Post 3: Comparison of Austen and Bronte's literature

Comparison of some of Jane Austen's and Charlotte Bronte's works.

This is something I wrote a year ago on a few of my favorite books simply comparing them.  It doesn't go too in depth on the writing style, rather it analyzes the story, authors, and time period more.

            Breaking free from norms of a neoclassic past, Pride and Prejudice breaks into new grounds of literature where love triumphs over caste systems.  Pride and Prejudice set the bar for authors to come like Charlotte Bronte, who also was a romantic and admired Wordsworth, a prominent romantic author.  It is easy to draw parallels between Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice.  The two authors clearly valued emotion over reason advocating for social change regarding social classes of their time and became revered writers to this day.  Charlotte Bronte followed Austen’s model when Jane Eyre fell for the brooding and passionate Mr. Rochester alike Elizabeth falling for her Mr. Darcy similar to Rochester who was also very brooding and passionate.  Jane Austen’s work strayed from political and religious focus, making her books memorable and adored by the world, however Bronte’s Jane Eyre deviated from politics as well but kept a firm grasp of religion and added in the romance and suspense.   

In the 19^th century, it was unusual for a woman to write novels that were published; consequently many female authors used pen names.  Charlotte Bronte used a masculine pseudonym to conceal her real identity from the publishers, whereas Jane Austen never truly stated her name yet would say “a Lady” in place of her name or “the author of Pride and Prejudice” showing humility by not boasting her name, and courage to admit to the publisher that she was a woman.  Jane Austen was not afraid to write on different topics rather than what was more commonly written about at that time, she observed society around her and wrote on situations of rank, family, and the need to marry.  Her courageous spirit is demonstrated through the character of her heroines in her books; Elizabeth, back talking to higher rank, willing to speak her mind, and not settle with the first man to get down on one knee; and Emma, willing to be free of marrying to stay by her father’s side and willing to match make against her future lover’s forewarnings.  Her characters embody real personality.

            Romantic authors and authoresses took time to develop characters, and as a result, their audience can’t help but to fall in love with the characters (or hate the character).  Jane Austen took care not only to develop main characters but also smaller roles like that of Mr. Collins.  The reader picks up easily on his annoying person and can readily make an image of him in their heads.  Additionally Austen managed to create the arrogant Miss Bingley, phony Mr. Wickham, and kind Jane Bennett. 

            Upon further analyzing the romantic style of writing, Austen clearly broke from rules of the past to create a romantic setting when Elizabeth turns down two suitors she did not love breaking free from the woman’s need to marry well as her mother wanted.  Elizabeth also is not afraid to stand up to higher ranks of wealth and authority such as when she talks back to Lady Catherine.  Not only is this demonstrated in Pride and Prejudice but as well as in the novel Emma with Emma’s wit and imaginative character.  Emma disregards the advice of others at times like the warning of her beloved Mr. Knightly to stop her matchmaking schemes.  However, Austen repeatedly reminds the reader of the time period with character’s views being somewhat neoclassical.  Mr. Elton refuses to marry Emma’s dear friend stating she is too low for him; another instance is when Emma denies socializing with those of lower status as it is not proper.  Jane Eyre follows the Romantic spirit as well when Jane marries Mr. Rochester, when she turns down Mr. St. John, and when she speaks out against her aunt.   Elizabeth, Emma, and Jane are all independent thinkers and intelligent, however are completely oblivious to their hearts feelings until they almost lose their loved one, some way or another.

            Reasons as to why we all love these romantic novels so much, is because it appeals to the heart with sincere love which many stories today lack.  The writing makes the reader truly feel for the characters and their situations, enough so, that after reading one believes they are in that time period until their phone begins to ring calling them back to reality.  In Jane Eyre, little Jane is an orphan searching for family and purpose.  The audience can truly feel for the poor child the first quarter of the book through all her hardships, after the sorrow expressed by Bronte the reader finds hope for Jane once she is at Mr. Rochester’s mansion in charge of an adorable little girl.  In the third quarter of the book, where she leaves Rochester’s arms, the reader is thrust again into anguishing for poor Jane, however as the book comes to a close the ending is bitter sweet and we can cry and smile for Jane and Rochester’s end.  In Emma, Austen develops the story around the heroine Emma whom Austen thought, “no one but myself will much like.” Emma turns out to be adored by many however, despite her strong headedness and self deluded spirit.  Emma lives an easy life with her father however the tale takes an interesting twist as soon as we discover more characters, more of Emma’s crazy match making dreams, and as we become attached to her own feelings.  Finally, Pride and Prejudice is centered around the Bennet family with the fanatical mother and caring father.  Pride and Prejudice would not be quite the loved story it is without the crazy family, thankfully Austen elaborates on their qualities and involves the family in nearly every chapter from their urgings to marry.  From the mishaps of unwise choices resulting in “patched up marriages,” to embarrassing scenes of improper manners in balls, Elizabeth must deal with all her family’s un-functional dysfunctions as well as her prejudices against Mr. Darcy and her own pride in order for the audience to find her true love of Mr. Darcy.  

            In Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth’s two youngest sisters, especially Lydia, symbolize the common girl of the time back then obsessive with only the thoughts of marrying, consequently ending with flirting with any testosterone that walks by.  Mrs. Bennet demonstrates her constant worry for the welfare of her children wanting them to marry as in that time period was necessary for a child to marry off well. Jane is complacent and finds nice things in everyone which allows her to be happy in any situation with a man, luckily she happens upon Mr. Bingley whom she truly loves.  Elizabeth is intelligent and witty however is prejudiced and even proud in many instances, she represents the romantic spirit in the book.  Mr. Bennet is the supportive loving father which ties in the whole family. Mary simply is worried with becoming accomplished and is most likely ashamed of half her family’s embarrassing faults despite the fact she herself has caused shame in the family a few times most notably at the Netherfield ball where she plays the piano and sings awfully.

            From hardships the characters face to sheer joy, the audience feels like they are in the story.  It can be easy to forget how lucky we are in our time period today to have freedom to choose whom we want to marry, but when immersed in romantic novels such as Jane Austen’s masterpieces and Charlotte Bronte’s, we are thrown back into how life was and that what we often times take for granted, was fought for back in the 19^th century.  We can all learn valuable lessons from books of this genre, appreciate what we have, don’t have too much pride and don’t pre-judge others, do not try to predict other’s lives by matchmaking to an extreme, and don’t go against your heart as Jane Austen made plain to read in Northanger Abbey, “the worst crimes are the crimes of the heart.”