Jane Austen 简奥斯汀

Make brief comments on Austen’s simple language.
Austen writes her novel in simple language. At her time, women are usually deprived of the rights of school education. What’s more, most of the eminent native English writers tend to write in simple language (e.g. Wordsworth) while those immigrant writers (e.g. Conrad) tend to write in sophisticated language. (everyday life versus historical theme)
Major Works
Pride and Prejudice《傲慢与偏见》 Sense and Sensibility《理智与情感》 Emma《爱玛》 Mansfield Park《曼斯菲尔德公园》 Northanger Abbey《诺桑觉寺》 Persuasion 《好事多磨》
Jane Austen (1775-1871)
Biographical Introduction Major Works Brief Comments Detailed Study of Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Austen was born into a country clergyman’s family. She was educated at home with her sisters. She lived an uneventful life. She began to write novels for her family entertainment. Her novels were later published anonymously due to the prejudice against women writers.
Sum up the characterization of Mr. And Mrs. Bennet.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are the two bestdepicted characters in the excerpt. Mrs. Bennet is vulgar, ignorant, and snobbish. Her only business is to marry her daughters to wealthy young men. Mr. Bennet is kind-hearted, humorous, but a bit pedantic.
Pride and Prejudice
Give a feminist explanation of the first sentence.
The gentlemen are always in favorable condition in marriage. The ladies are under the mercy of the gentlemen. In the eighteenth century, an ideal husband must be in possession of a good fortune.
Make brief comments on the neoclassical elements of the novel after watching the episodes from the movie.
Jane Austen is a neoclassicism advocate, upholding those traditional ideas of order, reason, proportion and gracefulness in novel writing. The protagonists in Pride and Prejudice are invariably graceful. Gentlemen are gentlemanly and ladies are ladylike on all occasions. There are no passionate love scenes (e.g. hugging or kissing) like those in Jane Eyre.
Austen is a neoclassicism advocate, upholding those traditional ideas of order, reason, proportion and gracefulness in novel writing. Austen’s work has a very narrow literary field. She is particularly preoccupied with the relationship between men and women in love.
During her life time, Sir Walter Scott praised her exquisite style in Quarterly Review. Cambridge critic F. R. Leavis rediscovered Austen’s works in his influential The Great Tradition (1948). (cf. Chen Jia: 545ff)
Make brief comments on the idealized countryside life in Austen’s novels with references to Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Austen’s parody of Gothic novel in Northanger Abbey.
``Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is not it so, Mrs. Bennet?'' ``Yes, or I will never see her again.'' ``An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. -- Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.'' Elizabeth could not but smile at such a conclusion of such a beginning; but Mrs. Bennet, who had persuaded herself that her husband regarded the affair as she wished, was excessively disappointed. ``What do you mean, Mr. Bennet, by talking in this way? You promised me to insist upon her marrying him.''
The best way (short-cut) for a lady to climb up in the social status is to get married to a rich husband in a dignified manner. Jane Austen is the first important woman writer in English literature. However, she is not necessarily a feminist writer. (In her opinion, a lady should be dependent upon an honest rich gentleman.)
Austen tries to say that it is wrong to marry just for money or for beauty, but it is also wrong to marry without it. Her novels show a wealthHale Waihona Puke Baiduof humor, wit and delicate satire.
(Chapter 20)
``Speak to Lizzy about it yourself. Tell her that you insist upon her marrying him.'' ``Let her be called down. She shall hear my opinion.'' Mrs. Bennet rang the bell, and Miss Elizabeth was summoned to the library. ``Come here, child,'' cried her father as she appeared. ``I have sent for you on an affair of importance. I understand that Mr. Collins has made you an offer of marriage. Is it true?'' Elizabeth replied that it was. ``Very well -- and this offer of marriage you have refused?'' ``I have, Sir.''
Appreciating Austen’s Humor

MR. BENNET raised his eyes from his book as she entered, and fixed them on her face with a calm unconcern which was not in the least altered by her communication. ``I have not the pleasure of understanding you,'' said he, when she had finished her speech. ``Of what are you talking?'' ``Of Mr. Collins and Lizzy. Lizzy declares she will not have Mr. Collins, and Mr. Collins begins to say that he will not have Lizzy.'' ``And what am I to do on the occasion? -- It seems an hopeless business.''