Figures of Isolation in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion

master's thesis

• Author: Martina Bertol
• Mentor: Tatjana Jukić (mentor)
• Committee member: Borislav Knežević (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Tihana Klepač (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-07-09, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

The paper deals with the different kinds of isolation indexed by female characters in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion. Austen’s novels reflect the society in which class and marriage are paramount to women and where the fear of social exclusion is always present. While the themes of social isolation and confinement to the private sphere are important for understanding the complexity of women’s position, Austen’s portrayal of female isolation transcends domestic confinement. Despite their different social positions, the female characters in the three Austen novels under investigation all underscore the theme of isolation, including social, emotional, moral, and intellectual dimensions of isolation. Fanny Price experiences social and emotional isolation due to her inferior position in the family. Most importantly, her strong moral integrity and adherence to Mansfield Park values are the reason for her isolation, but also the key to overcoming it. Emma Woodhouse is isolated because of her character, and her overconfident mistakes often lead to her social exclusion. The novel follows her maturation into a more considerate behaviour, which ultimately ends her isolation. Anne Elliot's position in the family is ambiguous, which often leads to social exclusion. Because of her past mistake, Anne experiences emotional isolation, which is further emphasized after the return of her former fiancé. The thesis concludes with the comparative analysis of the three protagonists and the ways in which they overcome their isolation.

• Keywords: Jane Austen; female isolation; female confinement; comparative analysis
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:704025
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-07-11 10:28:59