Abstract:
My essay explores a selection of novels written by the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century author Jane Austen. These include Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and finally Pride and Prejudice. Acknowledged in popular culture as a writer of romance and scholarly culture as a writer drawing from multiple literary forms and traditions, my essay focuses explicitly on Austen’s identity as a writer of comedy. This is specifically shown through her usage of comic structure, which is exemplified through her usage of the Imposter character type, the blocking figure character function, and the comic norm plot. By comparing these three novels, I identify and define these comic features, particularly looking into patterns across the novels. Finally, I illustrate how this knowledge of comic structure within Austen’s work reinforces the message(s) she conveys across her novels.
Description:
52 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of English and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2017
