Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction

222 Pages·2000·10.117 MB·English

by  Margaret Kirkham

Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction
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Cassandra Austen's Portrait
of her sister Jane
Casandra Austen's portrait as
re-drawn by Mr Andrews in
1869 for the frontispiece to
the Memoir of Jane Austen by
James Edward Austen~Ldgh,
first published in 1870
Jane Austen,
Feminism and Fiction
Margaret Kirkham
THE ATHLONE PRESS
London & Atlantic Highlands, NJ
This edition first published 1997 by
THE ATHLONE PRESS
i Park Drive, London NWII 7SG
and 165 First Avenue,
Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716
© Margaret Kirkham, 1997
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library
ISBN 0485 12129 8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kirkham, Margaret.
Jane Austen, feminism and fiction / Margaret Kirkham.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-485-12129-8 (pbk.)
i. Austen, Jane. 1775-1817 - Political and social views.
2. Feminism and literature — England — History — I9th century.
3. Women and literature - England - History - I9th century. I. Title.
PR4038.F44K57 1997
823'.7- dc2i 97-1024
CIP
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or
otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
Short Run Press Ltd, Exeter
To Robert
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Contents
Preface page ix
Acknowledgements xix
Introduction xxi
Part One: Feminism and Fiction: 1694-1798
1. Introduction
3
2. Mary Astell to Catherine Macaulay: Women, Morals
and Education 6
3. 'A New Species of Writing' 13
4. Sir Charles Grandison 27
5. Women as Authors: 1788-98 33
6. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 39
7. The 'Great Wollstonecraft Scandal' of 1798 48
Part Two: The Publication and Reception of Jane
Austen's Novels, 1797-1818
8. The Feminist Controversy and the Received Biography 53
9. Residence in Bath 61
10. The Curious History of Mrs Ashton Dennis (M.A.D.) 66
11. Scott's Review of Emma 74
Part Three: Allusion, Irony and Feminism in the
Austen Novels
12. Comedy and the Austen Heroines: The Early Novels 81
13. Sense and Sensibility 86
14. Northhanger A bbey 88
15. Pride and Prejudice 91
16. Kotzebue and Theatrical Allusion in Mansfield Park and
Emma 93