It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. (Pride and Prejudice- Chapter I)

Jane Austen (1775-1817) A great novelist of manners, who lived in the romantic age without sharing its problems and characteristics. She was a realistic writer, unequalled in the psychological analysis of her characters, whom she describes with objectivity, and often ironic wit.

Jane Austen’s novels: general features She was not interested in social and historial events; The world of her novels is restricted to provincial England and to a limited social class, the provincial Gentry; She offers a deep psychological analysis of her characters through their dialogues; She focuses on everyday life and domestic life (chattings around a tea-tabe, parties, dinners, balls…) Her writing style is an objective one: she seldom intrudes into her works with comments or judgements;

The Novel of Manners Austen’s novels are the best example of the “novel of manners”. She focused on the analysis of social conventions of the middle class and of the gentry. Each of her novels is a story about marriage – the most important social convention-, or better, about providing a matches for the heroines; The marriage mostly rewards women for affection rather than romantic love, but also for social and financial settlement. The woman has no future without what her husband could provide for her too. DECORUM, DECENCY and MORALITY are important but there must be something behind them: a sense of duty, tenderness, generosity of heart, tolerance and understanding

Microcosms Austen puts her characters under a lens and observed them while they interacted. The focus is not on their manners, but on how the characters revealed themselves through dialogues and actions. They are set in small communities, in microcosms. The themes were self-realization, prejudice, social conventions and class prejudices

Psychological analysis Austen used the free indirect speech, which means there was a 3rd person narrator, but with the advantages of a 1st person. With this new style, she explored the character’s psychology. She also used long narrative and scenic descriptions and dialogue.

The Roundness of her characters (1) In the course of the novel, they change their inner judgments and their external behaviour. i.e. Darcy and Elizabeth: They examinate themselves constantly, in a deep exploration of their feelings and in a consequent courageous realization of reciprocal wrongs Elizabeth doesn’t conform to the strict and artificial social rules of the time. In her opinion, superiority does not lie in birth and wealth, but in the intellectual and moral stature of a person. She does not totally reject differences of rank and education, but she thinks that social differences may be overcome, if there is a similarity in tastes, education and above all sincere reciprocal love

The Roundness of her characters (2) Darcy manages to overcome all his rigid principles by acknowledging his errors and becoming aware that not only social position, but over all inner character and feelings are to be considered as a solid basis for marriage.