For many middle-class women of Austen's day, marriage was paradoxically the only method of achieving independence. Marriage could also be a life sentence. Myer shows that by many accounts Austen was pretty and flirtatious (though occasionally also sharp-tongued), and the object of at least two proposals, but obstinate in her refusal to marry for other than love. Her obstinacy condemned her to reliance on her family for financial support. As Myer points out, it also enabled Austen to write her immortal novels.
Jane Austen’s world-famous novels give readers a small glimpse into the author’s real life, which was filled with as many ups and downs as those of Emma Woodhouse or Elizabeth Bennet. She too had to navigate her way through a stratified society, filled with rules and repressions that she strove to break. But Austen was even more fascinating than her fiery female protagonists. In Jane Austen: Obstinate Heart, Valerie Grosvenor Myer explores the writer’s life with detail that will make Austen’s books even more enjoyable for fans. Grosvenor Myer, who has previously written biographies of Margaret Drabble and Charlotte Brontë, delves into letters, family memories, and Austen’s novels to illuminate a perceptive picture of the woman herself and the social climate in which she lived. Surprises abound, and the reader is left with a sense of relief that Austen remained true to her “obstinate heart.” This is an invaluable companion for anyone who has been absorbed in one of her spirited novels.
For many middle-class women of Austen's day, marriage was paradoxically the only method of achieving independence. Marriage could also be a life sentence. Myer shows that by many accounts Austen was pretty and flirtatious (though occasionally also sharp-tongued), and the object of at least two proposals, but obstinate in her refusal to marry for other than love. Her obstinacy condemned her to reliance on her family for financial support. As Myer points out, it also enabled Austen to write her immortal novels.
Jane Austen’s world-famous novels give readers a small glimpse into the author’s real life, which was filled with as many ups and downs as those of Emma Woodhouse or Elizabeth Bennet. She too had to navigate her way through a stratified society, filled with rules and repressions that she strove to break. But Austen was even more fascinating than her fiery female protagonists. In Jane Austen: Obstinate Heart, Valerie Grosvenor Myer explores the writer’s life with detail that will make Austen’s books even more enjoyable for fans. Grosvenor Myer, who has previously written biographies of Margaret Drabble and Charlotte Brontë, delves into letters, family memories, and Austen’s novels to illuminate a perceptive picture of the woman herself and the social climate in which she lived. Surprises abound, and the reader is left with a sense of relief that Austen remained true to her “obstinate heart.” This is an invaluable companion for anyone who has been absorbed in one of her spirited novels.
This study charts Charlotte BrontI's critical fortunes over the last fifty years. It looks at the nature of her romanticism and her relationship with her readers. All the important writings about her since the 1930's, including feminist and Freudian treatments, are sifted and analyzed. Sharp, lively and original, with full scholarly apparatus, the book will put Charlotte BrontI in perspective for the general reader and will be invaluable to the student. Available for the first time in the U.S. Contents: Introduction; Three Weird Sisters and Socks for Mr. Nicholls; Mr. Rockingham and Monsieur Beck; How very corse ; Mad Methodist Magazines; Patrick BrontI's DEGREESR The Cottage in the Wood and the plot of Jane Eyre; Hypochondria; Charlotte and her Unconscious; Jane Eyre; Fairytale and the Imagination; Signs, Presentiments and Sympathies; Style, Suggestion and Emblem; Female Inner Space and Moral Madness; The Maiming of Edward Rochester; Shirley: a Feminist Document?; Villette; Bibliography
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.