DOCSLIB.ORG

Ebs-Thesis 21.Mdi

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ebs-Thesis 21.Mdi A STUDY OF CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS OF “VICTORIAN SOCIETY” AS REPRESENTED BY CHARACTERS IN JANE AUSTEN’S EMMA A Thesis Presented to the Graduate Program in English Language Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Magister Humaniora (M.Hum.) in English Language Studies By: Eko Budi Setiawan Student Number: 026332009 SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2007 i ii iii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This is to certify that all the ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are the ideas, phrases sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands the full consequences including degree cancellation if he took somebody else’s ideas, phrases, or sentences without proper reference. Eko Budi Setiawan iv TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………………….. i Statement of Thesis Approval ...………………………………………………… ii Statement of Thesis Defense Approval ………………………………………….iii Statement of Originality ………………………………………………………… iv Table of Contents …………………………………………………………………v Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………..……… vii Abstract …………………………………………………………………………viii Abstrak ……………………………………………………………………………x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study……...……………………………………….….1 B. Problem Limit ation……...……………………………………………….. 5 C. Problem Formulation………...………………………………………..…..5 D. Research Goals……………………………………………………….…....6 CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE, THEORETICAL REVIEW, AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A. Review of Related Literature..…..………………………………………...7 B. Theoretical Review……………………………………………………....12 1. Marxism in Literature………………………………………………....12 2. The Definition of Class………………………………………………..14 3. Frederick Jameson’s Marxism………………………………………...16 4. Victorian Era…………………………………………………………. 21 a. Victorian Era in England ………………………………………….. 21 b. The Values of Victorian Era in Emma .…………………………. 25 5. Hegemony of Victorian Era in Emma ………………………………. 25 6. Contradiction ……………………………………………………….…26 C. Theoretical Framework…..……………………………………………....29 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. Subject Matter…………………………………………………………....32 B. Research Procedure……………………………………………………....33 C. Data Analysis…………………………………………………………….34 D. Research Sources………………………………………………………...34 v CHAPTER IV: THE ANALYSIS OF CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS OF “VICTORIAN SOCIETY” AS REPRESENTED BY CHARACTERS IN EMMA A. The Economic Base as the Foundation of Class Formation….…………36 1. The Dominant Class………………………………………………...…37 a. Emma Woodhouse…………………………………………...…..…38 b. Mr. George Knightley…………………………………..…….…….47 2. Class between the Dominant and Laboring Class ……………………52 3.Laboring Class………………………………………….……………...55 a. Miss Bates ……………………………………………..…………...56 b. Robert Martin………………………………………………...……..57 B. Ideology as a Means to Maintain Class Status……………….……….…60 1. The Dominant Class…………………………………………………...60 a. Emma Woodhouse ..………………………………………………..61 b. Mr. George Knightley ………….………………………………….64 2. The Laboring Class …...……………………………………………....67 a. Mr. Robert Martin …………..……………………………………...68 b. Miss. Bates …………..……………………………………………..70 C. The Class-Contestation in Emma ……….………………………………72 1. Conflicts between the Dominant and Laboring ………………………73 a. The Conflicts between Emma Woodhouse and Robert Martin……75 b. The Conflicts Between Emma Woodhouse and Miss. Bates…….... 80 2. Conflicts within the Dominant………………………………………...80 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusions………………………………………………………………86 B. Suggestion……………………………………………………………..…88 BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………….. 89 APPENDICES: 1. The Synopsis of Emma ………………..……………………………………..91 2. The Biography of Jane Austen ………………………………………………. 97 vi Acknowledgements I thank Jesus Christ for blessing me and guiding me in conducting this research. His love and guidance have helped me and motivated me to accomplish this thesis. I believe in Him because He exists in my life. Second I would like to appreciate Dr. St. Sunardi, my advisor for patiently giving me help, great and insightful ideas as well as encouragement. Then, I would also like to say much thank to Dra Sri Mulyani, M.A. and Drs. Fx. Siswadi, M.A. who have also given me comments, inputs, references and constructive encouragement in the writing process. Furthermore, I will remember all lecturers’ kindness and love at my class (the students of 2002) in ELS. I offer special thanks to B.Justisianto, Pr.Lic.Phil., the Rector of the University of Widya Mandala Madiun for pursuing a higher level of education and for your financial assistance (via APTIK) and chance for my better merit. Next, My gratitude goes to Dr. B.B. Dwijatmoko, M.A., the Head of English Language Studies of Sanata Dharma University. Thanks are also due to my classmates in ELS. Their advices, jokes have been appreciated. Accordingly, my super thanks deliver to my lovely wife, Yohana and my beloved daughters, Icha and Anggie. We are the happy family and some of our dreams will come true. vii ABSTRACT EKO BUDI SETIAWAN, S.S. (2007). A Study of Class Consciousness of Victorian Society as Represented by Characters in Jane Austen’s Emma. Yogyakarta: The Graduate Program in English Language Studies, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. This study discusses a novel entitled Emma written by Jane Austen. Emma portrayed the lives of different classes in Victorian society through its characters. This classification of people is due to some factors such as economics, ideology, taste, hegemony and language. Each character in Emma is the representation of the classes exists in the novel. Each class member could attend the same balls without being really interfered by their different social classes. In this novel, of which the perfection of balance and style reflects the ultimate searching for elegance, everyone has her or his place, and everybody ultimately stays in it. In order to maintain their class status, each character uses different way. In doing so, there are some conflicts between and within characters. The conflicts, then, create a new atmosphere that forces each character to realize her or his class existence. The explanation above has evoked the writer’s curiosity to find out the class consciousness of Victorian society as represented by the characters in Emma. Three problems related to the topic of this thesis are: (1) How is the class- distinction of Victorian Society depicted in Emma?, (2) How do the bourgeoisie and proletariat maintain their social status in Victorian Society as represented by characters in Emma?, and (3) How is the contestation of class interest of Victorian Society in Emma? In order to answer the problems, a Marxist theory by Jameson is employed. In his theory, Jameson argues that the needed utopian ideology must be not only economic but also, indeed supremely, social and cultural. The utopian ideology needs not only plans for the egalitarian reorganization of economic production, such that people’s material needs are met, but also plans for new forms of affective and aesthetic life, such that people's emotional and spiritual needs are met. This theory is applicable in Emma, since the characters are engaged to each other not only based on the economic as a means of production, but also on the ideology, social and cultural aspects. Based on the analysis, the class formation in Emma is not only based on the economic of each character, but also based on the ideology, taste and hegemony, and language. They, altogether, form classes and influence the characters in maintaining their class status. People who possess huge economic base are the representation of the dominant class, whereas the others represent the laboring class. Because of their economic base, Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley could have comfortable lives. Therefore, they are the representation of the dominant class. On the contrary, Miss Bates and Robert Martin have hard lives and they are the representation of the laboring class. Each member of the class tries to climb their status, unexceptionally Emma Woodhouse and George viii Knightley. They act differently in order to maintain their class status. Emma Woodhouse is said to be snobbish, vain, manipulative, power-hungry, self- deluded, often indifferent to the feelings of others, and on at least one occasion scathingly cruel, whereas George Knightley was said to be a sensible gentleman. In the relation between characters, some conflicts arise between and within the members of classes. The conflicts between classes are shown by the relationship among Emma Woodhouse, Robert Martin, and Miss Bates. The conflict within class is shown through the relationship between Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley. These conflicts finally bring each character into class consciousness. ix ABSTRAK EKO BUDI SETIAWAN, S.S. (2007). A Study of Class Consciousness of Victorian Society as Represented by Characters in Jane Austen’s Emma. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian Bahasa Ingris, Universitas Sanata Dharma , Yogyakarta. Penelitian ini mengulas sebuah novel berjudul Emma yang ditulis oleh Jane Austen. Emma menggambarkan kehidupan kelas-kelas yang ada pada masyarakat Victorian melalui karakter-karakternya. Pengkotak-kotakan masyarakat ini dikarenakan beberapa faktor seperti ekonomi, ideologi, hegemoni rasa, dan bahasa. Setiap karakter di Emma adalah perwakilan dari masing-masing kelas. Setiap anggota kelas dapat menghadiri sebuah jamuan tanpa benar-benar terganggu oleh perbedaan kelas diantara mereka. Di novel ini, yang mana kesempurnaan bentuk dan gaya merupakan tujuan akhir sebuah kemewahan, setiap orang mempunyai tempatnya masing-masing dan setiap orang tetap pada kelasnya.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Play Guide Table of Contents
    PLAY GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT ATC 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAY 2 SYNOPSIS 2 SONG LIST 3 MEET THE CHARACTERS 4 MEET THE CREATORS: PAUL GORDON AND JANE AUSTEN 5 INTERVIEW WITH PAUL GORDON 7 THE NOVEL IN THE MUSIC 9 POLLOCK’S TOY THEATRES 11 LITERARY CATEGORIZATION OF AUSTEN 12 LITERARY TIMELINE 13 THE AUSTEN INDUSTRY 14 AUSTEN IN POPULAR CULTURE 15 FEMINISM IN EMMA 16 THE EMMA DEDICATION 18 HISTORICAL CONTEXT 18 HISTORICAL TIMELINE 22 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES 23 Jane Austen’s Emma Play Guide written and compiled by Katherine Monberg, Literary Assistant, and R Elisabeth Burton, Artistic Intern Discussion questions and activities provided by April Jackson, Associate Education Manager, Amber Tibbitts and Bryanna Patrick, Education Associates Support for ATC’s education and community programming has been provided by: APS JPMorgan Chase The Marshall Foundation Arizona Commission on the Arts John and Helen Murphy Foundation The Maurice and Meta Gross Bank of America Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Foundation Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Boeing PICOR Charitable Foundation The Stocker Foundation City Of Glendale Rosemont Copper The William L and Ruth T Pendleton Community Foundation for Southern Arizona Stonewall Foundation Memorial Fund Cox Charities Target Tucson Medical Center Downtown Tucson Partnership The Boeing Company Tucson Pima Arts Council Enterprise Holdings Foundation The Donald Pitt Family Foundation Wells Fargo Ford Motor Company
    [Show full text]
  • The Intertwining of Multimedia in Emma, Clueless, and Gossip Girl ​ ​ ​ Nichole Decker Honors Scholar Project May 6, 2019
    Masthead Logo Scholar Works Honors Theses Honors 2019 Bricolage on the Upper East Side: The nI tertwining of Multimedia in Emma, Clueless, and Gossip Girl Nichole Decker University of Maine at Farmington Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umf.maine.edu/honors_theses Part of the Comparative Literature Commons Recommended Citation Decker, Nichole, "Bricolage on the Upper East Side: The nI tertwining of Multimedia in Emma, Clueless, and Gossip Girl" (2019). Honors Theses. 5. https://scholarworks.umf.maine.edu/honors_theses/5 This Research Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors at Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 2 Bricolage on the Upper East Side: The Intertwining of Multimedia in Emma, Clueless, and Gossip Girl ​ ​ ​ Nichole Decker Honors Scholar Project May 6, 2019 “Okay, so you’re probably going, is this like a Noxzema commercial or what?” - Cher ​ ​ In this paper I will analyze the classic novel Emma, and the 1995 film Clueless, as an ​ ​ ​ ​ adaptive pair, but I will also be analyzing the TV series, Gossip Girl, as a derivative text. I bring ​ ​ this series into the discussion because of the ways in which it echos, parallels, and alludes to both Emma and Clueless individually, and the two as a source pair. I do not argue that the series is an ​ ​ ​ actual adaptation, but rather, a sort of collage, recombining motifs from both source texts to create something new, exciting, and completely absurd.
    [Show full text]
  • Emma by Jane Austen
    Emma by Jane Austen Born- 16 December 1775 Steventon Rectory, Hampshire, England Died - 18 July 1817 (aged 41) Winchester, Hampshire, England Resting place- Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England Education- Reading Abbey Girls' School Period- 1787 to 1809–11 By:- Dr. Ritu Mittal Assistant professor JKP(PG) College Muzaffarnagar BIOGRAPHY Jane Austen was an English novelist whose books, set among the English middle and upper classes, are notable for their wit, social observation and insights into the lives of early 19th century women. Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. She was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager. In 1801 the family moved to Bath. After the death of Jane's father in 1805 Jane, her sister Cassandra and their mother moved several times eventually settling in Chawton, near Steventon. Jane's brother Henry helped her negotiate with a publisher and her first novel, 'Sense and Sensibility', appeared in 1811. Her next novel 'Pride and Prejudice', which she described as her "own darling child" received highly favourable reviews. 'Mansfield Park' was published in 1814, then 'Emma' in 1816. 'Emma' was dedicated to the prince regent, an admirer of her work. All of Jane Austen's novels were published anonymously. • . • In 1816, Jane began to suffer from ill-health, probably due to Addison's disease. She travelled to Winchester to receive treatment, and died there on 18 July 1817. Two more novels, 'Persuasion' and 'Northanger Abbey' were published posthumously and a final novel was left incomplete.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Study on Jane Austen S and Pramoedya
    MARRIAGE AND MATCHMAKING NOVELS OF THE PAST FOR THE PEOPLE TODAY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON JANE AUSTEN’S AND PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER’S SELECTED NOVELS A Thesis Pr esented to The Gr aduate Pr ogr a m in English Language Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requir ements for the Degr ee of Master of Humanior a in English Language Studies by Maria Zakia Rahmawati 06 6332 010 THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2010 A THESIS MARRIAGE AND MATCHMAKING NOVELS OF THE PAST FOR THE PEOPLE TODAY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON JANE AUSTEN’S AND PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER’S SELECTED NOVELS by Maria Zakia Rahmawati 06 6332 010 Approved by Dr.Alb. Budi Susanto, S.J. Advisor Yogyakarta, December, 2010 ii A THESIS MARRIAGE AND MATCHMAKING NOVELS OF THE PAST FOR THE PEOPLE TODAY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON JANE AUSTEN’S AND PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER’S SELECTED NOVELS Presented by Maria Zakia Rahmawati Student Number: 06 6332 010 Was defended in front of the Thesis Committee and declared acceptable Thesis Committee: Chairperson: Dr.Novita Dewi, M.S.,M.A (Hons) Secretary: Dr.Alb. Budi Susanto, S.J. Member: Dr.B.B. Dwijatmoko, MA Member: Dr. St. Sunardi Yogyakarta, December 2010 The Graduate School Sanata Dharma University iii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This is to certify that all the ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are the ideas, phrases, sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands the full consequences including degree cancellation if she took somebody else‘s ideas, phrases, or sentences without a proper reference.
    [Show full text]
  • Unconscious Motives in Jane Austen's Emma
    SYDNEY STUDIES Unconscious Motives in Jane Austen's Emma G.A. WILKES The words 'unconscious' and 'unconsciously' occur twenty times in Jane Austen's six novels, l with various levels of meaning. The simplest instance is the 'unconscious Marianne' of Sense and Sensibility (p. 333), unconscious because she has fallen asleep. The word is applied in a similar way to the trees of Norland Park, in "\larianne's romantic imaginings about them after her departure: 'you will continue the same; unconscious of the pleasure or the regret you occasion, and insensible ofany change in those who walk under your shade!' (p. 27). When Catherine Morland is despatched so unceremoniously from Northanger Abbey, and the post-chaise passes the turning to Woodston, she thinks of Henry Tilney 'so near, yet so unconscious' (p. 230), and her grief and agitation are excessive. In these instances 'unconscious' means inert, or unaware, or lacking the capability ofawareness. 2 On otheroccasions it applies to a state of abstraction, or of absorption in other things. Thus Marianne Dashwood is spared the impertinent stares of the young man selecting a toothpick-case which are felt by her sister, 'by remaining unconscious ofit all; for she was as well ableto collect her thoughts within herself, and be as ignorant of what was passing around her, in Mr. Gray's shop, as in her own bed-room' (p. 221). When at Uppercross Anne Elliot finds herself conveyed into the carriage through Captain Wentworth's intervention, and so spared the fatigue of the walking-party, she is so affected that 'her answers to the kindness and the remarks of her companions were at first unconsciously given.
    [Show full text]
  • Jane Austen: a Study of Film Adaptations Megan Graham University of South Florida
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Outstanding Honors Theses Honors College 4-1-2011 Jane Austen: A Study of Film Adaptations Megan Graham University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/honors_et Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Graham, Megan, "Jane Austen: A Study of Film Adaptations" (2011). Outstanding Honors Theses. Paper 20. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/honors_et/20 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors College at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Outstanding Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Jane Austen: A Study of Film Adaptations Megan Graham Pat Rogers Spring 2011 1 Jane Austen’s novels have been adapted for film and television since 1938. This popularity is due to the fact that Austen’s novels tell timeless love stories, which are appealing to audiences. In the 1990’s there were massive quantities of movies or television mini-series made from her books. Today, most people know about the novels through the films they watch. It is hard for the modern reader to relate to the lifestyle and everyday events of the characters in Jane Austen’s books because of such a vast time span. The films help modern society to interpret Austen’s writings. In regards to film adaptation there are two schools of thought. The first school is the traditionalist school that believes that a film should mirror the original work, the novel, as closely and faithfully as possible.
    [Show full text]
  • A Safe Place
    A SAFE PLACE: JANE AUSTEN AND THE RICHARDSONIAN INHERITANCE A SAFE PLACE: JANE AUSTEN AND THE RICHARDSONIAN INHERITANCE by NANCY RUTH FAWCETT, B. A., M.A. A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy McMaster University September 1987 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (1987) McMASTER UNIVERSITY (English) Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: A Safe Place: Jane Austen and the Richardsonian Inheritance AUTHOR: Nancy Ruth Fawcett, B. A. (Wilfrid Laurier University) M. A. (McMaster University) SUPERVISOR: Doctor D. Blewett NUMBER OF PAGES: vi, 233 ii ABSTRACT Jane Austen's novels have often been viewed as realistic portrayals of the time in which she lived. This paper attempts to modify this view by examining her work in the context of the novels of Samuel Richardson, the writer whom she reportedly admired above all others. There are many differences between the two au­ thors, but their subject matter is essentially the same: the hearts and minds of marriageable young women. Richardson's heroines, however, are threatened and harassed while Austen's are free to experience without fear, and to learn without danger. In "Sir Char­ les Grandison or The Happy Man", a parody she wrote of Richardson's Sir Charles Grandison, Austen satirizes Richardson's timorous hero­ ines and aggressive heroes; in her novels, women are self-assured and men are not frightening. An examination of the social history of the eighteenth ce n­ tu ry and the letters of Jane Austen, however, demonstrates that the world of her novels is not the one she knew.
    [Show full text]
  • Courting Revitalization: Companionate Marriage and the Problem of the Landed Gentry's Reform in Jane Austen
    W&M ScholarWorks Undergraduate Honors Theses Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 7-2012 Courting Revitalization: Companionate Marriage and the Problem of the Landed Gentry's Reform in Jane Austen Meredith Paige Luze College of William and Mary Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses Recommended Citation Luze, Meredith Paige, "Courting Revitalization: Companionate Marriage and the Problem of the Landed Gentry's Reform in Jane Austen" (2012). Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 540. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/540 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Courting Revitalization: Companionate Marriage and the Problem of the Landed Gentry’s Reform in Jane Austen A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English from The College of William and Mary by Meredith Paige Luze Accepted for ___________________________________ (Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors) ________________________________________ Kim Wheatley, Director ________________________________________ Elizabeth Barnes ________________________________________ Brett Wilson ________________________________________ Kathrin Levitan Williamsburg, VA May 1, 2012 Luze 1 “Why was it so much worse that Harriet should be in love with Mr. Knightley, than with Frank Churchill? Why was the evil so dreadfully increased by Harriet’s having some hope of a return? It darted through her, with the speed of an arrow, that Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!” –Emma (444) When Emma Woodhouse finally discovers her own feelings and realizes “that Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Emma: Power and Propriety
    Emma: Power and Propriety Exploring power in Jane Austen’s novel Emma Marloes van den Berg 3367053 BA-thesis Literatuurwetenschap Supervisor: B. Bagchi 02-02-2012 Preface Here I am; at the end of my thesis. Writing the preface is one of the last things on my checklist “completing a bachelor thesis”. For a long time I thought writing a bachelor thesis would be the hardest thing ever. Writing something between six and eight thousand words seemed impossible, what subject should I choose? The more I thought about it, the more I realized how important it was to choose a subject I like. Therefore I chose one of Jane Austen’s novels. Jane Austen was probably one of the first authors who wrote literature I really liked. Besides focussing on Emma I wanted to use some of Foucault’s theory on power. I am always intrigued by the way Foucault writes about power and how power seems to be everywhere. So, a combination of those two would be the subject of my thesis. The next step was to find a supervisor. After asking some people who knew a lot of Jane Austen, it became clear to me that I would be lucky if Dr. Bagchi would be my supervisor. Luckily enough she agreed, and I am very thankful that she helped me throughout the whole process. I really enjoyed the Friday afternoon meetings in which we talked about my thesis. Thank you Barnita for all the help you gave me. One of the hardest things for me was writing my thesis in English.
    [Show full text]
  • FULLTEXT01.Pdf
    Linköping University | Department of Culture & Communication | English Linköpings universitet | Institutionen för kultur och kommunikation | Engelska Bachelor’s Thesis 15 credits C uppsats 15 hp Spring Term 2021 Vårterminen 2021 Emma Woodhouse, Handsome, Clever, and Rich… and Bisexual? – a study of attraction and impossible things in Jane Austen’s Emma Emma Woodhouse, stilig, klyftig, och rik… och bisexuell? – En studie av attraktion och omöjliga saker i Jane Austens Emma Natasha Jonsson Supervisor/Handledare: Jami Weinstein Examiner/Examinator: Maria Strääf Linköping University Linköpings universitet SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden 013-28 10 00, www.liu.se !1 Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………3 A Summary of Emma……………………………………..……………………………….………..4 Bisexuality & Bi-erasure……………………………………………………………………………5 Emma’s attraction to women…………..…………………………………………..……………….8 Emma’s attraction to men……………..……………..……………………………………….…..16 Why Emma could not choose a woman even if she wanted to………………………………….21 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………….23 Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………………..26 !2 Introduction “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich” (Austen 3), and bisexual. Published in 1816, Emma by Jane Austen is one of her most beloved works. Since its release, there have been many discussions on the titular character’s sexuality, especially because of her relationship with Harriet Smith. Most of these discussions argue that Emma is strictly homosexual, claiming that she has no attraction to men. There are others who take on a more heteronormative perspective, describing Emma’s relationship with the women in Highbury as friendships rather than romantic relationships. Few, if any, see Emma’s sexuality from both sides, finding her to be, as I will argue, bisexual. The aim of this thesis is to explore Emma Woodhouse’s attraction to both men and women, as well as to understand why most other critics have not considered the possibility that she might be bisexual.
    [Show full text]
  • Emma and Less Clueless Approaches to Film Adaptations of the Canon
    Authorcidal Tendencies: Emma and less Clueless Approaches to Film Adaptations of the Canon. JOEL GIBSON ‘Oh! It is only a novel!’ replies the young lady; while she lays down her book with affected indifference or momentary shame. - ‘It is only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda;’ or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey (1818) The movie, it seems, is rarely as good as the book. Such is the typical response to film adaptations of novels at all levels of literary criticism, from lay reviews to expert tomes. It is not surprising, then, to find the history of adaptation discourse beset by debates over relative aesthetic value, and over the possibility or otherwise of faithful adaptation. Nor is it a shock to find the battle lines drawn more or less between the literary and film academies as they have fought to retain or obtain cultural capital. In defence of the novel, lovers of literature have championed the power and mystique of the written word to demonstrate the aesthetic inferiority of film adaptations. Witness, for instance, the impassioned assertions of adapted author Anthony Burgess in a New York Times article entitled “On the Hopelessness of Turning Good Books into Films”1: 1 Sydney Studies It all comes back to words. This is why literature is superior to the other arts and, indeed, why there can be a hierarchy of arts, with ballet at the bottom and sculpture a few rungs above it.
    [Show full text]
  • Jane Austen's Emma
    Jane Austen’s Emma Jane Austen’s Emma A Close Reading Companion, Volume I By Kenneth R. Morefield Jane Austen’s Emma: A Close Reading Companion, Volume I By Kenneth R. Morefield This book first published 2015 Cambridge Scholars Publishing Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2PA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2015 by Kenneth R. Morefield Cover image: Irene Storm All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-4438-7440-X ISBN (13): 978-1-4438-7440-3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................... vii Chapter One ................................................................................................. 1 Some of the Best Blessings of Existence Chapter Two ................................................................................................ 7 Some Scruples and Some Reluctance Chapter Three ............................................................................................ 11 Miss Bates and Miss Goddard Chapter Four .............................................................................................. 17 A Mutually Satisfying Friendship Chapter Five .............................................................................................
    [Show full text]