Miss Manners: Jane Austen and the Contradictions of Conduct

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This thesis studies Jane Austen’s investigation of the form of manners and the substance of real virtue, as well as the complex play between interior life and public roles. The two chapters of my argument pose a contradiction. In Sense and Sensibility, Austen argues that self-expression in the epistolary form can be inauthentic, and therefore, manners are the most truthful form through which individuals can express their interior virtue. Conversely, in Mansfield Park, Austen argues that due to the performative quality of social intercourse, people’s manners can be deceitful exhibitions. In Austen’s ideal conception of manners as virtuous conduct, she unites the substance of a sentimental interior with the form of virtuous manners. Furthermore, through criticizing the epistolary form and theatrical performance, Austen asserts that the novel is the best medium for conveying the contradictions of human nature.

    Item Description
    Name(s)
    Thesis advisor: Drury, Joseph
    Date
    April 15, 2010
    Extent
    86 pages
    Language
    eng
    Genre
    Physical Form
    electronic
    Discipline
    Rights and Use
    In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted
    Digital Collection
    PID
    ir:842