B;829 .91 5912<2912902 59 ?42 9592?229?4 029?@=C 9;A27 , . >?@1C ;3 .@>?29! ?=;77;<2 .91 6.82> .PPH 1DSNLPJ /DSMHS . ?KHTLT >VEOLUUHG IQS UKH 1HJSHH QI <K1 DU UKH @PLWHSTLUZ QI >U# .PGSHXT &+*) 3VNN OHUDGDUD IQS UKLT LUHO LT DWDLNDENH LP =HTHDSFK->U.PGSHXT,3VNN?HYU DU, KUUR,$$SHTHDSFK"SHRQTLUQSZ#TU"DPGSHXT#DF#VM$ <NHDTH VTH UKLT LGHPULILHS UQ FLUH QS NLPM UQ UKLT LUHO, KUUR,$$KGN#KDPGNH#PHU$&%%'($'(&+ ?KLT LUHO LT RSQUHFUHG EZ QSLJLPDN FQRZSLJKU ?KLT LUHO LT NLFHPTHG VPGHS D 0SHDULWH 0QOOQPT 7LFHPTH WOMENAND INDEPENDENCE III THE NINETEENTH CENTURY NCVEL :A STUDY OF AUSTEN, TROLLOPE AND JAMES by ANNE DARLING BARKER Submitted for the degree of Ph. D. of the University of St. Andrews. February 1984. I, Anne Darling Barker, hereby certify that this thesis which is approximately 65,000 words in length has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. Signed: Date: I was admitted as a research student under Ordinance No. 12 on 1st October, 1981 and as a candidate for the degree of Ph. D. on 25th June, 1982; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St. Andrews between 1981 and 1984. Signed: jY 'ý" Date: ", "ý""i""f" :'ý "" .. """ I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appro- priate to the degree of Ph. D. of the University of St. Andrews and that she is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. Signed: Supervisor /gp f ý6ý-ý,a" 7 2? y- Date: ............ ..............I In submitting this thesis to the University of St. Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker. Acknowledgements I to thank those wish all who have provided guidance, encour- agement, and financial assistance in the development of this stuny: The St. Andrews Society of San Francisco, for the St. Andrews Society Scholarship; the English-Speaking Union of San Francisco, together the St. Andrews with Society and the University of St. Andrews, for the David Veilliamson Scholarship; the University of St. Andrews, for supporting my research with an award from 1531-84 jointly spon- sored by the Overseas Research Student Fee Support Scheme; the Department of English at Stanford University, especially Ronald Rebholz, who introduced me to Henry James and who supervised my undergraduate dissertation on his novels; and Robert Polhemus, whose infectious enthusiasm for Anthony Trollope inspired me to do further the Department English research; of at the University of St. Andrev, s especially Graham Bradshaw and Philli;: Mallett, who spent countless hours reading my drafts and making suggestions; to Patricia Richardson, for being helpful, efficient and cheerful even in a force ten gale; and finally to my flatmates, friends, and family, for never losing faith in me, even when I had, especially my grandmother, Grace Darling ;,'ustermann, without whose generosity and encouragement, this idea could never have become a reality. Abstract 'Women and Independence in the Nineteenth Century Novel :A Study of Austen, Trollope and James', begins with the concept of independence and works through the three most common usages of the word. The first, financial independence (not needing to earn one's livelihood) appears to be a necessary prerequisite for the second and third forms of independence, although it is by no means an unequivocal good in any of the novels. The second, intellectual independence (not depending on others for one's opinion or conduct; unwilling to be under obligation to others), is a matter of asser- ting independence while employing terms which society recognizes. The third, of being independent, is exemplified by an inward struggle for a knowledge of self. In order to trace the development of the idea of self during the nineteenth century, I have chosen a group of novels which seem to be representative of the beginning, the middle, and the end of the period. Particular attention is given to the characterizations of Emma roodhouse, Glencora Palliser, Isabel Archer, Milly Theale and Maggie Verver. Whereas in Jane Austen's novels the self has a definite shape which the heroine must discover, and in Anthony Trollope's novels the self (reflecting the idea of socially-determined man) must learn to accommodate social and political changes, in Henry James's novels the (hollow self determined by external manifestations man) is posed against the exercise of the free spirit or soul. Jane Austen's novels look backward, as she reacts against late eighteenth century romanticism, and forward, with the development of the heroine who exemplifies intellectual independence. Anthony Trollope's women characters are creatures of social and political adaptation; although they do not derive their reason for being from men, they must accommodate themselves to men's wishes. And Henry James looks backward, wistfully, at Austen's solid, comforting, innocent self and forward, despairingly, to the dark, unknowable self of the twentieth century. Contents Page Number Chapter I Introduction 00000.0.0... 1 Notes 0000.40 00.. 0.00 .. 31 Chapter II Jane Austen and the Business of Getting Husbands The Self in Agreement Society : with *IN "" 00 00 "" 00 00 34 Notes .. 00 60 06 ob to es 00 55 Chapter III 'Emma' Morality the Failure Perception : and of .. 00 es .. 00 00 00 57 Notes 060.90.00009 .. 00 87 Chapter IV Women and Independence in the Palliser Novels : The Accommodating Self 00 00 90 Notes .. 0.. 0000000.000 120 Chapter V Glencora Palliser : Independence and the Transformation Self 00 00 00 122 of .. Notes .. 00 60 *0 fi* 00 0* 00 145 Chapter VI The Lesson of Compassion or the Self-Service of Obligation in 'The Portrait of a Lady' : Self in Inward Struggle 00 .. The .. 11+6 Notes 0000000.. 099 .. 00 177 Chapter VII Milly Theale and the Terrified Secret Self 179 201 Notes .. *0 409 go 00 00 .. *0 Chapter VIII The Self in Inward Struggle : The Dilemma Aesthetic Moral Vision in 'The Golden of and 204 Bopýfýl' ................ Notes 00.000.0 40 0.. 2)1+ .. .. After d or ^ .. f le ob 0* 00 00 00 21}6 Notes 000000000000 258 .. a0 Bibliography .... 00 .... 00 259 1 Chapter I Introduction I began this study of women characters in the novels of Austen, Trollope and James by looking at the importance of 'independence' not only to the heroine within the context of her existence, but also to the writer who created the heroine. I found however that during the three years that I spent researching and writing about Elisabeth Bennett, Emma Woodhouse, Glencora Palliser, Isabel Archer, and their sister heroines, I was increasingly drawn toward the centrality of the concept of self. I discovered that it was difficult to write about women and independence in the nineteenth century novel without delving into the changing concept of self, as it relates specifically to women, from the beginning of that century to the beginning of the twentieth. From the start I resisted the notion of applying a thesis as a template upon a selection of novels which would fit the idea. Once the novels and specific characters had been chosen, I determined to treat the novels as fully and fairly as possible. I wanted my linking idea to arise from the material itself. And that linking idea, the changing concept of self, does have a logical connection to women and independence. But the concept of self needs to be clarified with res- pect to the original intent of my thesis. So the problem then becomes one of definition. I was agreeably the surprised to find that the three most common usages of word independence bear usefully upon the critical argument I have developed. independence The categories of financial, intellectual and ontological derive from these common usages, as I shall explain shortly. I use 2 the categories not because they represent the only critical possibi- lities (they most certainly do not), but because they provide a help- ful starting point. I shall test these categories in each novel in order to determine how well the categories hold up and whether they remain truly distinct. As it happens, in some of the novels examined the terms we start with may cease to be useful, particularly as we progress towards a more elastic, metaphysically alarmed concept of self in the thesis and in the late nineteenth century. The thesis should be seen as interrogative rather than demonstrative :I shall use close readings of the novels on their own terms (that is, without trying to force them under the categorical grid) to see how they illu- minate or complicate our understanding of the categorical distinctions. The readings are intended to question, rather than to confirm and illustrate, the familiar and distinct categories. So, on to the categories. The first and most readily explainable category, financial independence, refers to economic self-sufficiency livelihood), (in some cases, this means not needing to earn one's and for the third often appears to be a necessary prerequisite second and However in the is categories of independence I use. none of novels financial independence an unequivocal good : for Emma Woodhouse, be Glencora Palliser, Isabel Archer or Milly Theale, wealth can a toward was cer- positive disadvantage.