Jane Austen:

Austen’s era Eurocentric timeline timeline Born 1775 amid American Revolution Dies 1817 after close of Napoleonic era In between War with France over American colonies; then over French Revolution; then to combat Napoleon’s empire 1789 – fall of Bastille prison; French Rev begins 1807 – slavery trade outlawed for British ships 1812 – War between Britain and America 1815 – Napoleon defeated at Waterloo

Jane Austen: wrote “domestic” fiction--all her novels are only concerned with a small circle of friends believed one should write only from one’s experience, thus she never writes a scene set outside England her plots concern themselves with women and their choices of mates--believed choice of whether and whom to marry crucial to women saw marriage as the foundation of social order

Austen’s literary forerunners 18th century 1 st person—autobiographical novels ◦ Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe 18 th century epistolary (in letters) novels ◦ Samuel Richardson’s Pamela 18 th century 3 rd person—limited omniscient novels ◦ most novels by women novelists, ie. Frances Burney, that focused the omniscient narrator only on the heroine 18 th century 3 rd person—omniscient novels ◦ Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones

Point of View in Austen Not 1 st person autobiographical too focused on one individual too knowing of that person’s thoughts Not 3 rd person omniscient narrative voice misses out on lots of information Not exactly 3 rd person limited omniscient the narrative voice is not fixed on one person Free indirect style—a floating 3 rd person limited omniscient narrator

Austen’s literary careercareer Juvenalia – skits, short stories, drafts of novels intended for family entertainment First drafts of later novels written Northanger Abbey sold to a bookseller as Susan Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice redrafted Mansfield Park and Emma composed Persuasion composed; published posthumously Northanger Abbey finally published posthumously Sanditon begun; unfinished at Austen’s death