Podcast Summary
Discovering the Depth of Jane Austen's Work: Jane Austen's novels, initially dismissed as frivolous stories about young women, offer literary innovation and depth, appealing to both men and women. Austen's focus on young women seeking husbands reveals new layers of meaning upon revisiting her works.
Jane Austen's work, which was once dismissed by some as frivolous stories about genteel young women, offers literary innovation and depth that can appeal to both men and women. John Mullen, a professor of English and author of "What Matters in Jane Austen," shares how his initial skepticism turned into a deep appreciation for Austen's novels. He discovered Austen in high school but initially thought her work was insubstantial due to its focus on young women seeking husbands. However, as he grew older and had to teach her novels, he realized the value of revisiting them multiple times and discovering new layers of meaning. Austen's work has influenced literature, from Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" to the soldiers in Winston Churchill's army during the World Wars. Her novels, such as "Sense and Sensibility," "Pride and Prejudice," and "Emma," offer insights into manliness and the importance of a man's choice of wife in shaping his character. So, if you're a man who has written off Austen's work, this podcast may encourage you to give her novels a second chance.
Grew up in a loving family despite middling class status, learned from father and brothers: Jane Austen, born into a loving family, self-taught herself through her father and brothers, published anonymously, faced financial hardship, but later found success after her brother's inheritance.
Jane Austen, born in 1775, grew up in a loving, open-minded, and tolerant family despite their middling class status. Her lack of formal education led her to learn from her father and brothers, who had successful careers in the church and navy. Austen's novels were published anonymously during her lifetime, and she experienced financial hardship after her father's death. However, her fortunes changed when her brother Edward inherited wealth and provided them with a rent-free home, allowing Austen to write and publish her six novels between the ages of 33 and 41.
Jane Austen's Innovative Writing Technique: Jane Austen's use of free indirect speech in novels like 'Emma' immerses readers in a character's perspective, influencing modern storytelling.
Jane Austen's writing innovations, including the use of free indirect speech, significantly impacted the novel genre and continue to influence it today. Austen's technique involves narrating a story in the third person while permeating it with the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of a character. For instance, in her novel "Emma," almost the entire story is told through the character Emma's consciousness. This immersive storytelling method allows readers to experience the narrative from the character's point of view without the author's intrusion, making it a unique and captivating literary experience. Austen's groundbreaking approach to storytelling has influenced numerous authors and remains a significant contribution to the novel genre.
Manipulating Harriet's Relationships for Social Advancement: In 'Emma,' Emma Woodhouse deceives Harriet Smith into rejecting a proposal from a decent suitor and encourages her to pursue an uninterested one, revealing Emma's selfish motives and the novel's intricate narrative.
That in Jane Austen's "Emma," Emma Woodhouse, the main character, manipulates Harriet Smith's relationships in an attempt to improve her social standing. Emma persuades Harriet to reject a proposal from a decent farmer, Mr. Martin, and encourages her to pursue the local vicar, Mr. Elton, who is actually interested in Emma herself. Emma leaves them alone together, hoping that Mr. Elton will propose to Harriet, but instead, he reveals his contempt for Harriet and his true feelings for Emma. The use of free indirect style in the novel, where the narrative is told from Emma's perspective, makes the reader feel more connected to her delusions and the deception that unfolds. The seemingly simple sentence, "The lovers were standing together at one of the windows," is a prime example of this technique, as it makes the reader believe, along with Emma, that Harriet and Mr. Elton are indeed in love. However, this belief is later proven false, highlighting the complexity and depth of Austen's storytelling.
Exploring Characters' Inner Thoughts with Free and Direct Style: Both Lonesome Dove and Jane Austen's works engage readers by revealing characters' thoughts through free and direct style, enhancing the reading experience and challenging us to understand others' intentions
Both Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry and the works of Jane Austen share similar literary techniques, specifically the use of free and direct style, which allows readers to experience the characters' thoughts and inner workings in a way that engages the social mind and enhances the reading experience. McMurtry, like Austen before him, employed this technique consciously, and it has since become a staple in European literature. Reading Austen's novels not only provides insight into the characters' thoughts and motivations but also challenges readers to develop their own theories of mind, allowing them to make educated guesses about the thoughts and intentions of others based on their actions and dialogue. Austen's novels, with their intricate character interactions and nuanced dialogue, continue to repay rereading as readers uncover new layers of complexity and understanding.
Jane Austen's literature resonated with men during wars: Men found solace and humor in Austen's works, reflecting virtues and human relatability despite contrasting war realities
Jane Austen's literature has resonated with men during times of war and adversity not as an escape, but because of its complexity and relatability. Austen's novels offer a contrast to the harsh realities of war through their elegantly circumscribed worlds, yet the characters within these worlds exhibit the same absurdities and ignoble desires as in real life. Men, such as British soldiers during World War I and Winston Churchill during World War II, found solace and humor in Austen's works, which reflect Aristotelian virtue ethics by focusing on the practical choices and virtues of human beings. The philosopher Alistair McIntyre described Austen as one of the last great representatives of the classical tradition of virtues, suggesting that her novels reveal the capacity for virtues through the actions of her characters.
Jane Austen's novels explore timeless themes of selflessness, selfishness, envy, and magnanimity: Jane Austen's novels showcase ethical dilemmas through characters like Emma, who ultimately learn selflessness and love, highlighting Aristotelian virtues.
Jane Austen's novels are not just about the ethical choices of her characters in the context of their time, but rather the timeless themes of selflessness, selfishness, envy, and magnanimity that resonate with readers today. The character of Emma in "Emma" provides a clear example of this, as she constantly presents Harriet with ethical dilemmas, ultimately leading to a moment of magnanimity when Emma acknowledges the truth about Harriet's feelings for Mr. Knightley and encourages her to pursue him, despite her own desires. This moment highlights Emma's growing understanding of love and selflessness, demonstrating Austen's exploration of Aristotelian virtues in her works.
Exploring Virtue and Morality in Jane Austen's Novels: Jane Austen's novels delve into the complexities of virtue and morality, with characters discovering their own flaws and the importance of self-awareness and good decision-making. Characters are not always as virtuous as they seem, and private information should be scrutinized.
That Jane Austen's novels explore the complexities of virtue and morality through her characters, who often discover they are not as virtuous as they believe themselves to be. Aristotelian themes of self-awareness and good decision-making play a significant role in Austen's works, with characters like Elizabeth Bennet recognizing their prejudices and mistakes. Additionally, Austen challenges the notion of cardboard villains by portraying even seemingly virtuous characters, like Mrs. Norris, as having hidden flaws. The novels also highlight the importance of scrutinizing information and being wary of overconfident individuals who share private information on mere acquaintance.
Indirect portrayals of manliness in Jane Austen's novels: Jane Austen's novels depict men as kind, humorous, wise, and respectful towards women, highlighting the importance of valuing women in relationships and personal growth.
Jane Austen's novels offer indirect yet meaningful portrayals of manliness through her male leads. These virtuous men are kind, humorous, wise, and treat women as equals, which is a rare behavior in the novels. The readers find out about these qualities indirectly, through the women's perspectives and the events in the novels. Each male character has his unique aspect of masculinity, but they all share the common trait of respecting and valuing women. Austen's belief in this behavior is evident in her novels, which focus on love and marriage. Overall, her novels demonstrate that when men marry the right women, they become better versions of themselves.
Better through Relationships: A Lesson from Austen: According to Austen, the best relationships help us grow into better people. Regretfully, Anne Elliot and Charles Musgrove missed their chance, but we can learn from their mistakes.
According to Aristotle and Jane Austen, the best type of relationship, whether it's a friendship or a marriage, is one that makes you a better person. In Austen's novels, including "Persuasion," the characters often learn this lesson the hard way. For instance, Anne Elliot regrets turning down the proposal of Frederick Wentworth years ago, believing that he would have become a better husband than her eventual spouse, Charles Musgrove. Charles, too, could have been a better person if he had married Anne. This idea of personal growth through relationships is a recurring theme in Austen's works and a valuable lesson for us today. If you're new to Jane Austen, I'd recommend starting with "Pride and Prejudice," which is not only a great introduction to her writing but also a delightfully funny and engaging novel.
Exploring the Significance of Austen's Novels: Austen's novels continue to captivate and inspire, offering insights into human nature and relationships. Mullen's book explores every detail and is accessible to both casual readers and academics.
The characters, especially Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, continue to captivate and inspire, offering insights into human nature and relationships. Austen's ability to portray complex and relatable characters, despite their historical context, makes her works a must-read for anyone interested in novels and human behavior. Mullen's book, which is available on Amazon, explores the significance of every detail in Austen's novels and is accessible to both casual readers and academics. To learn more about Mullen and his work, check out the show notes at aoum.is/Austin. And don't forget to sign up for the Art of Manliness newsletter for more great content.
