Jane Austen’s Literary Role in Historical Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69760/jales.2025002019Keywords:
Jane Austen, Georgian society, Regency England, social critique, literary context, feminist criticism, cultural influenceAbstract
This study examines Jane Austen’s novels as products of and commentaries on the Georgian and Regency eras, situating her work in its historical social, cultural, and literary milieu. Using a qualitative literature-based methodology, it analyzes themes in Austen’s major novels through historical contextualization and critical scholarship. Key findings show that Austen’s fiction reflects the constraints of Regency society – such as class stratification, patriarchal marriage norms, and religious conventions – even as it satirically critiques those norms (e.g. undermining the idea that marriage is a woman’s sole goal). Her narrative style (especially free indirect discourse) and ironic wit align with Enlightenment ideals and have earned her lasting international popularity. These analyses are supported by more recent interpretations, which emphasize Austen’s proto-feminist values and implicit engagement with issues of empire. Finally, we show that Austen’s influence endures in modern literature and scholarship: her themes and techniques continue to inspire adaptations and critical debate. This paper thus confirms Austen as a nuanced social commentator of her time and a lasting literary figure whose work bridges historical and contemporary concerns.
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