Jane Austens novels on film and in the history of literature; a paper on todays constructions of an authors work

The purpose of this study is to examine modern constructions of Jane Austens work in films and in books on history of literature. The theoretical framework contains sociology of literature, cultural studies and film theory. I compared Jane Austens books Emma, Pride and prejudice and Sense and sensibility with three film versions from recent years. In the books on history of literature I studied, I found three different attitudes towards history of literature, which also influenced the interpretation of Austens novels. The stories in Austens books and in the films are similar. The differences lie elsewhere. The focus in this paper is on the differences in the environment, the characters social and financial conditions and their society. The environment has been prettified on film. Films romanticize and portray characters in a more personal way. Austens irony and financial conditions make glorification impossible in the books. On the fringes lie the harsh social conditions in Austens time. The differences could be seen as positive. Our own society is more tolerant and the films reflect this. But it can also be a forgery of Austens text. Cultural studies is more tolerant in this respect and accepts different conditions for different types of media. Sociology of literature, on the other hand, finds books superior to film. My conclusion is that films, as well as texts, are open to interpretation and brainwork. Books on history of literature and films all choose and exclude what they want from Austens texts.Uppsatsnivå: