The Evolution of the Novel during the 1700s with Particular Reference to the Works of Jane Austen - Report Example

Exercise In Style Part 1 – Introduction to the chosen genre The chosen genre for this passage is the novel and the novels belonging to the romantic genre, which seeks to explore the depths of human relationships and explains them in the form of a long narrative or story to the reader. The two important elements or characteristics of a novel are the story and the story-teller. These elements are what the novel shares with other literary forms such as the epic and the romance. The epic bring out a traditional tale and is an amalgam of myth, history, and fiction, with it chief characters being gods and goddesses or men and women of extraordinary strength and power. The romance also revolves around plots with such larger-than-life characters, but it also includes adventure and a quest for an ideal or the pursuit of an enemy. The characteristics of the epic and the romance are part of the novel, but what sets the novel apart from them is its realistic treatment of life and manners. Looking to the novel, the chief characteristics of the novel is the plot around which it revolves. The characters that create tension and drama in the plot are drawn according to the surroundings of the plot. Novels are a long form of writing a story and the form chosen in the novel is the prose form. It is fictional in nature and deals with human life and gives pleasure to those preferring to enlighten their minds through such reading. Looking closer one will find that novels, simply don’t just serve as a form of entertainment, they are used as a means for propaganda and as an instruments of one’s own personal philosophy and personal experiences. The current article seeks to explore the evolution of the novel during the 1700’s with particular reference to the works of Jane Austen. The evolution of the novel as a form of writing The development of the realistic novel in English Literature came from the romances and the Novelle, which were short tales in prose. Miguel De Cervantes's novel ‘Don Quixote’ (1605-15), gives the reader a story of a knight gone wild, yet who tries to live by the ideals of chivalric romance. It chief appeal is in its attempt to bring the concepts of both illusion and reality in life and is considered as one of the most important predecessors to the modern novel. With the works of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719) and Moll Flanders (1722), the novel emerged as a form of writing through the picturesque stories, in these works. Both these writings bring out a sequence of episodes held together largely because they happen to one person. The first "novel of character" or psychological novel was ‘Pamela’ written by Samuel Richardson's. Defoe and Richardson can be considered as the first great writers of the novel because their work did not take their plots from mythology, history, legend, or previous literature. They work brought out the most important characteristic of a novel which is a story that is an authentic account of the actual experience of individuals. Jane Austen’s contribution to the novel as a form of literary form Jane Austen was a remarkable novelist at a time when the concept of the novel as a form of writing, did not hold much of character or importance in the realms of British literature. In response to the use of Novels as a form of writing, just like poetry or epics, Coleridge stated that if the habit of reading of novels become common then it only meant that society was entering into time wherein people were reading maters that only served to degrade their minds.. Jane Austen’s way of writing through the form of the novel came amidst such controversial outlooks on the form of writing, which she did much on her part to improve and circulate amongst readers through the novels which she wrote. Jane Austen had a different perception of the novel as a form of writing and declared this in a letter about her and her family’s preference for reading them. She states that she and her family were "great Novel-readers, & not ashamed of being so". She further re-instates her ideas in a passage in her novel Northanger Abbey, in which she gives her "Defense of the Novel". In this novel, she declares her heroines Catherine [Morland] and Isabella, to be shutting themselves up to read novels, on a rainy day. She further states that she will not adopt the attitude that many people have towards novels, which is that it are a must despised art form. She does not sympathize with people who join with their greatest enemies in giving some of the worst criticism to the novel as a form of writing and willfully don’t permit people in their homes to read it and if such as mater were to occur that a person within their own homes would pick up a novel to read they would do so with disgust. This is an attitude that she cannot simply approve of and neither does she approve of one novelist criticizing one another, which are matter that she soul rather leave to the reviewers as novelists are people who one have one another for comfort. She feels badly for the novel as a writing form because though it possesses great skills to satisfy the reader and gives pleasure to the reader, yet it has been much decried. Ironically, in her times, most of the people who are enemies of the novel are the very people read it the mos. There are people who collect and publish the grand notions laid down by Milton, Pope, and Prior, with a paper from works such as the Spectator, and a chapter from Sterne. These lines published are commented upon in a praiseworthy manner by many reviewers, but it is sad to see that these reviewers decry the capacity and bring down the efforts involved in writing a novel. This is because to recommend the novel, one must have genius, wit, and taste, which these reviewers do not posses. Though she declares herself to not be a novel reader, but she stands up in it’s defense. This is because of the poor impression that people have of novels. If a young women were seen reading a novel, she would put it down immediately, giving the person who asked her about it an apologetic and embarrassed look. This is really not required because the novel has the ability to give knowledge to human nature and is a source of entertainment because of the witty and humorous dialogues that it includes in its narrative. On the other hand, if the same young lady had read a volume from the Spectator, she would have immediately shown the book when she was asked about it, though in reality she would not have really absorbed any of its content. This is due to the fact it is made up of improbable circumstances, unnatural characters, dwells upon those situations which no longer concern anyone living. Moreover, the language used in this work is so coarse that no one can really endure it unlike the language used in a novel. She has removed the unfavorable associations towards novels (which she mentions in her novel Northanger Abbey), through her own undertakings in the writing of such pieces of literature, the outcome of which was the production of six beautiful masterpieces of ‘Novel’. In all she wrote six novels Sense and Sensibility (published 1811), Pride and Prejudice (published 1813), Mansfield Park (published 1814), Emma (published 1816), Northanger Abbey (published 1817) and Persuasion (published 1817). Characteristics of Jane Austen Novels In her novels, Jane Austen has included all the characteristics typical to a novel, which are well-drawn characters, engaging plotlines and the prose form of narration. All her novels are based on the perception of the society of her times and the role of women in such a society. This is brought out in the following striking lines which form the opening lines of her most popular novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters”. In exploring human relationships as she unweaves the plots of her story, she brings out another aspect of the novel, which is the aspect of raising questions on human behavior and accepted social norms. These include questions about the consequences for the individual, for others, and for society when the individual ignores or even deliberately transgresses society's rules, (as seen in the attitude of the character Mr. Willoughby in the novel ‘Sense and sensibility), the consequences when the individual conforms ( as seen in the character Emma in the novel Emma), how should conflict between the individual's desires and the individual's responsibility to society be resolved ( as seen in the character of both Elizabeth and Darcy and the story of the novel Pride and Prejudice), how are the individual and society affected by the resolution, which may range from self-fulfillment to self-sacrifice (as is seen in the attitude of women towards marriage in her novels). In trying to resolve these questions, she creates characters, each with its own sense of goodness and folly and bring out answers through biting social commentary and masterful use of both free indirect discourse and irony. Her novel are rewritten following the style of the Horacian satire and her attempts in using such a style throughout her novel was to bring out the ignorance and mercenary attitude which by and large was prevalent in British society during those times. In her time, people’s chief concern is obtaining advantageous marriages, which in today’s’ world can be considered as un-liberated and disquieting. Women’s’ options in her time options were limited, and it was very common for both women and men to chose to marry for purely financial considerations. Given this social scenario, women writers dealt with one romantic themes that reflect this aspect of society because much of society was dictated by such needs. Her novel belong to the romantic genre because they revolve on the issues love and marriage, but she can also be considered as a neo-classical writer, as she was largely influenced by writers such as Samuel Johnson, William Cowper, Samuel Richardson, George Crabbe and Fanny Burney. Her novels were modeled closely around the ideas of writers such as David Hume and John Locke rather writers who belonged to her times such as William Wordsworth or Lord Byron. Her prominent reputation as one of the best women’s novelists of her times rests on how well she integrates observations on the human condition within a convincing love story. Much of the tension in her novels comes from the novel’s chief character’s need for maintaining a balance between the financial constraints which they faced in life and it force of love, friendship, honor and self-respect, which equally pulled at their hearts. These were also times wherein, romance novels were seen as another intelligent version of the knightly romances of medieval times. The women or heroines of the novels were more like the damsels of the knightly romances who engaged in the pursuit of adventure, seeking their fortunes and carrying out quests. . Her literary strength lies in the delineation of character, especially of the character of her heroines, to which she renders delicate touches when she brings out the most natural and everyday incidents in the life of the middle and upper classes. Most of her novel’s characters were taken from this part of society. Her characters, though of quite ordinary types, are drawn in details and with firmness and precision (example Elizabeth’s character in Price an Prejudice and Emma’s character in the novel Emma) such that they do not lose their individuality through the development of the novel. She does not flaw them with her own visualization or personality and her novel reflect her view of life, which comes across to her readers as something largely genial, with a strong dash of gentle but keen irony. Praise and criticism of Austen’s novel form of writing Consequently there are many praises for Jane Austen’s novels. One such praise came from Sir Walter Scott, who described her as a young lady who had a particular talent for showing the feelings and characters of ordinary life and how they mixed with one another, which is something that quite delighted him. She also had her critics, one of which was notable novelist Charlotte Bronte who stated that she reserves nothing like the feelings of warmth, enthusiasm, energetic, poignant, and heartfelt towards Jane Austen’s novels. She is not an authoress, who disturbs her readers with themes that are vehement or profound. She displays no human emotions in a passionate manner and she seems only to study that aspect of human nature which is throbs fast or which rushes the blood. She completely ignores the concept of death in the stories and though Charlotte Bronte feels Jane Austen is a sensible lady, yet to her seems an insensible woman in many ways. Her novels were criticized for the point that Jane Austen places the settings of all her novels around the lives of middle and upper class women and so she did not portray life in a wholesome manner. Her characters were somewhere in between the lower-class (servants, small tradesmen, cottagers, whom she mentions in her novels as purely incidental characters) and upper-class (whom she does not mention at all). She never took to the subject of politics, death, or passionate love in her novels all of which are areas associated with the human nature and the drama generally found in life. She never people who belong to the lower class such as servants, small tradesmen, cottagers and so as nothing more than simply incidental characters. Does the criticism of Jane Austen’s novels mean that they did not adhere to the inherent characteristics of a novel? No, this cannot be stated because her novel did bring out these characteristics as is evident in her use of prose narrative, her weaving of a fictional story based in her perception and the settings in which she lived. She did not use any mythological characters or songs in her works; rather she focused on exploring her idea of human relationships in an ironic, humorous and satirical way. Part 2: Convention followed in Part 1 This passage seeks to explore it concept of novel as a form of writing, the evolution of the novel with particular reference to the role of Jane Austen as a novelist. Her novel do retain the features typical of her novel, the only aspect being their setting pertains to the society which she about and she does not try to write about social areas she did not known or those in which she did not live. Since the eighteenth century, and particularly since the Victorian period, the novel, has grown in popularity and has replaced poetry and drama. This is largely due to the fact that it is a form of writing which most closely resembled what was happening in the lives of a majority of people, albeit it’s fictional nature. From those times till now, it is highly rated and highly used form of writing and has its social scope expanded to include characters and stories about the middle and working classes. As a result, it has become the form which most addresses the domestic and social concerns of the groups in which the plot is set. Part 3: An analysis of the passage This passage is a comment on the novel as a form of writing. It seeks to bring out its characteristics as a form of writing. These include its prose narrative, fictional plot modeled on real life and it aim to bring out some social issue. In doing so, the passage explore the novel, right from its point of origin to its present form as a popular form of writing. The first part of the passage introduces the novel as a form, much as the novel would introduce its setting to its readers. It then brings out the chief architect of the novel such as Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson and then brings out the main character which is discussed throughout the passage which is Jane Austen and the works of Jane Austen. The passage goes on to explore the chief characterizes of Austen works , much as a novel seeks to bring out the event of its’ plot, here the plot being how Jane Austen constructed to the novel form of writing through her works. It deals with the social issues by her in her noel. The passage bring out her own idea an thought on the concept of the novel as it was not a very popular form of writing in her times. Finally the passage ends with a brief look at the criticism behind her writing. Jane Austen's novels have also been criticized because of their failure to be `instructive' (i.e. to teach a moral), or `inspirational' (that is "to elevate mankind by their depiction of ideal persons, even in defiance of the known realities of ordinary life". Reflecting on this, Jane Austen does not try to conform to this notion rather, she makes fun of such didactic tendencies as is seen in her statement towards the ending of the novel Northanger Abbey in which she states that she leaves it to the concerned reader to either confer parental tyranny or reward filial disobedience on the people under their care. Teaching moral lessons is not according to her the sole purpose of a novel. This is a thought she further reinstates though the very foolish character of Sir Edward Denham, who states in her last noel that novels as such are novel are merely stories of ordinary occurrences in life from which no useful conclusions can be made. The overall form of the passage has started from introduction, moved to elaboration and finally leads to a definitive conclusion on the work of Jane Austen as a prominent women’s novelist of the 18th century. It also explores the concept of romanticism, which is the novel’s genre as it brings out the story of human love and human relationships through its settings. References: Armstrong, Nancy (1987). Desire and Domestic Fiction: A Political History of the Novel. New York: Oxford University Press. Davis, Lennard J. (1983). Factual Fictions: The Origins of the English Novel. New York: Columbia University Press. Hunter, J. Paul (1990). Before Novels: The Cultural Contexts of Eighteenth-Century English Fiction. New York: Norton. McKeon, Michael (1987). The Origins of the English Novel, 1600-1740. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. The Anthology and the Rise of the Novel: From Richardson to George Eliot. London: Cambridge University Press. Rousseau, George (2004) Nervous Acts: Essays on Literature Culture and Sensibility Family Dynamics in Jane Austen's Novels Jane Austen's Art and her Literary Reputation Jane Austen and the Romantic Novel Novel, The Novel, The Victorian Governess Novel: Characteristics of the Genre Introduction to "The beginnings of the English novel" The Republic of Pemberly What is a novel? Madden, David; Charles Bane, Sean M. Flory [1979] (2006). A Primer of the Novel: For Readers and Writers, revised ed., Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. The Novel, Read More