Jane Austen

by Irvine; Robert P.

• ISBN13: 9780415314343
• ISBN10: 0415314348
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-05-16
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Jane Austen's early nineteenth-century novels marked a turning point in the history of the genre and paved the way for the blossoming of the form in the decades to follow. As a result, her work has long occupied a central place in the study of English literature, as well as entertaining generations of readers. This volume: *Outlines the social, historical and literary contexts within which Austen wrote *Offers an extensive, insightful guide to her novels *Explores critical issues related to her work, from gender and class to ideology and imperialism *Surveys the criticism of Austen's work and offers suggestions for further reading *Traces adaptations of Austen's novels on film. Robert P. Irvine's guide to this major novelist and her work is essential reading for any serious student of English literature. Accessible and broad-ranging, it is suitable both for students examining one novel at an introductory level, as invaluable extended reading, or for those beginning a more detailed studyof Austen, as a reference and guide to a vast and varied critical field.

Author Biography

Robert P. Irvine is a lecturer in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
Abbreviations and referencing	x
Introduction	xi
1: Life and contexts	1	(38)
Introduction	1	(1)
Austen's life	1	(25)
Austen's England: hierarchy, modernity and gender	5	(6)
Austen's profession: writing, publicity and the market	11	(6)
Austen in literary history I	17	(9)
The novel and criticism	17	(2)
Political economy, sentiment and marriage	19	(5)
Female education	24	(2)
Austen in literary history 2	26	(13)
Romanticism	26	(3)
The effects of the French Revolution and the war with France	29	(7)
Politics and the novel after 1814	36	(3)
2: Works	39	(52)
Introduction	39	(1)
Northanger Abbey	40	(8)
Sense and Sensibility	48	(8)
Pride and Prejudice	56	(6)
Mansfield Park	62	(10)
Emma	72	(9)
Persuasion	81	(10)
3: Criticism	91	(57)
Introduction	91	(1)
Style, plot and morality	91	(23)
The origins of academic criticism of Austen	91	(4)
Morality	95	(1)
Irony, point of view and free indirect discourse	96	(4)
Narrative form: education and the marriage plot	100	(6)
Morality again	106	(3)
Queer Austen, the body and psychoanalytic criticism	109	(5)
Austen and society	114	(10)
A problem	114	(2)
Austen as Burkean conservative	116	(3)
Austen, political economy and Marxist criticism	119	(5)
Austen and feminism	124	(10)
Austen, empire and nationality	134	(14)
Slavery in Mansfield Park	134	(4)
Critiques of postcolonial readings of Austen	138	(3)
Domesticity and empire	141	(1)
Austen and English nationalism	142	(6)
4: Austen on screen	148	(13)
Introduction	148	(1)
Adaptation: from page to screen	148	(4)
Films and feminism	152	(1)
Englishness, 'heritage' and cultural materialism	153	(3)
Austen, consumption and history	156	(2)
Austen in American culture	158	(3)
Chronology	161	(5)
Bibliography	166	(15)
Editions	166	(1)
Film and television	167	(1)
Biographical	167	(1)
Historical context	168	(1)
Theoretical perspectives	169	(1)
Critical studies of Austen	170	(9)
Journals and websites	179	(2)
Index	181