Jane Austen

 Jane Austen

’Indulge your imagination in every possible flight.’ (Austen #)

Hello everyone,

Thinking activity task of The Romantic Age’s novelist Jane Austen given by Megha ma'am.

Introduction

Jane Austen was an English novelist of the 19th centurey.  She was born on 16 December 1775. She was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager. In 1801 the family moved to Bath. After the death of Jane's father in 1805 Jane, her sister Cassandra and their mother moved several times eventually settling in Chawton, near Steventon.

Life :-

father of Jane’s biographer, is described as well read in English literature, writing readily and happily both in prose and verse.

Her 1st published work was issued anonymously. An anonymous article in the quarterly review, following the appearance of Emma in 1815-16. It was dedicated to the prince regent, an admirer of her work.

“Pride and Prejudice” was not published till sixteen years after it had been composed; “Sense and Sensibility,” the first published of Jane Austen’s novels, not for thirteen years after the first time it was re-written. “Northanger Abbey” was the first sold of these earlier novels, but it cannot be considered more lucky than its predecessors.  

Jane's brother Henry helped her negotiate with a publisher and her first novel, 'Sense and Sensibility', appeared in 1811. Her next novel 'Pride and Prejudice', which she described as her "own darling child" received highly favorable reviews. 'Mansfield Park' was published in 1814, then 'Emma' in 1816. All of Jane Austen's novels were published anonymously.

Jane Austen’s life is not well-documented, as much of the material that could have provided a more detailed memoir was destroyed, and most contemporary memories of her were lost.The relatives who wrote a biography of “Aunt Jane,” whom they remembered fondly for her kindness and were proud of her growing fame, were older and not professional writers like she was. However, any drawbacks of their writing are made up for by the genuine affection and emotion in their storytelling.

 It is a few years that it was learned that the friendly and discerning critic was Walter scott he continued to be her admirer until her early death but these two greatest writers of fiction in their age.

Passed her life very quietly, cheerfully in the doing of small domestic duties which love to plant the magic lamp that makes all the things beautiful. Her life was unexciting; and she died in middle age before her merits had received anything like adequate recognition.

Features of her works: 

1. Her character 

2. Her plot 

3. Her style 

4. Master of realism.

5. Humor

6. Satirist as well as moralist 

7. Dramatic nature of her art 

8. Lack of passion 

According to W. L. Cross ,

“She was a realist who gave a new to the novel an art and style, which it one had particularly in fielding but which it had since lost.” 

Jane Austen's story turns on personal relationships between friends, between parents and children, between men and women in love.

Sir Walter Scott wrote in his diary that the talent of Jane Austen as a realist was ‘ The most wonderful.’ that young lady had a talent for describing the involvements ,feelings and characters of ordinary life.

*Humor:-

 Jane Austen's toward life as presented in her novel “humorist”. At the end of her life humor is an integral part of her creative process.

She described voice sets in reality, dancing and speaking with comic vision.

“I dearly love a laugh” (Austen #)

She creates comic characters which produce nothing but laughter and folly is the chief source of laughter in her novels.

*Her  Characters:-

Jane Austen has an earring eye for the surface of personality and records accurately the mannerisms, tricks of speech etc of her character. She avoided jarring characters. ‘One of the greatest qualities of a novelist was her power to create living characters. She also possesses this quality. She doesn't idealize her characters.

According to Walter Allen “Austen is never angry with her characters.” she found them the less funny the older she grew for the tone of contempt becomes drier in each succeeding books.

In pride and prejudice, Mr. Collins and lady de bourgh are figures monstrous of silliness and snobbery to be laughed at as something like affected . Mrs. Norris in Mansfield park.

*Her plot:-

Jane Austen's great skill lies in plot construction; it was the highest object of artistic perfection. her plot was constructed severely unromantic. Her work beginning as a burlesque of the horrible in fiction, finishes by being an excellent example of her ideal novel. Most of her work is based on common life. For example, pride and prejudice become rarer with the result that later novels such as Emma are pictures of everyday life. 

*Her style:-

‘It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us.’

The style of Jane Austen can’t be separated from herself or method. It’s particularly her own. We didn't find her for the course of her reading. 

Observation on ‘nice’ in Northern Abbey, the sky is nice, the walk is nice , young ladies are very nice.

She attained great skill and she had an ear for the aesthetic values of a pleasing rhythm.

Her works :-

The chronology of Jane Austen's novel is not easy to follow, her works not published in their order of composition.

Austen takes particular care in writing her novels. She constantly revised them and before sending them for publication. She made herself sure that everything in her novel - plot, dialogue, humor, and character are perfect in every possible way.

Her major works are ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Mansfield Park’ , ‘Emma’ , ‘Northanger Abbey’ , ‘Persuasion’ .

*Pride and Prejudice 

-It was written in 1796-97 , published in 1813

-It was widely regarded as a classic story set in    common society of the early 19th century. 

-Primarily follows the life of Elizabeth bennet.

-Novels express themes of love, class, marriage     and social expectations.

Inspired numerous adoption across reflecting its relevance notable adaptations.

 * Bride & Prejudice (2004)  was based on this novel.

 

* Sense and Sensibility

• It was written in 1797-98, published in 1811

• Novel is satirical in tone and here in subdued ironical tone she ridicules sentimentalists.

• Elinor represents sense and her sister Marianne stands for sensibility depicted in the character of marianne.

•  The style is forcefully ironic and the dialogues through which the comedy is represented are trenchant.

Between 1798-1811 she paused writing, then after her three novels had great success - Mansfield Park (1811-13), -Emma (1815) it was published in 1816. - Persuasion (1815-16) published in 1818.

Conclusion

In conclusion Jane Austen's novels, despite their seemingly simple plots, have endured as classics of English literature. Her works skillfully combine romance with social critique, using wit and irony to comment on the society of her time. Austen's focus on realistic characters, everyday life, and the challenges faced by women in the early 19th century continues to resonate with readers today.

References :-

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice (World Classics, Unabridged) . Vij Books India Private Limited, 2017.

Austen, Jane, and David Widger. “The Complete Project Gutenberg Works of Jane Austen by Jane Austen.” Project Gutenberg, 25 January 2010, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31100 .  Accessed 23 August 2024.

Tytler, Sarah. “Jane Austen and her works by Sarah Tytler.” Project Gutenberg, 20 May 2023, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/70809 . Accessed 23 August 2024.