A Study Of The Familial And Love Relationships In Three Austen Novels: Pride And Prejudice, Mansfield Park And Persuasion.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Washington, 1956The purpose and scope of this study will be an exploration of the familial and love relationships in three Austen novels: Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion. The edition of the novels referred to throughout the study is the third edition, 1948, by R.W. Chapman. Alan Dent has noted that, "While Moscow burned in 1812 Jane was engaged in burning preparation of Pride and Prejudice for the press. Just before Napoleon was deposed Jane was embarking upon Emma. Though Jane Austen wrote in an era of turbulent political and social revolution, there is scarcely a ripple reflected on the unruffled surface of her novels. Also, contrary to the literary practice of many contemporaries, she wrote sparingly in terms of the literary output, revised her works frequently, and limited the scope of her novels to the areas of her experience. In a letter which she wrote to her nephew, Edward, in reply to his letter in which he mentioned the loss of part of his manuscript, she expressed her philosophy of writing. "I do not think however that any theft of that sort would be very useful to me. What should I do with your strong, manly, spirited sketches, full of Variety and Glow? How could I possibly join them on to the little bit (two inches wide) of Ivory on which I work with so fine a Brush as produces little effect after much labour