Jane Austen: Women, Politics, and the Novel

by Claudia L. Johnson

"The best (and the best written) book about Austen that has appeared in the last three decades."—Nina Auerbach, Journal of English and Germanic Philology

"By looking at the ways in which Austen domesticates the gothic in Northanger Abbey, examines the conventions of male inheritance and its negative impact on attempts to define the family as a site of care and generosity in Sense and Sensibility, makes claims for the desirability of 'personal happiness as a liberating moral category' in Pride and Prejudice, validates the rights of female authority in Emma , and stresses the benefits of female independence in Persuasion, Johnson offers an original and persuasive reassessment of Jane Austen's thought."—Kate Fullbrook, Times Higher Education Supplement

Genres: Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Books About Books, Feminism, History, Gender, Criticism

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A work for academics that is nonetheless free of cant and jargon, readily accessed by the amateur with some knowledge of the novels. Johnson charts a middle course between those who read the novels as supportive or reflective of Burkean conservatism and those who see them as Jacobin reactions to a stultifying ancien régime. Johnson argues that Austen is a clear-eyed realist who builds subtly critical works. She rightly notes that while Austen defined herself (possibly ironically) as a relatively unread woman unfamiliar with the larger world of ideas convulsing her times, in fact, Austen had extensive acquaintance with cultural debates through her exhaustive novel reading, particularly in the literature of the 1790s. With these mothers (and some fathers) of the novel in mind, Austen charted her own course through the social debates of the day, on topics such as patrimony, inheritance, women's rights and sexual morality. In Johnson's persuasive reading, the novels consistently map out alternative and sometimes critical takes on the social orthodoxies of the day. Johnson's argument works through the novels (from Northanger Abbey through Persuasion), convincingly describing an Austen who will satisfy neither the archangels of conservatism nor the avatars of radicalism, but who might nonetheless be an altogether more persuasive representation of the author than has often been offered. Whether one accepts this portrait or not, at the very least, Johnson's close, subtle readings of the texts repay careful attention. Highly recommended as one of the better modern studies of the author.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been working my way through this for a few months now but I can honestly say it's the best piece of literary criticism I've ever read.

Whether you agree with Johnson's arguments or not (which let's be honest, you probably will, she's very persuasive) this collection was so readable- important as this is an area where the majority of literary crit I've read in the past has failed. Johnson writes in such an engaging and active way that you find yourself wanting to see where her arguments develop; I can't say I've really experienced that before.

It certainly helped that I'm a huge Janeite and that my position on Austen is quite similar to Jonhson (I frequently found myself nodding my head in agreement and pumping my fist), but I think even if you come at Austen from a polar point of view, you will find it hard not to be influenced by what she has written here.

[Joyful · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely an approach to Jane Austen that is purely for the academian. While it contains lots of intelligent insight into Jane Austen, her work, and feminism in her time, it tends to be too smart for its own good. Not what I would call an "enjoyable" read, but filled with useful insightful & though-provoking information.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really REALLY liked this book. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that being more of an academic book, the text didn't flow that well, and it was easy to let your mind wander... I loved reading about the more political side of Jane Austen as people tend to concentrate on the romances and in my opinion they miss a lot. Although, I have obviously missed a lot as well, as I noticed (I might need a brush-up with my regency history of England...). I didn't agree with everything, but all in all, I thought this was a very insightful and thought-provoking read.

[Fred Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a feminist examination of Austen's novels in the context of novels by other women writing at the time. Her analysis of Emma felt forced, and I wanted the chapter on Persuasion to go a little further, but overall I learned a lot about the ways fiction reflected people's anxieties in the years after the French revolution.

[Judine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this book (which I read for my thesis) fascinating, but because it is quite scholarly, it is sometimes easy to let the mind wander. Austen's tightrope walk between conservative and more radical political views is very cleverly done -- then again, that's not that surprising.

[Debs Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and easy to understand examination of Austen and her context. I really appreciated the way Johnson developed her arguments clearly and concisely.

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

"On most occasions, however, Tilney's bullying is more polished. A self-proclaimed expert of matters feminine, from epistolary style to muslin, Tilney simply believes that he knows women's minds better than they do, and he dismisses any "no" to the contrary as unreal". pg 37 "Jane Austen: Women, Politics and the Novel"

[Dallin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic in Austen studies. An important corrective to Marilyn Butler's "Jane Austen and the War of Ideas." Very insightful, and great academic prose style.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but it also read at times like a college essay. Which, on some level, it is. Johnson wrote this as part of a Monticello Fellowship; she had a point to prove. She wasn't just spitballing for the craic, like my favourite article ever on Tiger Beatdown by Sady Doyle, 'It is not everyone who has your passion for dead leaves'. THAT article remains my benchmark for how I wish 'people', academics and bloggers alike, would write about Austen, even though I disagree completely with some of the points she makes. Obviously this style and approach would never fly in an academic setting and you have to have references, not just receipts, so basically I was on a hiding to nowhere and it is my own fault.

"[...] the implication that Austen's irony, her single most brilliant academic achievement, was pathological, a problem any good husband could relieve, and that all social criticism written by women is borne of a disappointment in love."

Drag 'em, Clauds!

"[...] the novels written in [Burke's] shadow take the rights of parents over daughters, of husbands over wives, and the superiority of 'prejudices' favouring established modes of behaviour to 'rational principles' dictating innovative social conduct as their basic starting points; feminine desire and illicit sex constitute their basic crises."

Hot take.

"Adopting the viewpoint of a male protagonist [...] can disapprove of women displaying their learning, on the one hand, and parade her own unfeminine knowledge for ancient languages on the other."

Hotter take.

"Modesty ostensibly protects women from the hazards of vulnerability, from avowing love without first securing a return."

Damn, for a second I thought we were on to something here ... but she proceeds to totally deconstruct that promising idea.

"Unlike us, Austen is not embarrassed by power, and she depicts it with the quiet pervasiveness and nonchalance that suggest how effortlessly she took it and the sentiments relative to it for granted."

Fascinating perspective on Emma.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agreed with the general premise that, despite appearances, Miss Austen's writings were not Conservative novels, but rather left of center. However, I did not agree with some of Miss Johnson's interpretations of characters and events to illustrate this point. It was also a bit of a chore to get through at times.

[Fnaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book of Austen criticism in response to Kathyrn Sutherland's 'Jane Austen and the War of Ideas', tackling the liberal and radical tendencies baked into Austen as opposed to the conservative ones that Sutherland exposes. Read the two together for the best experience.

[Ginger Gonzales-Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the most accessible literary criticism I've ever read. I often found myself nodding in agreement with many of Johnson's assertions. I read Butler's "Jane Austen and the War of Ideas" right before this, so it was interesting to read the interpretations in conjunction with one another

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful analysis of Elinor's skepticism, but mostly not concerned with the questions I'm interested in.

[Devoney Looser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had the pleasure of reviewing this book: Looser, Devoney. Rev. of Jane Austen: Women Politics, and the Novel, by Claudia L. Johnson. JASNA News. 19.1 (2003): 18–19. Print.