Covert revolution: Jane Austen's novels as social commentary.

Abstract

Jane Austen was a revolutionary author. Her mode of writing, satire, served her a dual purpose. Satire was in vogue at the time she began writing, but it also gave her a chance to criticize her society covertly. In her major novels, Jane Austen reveals to us the foolishness of the prejudices about women that were prevalent in her society and attacks society's prejudices and faults through irony and satire. Austen shows us how blind society was to its own faults, including its attitudes toward women, in particular. Austen's novels are packed with social commentary. Austen does not glorify the gentry. In her novels, Austen gives us a frightening portrayal of the upper class. She shows them as lazy, cruel, thoughtless, and mercenary. Examples of abandonment of responsibility by parents and family members are all too common in Austen's novels. Yet, Austen does not leave the reader without a ray of hope. Through her portrayal of her heroines and heroes, she shows us what, in her view, the ideal society should be like. All of its members should be well educated. Education for Austen went beyond learning just mathematics, history, geography, and languages. Her educated person, including the woman, must also have self-knowledge--an important element for Austen. She considered it to be far more important than book learning. Another major focus for Austen was marriage. She considered it to be a necessary and important part of life. Her view was that marriage gave women an expanded arena of influence. Well educated and kind married couples could exert a positive influence on others close to them. Although Austen's setting was limited to the world that she was familiar with, the message of her novels is universal. It transcends time and class. The topics that Austen explores-women's education, parental duties and failures, marriage and equality--are all relevant today.