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Jane Austen’s Books Don’t Take Place over a Year and Other Myths
7 responses to “Jane Austen’s Books Don’t Take Place over a Year and Other Myths”
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Very cogently argued and researched. I hold out for the second, however, because, over the course of SIX novels to have exactly ONE SCENE (the other being reported rather than recorded) conversation between men without a woman being present seems pretty… unusual. In short, I don’t think it counts, just one speech, and some reflection from its recipient.
I think that your second ‘myth’ is true, in other words. I’m convinced that Austen could have done such scenes perfectly (scenes between men only, I mean). For whatever reason, she just didn’t seem comfortable about doing it.
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I’m a scientist, if something happens once then it can happen. As many people don’t read Mansfield Park, they may not know that scene exists.
There is also a conversation between two men in The Watsons that Emma overhears, that should probably count too.
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I appreciate how you analyze Austen’s works. I also liked the idea of pointing people back to some of your other posts.
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Interesting post! I never analyzed it like that before I gotta notice more when I read her books!lol
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I got very bored during the lockdowns and read the novels over and over. It ended up being helpful!
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Emma ends with the wedding of Mr. Knightley and Emma–which takes place in October–so arguably that novel covers a full year.
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Yeah, it depends how you count. The marriage of Jane and Frank is also mentioned as happening in November. I think both Emma and Pride & Prejudice are the closest. And Emma does do this lovely thing where it calls back to those lonely autumn nights from the beginning.
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