Note: Theses notes are based on my own analysis and research, so some of the content is bound to look similar to that of various websites. The point is to have everything in one place to make revision easier and faster. No plagiarism is intended.
About the author:
Born in the late 1770s.
Completed 6 novels - was unmarried.
'Northanger Abbey' was her first novel.
Wants to make people sensitive to the needs of others through her novels. She was acutely conscious about other's feelings herself as well.
Her teachings include: (many of which can be noticed in Northanger Abbey)
Let others teach you.
The right person helps you mature and you do the same for them.
Relationships depend on maturity and education.
Judge others, but carefully.
Focus on qualities of character rather than rank.
How we handle our finances has a huge effect on our lives.It is a mistake to be impressed by wealth. —> In 'Mansfield Park', Julia Burton gets married to Mr. Rushworth, richest character in all of Austen's novels, but they are miserable together and their marriage rapidly falls apart.
Also a mistake to get married without enough money. —> In 'Sense and Sensibility', Austen agrees with Eleanor's views that wealth has much to do with happiness, not great luxury but just enough to live carefully in moderate comfort. Austen is showing us an elusive but crucial attitude. We can't just be for or against money.
Don't be snobbish. —> Emma tries to match Harriet with a Vicar, swept away by her praise Harriet refuses a farmer because she thinks now he is not good enough for her though is is a kind hearted and prosperous man and much better than the Vicar who refuses Harriet. Emma is devoted to wrong hierarchy. Austen carefully gives this fault to Emma and calls out social convention and manners. She does not mock snobbery as the behaviour of hasty and contemptible people as Emma is an enchanting character, instead she regards snob with pity as someone who is in need of instruction, guidance and reform.She doesn't tell us why her sense of priority is important instead shows us a story which can make us laugh and can grip us enough.
Upon finishing move —> go back to the world—> respond to others as she has advised us to. Pick up on, ad recoil from greed, arrogance and pride.
Be drawn to goodness within ourselves and others.
Northanger Abbey Context:
Written between 1798 and 1803.
Criticises gothic novels that were famous at that time- one of the only forms of entertainment and were considered a civil pastime by conservative society —> expectation were coloured by literature then.
Humorously focuses on real human behaviour and deals with aspects of growing up.In society of that time women were meant to get married early on and so social gatherings like balls were very common.
This also explains Isabella's desperation as she is 21 years old in the novel, an age at which she was expected to be married AND have kids.
Expectations are influenced by gender and this influences behaviour.
Women, especially the elders daughter, were expected to marry into higher class so as to increase the social standing of their families and give younger sisters a better chance.
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English Literature 9695
Non-FictionThis is a compilation of all the essays and notes I wrote while I was in ALevels. It must be noted that not all of of these are A* material (though none goes lower than a grade B) so they aren't meant to be copy pasted for your school assignments. U...
