only a novel?

My previous post was pretty dense! Sorry about that! But anyone who dozed off during my presentation can always come back to my blog for a summary of those two readings on Gothic conventions.

Our discussion in class today was pretty interesting and I'm glad I actually had the balls to say something. I usually just sit back and let people abuse Austen and seethe. I know a few people disagreed with me on the topic of Henry and Catherine as readers of novels. I still maintain that Catherine is the more developed of the two, whether she is conscious of it or not. Henry's claim that horrific events cannot occur among the English, among Christians (Protestants) should immediately trigger the reader into not trusting everything he says, because his claim is obviously not true. Women had virtually no rights or protection before the 20th century. Married women could be beaten and raped by their husbands LEGALLY. Many Englishmen owned plantations and slaves (as portrayed in the film adaptation of Mansfield Park, which is delved into in literary criticism of that novel). Catherine is a reader that does just what Jane Austen hopes her own readers will do, and that is NEVER to underestimate the power of art or fiction, because doing so would be saying that "it's only a novel." In one paragraph, we learn that Henry Tilney, for all of his reading, privilege and education, thinks that Mrs. Radcliffe's novels are ONLY novels, otherwise he would not scold Catherine for comparing General Tilney to a Gothic patriarch. Even though the narrator says that Catherine has a complete awakening, Catherine allows that revolution and violence can spread even into the north and south of England (but never into the middle of England, where such violence can enter her reality and Henry Tilney's idealized view of his country and people). I think Jane Austen's narrator pokes fun at Henry Tilney as he scolds Catherine, because he is proving Catherine right about the parallels between "torment" and instruction. Jane Austen herself would have known better than Henry about the so-called innocent English Christians. She was a great reader! She read pamphlets written by abolitionists. She was an oppressed woman and was surrounded by many oppressed women (were there any other kind in the 18th and 19th century? are there any other kind now?). She knew women who died in child birth (including her sister-in-law, who Austen's niece Fanny Knight remembers was sexually forced by her husband, Austen's own brother!). So, in my opinion, Henry Tilney is in the wrong here and Jane Austen is aware of that. White, English-speaking Christians are pro's when it comes to murder, rape, imperialism and genocide. Of what could Henry be thinking?

ETA - Also, I remember someone mentioning that Jane Austen, as a "female author," would not have written about sex. I'm glad that so many people addressed this because of the sexuality deeply embedded in Gothic novels, many of which were written by women. I'm always so surprised when people have this conservative, old-maid view of Austen, because my image of her is the complete opposite. She rarely (if ever?) explicitly addresses the issue of a woman's virginity or chastity (unless through the voices of ridiculous, comical characters like Mary Bennet or Mr. Collins), and I am so glad, because the subject is usually treated in such an unsavory way.

Why do you think so many fangirls (edited: or fanboys) out there swoon at the sound of Mr. Darcy's name? You cannot seriously tell me that Jane Austen's novels are not sexy! When Lizzy Bennet comes in to Netherfield after walking three miles from Longbourne, her eyes have been brightened by the exercise, her hair is wild, her cheeks are glowing and Darcy is very much attracted to her. Fanny Price must ride her horse everyday, and she comes back an absolute beauty, glowing and wild like Lizzy. Austen's physically active heroines are made more attractive by their almost sexual exercise (who hasn't heard of an orgasm while riding a horse? or breaking the hymen while riding a horse? Equus, much?). Jane Austen is really not as fussy as some people would like to think. Her novels are flirtatious and rebellious and give women agency. Catherine, unlike sentimental or Gothic heroines, is allowed to dream of her hero before he dreams of her. No more of this waiting around for your prince to arrive at your door step business!