prejudicially about Darcy, recognition of the error-when she finally realizes Darcy is not a bad person as she had perceived him to be. Last in her education process, Elizabeth, is determined to do better. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth realizes that she was mistaken about Darcy and Wickham. It dawns on her that she has never been objective about Darcy and concludes that there is no reason not to like Darcy. “She grew absolutely ashamed of herself: neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd. 'How despicably have I acted!' she cried. I, who have prided myself on my discernment! Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by ...

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...brought out the issues of feminism in her novels. Social classes were major issues back in the day. The wealthy families were highly regarded. The naval profession and marriage were the only way to improve one’s social status. Her novels are also known to be politically progressive and conservative.

Works Cited

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: W. W. Norton and Co, 1813. Print.

Bloom, Harold. Jane Austen. New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2009. Print.

Green, Lindsay. Emma by Jane Austen and Clueless Directed by Amy Heckerling. Glebe, N.S.W: Pascal Press, 2001. Print.

Grundy, Isobel. "Jane Austen and Literary Traditions". The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. Eds. Edward Copeland and Juliet McMaster. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Print.

Jones, Hazel. Jane Austen and Marriage. London: Continuum, 2009. Print.