The provided text presents a psychological analysis of Jane Austen’s novels, focusing on character motivations and the author’s underlying values. It examines mimetic characterization, particularly in Mansfield Park, suggesting that Fanny Price embodies a self-effacing solution to basic anxiety, which the novel seems to glorify. The analysis contrasts this with Emma, where the protagonist’s narcissism and perfectionism are explored as defensive mechanisms, ultimately leading to a flawed “education.” Finally, the text considers Pride and Prejudice as a wish-fulfillment fantasy of an “expansive solution” and Persuasion as a nuanced exploration of duty and romance, while also categorizing Austen’s works through the lens of Horneyan psychology and her own potential personality trends.
A Study Guide to Bernard J. Paris’s Character and Conflict in Jane Austen’s Novels: A Psychological Approach
Quiz
- According to Bernard Paris, what are the two main schools of thought concerning characterization in literature, and how do they differ in their approach to literary characters?
- How does Paris utilize Karen Horney’s psychological theories in his analysis of Jane Austen’s characters? Briefly describe one of Horney’s “solutions” to basic anxiety and how Paris applies it to a specific Austen character.
- In his analysis of Mansfield Park, how does Paris explain the contrasting moral development of Tom Bertram and Henry Crawford, despite their initial similarities in privilege?
- According to Paris, what are the primary motivations and characteristics of the “narcissistic” personality type, and how does he apply this framework to the character of Emma Woodhouse?
- Describe Fanny Price’s opposition to the play Lovers’ Vows in Mansfield Park, according to Paris’s psychological interpretation. What underlying fears and motivations drive her resistance?
- How does Paris explain Henry Crawford’s initial and evolving interest in Fanny Price? What does he suggest motivates Henry’s desire to win her affection?
- According to Paris, what is the central psychological conflict that prevents Emma Woodhouse from readily embracing marriage, even with someone she comes to care for like Mr. Knightley?
- Explain Elizabeth Bennet’s initial negative reaction to Mr. Darcy’s proposal in Pride and Prejudice, according to Paris’s analysis. What aspects of Darcy’s behavior and her own character contribute to this rejection?
- How does Paris interpret Elizabeth Bennet’s eventual acceptance of Darcy’s second proposal? Does he believe it signifies a fundamental change in her personality, and what factors contribute to her change of heart?
- In his discussion of Persuasion, how does Paris frame the central conflict regarding Anne Elliot’s decision to break off her engagement with Captain Wentworth? What are the key questions he poses about this situation?
Answer Key for Quiz
- Paris identifies two main schools: the “purists” and the “realists.” Purists argue that literary characters are purely constructs of the author’s design, existing solely within the fictional world for formal and thematic purposes. Realists, however, believe that characters acquire a degree of independence during the narrative and can be analyzed as if they were real human beings with psychological depth.
- Paris employs Horney’s theories, particularly the concepts of basic anxiety and neurotic needs and solutions (moving toward, against, and away from people). For example, he might apply the “self-effacing solution” (moving toward) to Fanny Price, explaining her behavior as driven by a need for affection and approval to combat feelings of helplessness and worthlessness in her embedded position.
- Paris argues that Edmund’s goodness is partly due to his being a younger son, which necessitates struggle and discipline. In contrast, Tom’s privileged position and poor influences lead to “thoughtlessness and selfishness.” Similarly, Henry’s “early independence” and the bad example of the Admiral result in his lack of responsibility and self-indulgence.
- The narcissistic personality, according to Paris (drawing on Horney), seeks mastery through self-admiration and charm, possessing an unquestioned belief in their greatness. Paris applies this to Emma, highlighting her pride in her social position and abilities, her need for admiration, and her overestimation of her own judgment and capacity to control situations.
- Paris interprets Fanny’s opposition to the play as stemming from her deep respect for Sir Thomas’s authority and her fear of challenging it. The choice of Lovers’ Vows compounds this as she perceives it as “improper.” Her refusal to participate and her censoriousness serve as defenses to reassure herself of her own goodness and avoid Sir Thomas’s potential disapproval.
- Paris suggests Henry is initially drawn to Fanny by her moral rectitude, as a self-condemning aspect of his personality seeks her approval. His initial plan is to hurt her pride, but he becomes genuinely attracted to her. His desire to marry her is partly due to his lack of success in flirting and his wish to possess the qualities he sees in her, such as her affection and gratitude.
- According to Paris, Emma’s reluctance to marry is primarily rooted in her complex relationship with her father. She feels that accepting a husband would be a betrayal of her father, as if she would be “killing” him and ceasing to be the devoted daughter. This conflict creates a strong tendency toward detachment in her.
- Paris explains Elizabeth’s rejection as a result of wounded pride at Darcy’s condescending proposal, where he emphasizes her family’s inferiority and his own sense of degradation. Her own expansive nature and her perception of Darcy’s mistreatment of Wickham and interference with Jane and Bingley fuel her indignation and lead her to denounce his character.
- Paris argues that Elizabeth’s eventual acceptance is less about a fundamental personality change and more about a restoration and inflation of her pride due to Darcy’s continued affection and the honor of his proposal, especially after the events involving Lydia. While she gains some self-knowledge, her core expansive tendencies remain.
- Paris frames the central questions around whether Lady Russell’s advice to Anne was good or bad, whether Anne was right or wrong to follow it, and whether Wentworth’s response was justified. He suggests that the answers to these questions determine the reconciliation of the lovers, the vindication of Anne’s character, and the understanding of Austen’s proposed attitude toward life.
Essay Format Questions
- Explore Bernard Paris’s argument that understanding Jane Austen’s characters through the lens of psychological theories, such as Karen Horney’s, offers a richer and more nuanced interpretation of their motivations and conflicts than purely formal or thematic approaches. Use specific examples from at least two of Austen’s novels discussed in the source material.
- Analyze Bernard Paris’s concept of “dominating fantasies” in Jane Austen’s novels. How does he suggest these fantasies manifest in the plots and character interactions of Mansfield Park, Emma, and Pride and Prejudice?
- Discuss Bernard Paris’s assertion that Jane Austen’s “code” involves a tension between sensibility and worldliness. How do various characters in Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Persuasion embody or deviate from this code, and what are the consequences of their adherence or transgression?
- Compare and contrast Bernard Paris’s psychological analyses of two of Jane Austen’s heroines, such as Fanny Price and Emma Woodhouse, or Elizabeth Bennet and Anne Elliot. What are the key psychological needs, defenses, and conflicts that Paris identifies in each character, and how do these shape their actions and relationships?
- Evaluate Bernard Paris’s claim that the romantic resolutions in Jane Austen’s novels, particularly in Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, are often less about profound personal transformation and more about the restoration of pride and the fulfillment of certain psychological needs.
Glossary of Key Terms
- Basic Anxiety: (Drawing from Karen Horney) A fundamental feeling of insecurity, isolation, and helplessness in a potentially hostile world, which arises in childhood and can drive neurotic behavior.
- Neurotic Needs: (Drawing from Karen Horney) Irrational and compulsive desires developed as attempts to cope with basic anxiety. These needs are often exaggerated, indiscriminate, and lead to internal conflict.
- Neurotic Solutions: (Drawing from Karen Horney) Three primary strategies individuals employ to deal with basic anxiety and fulfill their neurotic needs:
- Moving Toward (Self-Effacing Solution): Seeking affection, approval, and dependence on others.
- Moving Against (Expansive/Aggressive Solution): Seeking power, control, superiority, and recognition through achievement or dominance (can manifest as narcissistic, perfectionistic, or arrogant-vindictive types).
- Moving Away (Detached Solution): Seeking independence, self-sufficiency, and emotional distance to avoid being hurt or controlled.
- Idealized Image: (Drawing from Karen Horney) An inflated and unrealistic self-perception that neurotic individuals create to compensate for feelings of inadequacy and self-hatred. They strive to live up to this impossible image.
- Search for Glory: (Drawing from Karen Horney) The neurotic drive to actualize the idealized image, leading to relentless pursuit of external validation and a distorted sense of self-worth.
- Self-Alienation: (Drawing from Karen Horney) The process by which individuals lose touch with their real selves as they invest their energies in maintaining their idealized image and living according to neurotic needs and solutions.
- Mimesis: In literary theory, the imitation or representation of reality. Paris discusses how Austen’s characters relate to real psychological types.
- Form: In literary analysis, the structure and organization of a literary work, including plot, narrative techniques, and genre conventions. Paris examines how Austen’s characterization interacts with comic form.
- Theme: The underlying ideas or messages explored in a literary work. Paris analyzes how psychological characterization contributes to and sometimes conflicts with Austen’s thematic concerns.
- Expansive Types: (Paris’s term, drawing from Horney’s “moving against”) Characters who adopt aggressive strategies to master life and overcome anxiety, often characterized by pride, ambition, and a need for superiority.
- Self-Effacing Types: (Paris’s term, aligning with Horney’s “moving toward”) Characters who seek security and validation through compliance, dependence, and suppressing their own needs.
- Detached Types: (Paris’s term, aligning with Horney’s “moving away”) Characters who cope with anxiety by withdrawing emotionally and seeking independence and self-sufficiency.
- Perfectionistic Types: (A sub-type of expansive, according to Paris) Characters driven by exceptionally high standards, both for themselves and others, using these standards as a basis for superiority and a means of controlling fate.
- Narcissistic Types: (A sub-type of expansive, according to Paris) Characters who seek mastery through self-admiration and charm, possessing an inflated sense of self-importance and a need for constant admiration.
- Arrogant-Vindictive Types: (A sub-type of expansive, according to Paris) Characters motivated by a need for triumph over rivals, seeking to exploit and outsmart others to enhance their own position.
- Worldliness: (In the context of Austen’s novels, as interpreted by Paris) A focus on social status, wealth, and superficial appearances, often leading to manipulative and self-serving behavior.
- Sensibility (Cult of): An 18th-century movement emphasizing feeling and emotional responsiveness. Paris discusses Austen’s nuanced view of sensibility in relation to her moral code.
Briefing Document: Character and Conflict in Jane Austen’s Novels: A Psychological Approach
Source: Excerpts from “Character and Conflict in Jane Austen’s Novels A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH” by Bernard J. Paris (1978)
Overview:
Bernard J. Paris’s “Character and Conflict in Jane Austen’s Novels: A Psychological Approach” offers a distinct perspective on Austen’s works by analyzing her characters through the lens of Karen Horney’s psychoanalytic theories. Paris argues against purely formalist interpretations of literary characters, suggesting that they possess a psychological reality and can be understood as individuals with their own motivations, defenses, and inner conflicts. The book examines four of Austen’s major novels – Mansfield Park, Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Persuasion – and concludes with a discussion of Jane Austen’s own “authorial personality” as reflected in her creations.
Main Themes and Important Ideas:
- The Psychological Reality of Literary Characters:
- Paris positions himself against the “purist” school of thought, which views literary characters solely as elements of authorial design for formal and thematic purposes. He cites Martin Mudrick’s description of this view, where “any effort to extract them from their context and to discuss them as if they were real human beings is a sentimental misunderstanding of the nature of literature.”
- Instead, Paris aligns with the “realists,” who believe that characters develop a degree of independence within the narrative and can be analyzed as if they were real people with psychological complexities.
- He acknowledges the inherent tension between the author’s design and the characters’ perceived autonomy, stating, “They ‘run away,’ they ‘get out of hand’: they are creations inside a creation, and often inharmonious towards it; if they are given complete freedom they kick the book to pieces, and if they are kept too sternly in check, they revenge themselves by dying, and destroy it by intestinal decay.”
- Karen Horney’s Psychoanalytic Theories as a Framework:
- Paris explicitly utilizes Horney’s concepts of basic anxiety, neurotic needs, and “solutions” (moving toward, against, and away from people) to understand the underlying motivations and behaviors of Austen’s characters.
- He introduces Horney’s three “aggressive types”: the narcissistic, the perfectionistic, and the arrogant-vindictive, explaining their core drives and manifestations. The narcissistic person seeks mastery through “self-admiration and the exercise of charm,” the perfectionistic through “high standards, moral and intellectual,” and the arrogant-vindictive through “vindictive triumphs.”
- He also describes the “basically detached person” who “worships freedom and strives to be independent of both outer and inner demands,” handling a threatening world by removing themselves emotionally.
- The concept of the “idealized image” is crucial, where individuals compensate for feelings of weakness and worthlessness by creating an exaggeratedly positive self-perception, leading to a “search for glory.”
- Psychological Analysis of Individual Novels and Characters:
- Mansfield Park: Paris analyzes Fanny Price as a character employing “self-effacing” strategies to cope with her feelings of weakness and worthlessness in the Bertram household. Her opposition to the play is linked to her fear of disobeying Sir Thomas’s authority. Henry Crawford is depicted as someone who became “thoughtless and selfish from prosperity and bad example,” exhibiting narcissistic traits. Edmund’s goodness is partly attributed to his status as a younger son requiring him to strive for his place.
- Emma: Emma Woodhouse is examined as having both “narcissistic and perfectionistic trends” induced by her environment. Her matchmaking attempts stem from her pride and need for control. Her relationship with her father and her fear of disrupting it contribute to her detachment from romantic love. The Box Hill incident is analyzed as a result of her repressed contempt for her father being displaced onto Miss Bates. Her eventual submission to Knightley is seen not as maturation but as a shift in defensive strategies.
- “With insufferable vanity had she believed herself in the secret of everybody’s destiny. She was proved to have been universally mistaken.”
- ” ‘Were I to fall in love,’ ” she tells Harriet, ” ‘indeed, it would be a different thing! But I have never been in love: it is not my way or nature; and I do not think I ever shall.’ “
- Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth Bennet, while possessing many admirable qualities, is analyzed for her “expansive” tendencies and her father’s influence on her detached and critical perspective. Her initial dislike of Darcy is attributed to her wounded pride. Darcy’s proud and self-indulgent manners are shown to stem from his upbringing. His transformation is driven by Elizabeth’s rejection, which forces him into self-examination and a painful dependency. Elizabeth’s eventual acceptance is partly linked to the restoration and inflation of her pride.
- ” ‘She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.’ ” (Darcy’s initial remark about Elizabeth)
- ” ‘I was spoiled by my parents, who … allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and over-bearing, to care for none beyond my own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest of the world.’ ” (Darcy’s self-assessment)
- Persuasion: Anne Elliot is portrayed as employing “self-effacing” strategies due to her past rejection and her family’s coldness. Her adherence to Lady Russell’s advice is explored in terms of its consequences for her happiness. Captain Wentworth is depicted as a “strong, masterful, self-assertive male” whose confidence is ultimately validated. Anne’s moral objections to Mr. Elliot highlight her internal values.
- Anne feels the application of Wentworth’s conversation about firmness to herself “in a nervous thrill all over”; and Wentworth gives her a “quick, conscious look.”
- Jane Austen’s Authorial Personality:
- The final chapter delves into Austen’s own psychological makeup as inferred from her novels. Paris suggests that her works reflect a tension between “expansive” and “self-effacing” tendencies within her.
- He argues that Austen critiques characters who embody the extremes of the “cult of sensibility” (infantile self-indulgence) and “worldliness” (callous pursuit of self-interest).
- Her “code heroes and heroines” often possess strong egos and navigate the complexities of feeling and morality with prudence and principle.
- Paris identifies dominating fantasies in Austen’s novels, often involving the triumph of a deserving protagonist and the correction of pride and folly.
Quotes Highlighting Key Arguments:
- On the nature of literary characters: “For they have these numerous parallels with people like ourselves, they try to live their own lives and are con-sequently often engaged in treason against the main scheme of the book.”
- On the “purist” view of characterization: “any effort to extract them from their context and to discuss them as if they were real human beings is a sentimental misunderstanding of the nature of literature.”
- On the aggressive neurotic types: “They all ‘aim at mas-tering life. This is their way of conquering fears and anxieties: this gives meaning to their lives and gives them a certain zest for living.’”
- On the idealized image: “In this process he endows himself with unlimited powers and with exalted faculties; he becomes a hero, a genius, a supreme lover, a saint, a god.”
- On Emma’s narcissistic tendencies: “Narcissism means ‘being “in love with one’s idealized image.” ‘”
- On Darcy’s transformation: “Your reproof, so well applied, I shall never forget: ‘had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner.’ Those were your words. You know not, you can scarcely conceive, how they have tortured me;-though it was some time, I confess, before I was reasonable enough to allow their justice.”
- On the limitations of purely aesthetic interpretation: “It does not do justice to a whole range of human qualities which make people with similar defenses very different from each other and quite variable in their attractiveness and humanity.”
Conclusion:
Paris’s psychological approach offers a rich and nuanced understanding of Jane Austen’s characters, moving beyond surface descriptions and plot functions to explore their underlying motivations and inner lives. By applying Horney’s theories, he illuminates the defensive strategies and neurotic trends that shape their behaviors and drive the conflicts within the novels. While acknowledging the author’s design, Paris emphasizes the psychological coherence and complexity of Austen’s creations, inviting readers to engage with them as individuals grappling with universal human anxieties and needs.
FAQ on Character and Conflict in Jane Austen’s Novels (Based on Bernard J. Paris’s “A Psychological Approach”)
1. What are the two main schools of thought regarding literary characterization, according to Martin Mudrick, and how does Bernard Paris position Jane Austen’s work in relation to them? The two main schools of thought are the “purists” and the “realists.” Purists argue that literary characters are creations entirely within the author’s design, determined by formal and thematic considerations, and should not be analyzed as if they were real people with independent psychological histories. Realists, conversely, insist that characters in the course of a narrative acquire a degree of independence and can be understood in ways analogous to real individuals. Bernard Paris, advocating for a psychological approach, aligns more with the realist perspective, arguing that understanding Austen’s characters as individuals with psychological motivations enhances our appreciation of her work. He believes that their internal lives and conflicts often operate with a logic that extends beyond mere thematic or formal requirements.
2. How does Bernard Paris utilize Karen Horney’s psychological theories to analyze Jane Austen’s characters and their conflicts? Paris employs Horney’s framework, particularly her concepts of neurotic needs, the three interpersonal trends (moving toward, against, and away from people), and the idealized self-image, to provide in-depth analyses of Austen’s characters. He examines how characters like Fanny Price, Emma Woodhouse, and Elizabeth Bennet develop defensive strategies to cope with basic anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. For instance, he identifies Emma’s narcissistic and perfectionistic trends as ways she attempts to master life through self-admiration and high standards. Similarly, he analyzes Fanny’s self-effacing tendencies as a means of navigating a threatening world by seeking love and approval. By applying these psychological lenses, Paris aims to uncover the underlying motivations and intrapsychic conflicts that drive the characters’ actions and relationships.
3. In his analysis of Mansfield Park, how does Paris explain the contrasting character development of Edmund Bertram and Henry Crawford through a psychological lens? Paris attributes the differences between Edmund and Henry to their early life circumstances and the development of their character structures. Edmund, as a younger son facing hardship and the need to earn his place, develops a stronger moral compass. Henry Crawford, on the other hand, is presented as someone “ruined by early independence,” whose prosperity and the bad example of the Admiral lead him to become “thoughtless and selfish.” Paris suggests that Henry’s lack of responsibility and developed moral sense stems from not having faced the same pressures and disciplines as Edmund. Even Henry’s attraction to Fanny is analyzed through this lens, as a fleeting admiration for her moral rectitude that ultimately cannot overcome his ingrained self-indulgence.
4. According to Paris, what are Emma Woodhouse’s primary psychological flaws, and how do they manifest in her behavior and relationships? Paris identifies Emma’s primary psychological flaws as narcissistic and perfectionistic trends stemming from her early environment as a favored and admired child. Her narcissism leads to an overinflated ego, a belief in her superior judgment, and a need for self-aggrandizement, manifesting in her matchmaking attempts and her conviction that she can control others’ destinies. Her perfectionism drives her to maintain high moral and intellectual standards, leading her to look down on others and experience intense self-hate when she recognizes her own errors. These flaws result in her misjudgments of character, her interference in Harriet Smith’s life, her insulting behavior towards Miss Bates, and her initial blindness to Mr. Knightley’s merits.
5. How does Paris interpret Elizabeth Bennet’s character, particularly her wit and charm, in relation to her underlying defensive strategies? While acknowledging Elizabeth’s positive qualities, Paris argues that her wit, charm, vitality, and intelligence also serve as defensive strategies. Drawing parallels with her father, Mr. Bennet, he suggests that Elizabeth employs detachment and a focus on the absurdities of others as a way to cope with her family’s social awkwardness and her mother’s lack of approval. Her pride and quick retorts, especially in her interactions with Darcy, are seen as ways to protect herself from feeling inferior and to assert her own worth. Despite these defenses, Paris emphasizes that Elizabeth is not fundamentally detached but rather expansive, with high self-esteem and expectations.
6. What is the significance of Darcy’s initial rejection of Elizabeth and her subsequent reactions from a psychological perspective, as analyzed by Paris? Darcy’s initial dismissive remark deeply wounds Elizabeth’s pride, particularly because she is an expansive person with a high opinion of herself and because the rejection comes from someone of his social standing. Elizabeth’s angry and defensive reactions, including her determination not to like him, are interpreted by Paris as a natural response to this mortification. Her later misperceptions of Darcy’s behavior at Netherfield and Rosings are also viewed through the lens of her wounded pride and her tendency to project her own feelings of superiority onto him. The proposal scene becomes a moment of triumph for Elizabeth, where she retaliates for past injuries and gratifies her pride by rejecting such a significant man.
7. In his chapter on Persuasion, how does Paris analyze Anne Elliot’s character in terms of self-effacement and her journey toward vindication? Paris portrays Anne Elliot as a basically self-effacing character who has internalized the negative judgments of her family and Lady Russell regarding her past engagement with Captain Wentworth. Her decision to break off the engagement, though seemingly prudent at the time, has led to years of regret and a diminished sense of self-worth. Paris highlights Anne’s tendency to prioritize the needs and opinions of others over her own, a hallmark of the self-effacing trend. The novel’s plot becomes her journey toward vindication, as Wentworth eventually recognizes her worth and the error of his own initial judgment. Her quiet strength and genuine sensibility are contrasted with the coldness and superficiality of her family, ultimately leading to her triumph and the validation of her character and her feelings.
8. What does Paris suggest about Jane Austen’s own “authorial personality” in relation to the characters and themes she portrays in her novels? Paris posits that Jane Austen’s authorial personality is complex and can be understood through the psychological dynamics reflected in her works. He identifies elements of detachment, irony, and a critical perspective in her narrative voice, suggesting that Austen herself may have employed similar defenses to navigate the social world. Her creation of a range of character types, from the expansive to the self-effacing, and her exploration of the conflicts arising from different psychological needs and defenses, reflect a keen understanding of human nature. Furthermore, Paris argues that Austen’s thematic concerns often revolve around the tension between societal expectations and individual desires, and the process by which characters learn self-knowledge and achieve a more balanced and realistic self-perception, potentially mirroring aspects of her own psychological development and understanding of the world.
Mimetic Characterization: Realism, Form, and Theme in Literature
Mimetic characterization is a type of character portrayal in literature that aims at verisimilitude and the realistic representation of human beings. According to Robert Scholes and Robert Kellogg, behind realistic fiction, there is a strong “psychological impulse” that “tends toward the presentation of highly individualized figures who resist abstraction and generalization”. When we encounter a fully drawn mimetic character, “we are justified in asking questions about his motivation based on our knowledge of the ways in which real people are motivated”.
The sources contrast mimetic characterization with other types:
- Aesthetic characters primarily serve technical functions or create formal patterns and dramatic impact.
- Illustrative characters are most important in works with a strong allegorical or thematic interest. They are “concepts in anthropoid shape or fragments of the human psyche parading as whole human beings”. We understand them through the principle they illustrate.
Jane Austen’s mature novels are noted for their mimetic characterization. Her protagonists, such as Elizabeth Bennet, Fanny Price, Emma Woodhouse, and Anne Elliot, are realistically portrayed women, each fascinating and comprehensible in terms of her own motivational system. The author takes over “the life by values as well as the life in time,” creating characters with “numerous parallels with people like ourselves”. Because of this lifelikeness and complexity, readers have always responded to these characters.
However, the source argues that mimetic characterization in realistic novels, including Austen’s, often creates tensions with form and theme.
- Conflict with Form: Comic structure, for example, follows the logic of desire and can involve manipulation and improbable resolutions. Realistic characterization, on the other hand, follows the logic of motivation, probability, and cause and effect. This can lead to a “disturbing sense of disjunction” for the reader when the world is manipulated for comic effect, as the reader expects a consistently realistic world for realistic characters.
- Conflict with Theme: Mimetic characters tend to escape the categories by which the author tries to understand them and can undermine the author’s evaluation of their life styles and solutions. The author’s understanding of a mimetic character is often oversimple, and seeing the character solely through the author’s eyes sacrifices their complexity. Furthermore, a reader’s judgment of a mimetic character, understood psychologically, may differ from the author’s.
To fully appreciate Austen’s genius in characterization, the source advocates approaching her major figures “as creations inside a creation” and trying to understand them as though they were real people. This involves employing the “realist’s” approach to characterization, which recognizes that fully realized characters can have a life of their own and should be understood in motivational terms.
The source proposes using psychological theory, particularly that of Karen Horney and other Third Force psychologists, to analyze Austen’s characters and understand their motivations, defense mechanisms, and inner conflicts. This approach allows for a detailed explication of the text by focusing on the psychological processes dramatized by the author, without relying on speculation beyond the text. Understanding Austen’s characters psychologically can reveal that the combination of mimetic characterization, comic action, and moral theme poses artistic problems, as the conventions of comedy and the logic of realistic motivation can be incompatible.
Austen’s Comic Structure and Mimetic Characterization
Comic structure in literature, as discussed in the source, follows a basic movement “from threatening complications to a happy ending”. According to Northrop Frye, whose theories are used to analyze comic structures, the happy ending in Jane Austen’s novels typically involves the heroine gaining the love of a good man, the security and prestige of a desirable marriage, and the recognition of personal worth she deserves. The obstacles to the heroine’s desire form the action of the comedy, and the overcoming of them constitutes the comic resolution.
Key elements of comic structure include:
- Manipulation: There is often a degree of manipulation involved in both creating and removing the blocking forces and in achieving the final resolution. Frye notes that “Happy endings do not impress us as true, but as desirable, and they are brought about by manipulation”. This can include unlikely conversions, miraculous transformations, and providential assistance, which are considered inseparable from comedy. Jane Austen, writing in a low mimetic mode (where the hero is “one of us”), disguises some of these irrationalities through displacement but also signals early on that the story operates within the conventions of comedy.
- Moralization of Comic Action: Jane Austen harmonizes form and theme by moralizing the comic action. Her satire targets personality traits, failures of judgment, and social distortions that hinder the happiness of good and sensitive people. Her moral norms are derived from the existing society at its best, and her conservative value system is reinforced by the comic apparatus of rewards and punishments.
- Liberalism vs. Conservatism: While comedy is generally liberal, celebrating the triumph of wish over reality, Austen’s comedy displays a displacement not only towards the plausible but also towards the moral. The wishes fulfilled in her novels are highly socialized, and primitive or selfish desires are rarely indulged. This can sometimes lead to the reader feeling less elation at the outcome, as sobriety and societal norms seem to triumph over youth and freedom.
- Role of Protagonist: The wish fulfillment aspect of comedy often works best when the protagonist has a certain neutrality, allowing them to represent desire. However, Jane Austen’s protagonists are highly individualized human beings, with whom readers may not readily identify, making it harder to fully embrace the comic resolution.
Tensions with Mimetic Characterization: As we discussed previously, Jane Austen is also a creator of brilliant mimetic characterizations, where characters are realistically portrayed with their own motivational systems. This creates a tension with the demands of comic structure.
- Conflicting Expectations: Readers who are sensitive to both comic form and realistic characterization may experience conflicting sets of expectations: one for the emotional satisfactions of overcoming obstacles and the triumph of desire (from the comic structure) and another for the pleasures of recognition derived from verisimilitude (from mimetic characterization).
- Manipulation vs. Motivation: While comic plots might be manipulated for a happy ending, Austen’s fully realized mimetic characters tend to remain true to their own natures. When the world of these realistic characters is manipulated for the sake of comic action, it can create a sense of disjunction for the reader. This problem would be less pronounced if the protagonists were simply neutral figures or stock types within the plot.
In summary, comic structure provides the framework for a journey from complications to a happy resolution in Jane Austen’s novels. However, her commitment to mimetic characterization and serious moral themes introduces complexities and potential tensions, as the demands of a conventional comic plot can sometimes clash with the realistic motivations and inherent natures of her deeply developed characters. The reader’s engagement with these realistic characters can lead to expectations that are not always fully satisfied by the often somewhat contrived nature of comic resolutions.
Jane Austen: Morality, Comedy, and Character
Moral theme is a central and pervasive aspect of Jane Austen’s novels, deeply intertwined with her comic structure and her creation of mimetic characters. Austen employs her narratives to explore and reinforce a strict and narrow notion of goodness, often using the comic apparatus of rewards and punishments to underscore her essentially conservative value system.
Here are key aspects of moral theme in Austen’s work, drawing from the sources:
- Moralization of Comic Action: Austen harmonizes form and theme by moralizing the comic action. The obstacles her heroines face and the journey towards a happy ending are often tied to failures of education and judgment or distortions of social customs that create pain and uncertainty for good individuals. The resolution of the comedy frequently involves characters learning moral lessons and adhering to societal norms.
- Conservative Value System: Austen’s moral framework is presented as conservative, where no happiness is possible outside of societal institutions and no deviation from its values is ultimately successful. She places a high value on individual fulfillment, but this is contingent upon first being good, according to her defined standards. The happy endings often reinforce this system through rewards for virtue and implicit or explicit punishments for vice.
- Satire of Moral Failings: Austen’s satire is directed at those traits of personality that lead to moral errors and social disharmony. This includes selfishness, stupidity, ill-nature, self-indulgence, pride, ambition, materialism, and vanity. Characters who embody these failings often serve as cautionary examples within the narrative.
- Education and Moral Growth: Several novels, particularly Mansfield Park and Emma, explore the theme of education as a process of moral development. Austen emphasizes the importance of nurture in shaping character, highlighting the contrast between spoiled and unspoiled children and the consequences of privilege versus hardship. While some characters seem inherently sensible, others need to learn and grow morally through experience, suffering, and good example.
- The Ideal of Goodness: Austen presents a specific ideal of goodness, often embodied in characters like Fanny Price and Elinor Dashwood. This ideal typically includes traits such as prudence, judgment, good sense, self-knowledge, sensitivity, perceptiveness, propriety, civility, self-control, sincerity, integrity, respect for authority, dutifulness, responsibility, unselfishness, consideration of others, self-denial, humility, and gratitude.
- Tensions with Comic Liberalism: While comedy is generally “on the side of desire” and celebrates the “triumph of wish over reality,” Austen’s moral conservatism introduces a displacement in the direction of the moral. The wishes that are fulfilled are often highly socialized, and the reader may sometimes find it difficult to feel elation at outcomes that prioritize sobriety and social propriety over youthful exuberance.
- Interaction with Mimetic Characterization: The source argues that Austen’s commitment to mimetic characterization can create tension with her moral themes. Her realistic characters, with their own complex motivations, may not always align neatly with the author’s moral framework or the demands of the comic plot. Readers who engage with these characters as “real people” may have different judgments about their actions and outcomes than the author intends. For instance, the source critiques the celebration of Fanny Price’s goodness, suggesting it stems from fear rather than genuine benevolence. Similarly, the analysis of Emma questions the completeness and healthiness of her moral growth.
- Austen’s Code of Values: The source identifies a consistent code of values and conduct that serves as the norm in Austen’s fiction. Characters are judged based on their adherence to this code, which encompasses various aspects of life, from family relations to social intercourse. Those who embrace or come to embrace this code generally gain Austen’s sympathy and approval.
In conclusion, moral theme is a foundational element of Jane Austen’s novels, shaping her comic structures and influencing the reader’s perception of her mimetic characters. While her works aim to reward virtue and uphold a conservative moral order, the depth and realism of her characterizations can sometimes lead to complex interpretations and potential tensions between the author’s intended moral message and the reader’s psychological understanding of her creations.
Fanny Price: Character Analysis in Mansfield Park
Fanny Price is the central protagonist of Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park, and her character is a complex subject of analysis when considering the novel’s comic structure, moral themes, and mimetic characterization.
- Fanny’s Role in the Comic Structure: Fanny functions as the heroine of the comic plot in Mansfield Park. The central action revolves around the creation and removal of obstacles to her desire for Edmund Bertram. Her primary obstacle is Edmund’s affection for Mary Crawford, which is resolved when Mary’s flawed character is revealed, allowing Edmund to transfer his affections to Fanny. From Fanny’s perspective, the story has a “miraculously happy ending” as she is united with the man she loves. Furthermore, the novel follows a “Cinderella story” archetype, where Fanny, initially treated as socially and personally inferior, eventually gains the esteem of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, the love of desirable men, and recognition for her virtue and perceptiveness. The happy ending brings her the “full acceptance for which she has yearned and the recognition and respect which she deserves”.
- Fanny as an Illustrative Character and Moral Theme: Thematically, Mansfield Park can be seen as a “novel of education,” although the source argues that it is not Fanny who is primarily educated, but rather the people around her who learn to appreciate her worth and share her values. Fanny largely remains the same, serving as a standard of goodness against which other characters are measured. The novel seems to glorify “early hardship and discipline” as formative influences, which Fanny embodies. Her “goodness” is consistently emphasized, and she is portrayed as having “some touches of the angel”. However, the source questions Austen’s “celebration of hardship, struggle, and suffering” and its supposed positive effects.
- Fanny as a Mimetic Character and Psychological Analysis: The source argues that Fanny is a “highly realized mimetic character” whose human qualities are “not compatible with her aesthetic and thematic roles”. Psychologically, Fanny is depicted as a product of a “pathogenic environment” at home, leading to insecurity, low self-esteem, and a lack of selfhood and spontaneity. She develops “socially sanctioned but personally crippling defensive strategies” in response. Key psychological traits of Fanny include:
- Self-effacing tendencies: She is “exceedingly timid and shy, and shrinking from notice”. She seeks to be “lowest and last” and avoids attention, competition, and triumph.
- Basic anxiety: She feels weak, worthless, inconsequential, and inadequate, living in constant fear and searching for a protector.
- Need for reassurance and protection: She seeks this by being useful and compliant, attaching herself to stronger figures like Edmund and eventually Sir Thomas.
- Suppressed emotions: She represses feelings like resentment and envy, often experiencing feelings she believes she should have rather than her genuine emotions.
- Embeddedness: She craves stability, peace, and order, clinging to familiar people and the environment of Mansfield Park.
- Tension Between Mimesis and Theme/Aesthetics: The source highlights a significant conflict between Austen’s portrayal of Fanny as a psychologically damaged individual and the novel’s rhetoric, which aims at her glorification. Many readers find it difficult to identify with or admire Fanny in the way the author intends, perceiving her as “insipid” or a “prig”. This difficulty arises because when Fanny is understood psychologically, her “goodness” appears to be the product of fear and a desperate need for acceptance rather than genuine benevolence. Austen seems to “glorify suffering” and believe in its positive formative effects, but her own portrayal of Fanny reveals the “crippling effects of Fanny’s childhood upon her personality”.
- Fanny’s Relationships:
- Edmund: He is Fanny’s “most consistent champion” from the beginning, recognizing her true worth and offering her kindness and support. She views him as her mentor, moral superior, friend, champion, and protector.
- Sir Thomas: Initially unsympathetic, Sir Thomas eventually becomes Fanny’s protector and comes to value her virtue. His approval is of paramount importance to Fanny.
- Mrs. Norris: Fanny’s “chief persecutor,” who constantly demeans and tries to subordinate her. Fanny is terrified of Mrs. Norris and tries to conform to her expectations.
- Henry Crawford: He is initially attracted to Fanny as a challenge and later appreciates her virtues, though he does not fully understand them. Fanny, however, is wary of his “corrupted mind” and cannot reconcile his moral character with her own values, ultimately refusing his proposal.
- Key Episodes:
- The Play: Fanny opposes the play due to her respect for Sir Thomas’s authority and her dread of exposing herself to attention.
- Refusal of Henry Crawford: This act, while morally consistent for Fanny, leads to Sir Thomas’s displeasure and intense distress for Fanny, highlighting her need for his approval.
- Visit to Portsmouth: This episode reveals Fanny’s “snobbish attitudes and unattractive behavior” toward her own family, stemming from her longing for the order and propriety of Mansfield Park and her resentment of her neglectful upbringing.
- Return to Mansfield Park: Fanny experiences “exquisite happiness” at her return, even amidst the disgrace of her cousins, highlighting her self-centeredness resulting from her past deprivations.
- Mansfield Park as Wish Fulfillment: The source suggests that Mansfield Park can be interpreted as a “wish fulfillment fantasy of embeddedness” for Fanny. She does not psychologically mature but finds security and acceptance in the familiar world of Mansfield Park, where her goodness is recognized, her persecutors are removed, and she achieves a desirable marriage.
In conclusion, Fanny Price is a complex character whose portrayal reveals a tension between the author’s thematic intentions and her insightful mimetic characterization. While Austen aims to present Fanny as a moral exemplar deserving of her happy ending, the psychological analysis suggests a deeply insecure individual whose “goodness” is a defense mechanism. This discrepancy can lead to a divergence between the author’s and the reader’s response to Fanny and the moral landscape of Mansfield Park.
Jane Austen: Tensions, Themes, and Character Psychology
Based on the sources and our conversation history, a discussion of Jane Austen reveals her as a highly skilled novelist whose works are rich with complex characterizations and explorations of social and moral themes, although they are not without internal tensions.
Here are some key aspects of Jane Austen as presented in the source:
- A Master of Multiple Dimensions: Jane Austen is recognized as a “great comic artist, a serious interpreter of life, and a creator of brilliant mimetic characterizations”. Some critics believe she achieves a unique balance among these aspects of her art.
- Tensions in Her Novels: The central thesis of the source is that Austen’s mature novels are “beset by tensions between form, theme, and mimesis”. This arises partly from the fact that her protagonists often serve aesthetic, illustrative, and mimetic functions simultaneously. As “creations inside a creation,” these characters can act in ways that are “often engaged in treason against the main scheme of the book”. Because they have “numerous parallels with people like ourselves,” they require understanding in terms of their motivations, similar to real individuals.
- Psychological Depth: The source emphasizes Austen’s “brilliant but least recognized achievement” in mimetic characterization. Characters like Elizabeth Bennet, Fanny Price, Emma Woodhouse, and Anne Elliot are portrayed as “realistically” and “fascinating” women, comprehensible through their own “motivational system”. To fully appreciate Austen’s genius, her major figures need to be understood as “creations inside a creation” and analyzed as if they were real people. The book utilizes Horneyan psychology to analyze these characters, focusing on their “strategies of defense and the structure of inner conflicts”.
- Moral and Social Themes: Austen’s novels are deeply concerned with moral themes and the relationship between the individual and society. She moralizes the comic action, directing her satire at “traits of personality, at those failures of education and judgment, and at those distortions of social customs and institutions which make daily life painful”. Her works often reinforce a conservative value system, where happiness is generally found within societal norms and individual fulfillment is linked to being “good” according to her defined standards.
- Comedy with Moral Underpinnings: While writing comedy, Austen’s moral conservatism can sometimes “diminish some of her comic effects”. Unlike typical comedy that celebrates the triumph of desire, Austen’s fulfilled wishes are often “highly socialized,” and primitive or selfish desires are rarely indulged. This can lead to situations where readers may not fully identify with the heroines’ desires or feel complete elation at the outcomes.
- The Authorial Personality: The source aims to reconstruct the “personality which can be inferred from all of Jane Austen’s writings,” referring to this as her “authorial personality”. This involves considering her “recurring preoccupations, the personal element in his fantasies, the kinds of characters he creates, and his rhetorical stance”. Critics hold diverse views of Austen, some emphasizing her “aggressive, satirical component,” others her “gentleness and conservatism,” and still others her “detached, ironic quality”. The source attempts to show how these diverse components are related within a structure of inner conflicts.
- Austen’s Code of Values: A “code of values and conduct” serves as the “norm by which all deviations are satirized and judged” in Austen’s fiction. Characters who align with or come to embrace this code generally receive Austen’s sympathy and approval. This code contrasts with the “cult of sensibility” and “worldliness,” both of which Austen critiques.
- Psychological Solutions: The source analyzes Austen’s characters through the lens of different Horneyan psychological “solutions”: expansive (aggressive), self-effacing (compliant), and detached. Austen displays a mixed attitude towards the expansive and detached solutions, while the self-effacing solution is often supported, though sometimes with irony towards simpler characters embodying it. The authorial personality is also described as having perfectionistic trends.
- Development and Dominating Fantasies: By examining Austen’s novels in chronological order of composition, the source identifies “striking shifts of direction” and suggests that each novel embodies a predominantly different fantasy related to these psychological solutions. For example, Pride and Prejudice embodies a predominantly expansive fantasy, while Mansfield Park glorifies the self-effacing solution.
- Reader Interpretation vs. Authorial Intention: The source acknowledges that readers may have interpretations of characters and outcomes that differ from Jane Austen’s explicit rhetoric. This is attributed to the mimetic depth of her characters, who can evoke responses based on psychological realism that may not align with the author’s formal or thematic goals. Our previous discussion of Fanny Price exemplifies this, where the source argues that Austen glorifies her self-effacing nature while a psychological analysis reveals a more complex and potentially unhealthy motivation.
In summary, Jane Austen is presented as a multifaceted author whose comedic novels delve into serious moral and social issues through richly developed, psychologically complex characters. The source highlights the inherent tensions within her works arising from the interplay between comic form, thematic intentions, and the mimetic realism of her characterizations. Furthermore, it explores the inferred complexities of Austen’s own personality as reflected in her diverse characters and narrative choices.
By Amjad Izhar
Contact: amjad.izhar@gmail.com
https://amjadizhar.blog
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