Many of my friends and family members know that Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. In fact, I have read five of her six novels. (Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, and Sense and Sensibility are the books I’ve read, in order, and I plan to read Mansfield Park soon.)
I love historical fiction romance novels, so Jane Austen is already right up my alley in that way. Because of that, when I read Emma and Pride and Prejudice as a logic school student, I read them mostly for the story.
But as I’ve gotten older, Austen’s books have had an even bigger appeal to me. Not only was she a great story teller, but she also includes so much wisdom and insight into each of her books. As I’ve learned to read more insightfully, I’ve also grown to appreciate her works not just for the story, but purely for the excellent writing.
Jane Austen inserts her wisdom, her ideas, into each of her books, providing insightful critiques of the social norm, and offering the modern reader a glimpse into the worldviews and common ideas of her day.
Wisdom
Quotes abound throughout Austen’s novels. Most of my favorites are actually quotes from different characters. But through these characters, Austen lets her wisdom shine. From Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood to Captain Wentworth and Mr. Tilney, characters share intelligent statements for the reader to enjoy. These were obviously Austen’s invention and her advice and commentary are little glimmers of wisdom through the words of her characters.
You have to read carefully or you may miss some of her incredible knowledge. She often disguises her opinions in dialogue between two characters and some of the best quotes come in the paragraphs where you least expect it.
Critiques
One of the most prominent novels to read the critiques of Austen is Northanger Abbey. While of course Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility critique the points of their titles, Northanger Abbey offers a satirical view of societal norms.
In this book specifically, Austen dives into how novels were treated in her day and discusses the importance of reading fiction and the necessity of balancing learning from novels while still remembering that it is in fact fiction.
Not all of her novels follow this satirical pattern, but they all do somewhat challenge the treatment of women, marriage, reading, and other issues of her time. And while they are directly concerned with her day and time, as you read, you will find that many are still applicable today.
Worldview
Jane Austen was clearly ahead of her time. Her ideas likely challenged the ideals then, and some of the characters and storylines might even have been considered somewhat scandalous. After all, it wasn’t the fashion to talk of women who chased so intently after men and men who seduced women.
But through her commentaries, through her stories and characters, the ideals of her time shine through. Whether or not she agrees with them, we learn how people thought and acted. Through her treatment of ideas, she attempts to demonstrate timeless truths that are still applicable today (like how love takes a little bit of sense and sensibility) and tries to steer readers away from problems that modern day people still fall into (like having pride or prejudice simply based on circumstantial evidence).
Jane Austen did more than merely write romance novels, making her works far from the cheesy romances we see today. She offers wisdom and insight in every page. She strives to show her reader that friendships, love, and even books are more than meet the eye. And she manages to do so without narrating a lecture, but showing her ideas through that of the characters and their actions and dialogues.
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