AP Lit Final Review: Jane Austen and Opening Notes

Regency England: Time Period (1788 - 1830)

This time period was called the "Regency" because Prince George (later King George IV) took over for insane father King George III as "Prince Regent." Despite the time period lasting from 1788-1830, it is technically only from 1811-1820 since those are the years George IV was Prince Regent

Important historical events

During this time, the American Revolution had just ended and the Industrial Revolution was in full swing.

◦French Revolution: 1789-1799 - Created a highly unstable atmosphere on the continent and in England
◦War 1793-1815 - Britain enters war in 1803 and the wars end in 1815 with Napoleon's loss to the British at the Battle of Waterloo

Reputation and Class

Reputation is everything, especially to women. Life for the middle and upper class was strictly regulated

Education

There was no organized education; local charity or church-run schools were popular.

◦"Genteel" social levels, like those in Pride and Prejudice, did not attend these schools.
◦They would be taught by parents, a tutor, or be sent away to live with a tutor when young.
◦Some grammar schools existed but were only for males.

Women's Education

Women would not receive proper education, instead getting domestic training. A relatively large amount of girls' and women's time was spent on sewing or needlework

◦For women of the "genteel" classes the goal of non-domestic education was thus often the acquisition of "accomplishments", such as the ability to draw, sing, play music, or speak modern languages (generally French and Italian).

Most of their education was to impress men and make them seen as more desirable.

Gender Differences

Men had greater power and contribution to society as a whole while women were viewed more as reserved, gossipy, and highly held by reputation.

◦Women were expected appear and behave with a certain manner, and easily became a social outcast if any societal deviance was displayed

Gender Differences: Men

A man's primary role is to be the provider. They were expected to:

◦propose an engagement for a wife
◦earn the family's only income
◦make final decisions
◦physically and fiscally support and protect the family
◦provide a home, food, and clothing

Gender Differences: Women

◦During this time period, it was unacceptable for women, or a woman, to travel alone. Women expected were to:

◦ tend to the children
◦ arrange the meals
◦ do the shopping and sewing
◦ uphold the daily routines for the family, primarily tending to the husband's needs.

Women and Property Rights

"Entailment" determined how property would be passed through several generations within a family; usually closest male relative. Women had few legal rights. Women could not own property (they were considered property)

•Depend on men for protection and survival. Depended on fathers to "give them away" to a lucrative marriage
•At death, property went to another male heir
•Finding a husband was a necessity not a social preoccupation
•Being able to marry for love was rare

Austen Exposes her Society

In the first line of the novel, Austen utilizes irony to expose the lack of opportunity for females to determine their own futures in a world dominated by patriarchal social structure.

She emphasizes the "needs" of men with the first line of the book. Austen creates a subtle undercurrent of criticism towards a society that fails to recognize the plight of women, who have neither a choice in marriage nor an opportunity for "good fortune" due to their complete dependence on the whims of males in society.

Jane Austen

◦Born December 16, 1775
◦Seventh child of a rural reverend
◦Only one other sister with whom she was very close
◦Educated at a boarding school
◦Received better education than was typical for her station in life

Jane Austen: Conti.

◦Singularly uneventful life
◦Accepted then rejected only man to propose to her
◦Lived as a recluse with sister Cassandra on generosity of her brothers
◦Died relatively young - only 41
◦Died July 18, 1817
◦Suffered from poor health most of life
◦Two novels published after she died

Free Indirect Discourse

Narration that slips in and out of characters' consciousness. Characters' thoughts, feelings, and words are filtered through the third-person narrator.

•Third-person perspective to convey ideas and thoughts from point of view of a particular character usually the heroine.
•Hard to determine objectivity of ideas
•Precursor of "stream of consciousness"

Works

Relatively unknown during her life. She had published anonymously only way to save reputation. One of the most highly regarded female and British writers of all time. Wrote 6 main novels:

◦Sense and Sensibility (1811)
◦Pride and Prejudice (1813)
◦Mansfield Park (1814)
◦Emma (1815)
◦Northanger Abbey (1818) posthumous
◦Persuasion (1818) posthumous

Satire

•Humor in order to criticize or ridicule a particular person or group
•Disguise criticism of an intended target by clothing it in humorous language, funny characterizations, and sarcasm
•Is used in Pride and Prejudice to make fun of human vices or weaknesses

Comedy of Manners

They use elements of Satire to ridicule or expose behaviors, manners, flaws, and morals of members of the middle or upper classes.

•Incorporate love affairs, witty and comical exchanges between characters, and the humorous revelation of societal scandals and intrigues
•Witty banter between characters