Jane Austen's Social Vision: a Study of Social Mobility in Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion

• Main Authors: Lin, Lien Kuei, 林廉貴
• Other Authors: Chen, Ying Huei
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/54711968289298740648

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 外國語文學系 === 88 === This thesis aims at exploring the social mobility of Austen's time. At her times, many major events occur such as French Revolution, American Independence and Napoleonic Wars. But many people tend to forget that Austen is in contemporary with the first generation of Romantic poets such Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron. Most critics argue that Austen is a limited writer because Austen does not write down anything about these major events. However, she mentions the change hand of estate, or marriage in her works. Therefore, I have different opinions from the critics. Social mobility refers to the flow among the social strata, that is, to break through the boundary of social status. Austen ends each of her works with a harmonious marriage. Marriage is the merge of the middle class and the aristocracy. Austen believes that through marriage, class transition can be achieved smoothly and class struggle can be reduced. Chapter One argues the social fancy of the middle class in Pride and Prejudice Chapter Two discusses the fall of the aristocracy and the rise of the navy in Persuasion