Special education of uzbekistan karshi state university the faculty of roman-german philology

1.3. Brief analysis of Jane Austen’s novels
Elinor’s “sense” and Mariann’s “sensibility” reveal the profound emotion that runs beneath the surface of Austen’s immaculate art. (Claire Tomalin - a biograher of Jane Austen)
We- are going to analyze briefly the novels of Jane Austen which are: Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. Sense and Sensibility, is the first novel of Jane Austen, was written in 1811. After writing this novel, Austen became known as a novelist, and it helped her to put her first step to English literature and to create great novels in the future. Moreover, it was Austen’s first published novel, which she wrote under the penname “A Lady”. By using this penname, Austen showed her big decision to start taking a pen as a real novel writer. Before she only wrote poems, stories and plays for her own and her family’s amusement. Austen wrote the first draft the novel around 1795 when she was about 19 years old and put “Elinor and Marianna” as a title to the first draft, but it was just a draft version of the novel.
The contrast between two sisters, Elinor’s sense and Marianna’s emotionalism is clearly presented in the novel/ These two sisters’ characters can be easily compared with the author and her lovely sister, Cassandra, because Austen always considered her sister as the controlled and well-judging, but herself as the emotional one. The events happen around Elinor and Marianna, two daughters of Mr. Dashwood from his second wife.
They have a young sister named Margaret, and older brother John, who is the son of Mr. Dashwood’s first wife. When their father dies, all the family’s money passes to John with the condition to take care of his three sisters and his stepmother. Unfortunately, John’s selfish and greedy wife, Fanny persuades her husband that he has not any financial obligation to provide them with money. So, following his wife’s command, he doesn’t give anything to his sisters and mother, and immediately moves to Norland with his wife selling their home to a new owner. The Dishwood women left no choice, start looking for another place to live. Sir Johnson Middleton, who is a distant relative of Mrs. Dashwood, invites her and her three daughters to live in a cottage of his own. When living there, they frequently meet Fanny’s brother Edward Ferrars who is a pleasant and intelligent young man. He and Elinor get liking each other, Elinor knows that his mother, Mrs. Ferrars, a wealthy widow wants her son to make a career by marring a woman of great estate. Elinor doesn’t give hope to her relatives about their marriage, although she really hopes for it herself.
During their visit to Sir John’s house, the Dashwoods meet their old friend Colonel Brand, who is quiet and a gentleman. He is soon attracted by Marianne, but she considers him as an old bachelor and incapable of falling in love. One day Marianne got caught in the rain, slipped and sprained her ankle when she was walking in the forest. John Willoughby, who is a cousin of wealthy Mrs. Smith, finds her in the forest and takes her to his house. He soon wins her admiration with his good look and his politeness. He goes to see her every day, and Elinor and her mother think that the couples are secretly engaged. Marianne starts going off with him frequently, but Elinor is worried about her sister’s secret relations with John. Marianne didn’t want to listen to anyone and did what she wanted.
At the end John says that his aunt is sending him to London on business and he will not come back for a long time. Marianne is distressed and spends her time playing the music John has brought for her and reading the books they have enjoyed together. Later she got serious illness because of her stressful lifestyle. Anne and Lucy Steel, rather rude and uneducated cousins of Lady Middleton, come to stay at Barton Park. During the conversation with them Elinor realizes that Edward has become engaged to Lucy. It was a long time ago. Elinor was sure that Edward never fell in love with her and Lucy also wasn’t sincerely in love with him by observing Lucy, and she could only make him unhappy. Elinor tries to hide all her feelings toward Edward and her disappointment of his future marriage to Lucy.
Marianne writes a lot of letters to Willoughley when they spend the winter at Mrs. Jenning’s home in London. All Marianne’s letters weren’t answered. Later, he writes a letter to Marianne informing her of his engagement to Miss Grey, a wealthy woman with huge amount of money. Marianne is devastated, and admits to Elinor that she and John have never been engaged, but she loves him. Meanwhile, the truth about Willoughby’s real character starts to come out. Colonel Brandon tells Elinor about Willoughby’s seduction with fifteen-year-old Eliza Williams and his abandon after her having learnt of her pregnancy. Much time passed, Marianne neglects her health and becomes dangerously ill.
Hearing of her illness, John arrives suddenly and tries to persuade Elinor with his true love to Marianne, but Marianne can’t accept him. Indeed, Marianne does her best to recover and start a new life after Elinor’s courage and good sense. After two years, when she was 19, she decides to marry the 37-year-old Colonel. Her attitude to her husband develops into a very deep love, because of his gratitude and a high respect to her. As for Elinor, she gets married to Edward. Before that Elinor hears about Lucy’s marriage to Mr. Ferrar. However, later Edward arrives and tells the truth, it was his brother, Robert Ferrers, who has married Lucy. Edward asks Elinor to marry him and she accepts the proposal. They live happily and two sisters live close to each other and visit each other often. Through the events in the novel, Elinor and Marianne find a balance between sense (pure logic) and sensibility (pure emotion) in life and love.
The main character Elinor is a very clever and calm girl. She tries to hide her pure love to Edward, not to give hope to her mother thinking about her marriage. But, when Marianne didn’t hide her feelings to John Willough, and tell her great admire for him, he just left her without caring about her feelings. These two main characters give us a clue to understand how young ladies are dependent and are always afraid of being opened their feelings and faced the dilemma. Elinor tries not to make mistakes following her feelings.
She knows that her one false step will ruin the whole family fortune. Elinor’s character in the novel is close to Elizabeth Bennet in the novel “Pride and Prejudice”. As Elizabeth, she is a broad-minded and ambitious girl. Emma is the most perfect novel of Jane Austen. Austen starts to write Emma when she was twenty one. The novel was first published in December 1815. As in her other novels, Austen explores the concerns and difficulties of ordinary women living in Georgian - Regency England; she also creates a lively comedy of manners among her characters. Before she began the novel, Austen wrote:
“I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like”. In the first sentence she describes her character Emma Woodhouse, being beautiful, clever and rich. Emma, however, is spoiled; she estimates her own matchmaking abilities. She is blind to the dangers of interfering in other people’s lives; moreover, she is always mistaken about the meaning of others actions.
After the death of Emma’s mother and her elder sister’s marriage, she stays at home as a mature. She makes some serious mistakes, mainly because of her conviction that she is always right. She always says she will never marry. Indeed, her favorite job is making matches for others. She thinks herself unable to fall in love, until jealousy makes her realize that she has loved Mr. Knightly all along.
Emma persuades her friend Harriet to reject the proposal of Robert Martin, good farmer for whom Harriet’s feelings are serious. Later, Harriet becomes infatuated with Mr. Elton under Emma’s encouragement, but later Emma’s plans don’t work when Elton says about his affection for Emma, not Harriet. Emma doesn’t agree to his proposal. After rejection of his proposal, Mr. Elton leaves the town and marries a young woman immediately. Emma starts to look for another candidate for Harriet expecting a new visitor to Highbury.
Frank Churchill, the son of Mr. Weston, visits his father in Highbury after having lived in London with her aunt and uncle. Emma doesn’t know anything about him at all. Everyone assumes that Frank and Emma are forming an attachment, though Emma rejects Frank imagining him as a good match for her best friend Harriet. The next day, Frank saves Harriet from gypsy beggars. After that event, Harriet tells Emma about her love to Frank. While these things are happening Jane Fairfax pays a visit to Highbury. She is a beautiful and accomplished woman, but Emma doesn’t like her at the first sight. The narrator directly says that Emma is jealous of Jane.
Mr. Knightly finds out the secret engagement of Frank with Jane. Frank’s attentions to Emma have been a screen to hide his true preference. Emma starts worrying about Harriet being crushed, but she soon discovers that it is Knightly, who is the object of Harriet’s affection, Harriet believes that Knightly understands her feelings and soon proposes to her. Emma finds herself upset by her close friend’s disclosure, and her distress forces her to realize that she is in love with Knightly. Emma expects Knightly to tell her about his love to Harriet, but, to her delight, he declares his love to Emma. Harriet happily accepts the second proposal of Robert Martin. The novel ends with the marriage of Harriet and Mr. Martin and that of Emma and Mr. Knightly, resolving the question of who loves whom after all. Emma’s character is quite unlike from other characters in Austen’s novels. She is a selfish girl and her character is difficult to understand. She prefers not to marry or being close friend with men than having a heartbreak and troubles. The author shows a woman who can marry only beloved man through Emma’s character, as a contrast to women who always marry for having wealth and respectable according to their life style.
Northanger Abbey was the first of novel of the author to be completed for publication, even though she had started working on Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.
Northanger Abbey speaks about seventeen year old gothic novels lover Catherine Morland and family friends Mr and Mrs. Allen and their visit to Bath in England. Catherine has never been in Bath before. It is her first time of her visit and that visit gives unexpected changes to her life. There she makes friends with Isabella Thorpe and goes to balls, theater and other social delights. Catherine finds out that Isabella’s brother John Thorpe is attendant to her, but she is interested in another man - Henry Tilney - a clever young gentleman, with whom she dances and converses. Later, Catherine became friends with Eleanor Tilney, Henry’s youngest sister. Henry captivates Catherine’s love with his view on novels and his knowledge of history and the world. Catherine really loves reading different books, especially gothic horrors. When General Tilney invites Catherine to visit their home, Northanger Abbey, she visualize there as a dark, ancient and full of gothic horrors and fantastical mystery, based on her reading of Ann Radcliffe’s gothic novel mysteries of Udolpho. Catherine’s brother James and Isabella’s brother John also arrive in Bath. While Isabella and James are spending their free time together, Catherine is acquented with John who loves telling fantastical srories about himself. The Thorpes don’t agree to Catherine’s friendship with the Tilneys, as they are afraid of Catherine’s affection to be perceived by Henry Tilney. Catherine does her best to maintain her friendship with both the Thopes and the Tilneys. Isabella and James are engaged.
Mr. Morland has to postpone the wedding for two years because of some financial problems. So, the couples have to look forward for the wedding for a long time. Isabella was dissatisfied, because she believed the Morlands to be quite wealthy, therefore she was very happy with the preparation to have the fortune. When James went to London to buy wedding rings, Isabella begins to flirt with captain Tilney, the older brother of Henry. Innocent Catherine doesn’t understand her friend’s behavior; but Henry easily understands all very well, as he knows his brother’s character. Isabella doesn’t stop her flirtation with Captain Tilney, even when James returns from London. It was a distressful and very embarrassing situation for poor James. When the Tilneys invite Catherine to stay with them for a few weeks at their house, she goes and finds out that Northanger Abbey is a pleasant castle and decidedly ungothic house.
However, she sees several rooms that seem mysterious to her eyes, and no one ever goes into: Catherine thinks that they were Mrs. Tilney’s rooms who died nine years ago. Catherine observes that General Tilney doesn’t seem to be much affected by the loss of his wife. As the result of reading some gothic books she thinks that he may have murdered her or even locked her in these rooms. Catherine asks Eleanor to show Mrs. Tilney’s room to her, but a sudden appearance of General Tilney, she stops her with the fear that she will be punished. Later, Catherine comes back to Mrs. Tilney’s room secretly. Unfortunately she finds that nothing there is strange or distressing at all. When she was observing the rooms, Henry passed in the corridor and questioned her as to what she was doing. On hearing her reluctantly admitted suspicious, he got very angry and informed her that his father loved his wife very much and was truly upset by her death. Henry is very upset with Catherine for entertaining such wild ides. After this event, Catherine realizes how foolish she has been, and she understands, although novels may be delightful, their content doesn’t relate to the real life.
Soon after this adventure, James writes to inform Catherine that he has broken off his engagement with Isabella because of her flirtation with Captain Tilney. Catherine realized what a dishonest person Isabella was, and she got terribly disappointed with her. Eleanor hardly tells Catherine about her father’s return from London and the family members wants her brother’s marry someone who is extensively rich. She commands that it is better for her going home early. Catherine takes the seventy-mile journey alone in a shocking position. After returning to home Catherine is unhappy and doesn’t have any interest in anything. Her parents don’t know what has happened to their daughter, and try to bring up her usual spirits, but it doesn’t help. At first General Tilney believed Catherine’s family was exceedingly rich, therefore he thought her to be a proper match for Henry, but when he knew about Mr. Morlan’s little income, he forced Henry to forget Catherine. Two days after Catherine’s return home, Henry goes to Woodston to explain everything and to propose to Catherine. At the end of the novel, Henry and Catherine get married and live happily.
The heroine of the novel Catherine is a plane and naive girl. She is very polite in contrast to other women characters in Austen’s novel. In this novel Austen writes more about the people who can easily change their opinion about someone according to his/her social status, depending on how much money they owe. Catherine lives in her own world where she can think freely and at least has independency to think. Austen gives a hint about women’s independency only in their mind and dreams. When someone has a plan to marry his/her son, for sure, they are interested in the family’s income of bride/bridegroom and their social status.
Persuasion is the last completed novel of Jane Austen. She began writing it when she had finished Emma. She completed it in August 1816 and it was published in December of that year. Persuasion is connected with Northanger Abbey and two books were originally bound up in one volume and published together two years later. Both of these stories are settled in Bath, where Austen was well acquainted and lived there from 1801 to 1805.⁴
Judgments about the romanticists, who have entered the literature in days of writing the novel Persuasion, are stated by its positive heroine - a judicious and proof girl which is a voice of the author. Some critics consider that Austen wanted to name the novel “Elliots”, but she couldn’t manage to put it because of her death. There is no known source for Austen choosing her own title for this novel.
Gillian Beer, who gave her comments to the novel, says that Austen was keenly aware of the human quality of persuasion still - to persuade or to be persuaded, rightly or wrongly - is fundamental to the process of human communication; she writes: “Jane Austen gradually draws out the implication of discriminating ‘just’ and ‘unjust’ persuasion”. Beer describes Austen’s work as “....the novel’s entire brooding on the power pressures, the seduction, and also the new pathways opened by Persuasion”.⁵
The protagonist of the novel Anne Elliot, who has come from a rich family, overlooked middle daughter of the conceited Sir Walter Elliot who is always too conscious of his good looks and spends great amount of money at everything. Anne’s mother Mrs. Elliot died a long time ago. She was a fine, sensible woman. After her death Anne’s elder sister Elizabeth assumes her mother’s former position in the family and rural neighborhood. She could manage to take care of her both sisters like their mother. Anne’s younger sister, Mary, is a nervous and tense woman who has an unhappy marriage with Charles Musgrove. Anne Elliot fell in love with a handsome young officer named Fredrick Wentworth when she was at the age nineteen. Fredrick was very a intelligent and ambitious young fellow. Unfortunately, he was brought up in a poor family and he himself also was very poor. Anne’s whole family members were against to Anne’s choice. She had been persuaded by her mother’s best friend Lady Russell to break the engagement because of Fredrick’s inferior birth and financial status, and Anne easily followed her suggestion and rejects her pure love. Wentworth’s successes in the Napoleonic Wars made him to be excessively rich. He was awarded for his help to his army. So, women sick to marry such kind of a man and try to flirt with him. The Musgroves, including Mary, Henrietta and Louisa come to the town in order to be neighbors with Fredrick. At the end of the novel, the grate love will win. Wentworth writes a note to Anne detailing his feelings for her. In a tender scene, Anne and Wentworth reconcile and renew their engagement. The match is now good for Anne’s family. Lady Russell admits she has been completely wrong about Captain Wentworth, and she and Anne remain friends.
The heroine of the novel Anne Elliot isn’t decisive at all. She is used to do the things according to her father’s wishes. She is a girl who easily follows other people’s comments and advises. She refuses her beloved man after the comment of her mother’s close friend. In contrast to other characters, Austen created a weak and fully dependent woman character. Later, Anne realizes what she has done, and regrets it almost for ten years. She understands that her family did it only thinking about themselves and the honor of their family.