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Themes of pride and prejudice by Jan Austen
Literary analysis of Jane Austen: Emma
Literary analysis of Jane Austen: Emma
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Recommended: Themes of pride and prejudice by Jan Austen
Janes Expression through Emma Jane Austen's novel Emma is basically a biography. As Jane Austen matured through her childhood years, she acquired many talents which are reflected through the character Emma. Jane Austen lived in the popular image of Victorian society. Many critics agree that Jane Austen bases her novels on her own life. In the novel Emma Jane Austen portrays her life in a time of maturing through the main character Emma. In the early years of Jane Austen, her accomplishments and talents are then reflected in the character Emma. Austen as a child had an excellent talent for drawing, painting, playing the piano, and dancing. As in her novel Emma, the character Emma is very talented in these areas. Emma's expertise was in dancing; she absolutely loved it and was very good just as Austen (Parrish 340). Emma being the perfectionist that she was, always wanted everything ideal, and that goes back to Austen in her talents and everything she did. In the novel Emma, when Emma is asked to paint a portrait of her best friend Harriet for Mr. Elton, she wanted to perfect the artwork all the way down to the finest detail . Even when she thought she had a long way to go to finish it, Mr. Elton stopped her and said that it was perfect the way it was (43). Inevitably, Emma's life was based on the childhood and early years of Jane Austen's adulthood. Although part of the upper class society at an early age, Austen was not influenced by many of the contemporary novelists of that time (Parrish 343). As a child Austen was never around many people. She did not trust herself enough to speak unkind words to anyone, and she controlled her temper well (Parrish 340). She was essentially confined to her home and nearby areas. So everything Austen wrote or any idea she had was genuinely original and a homemade article (Parrish 343). Austen always delivered herself in a manner with great fluency and precision (Parrish 340). Once Jane Austen stated: "My greatest anxiety at present is that this fourth work should not disgrace what was good in the others" (Lauber 79). Austen was known for taking not of the behavior of mankind and a class of society, having a universality that makes them valid to modern times as well as the days of George III (Hardwick 11). In studying this behavior, Austen tries to identify her characters with those in her life, including herself mainly. Austen's ability to have consistency with perception and depiction of the people around her, and her occasional special touch of irony, makes her novels timelessly successful (Hardwick 11). Also, by her perceptive powers, as Virginia Woaf said: "Jane Austen was a mistress of much deeper emotion than appears upon the surface. She stimulates us to supply what is not there" (Hardwick 11). The image of the Victorian society in the minds of people is not the reality. It just happens to be that Jane Austen lives in what people believe the upper class Victorian society is. The popular image of this period was elegant, handsome men and women dressed in big fluffy dresses who went to balls and social events most of the time (Mitchell 1). Mainly these people inherited their wealth. Their daily lives consisted of having brunch everyday, long chats, playing cricket, and in the evenings had social balls. The upper class women painted, played the piano, had social graces, and most of the time had general knowledge of political events (Mitchell 7). The middle class women were usually a governess (Mitchell 7). As in Emma, Miss Taylor who later becomes Mrs. Weston was a middle class women, and she was the governess of Emma from the time she was a child till Miss Taylor was married to Mr. Weston (16). Basically, Jane Austen lived in this world. She shows this through the novels she writes. In her novel Emma, Emma meets with her best friend Harriet for brunch one morning to discuss the matter about Mr. Elton (69). Another time Emma throws a ball for Mrs. Elton and invites everyone to show that she does not despise Mrs. Elton (291). The reality of the Victorian society is that it was hard to make a living. Practically everyone except for the upper class had it bad (Mitchell 2). Men struggled to make enough money to support their families and provide food for their wives and children. They would work nonstop, and just barely have enough for the day or week or month (Mitchell 2). So the popular image of Victorian society is not entirely a false impression, but is correct to a certain extent true of the upper class. The only problem is that the image is of all people who lived in Victorian society. Just like today, not everyone is wealthy, so not everyone in this period had the easy life. Rarely does she have "lower class" people in her novels (Hardwick 12) and this is clearly seen just by reading her novels, especially Emma, and Sense and Sensibility where Austen has the atmospheres of the novels consist of the upper class society life. In Emma Austen did not have any lower class people. The only character that may not have been considered as one of the upper class, would be Miss Bates (18). Although she dined and socialized with the upper class, it was only because of her connections with Miss Jane Fairfax. Miss Fairfax had a well known and well spoken name (151). The thoughts of critics of Jane Austen go hand in hand with the belief that Austen bases her novels on her life experiences. Austen tries to identify her fictional characters with those in her life, including herself (Hardwick 12). Austen explores the difficulties of 'independence', those problems that life poses for a person who seems to have everything (Dwyer 89). The relationship between Emma and Mr. Knightley reflects Austen has appreciation of her own independence (Dwyer 95). Emma never thinks that she can fall in love. She always plays match-maker for her friends, but when it comes to herself, she doesn't know. Emma doesn't realize she is in love with Mr. Knightley until near the end of the novel (425). Like Emma, Austen has realized that her position and her skill have given her the power to bully and enlighten or be charming at the same time (Dwyer 94). At one occasion when Emma has a little picnic with her friends, and Miss Bates is there, Emma shows that she does have the power to bully Miss Bates and at the same time enlighten the others that are in her company (238). Laurie Lanzen Harris says of Jane Austen, "Austen possess a masterful ironic insight, whose strength and sensibility are perhaps best revealed in a character confrontation with this dichotomy of reality and the power of self-delusion" (Harris 29). Self-delusion explains Austen's writing so well. Austen's works are truly concerned with moral values in life, and her satire is the best when aimed at the snobby and presumptuous class (Harris 29). This statement held true being that Austen was part of that class and most of her settings in her novel revolve around the upper class. In the novel Emma Jane Austen portrays her life in a time of maturing through the main character Emma. It is clearly seen that Jane Austen bases her life through the character Emma. Their childhoods, lifestyles, and life experiences mirror one another. Still research has questioned whether Austen makes herself the heroine in her novels or through her novels.
While Mama is talking to Walter, she asks him why he always talks about money. "Mama: Oh--So now it's life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life--now it's money. I guess the world really do change . . . Walter: No--it was always money, Mama. We just didn't know about it." Walter thinks that the world revolves around money. He wants to believe that if his family were rich they would have perfect lives. This isn't true though, and Mama knows it. She knows that no matter how much money Walter has, he will never be happy unless he has a family that loves him. Before Walter goes out to invest in the liquor store he has a talk with his son. "Walter: You wouldn't understand yet, son, but your daddy's gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that's going to change our lives. . . ." Walter thinks that this transaction will make their lives better. What he doesn't realize is that he already has a good life and he doesn't need more money to make him happy. He should be grateful for what he has instead of worrying about money.
Beneatha puts a lot of effort in to fitting in to the American culture and is even accused of being an assimilationist. Beneatha's hair is a symbol that she wanted to fit in because she straightened her hair and let it grow long, but when her dream is deferred, her hair is cut short and left curly to represent her own culture. One of Beneatha's ways to fit in was to become a doctor, but after trying she no longer feels the same and says, "I wanted to cure. It used to be so important to me. I wanted to cure. It used to matter. I used to care" (Hansberry 3.1.204). Her dream relates to the poem "Harlem" when Hughes writes, "Or does it fester like a sore" (Hughes 4). Beneatha's dream relates to this so well because the reason she gave up on her dream is because she knew it was something that was never going to get better just as the poem describes a sore that will never change or get
One of the major themes of the play A Raisin In The Sun is dreams and dreams deferred. Each member of the Younger family had each of their own dreams when the family received ten thousand dollars in the mail. The money was from Mama’s husband who had passed away a few years before. Everyone wanted the money to be for themselves and nobody else. Walter wanted the money to help him open a Liquor Store when Beneatha wanted the money to pay for her Medical School tuition. Travis just wanted fifty cents that his teacher told him he needed for class that day, and Mama wanted to use the money to move her family out of their tiny apartment and into a nice house where they could all live happily. One morning...
school. Walter's mother, Lena (Mama), plans to use the money for a house for the
Emma's arrogance shines through when she brags that she is exceptionally skillful at matching couples. She believes that she is in control of fate and must play matchmaker in order for couples to discover their true love. Austen confirms, "The real evils indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself" (Austen 1). Although Emma is so spoiled and overbearing, she truly doesn't realize this fact.
Walter Lee's dream for himself is to own a liquor store. In order for his dream to be fulfilled, he will need the full ten thousand dollars from the insurance check. His plan is to go into business with his friend, Bobo, along with a business partner, Willy. Walter is careless about what he would do with the money: "Invest big, gamble big, hell, lose big if you have to, you know what I mean" (Hansberry 84). In other words, Walter is completely blinded by his dream to the point where he does...
Jane Fairfax plays a significant role as a rival towards Emma in terms of intelligence and beauty in the novel Emma by Jane Austen. Jane Fairfax is born to Mrs. Bates youngest daughter and Lieut. Fairfax. Jane’s father Lieut. Fairfax died and Jane was left with a widow mother who also died when Jane was three years old. After the death of Jane’s parents, Jane was took care by Colonel Campbell who was a good friend to Mr. Fairfax where Mr. Campbell believed that Mr. Fairfax has saved his life (p.128). Jane was loved by Mrs. and Miss Bates but if she lived with them, she would have had limited opportunities through her education and her social level. From Campbells kindness Jane was educated at high standards in London by Campbells support taught by the first-rate masters. However, because Campbells could not financially support Jane forever as their fortune belonged to their daughter and from Miss Campbell’s marriage with Mr. Dixon, Jane finally comes back to Highbury where her relatives Mrs. and Miss Bates live. Jane is a character in the book Emma as an only character who could be contrasted to Emma through many natures. This essay will discuss the role of Jane Fairfax through issues such as Jane and Emma’s relationship, Jane’s relationship with Mrs. Elton in contrast to Emma’s relationship with Harriet Smith, Jane’s love relationship with Mr. Frank Churchill and discuss why Jane is the conventional heroine where Emma is not.
...ied about his intentions during the entire novel, no one truly knows him. Frank’s uncle, Mr. Churchill is inferior to his wife in regards of control. Throughout the novel the reader hears more about his wife than they hear about him. Their relationship represents complete switch of the traditional idea of man being superior to woman. The Knightleys however, John and Isabella, are purely conventional and are ideal couple for Nineteenth Century society’s times. Mr. Elton does not represent true gentility while Mr. Weston too gentle. Although all of these characters have their flaws, Austen finds her perfect figure in George Knightley. His infallible nature is unrealistic, yet it gives society the ultimate gentleman to aspire for. Austen’s Emma is more than a comedic novel of manners but also a quintessential piece that fits perfectly into the lives of today’s society.
Emma was fooled by what she thought was love with Frank but she also found herself comparing Frank to Mr. Knightley (Austen 176-183). She goes on with a debate with herself trying to compare the two men, it is like she is trying to compare which man is nicer, wittier, more handsome, and which one she connects with. At the end of the novel Emma ends up falling in love with Mr. Knightley. Emma could not have allowed herself to fall in love if it were not for the experiences she had gone through. She had a self revaluation in the novel that made her realize that is what her heart wants, to find love with a man who knows her in’s and out’s. Jane Austen uses this a lot in the novel, for Emma she took a social issue and made that the main character’s objective to get past. In this case, Emma was fighting feminism and fighting to be independent in the nineteenth century (Samina np). She lived twenty one years thinking she did not need a man in her life but by thinking this way she caused a lot of problems getting involved in other’s lives.
Al Qaeda, the organization that the United States is in a constant, never ending battle with, the organization that has made the most impact and changed the United States forever. Al Qaeda is always making headlines with their terrorist attacks, the most known attack September 11th, 2001. This essay is about the terrorist group Al Qaeda, its history and background, Osama bin Laden, their well-known leader, and the major attacks on America.
Emma, a novel by Jane Austen, is the story of a young woman, Emma, who is rich, stubborn, conniving, and occupies her time meddling into others' business. There are several recurring themes throughout the novel; the ideas of marriage, social class, women's confinement, and the power of imagination to blind the one from the truth, which all become delineated and reach a climax during the trip to Box Hill. The scene at Box Hill exposes many underlying emotions that have been built up throughout the novel, and sets the stage for the events that conclude it.
...f society and the desire to marry into a higher class, she is able to expose her own feelings toward her society through her characters. Through Marianne and Elinor she displays a sense of knowing the rules of society, what is respectable and what is not, yet not always accepting them or abiding by them. Yet, she hints at the triviality and fakeness of the society in which she lived subtly and clearly through Willoughby, John Dashwood and Edward Ferrars. Austen expertly reveals many layers to the 19th century English society and the importance of having both sense and sensibility in such a shallow system.
Author Jane Austen had porttryal of arrogance that existed in upper class society. She uses Emma as a representative of the faults and lack of values of her society. Just as Emma contains these many faults, the upper class society as a whole also contains these many faults. Additionally, in Emma, Austen depicts the distorted views of gentility. Austen depicts her own message of true gentility by creating characters of differing class ranks. Bradbury relates that the characters that are socially high seem to be morally inferior and those of lower rank are "elevated" by their actions (Austen 81). Austen's development of characters, especially Emma, is very effective in relaying her message about the snobbery and lack of gentility that existed in upper class society.
Jane Austen’s works are characterized by their classic portrayals of love among the gentry of England. Most of Austen’s novels use the lens of romance in order to provide social commentary through both realism and irony. Austen’s first published bookThe central conflicts in both of Jane Austen’s novels Emma and Persuasion are founded on the structure of class systems and the ensuing societal differences between the gentry and the proletariat. Although Emma and Persuasion were written only a year apart, Austen’s treatment of social class systems differs greatly between the two novels, thus allowing us to trace the development of her beliefs regarding the gentry and their role in society through the analysis of Austen’s differing treatment of class systems in the Emma and Persuasion. The society depicted in Emma is based on a far more rigid social structure than that of the naval society of Persuasion, which Austen embodies through her strikingly different female protagonists, Emma Woodhouse and Anne Eliot, and their respective conflicts. In her final novel, Persuasion, Austen explores the emerging idea of a meritocracy through her portrayal of the male protagonist, Captain Wentworth. The evolution from a traditional aristocracy-based society in Emma to that of a contemporary meritocracy-based society in Persuasion embodies Austen’s own development and illustrates her subversion of almost all the social attitudes and institutions that were central to her initial novels.
Jane Austen's writing style is a mix of neoclassicism and romanticism. Austen created a transition into Romanticism which encourages passion and imagination in writing instead of a strict and stale writing style. It is very emotional and follows a flowing not structured form. Mixing these two styles was one of Austen's strongest talents, which gave her an edge in the literary world. No other author in her time was able to create such a strong transition between writing styles. Austen used her sharp and sarcastic wit in all of her writing including in one of her most famous works; Pride and Prejudice. She could create a powerful and dramatic scene and immediately lead it into a satirical cathartic scene. We see these in various locations in Pride and Prejudice. She was able to use her experiences as well as her intense knowledge to create meaningful insights into her words, regardless of what topic she would be discussing. She often talks about marriage, or breaking the roles of what a person should be. She made controversial works that praised imperfections which praised the...