In Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy curtly informs Miss Bingley that a truly accomplished woman must “to all . . . yet add something more substantial in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading” (PP 36), presenting the perusal of books as a mark of good character. In the same novel, however, Mary Bennet, for all her “deep reflection” upon “great books” (PP 5), is presented as dry and dull, a character whose interjections into conversations with knowledge she has gleaned from her reading being largely ignored by her family (PP 29; 60; 209). Similarly in Emma, when the titular character is determining the worth of Mr. Martin as suitable husband for her protégé Harriet Smith, her first question to Harriet is whether or not he reads (E ch. IV). While Emma herself does not read, as readers are sardonically told by Mr. Knightly (E ch. V), Harriet’s account of Mr. Martin’s reading and what he chooses to read is fundamental to presenting him as an eligible suitor for Harriet, which Emma remains blind to. Numerous other instances exist throughout Austen’s novels, where reading and a lack of interest in books exist in a state of duality. When considering whether or not Austen’s works still speak to readers in the 21st century, it may be worthwhile to examine books and reading through Austen’s own characters. By looking at the way Austen presents the relationship between characters and reading and what this further implies about Austen’s own opinions on books and reading, it can be assessed whether or not Austen’s own works are ones that are still relevant and worthy of being read.
Arguments Against the Relevance of Jane Austen’s Works
Any discussion on the relevance of a book or author’s work must begin by accepting the relevance of literature. If there is to be a debate on whether or not an author’s work still speaks to readers, then it must first be established that literature is in itself relevant to the way individuals experience and interact with their communities and the wider world. In response to this, writers have been asserting the importance of literature and reading for centuries, from playwright Oscar Wilde’s declaration that “Literature always anticipates life. It does not copy it but moulds it to its purpose” (“The Decay of Lying” para. 56) to mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead’s claim that “It is in literature that the concrete outlook of humanity receives its expression” (Science and the Modern World 106). Austen expresses similar sentiments in her own novels, though not quite as grandly as Wilde and Whitehead. Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Darcy, as stated above, is of the opinion that “improvement of [the] mind by extensive reading” is desirable in an accomplished woman (PP 36), while Austen writes in Mansfield Park that “A fondness for reading, which, properly directed, must be an education in itself” (MP ch. II). And, of course, there is Northanger Abbey’s Henry Tilney’s much-quoted opinion that “The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid” (NA 99). Austen, through her characters, expresses the opinion that reading, in itself, is essential for anyone who wishes to be a person of education and character. As critic Katherine Newey writes, “Discussions of books and reading are an important way in which Austen’s characters and her readers are trained to identify, categorize and assess character” (Newey 81).
Reading on its own, however, is not enough to develop character, as Austen shows through the Bennet sisters Elizabeth and Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. While both are well-read, with Elizabeth telling Lady Catherine that she and her sisters “were always encouraged to read” (PP 156), the impact of this upon their characters differs. Mary, despite being described as “a young lady of deep reflection” (PP 5) by her father, is described so with gentle mockery. Mary considers herself a person who meditates on “human nature” (PP 56) through her reading, and literature is indeed an expression of that; but Mary, despite her perusal of “human nature” seems to understand only a shadow of it, the shadow that is cast upon the page. It is, perhaps, telling that of the five sisters, her name appears the least in the novel, thus presenting Mary as the least socially outgoing of the sisters. Elizabeth, by comparison, through her tumultuous relationship with Mr. Darcy, truly grows as a character for having lived out the complications of their interactions and feelings regarding each other rather than simply reading books that will explain to her “human nature.” (It is not surprising that Elizabeth’s name is by far the most mentioned of any sister in the novel, nearly twice that of the second most-frequently named sister, Jane). Her gradual respect and love for Mr. Darcy is not found by turning to books to understand her turbulent feelings, but by reflecting upon their previous encounters, which is what eventually allows her dislike to turn into love.
Another example of Austen’s opinion on the irrelevance of books and reading when it comes to impacting characters and their actions can be found in the character of Emma Woodhouse. Readers are told early in the novel that:
“‘Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen a great many lists of her drawing-up at various times of books that she meant to read regularly through—and very good lists they were—very well chosen, and very neatly arranged—sometimes alphabetically, and sometimes by some other rule . . . But I have done with expecting any course of steady reading from Emma. She will never submit to any thing requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding.’” (E ch. V)
Her growth as a character throughout the novel stems not from the fact that she decides to submit to the “industry and patience” of reading but from her learning from the consequences of her ill-judged and meddling actions. As the protagonist of Austen’s only eponymous novel, she is essential presented as the novelist who interferes in the lives of others and seeks to write their narratives for them, eliminating the need for her to do any of her own reading. Her thoughtlessness, insensitivity, and resolute belief in her own good judgment are the characteristics which cause conflict between characters, and it only when she allows the people around her to make their own decisions concerning their lives that Emma achieves true maturity. It is in facing these realities of her actions that Emma experiences growth, not through reading. Austen, then, appears to be suggesting that while books and reading are a suitable pastime in their own right, they must be balanced with lived experiences in order for there to be true growth of character. As Newey states, “Austen shows us that reading is only effective when it is united with an active engagement in the world” (Newey 92).
Austen’s own depictions on the development of character being independent of reading can be used to argue that reading of Austen’s works likewise contribute little to personal growth, especially in an era when her narratives and writing are no longer consistent with current novelistic styles. Austen, through her own assertion that reading takes a secondary place when it comes to the factors that further personal development, seems to be highlighting the irrelevance of her own works, which are consistently concerned with the perusal of romance and the tribulation experienced by characters in doing so. Living through the troubles of relationships rather than reading of them are what help a person develop, as Austen clearly shows through characters such as Elizabeth and Emma. Austen, then, is of the opinion that, while reading can be a pleasurable pastime, the romance of novels is not something to be followed or perused. More direct examples from her works include Harriet from Emma, a character lost in her own romantic fancies, who, with the encouragement of Emma, attempts to implement the “romantic module” into her own relationships, with heartbreaking results. Or Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey, whose obsession with gothic thrillers such as The Mysteries of Udolpho leads to her humiliation in front of Henry Tilney (NA 186). Austen’s novels, likewise, may be read for pleasure, but contain no real relevance or value as the current world moves further away from the societal structure that her characters navigated, making her novels more and more like fantasies to be temporarily lost in as opposed to works that may teach anything substantial to readers.
Arguments for the Relevance of Jane Austen’s Works
While the number of people who have actually read Austen’s works appears to dwindle, familiarity with her stories has faced no such decrease. In an age of adaptations, exposure to Austen’s works outside of an English classroom continues through television adaptations or contemporary novel retellings. This speaks to the continued relevance of Austen’s ideas and themes to contemporary audiences, through which can be established the continued relevance of her works after over two hundred years. Austen struck a chord with two centuries’ worth of readers through her close examination of human relationships and the factors that cause romantic relationships to either flourish or fail. While the now-archaic language of Austen’s novels may be immediately pointed to as a hindrance to present-day readers, a recent article from The New York Times argues that Austen’s diction might be the source of her continued appreciation, due to her abstract yet emotion-laden word choices, causing readers to wonder “What is going on behind the veneer that politeness demands?” (Flynn and Katz 2017). It is the very convolutedness of Austen’s writing that entices readers into the minds and worlds of her characters where the nuances of relationships are played out.
Many attacks on Austen’s works centre around the romantic nature of her novels, yet such accusations tend to overlook the satirical nature of her texts. While Austen has shown that reading can contribute little to solving the daily affairs and dilemmas of characters when it comes to their romantic relationships, it must be remembered that all of Austen’s works are deeply rooted in satire and social commentary. Emma, upon seeing the letter the Mr. Martin writes to Harriet, expresses the opinion that “I can hardly imagine the young man whom I saw talking with you the other day could express himself so well, if left quite to his own powers,” only grudgingly admitting that it is “A better written letter . . . than I had expected.” This, however, is deeply ironic coming from Emma, a character who, as has been shown above, does not care for reading and is self-centred enough that she cannot comprehend how Mr. Martin may have been able to educate himself through his perusal of books. His bond with Harriet is partially built upon their shared appreciation for reading, though the books they read are radically different. While Mr. Marton favours Agricultural Reports and Elegant Extracts, Harriet prefers romances. Mr. Martin, we are told, has “never read The Romance of the Forest, nor The Children of the Abbey. He had never heard of such books before [Harriet] mentioned them, but he is determined to get them now as soon as ever he can” (E ch. IV). Despite the gulf that separates their reading tastes, recommending each other books is shown to be the starting point in their relationship.
While Austen’s romances are laced with social commentary, it is implied that the novels read by Harriet are much of the kind that Catherine Morland reads, “all story and no reflection” (NA 9). Austen’s novels, by comparison, do contain numerous observations that can only be reached through reflection. Readers of her works can judge whether or not a character is admirable by examining whether or not they read and, furthermore, whether they reflect on what they read. This is perhaps best highlighted in an interaction between Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley:
Miss Bingley’s attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr. Darcy’s progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she was perpetually either making some inquiry, or looking at his page. She could not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered her question and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, ‘How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare, after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.’” (PP 50-1)
Miss Bingley, it is explicitly stated, has not the ability to reflect upon what she reads, to focus upon her own reading and education. She uses reading as a social prop to make herself desirable to Mr. Darcy, is continually attempting to check his own progress, watches him read, and finally, in failing to attract his attention, declaims on the virtues of reading, virtues of which she herself is lacking. Mr. Darcy, while initially using books as a means of escaping his social obligations when Elizabeth is at Netherfield (PP 50; 55), is still a character who dedicates time to understanding and reflecting upon his readings, much like Mr. Martin in Emma. He remains undistracted by Miss Bingley’s attempts to divert him, suggesting that he is attempting to understand and reflect upon his reading (which, as described in the quoted paragraph, comes in more than volume, thus suggesting further dedication on Mr. Darcy’s part). It is this reflection paired with diversity in reading that Austen encourages in her characters. Austen’s books are the kind which require the same kind of reflection in order to be fully appreciated, and it is from this that her enduring relevance is born. The way that her characters build relationships and grow to respect each other are as fundamental to her novels as the romance, rewarding the patient reader and thus continuing to speak to them over two hundred years later.
By taking into account the deeply satirical nature of Austen’s novels, it can be concluded that Austen’s depictions of challenging characters who take pleasure in reading, such as Mr. Collins and Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, have a satirical function meant to highlight the consequences of careless reading. Characters who reflect on their reading and use it to further their education, such as Fanny Price in Mansfield Park and Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey, are characters who embody the true virtues of reading actively and with the purpose of gaining knowledge to improve as a person. In Northanger Abbey, when Catherine expresses the opinion that “If people like to read their books, it is all very well, but to be at so much trouble in filling great volumes [of history] . . . to be labouring only for the torment of little boys and girls, always struck me as a hard fate” (NA 102), to which Henry replies that “That little boys and girls should be tormented. . . is what no one at all acquainted with human nature in a civilized state can deny . . . I use the verb ‘to torment,’ as I observed to be your own method, instead of ‘to instruct,’ supposing them to be now admitted as synonymous” (NA 102-3). Henry’s response to Catherine’s choice in diction highlights the act of reflecting upon and learning from reading is a mark of good character, one that Austen demands of her own readers. Her romantic themes may have helped carry her novels well into the 21st century, but it is the observations her novels have to offer on human nature and relations for the dedicated reader that continue to make her novels read, loved, and relevant among modern readers.
While arguments can be made both ways on the relevance of Austen’s works through her own commentary on the value of reading versus prioritising lived experiences, no definitive conclusion can be reached. Anne Elliot declares in Persuasion that “I will not allow books to prove anything” (P ch. XXIII), so perhaps Austen’s own words cannot be used to prove either the relevance or irrelevance of her works. However, they can underscore how a strong argument can be made for both as well as Austen’s seemingly contradictory opinions of the merits of books and reading. Ultimately, her words may still end up speaking for themselves as the years continue to pass, for it remains to be seen whether her novels will endure another two hundred years into the future and how they will be read and appreciated during that time.
