19551 - Jane Austen Revisited

Course Overview

Jane Austen's six major novels have been consistently in print for two centuries. The themes are timeless: family and social convention versus the needs and wants of the individual, love, honor and friendship. Austen's characters are so eternal that we have remade them throughout popular culture. We'll discuss and analyze Austen’s style and techniques as well as historical and literary contexts, allowing for greater understanding of the themes and subtexts. Students should have a basic knowledge of the plot for each novel and the major characters. We'll cover some period context for the novel and watch a few segments from the many wonderful film adaptations. Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park will be the basis of most analysis and discussion.