Thesis (M.A.)--Wake Forest University. Dept. of English, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-145)

Adaptation from literature to film has always been a much criticized enterprise, with fidelity criticism, or an attempt to discredit fidelity criticism, often driving the critical discussion. However, this type of thinking is somewhat limited, becoming circular and going nowhere productive. Instead, taking into account what has come before, this thesis attempts to settle on a method of examination that moves away from fidelity criticism and towards an approach that aligns itself with cultural studies. Adaptations, then, can be seen as products of the historical, cultural, political and general socio-economic framework out of which they emerge, owing perhaps more to their context of production than to their source material. In order to provide a case study that reflects this idea, this paper looks to an author who has been adapted on multiple occasions, Jane Austen, and examines her as a cultural construct. Looking at Austen’s most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice, and using Robert Z. Leonard’s Pride and Prejudice (1940), Cyril Coke’s Jane Austen ‘s Pride and Prejudice (1980), Simon Langton’s Pride and Prejudice (1995), Andrew Black’s Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003), Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice (2004) and Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice (2005), the thesis argues that the appeal of Austen is a result of her cult status and economic viability, and also the malleability of her text, which allows filmmakers to use it in a number of different contexts, while still embodying the source material. / Arts, Faculty of / Theatre and Film, Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this thesis is to survey Jane Austen biography and criticism published since 1940 in order to show the present state of Jane Austen study while providing a bibliographical guide to recent material.

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<p>Two hundred years later it still affects us</p>

Two hundred years later it still affects us

For years critics have noticed how Jane Austen uses a cold, a sore throat, a sprained ankle, or some other minor affliction (Watson 336) to further the plots of her novels. Although the recurring motif of illness appears to be nothing more than the recording of everyday trivialities, the frequent appearance of illness during the courtship narratives is intriguing. The bodily production of modesty requires the conscious display of delicacy; however, delicacy requires disability in order to be visible to society. Similarly, sensibility also requires the display of delicacy and, by extension, disability. Applying Judith Butlers performance theory to disability, it is possible to analyze the performance of delicacy used in both the production of modesty and sensibility, and thereby understand the degree to which delicacy is a learned performance rather than an innate feminine trait. Austens heroines display varying degrees of affectation of both modesty and sensibility through their performances of delicacy. These performances serve to highlight each heroines degree of modesty and sensibility, as well as to pique the interest ideally, although not always successfully of potential lovers. The performance of disability through delicacy is an essential feature of the temporary invalidism experienced by the heroines during the courtship narratives of Austens novels.

For years critics have noticed how Jane Austen uses a cold, a sore throat, a sprained ankle, or some other minor affliction (Watson 336) to further the plots of her novels. Although the recurring motif of illness appears to be nothing more than the recording of everyday trivialities, the frequent appearance of illness during the courtship narratives is intriguing. The bodily production of modesty requires the conscious display of delicacy; however, delicacy requires disability in order to be visible to society. Similarly, sensibility also requires the display of delicacy and, by extension, disability. Applying Judith Butlers performance theory to disability, it is possible to analyze the performance of delicacy used in both the production of modesty and sensibility, and thereby understand the degree to which delicacy is a learned performance rather than an innate feminine trait. Austens heroines display varying degrees of affectation of both modesty and sensibility through their performances of delicacy. These performances serve to highlight each heroines degree of modesty and sensibility, as well as to pique the interest ideally, although not always successfully of potential lovers. The performance of disability through delicacy is an essential feature of the temporary invalidism experienced by the heroines during the courtship narratives of Austens novels.

Jane Austen provides moral guidance in her nocels, showing her readers what is wrong with her society. Novels such as Pride &amp; Prejudice and Sense &amp; Sensibility contain studies of human character and lack of morals. She guides her readers towards a clearer moral vision by including characters such as George Wickham and John Willoughby, and warns her readers about trusting first impressions. The essay focuses on the moral aspects of these scoundrels. It analyses and compares the characters based on the first impressions from others, the events in the novels where their true colors emerge and how they are judged by the characters and the author in the novel. The essay argues that Austen's way of developing the scoundrels enables her to prove a point of morality to her readers, showing us the danger of trusting first impressions and appearances, warning us against the deceptive evil which presents itself disguised in charm and respectability. Thus she guides her readers towards a clearer vision of true worth and good morals - such as honesty and consideration for others - in a way that may be discussed and appreciated by young people of today. In addition, a didactic approach is included, showing how the findings in the esay can be used and interpreted in an English class in Swedish upper-secondary school. It provides a lesson plan based on the findings, and are justified by answering the question "why should we study literature" and "why should we study Jane Austen?". The goal is to form activities that students find both entertaining and motivating. It will show that both scoundrels are well-behaved, handsome and are well-liked by the majority of the characters in the beginning. However, they are also dishonest, selfish and driven by economival and sexual motives. This shows the danger of trusting fist impressions and justifies the reason why they are scoundrels. However, there are differences that differentiate them: Wickham is not able to love or feel remorse, while Willoughby is.

In the field of Jane Austen study, some critics regard her novels as a preaching of Christianity while some others consider her works as secular novels. In regards of the author¡¦s religious background, it is essential to re-examine her novels in order to formulate the influence of religion in both her life and her works and to settle certain debates on her belief. This present thesis will center on three of Austen¡¦s novels: Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma, with exploring her surviving correspondence in mention of her opinion on Christians, to probe into her religious principles and to provide a neutral viewpoint to scrutinize the relation between literature and religion in the novels. The introductory chapter gives an overall look on Jane Austen¡¦s religious and historical background. The following three chapters aim to discuss several elements of Christianity in her novels respectively. Chapter One exemplifies the practice of Christian charity in Austen¡¦s novels as well as in her daily life. It also elaborates on certain ¡§good principles¡¨ that were well-known by the Regency congregation and that were practiced by the authoress. Chapter Two discusses how Austen reflects the biblical teaching in her novels without using direct quotes and how she presents her concern of the potential crisis with ambiguous values. The final chapter deals with the problems facing by the Regency clergy and how Austen projects her ideal clergy through a hero¡¦s mouth. Most importantly, this thesis conjectures the reasons of Austen¡¦s evasiveness on religion in hope to gain a new insight into her fictional world.