The Use of Landscape in Jane Austen’s Novels

7/23/2019 The Use of Landscape in Jane Austens Novels

1/62

Rolling Green Hills & Country

ManorsThe Use of Landscape in Jane Austens Noels

Jody Hoekstra 3015262

MA Thesis

Western Literature and Culture

Superisors! "aul #ranssen $ %nno &osters1'tho( July 200)


2/62


3/62

Introduction

When the nae o( Jane Austen is entioned9 any people autoati+ally think o( roanti+

tales like her noelPride and Prejudice9 -hi+h is o(ten +onsidered one o( the ost popular

loe stories o( all tie/ Ho-eer9 not only inPride and Prejudice9 utin ea+h o( Austens

noels9 loe plays a +ru+ial and +entral role/ *n eery story9 the reader is introdu+ed to a

di((erent heroine and her personal e8perien+es9 in+ludin her sear+h (or loe/ ,en thouh

Austen hersel( neer arried9 she used her kno-lede and iaination on the su:e+t o( loe

to -rite her su++ess(ul noels/ Ho-eer9 loe -as not the only su:e+t -hi+h Austen -as

interested in/

When takin a +loser look at her -ork9 the reader ay noti+e that lands+ape and

ar+hite+ture also eloned to Austens list o( interests/ The des+riptions o( the ,nlish

lands+ape and its rollin reen hills9 hedero-s9 -indin streas and ipressie +ountry

houses are an essential part o( Austens -ritin/ *t is no surprise that nature is so +learly

present in her -ork as Austen hersel( ;had su+h a loe o( natural s+enery that she -ould

soeties say that she thouht it ust (or one o( the delihts o( heaen< =7atey )>/ *n her

noels9 Austen only rarely ies really detailed a++ounts o( lands+apes9 ut -hen she does

(o+us on nature and ar+hite+ture9 it usually has a spe+ial eanin/ *n these +ases9 the

des+riptions tend to tell ore than siply the nuer o( trees and the di((erent ie-s (ro the

-indo-s/ Austens des+riptions o( lands+ape and ar+hite+ture tend to hae a syoli+

eanin and tell u+h ore than -hat the reader proaly e8pe+ts o( su+h an a++ount/

A ter -hi+h +an e linked to Austens des+riptions o( natural s+enery is the

pi+tures?ue9 an aestheti+ ideal -ritten aout y eihteenth@+entury theorists like edale

"ri+e9 Bi+hard "ayne &niht9 and9 ost iportantly9 Willia 4ilpin/ ature played an

iportant role in Austens li(e and the so+iety she re- up in9 e+ause ;in the de+ade in

3


4/62

-hi+h Jane Austen -as orn9 the ,nlish lands+ape arden -as at the peak o( its reno-n9 and

the pi+tures?ue oue -as in its early staes< =u+k-orth9Landscape2.>/ A sele+t nuer

o( people -ere (as+inated y lands+apin and as this (as+ination -as at its peak -hen Austen

-as ro-in up9 it is no surprise she also deeloped an interest in nature and ar+hite+ture/ As

entioned e(ore9 an iportant nae in the eihteenth@+entury -orld o( lands+apin is

Willia 4ilpin/ *n his ook Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South

Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesue !eauty" made in the Summer of the #ear $%%&

4ilpin used the pi+tures?ue to en+ourae people to start lookin at the ,nlish lands+ape in a

parti+ular -ay/ The pi+tures?ue +an e des+ried as ;an art o( seein that pre+ludes a

disinterested and o:e+tie ie-D instead9 it asors spe+tators into the s+ene9 a+tiely

inolin the in the +onstru+tion o( hihly iainatie and entirely illusory E entirely

interested E ie-s and prospe+ts< =Falihora )0>/ At the turn o( the +entury9 the pi+tures?ue

e+ae ore popular and it ;introdu+ed 7ritish +ulture to su+h notions as the +ople8ity o(

isual per+eption9 the oility o( the point o( ie-9 the idea o( Gision in otion9 the attept

to ake the ie-er slide into the pi+ture and thus o++upy an internal ie-point9 and so

on< =Crisa(ulli 8i>/ The popularity o( this aestheti+ ideal spread to literature9 prose and

poetry9 and +an also e (ound in Austens -ork/

Jane Austen9 as des+ried y her rother Henry9 ;-as a -ar and :udi+ious adirer o(

lands+ape9 oth in nature and on +anas/ At a ery early ae she -as enaoured o( 4ilpin on

the "i+tures?ue< =.'>/ When she -as ro-in up9 she learned to look at nature in ters o( the

pi+tures?ue y readin pie+es y 4ilpin and she +ontinued to hold onto these ideas -hen she

-as older/ Lands+apes +ould e altered as lon as they -ould look natural in the end9 -hi+h is

-hat the pi+tures?ue ideals suest/ 4ilpin in(luen+ed -riters like Austen9 and so did Ann

Bad+li((e9 -ho ;-as the (irst9 or at least the est9 at applyin 4ilpins lesson y translatin the

pi+tures?ue into literature< =7attalia 1>/ Austen kne- all the rules o( ho- to des+rie a

'


5/62

pi+tures?ue lands+ape9 -hi+h +an e seen in the des+ription o( "eerley inPride and

Prejudice/ Ho-eer9 she also kne- ho- to o+k these sae rules9 e+ause 4ilpins ideals

had e+oe a so+ial trend9 -hi+h -as soethin Austen did not like/ *n her noels9 oth the

pi+tures?ue rules and the iproeent o( estates appear on seeral o++asions and are an

iportant aspe+t o( her use o( lands+ape in her (i+tion/

Seeral +riti+s hae dis+ussed Austens use o( di((erent lands+apes in her noels/ #irst

o( all9 there is Alistair M/ u+k-orth9 -hose -ork 'he (mprovement of the Estate) * Study of

+ane *ustens -ovels-as pulished in 1)2/ u+k-orth dis+usses9 as the title already

suests9 the iportan+e o( estates and their iproeents in Austens -ork/ He ies the

ost e8tensie analysis o( di((erent estates and ho- these uildins are +onne+ted to

+hara+ters and other stru+tures9 like so+iety and anners/ While payin attention to Austens

di((erent -orks9 u+k-orth +on(irs the +lais o( other +riti+s9 ut also hihlihts ne-

(eatures -hi+h hae not een dis+ussed e(ore/ Another +riti+ is Bosearie 7odenheier9

-ho (o+uses in her arti+le ;Lookin at the Lands+ape in Jane Austen< on the etaphori+al

alue o( lands+apes in Austens si8 noels/ 7odenheier states there are di((erent approa+hes

to the arious lands+apes in Austens earlier and later -orks and she separates these (ro one

another and dis+usses the in roups9 (or e8aple the use o( pi+tures?ue ideals in

-orthaner *bbey and Sense and Sensibilityand the oral perspe+ties o( the heroines

,a Woodhouse and ,liaeth 7ennet inEmma andPride and Prejudice/ 7odenheier

ainly pays attention to the +hara+ters lanuae o( response to nature and ho- the s+enery

in(luen+es a +hara+ters +ondition/

7arara 7ritton Wenners -orkProspect and Refue in +ane *ustenalso deals -ith

the eanin o( pla+e and lands+ape in Austens noels/ Wenner stresses the iportan+e o(

lookin +losely at the settin in all o( Austens stories9 in+ludin her earliest -ritins/ She

(o+uses in parti+ular on the +onne+tion et-een the heroines and the lands+ape/ She states that

5


6/62

the heroines (ind their o-n pla+e and theseles e+ause o( the lands+ape9 and -hen lookin

at the natural s+enery it has a ore syoli+ than purely literal eanin/ Last ut not least9 in

her -ork+ane *usten and the Enlish LandscapeMais 7atey pays attention to di((erent

aspe+ts/ While usin arious iaes o( iportant Austen lands+apes and 4ilpinian lands+ape

paintins9 7atey dis+usses the role o( s+enery in Austens noels and the +onne+tion et-een

nature and +ertain +hara+ters/ Moreoer9 she also (o+uses on the ariety o( pla+es -here

Austen hersel( lied and -hi+h she isited in the +ourse o( her li(e/ 7atey also dis+usses the

in(luen+e o( 4ilpin and Bepton and e8aines other sour+es9 like Willia Co-pers poetry

and noels y #anny 7urney and Ann Bad+li((e/

*n this inestiation9 a +loser look -ill e taken at the use o( lands+ape and

ar+hite+ture in Jane Austens -ork9 (o+usin on the noelsPride and Prejudice, Sense and

Sensibility, /ansfield Par0, -orthaner *bbey, EmmaandPersuasion/ The (irst +hapter -ill

e dedi+ated to the +onne+tion et-een estates and +ertain +hara+ters9 (or e8aple Mr ar+y

and "eerley and Mr/ &nihtly and on-ell Aey/ *n these +ases9 Austen des+ries an

estate in order to sho- ore aout the personality o( its o-ner9 -hi+h is an interestin -ay o(

usin ar+hite+ture and nature des+riptions/ *n the (ollo-in +hapter9 soe liht -ill e shed

on the relationship et-een +ertain heroines and the lands+apes they are in9 (or e8aple

#anny "ri+e and the Mans(ield "ark estate and Anne ,lliots oods -hi+h (it the di((erent

seasons inPersuasion/ *n these e8aples there is a spe+ial +onne+tion et-een +ertain

+hara+ters and the lands+ape or estate they are in at a parti+ular oent/ The +hara+ter is

in(luen+ed y the lands+ape9 -hi+h +oes a+k in his or her eotions or a+tions/ *t +an also

-ork the other -ay around9 naely the lands+ape ein in(luen+ed y9 (or e8aple9 the

asen+e o( a +ertain +hara+ter/ *n these +ases9 Austen estalishes an oious +onne+tion

et-een the (eelins and a+tions o( +ertain +hara+ters and the lands+apes/

6


7/62

*n the third +hapter9 the alleori+al eanins o( +ertain lands+ape s+enes -ill e

+entral9 (or e8aple the Sotherton s+ene in/ansfield Par0/ *n these s+enes it is +lear that

Austen uses the lands+ape to tell ore aout +ertain +hara+ters or storylines/ A(ter hain

taken a detailed look at the di((erent noels and these separate roups o( lands+ape

des+riptions9 a +on+lusion -ill e ien in order to sho- that Jane Austen uses lands+ape and

ar+hite+ture in seeral di((erent -ays in order to ie ore in(oration on di((erent +hara+ters

and situations/


8/62


9/62


10/62


11/62

settin/ *t is throuh this lands+ape that ,liaeth +oes to kno- Mr ar+ys real personality

and has to put her pre:udi+es aside/ When she talks to her sister Jane aout her loe (or ar+y9

she says! ;*t has een +oin on so radually9 that * hardly kno- -hen it ean/ 7ut * eliee

* ust date it (ro y (irst seein his eauti(ul rounds at "eerley< =2..>/ *t is the (irst

ie- o( ar+ys estate -hi+h +hanes ,liaeths (eelins to-ards hi/ This does not happen

e+ause ,liaeth only -ants ar+y (or his estate9 ut e+ause the lands+ape helps her realie

-hat his true +hara+ter is like and that she has ade a istake y :udin hi e(ore she

really kne- hi as a person/

The (irst tie the 7ennet irls and the reader are introdu+ed to Mr ar+y9 he is already

put in a neatie liht! ;His +hara+ter -as de+ided/ He -as the proudest9 ost disareeale

an in the -orld9 and eeryody hoped that he -ould neer +oe there aain< =11>/ His

+hara+ter does not iproe in the (irst +hapters o( the noel9 as he only proes to e the

proud9 disareeale an ,liaeth thinks he is/ ,en -hen he proposes to her (or the (irst

tie9 ,liaeth has nothin ni+e to say aout hi!

#ro the ery einnin9 (ro the (irst oent * ay alost say9 o( y a+?uaintan+e

-ith you9 your anners9 ipressin e -ith the (ullest elie( o( your arroan+e9 your

+on+eit9 and your sel(ish disdain o( the (eelins o( others9 -ere su+h as to (or that

round@-ork o( disapproation9 on -hi+h su++eedin eents hae uilt so ioeale

a dislikeD and * had not kno-n you a onth e(ore * (elt that you -ere the last an in

the -orld -ho * +ould eer e preailed on to arry/ =150@51>

A(ter ,liaeths re(usal9 ar+y ies her a letter -hi+h e8plains soe o( his a+tions and at

this point9 ,liaeth starts to realise her opinion o( ar+y -as aye (ored y pre:udi+es/

When ,lisaeth then isits "eerley toether -ith her aunt and un+le9 she suddenly

learns -hat ar+ys personality is really like/ The (raent in -hi+h ,liaeth (irst sees

"eerley is des+ried in +lose detail y Austen!

11


12/62


13/62


14/62

iproed park9 her house is de+orated -ith an eye (or the ;(ine proportion and (inished

ornaents< =12>9 and durin dinner she presents her uests -ith spe+ial dishes they do not

kno-! ;Lady Catherine seeed rati(ied y their e8+essie adiration9 and ae ost

ra+ious siles9 espe+ially -hen any dish on the tale proed a noelty to the< =12.>/ Lady

Catherine -ants to sho- o(( her -ealth and does so y iproin her surroundins as u+h

as she +an -ith9 (or e8aple9 e8pensie and e8traaant (urniture and de+orations/ 7y doin

this9 she tries to ipress others9 ut also sees to e ein (or attention/ *n +ontrast9 ar+y

does not need to ake an ipa+t on others y usin his -ealth and he does not -ant the

attention/ As a result9 the +ontrast et-een Lady de 7ourhs and Mr ar+ys personalities is

also isile in the des+ription o( their (urniture and hoe enironent/

*portant here is the in(luen+e o( 4ilpin and his pi+tures?ue ideals on Austens

(i+tional lands+apes "eerley and Bosins/ "eerley is +ontinually des+ried in a natural

and siplisti+ -ay9 -hi+h ephasises its eauty -hile (ollo-in the ideas o( 4ilpin/ This

kind o( lands+ape (its the oral and sypatheti+ +hara+ter o( Mr ar+y/ *n +ontrast9 Bosins

is des+ried in less detail9 ut Austen akes it +lear that Lady Catherine is (ond o( e8pensie

(urniture and iproeents around the estate -ith -hi+h she +an sho- o(( her -ealth and

lu8urious -ay o( liin/ As Austen hersel( -as not a (an o( iproin estates9 the (a+t that

Lady Catherine is all (or iproin is already a hint that she is not one o( the oral and

de+ent +hara+ters in the noel/ This is then later proen y Austen9 -hen the reader (inds out

Lady Catherine is indeed a shallo- person -ho only +ares aout hersel(/ This pro+ess o(

linkin the loe (or iproin to a +ertain personality also +oes a+k in soe o( Austens

other noels9 (or e8aple 4eneral Tilney in-orthaner *bbeyand Henry Cra-(ord in

/ansfield Par0/ Taste9 as an aestheti+ +ateory9 is an iportant key-ord here and is used y

Austen to indi+ate oral re(ineent/ i((erent personalities are linked to di((erent tastes9 (or

e8aple the +hara+ters -ith an e8pensie and lu8urious taste that are in (aour o(

1'


15/62

iproeents tend to e the ioral and unlikeale +hara+ters o( Austens stories/ *n

+ontrast to this9 the oral and sypatheti+ +hara+ters hae ?uality taste and are aainst

iproin estates/ *n these +ases9 Austen uses the 4ilpinian idea o( natural surroundins

-ithout e8pli+it iproeents to already ie the reader a sall hint aout the true

personality o( +ertain +hara+ters/

Another iportant aspe+t -hen talkin aout ,liaeths thouhts on ar+y a(ter

spendin soe tie at "eerley9 is ar+ys portrait/ The house has its o-n allery -here

seeral (aily portraits +an e (ound9 in+ludin a portrait o( ar+y hisel(9 -hi+h +at+hes

,liaeths eye!

,liaeth-alked on in ?uest o( the only (a+e -hose (eatures -ould e kno-n to her/

At last it arrested her and she eheld a strikin reselan+e o( Mr ar+y9-ith su+h

a sile oer the (a+e as she reeered to hae soeties seen9 -hen he looked at

her/ She stood seeral inutes e(ore the pi+ture in earnest +onteplation9 and

returned to it aain e(ore they ?uitted the allery/ Mrs Beynoldsin(ored the that it

had een taken inhis (atherKsli(e tie/ There -as +ertainly at this oent9 in

,liaethKsind9 a ore entle sensation to-ards the oriinalthan she had eer (elt in

the heiht o( their a+?uaintan+e/ =1)1>

The -ay ar+y has een portrayed hihlihts soe o( his (eatures9 his sile9 (or e8aple/

These in(luen+e ,liaeths ie- o( hi/ The +oination o( the portrait9 ar+ys house and

the lands+ape +opletely +hanes ,liaeths per+eption o( hi/

This +hapter9 -hi+h des+ries ,liaeths (irst isit to "eerley9 is used y Austen to

ie oth ,liaeth and the reader a ne-9 ore positie iae o( Mr ar+y/ As Bosearie

7odenheier -rites! ;The se?uen+e o( des+riptions in the +hapter +reates a sense o( as+ent9

ultipli+ity9 and e8pansion -hi+h de(ines not only the lands+ape ut also the -idenin o(

,liaeths ision o( ar+y9 and the in+reasin intensity o( her (eelin< =610>/ Austen -ants

15
http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#ElizabethBennethttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#FitzwilliamDarcyhttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#MrsReynoldshttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#OldDarcyhttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#ElizabethBennethttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#FitzwilliamDarcyhttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#ElizabethBennethttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#FitzwilliamDarcyhttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#MrsReynoldshttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#OldDarcyhttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#ElizabethBennethttp://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppdrmtis.html#FitzwilliamDarcy


16/62

to sho- that "eerley and ar+y are +onne+ted and eery detail o( the rounds a+tually

represents ar+ys o-n +hara+ter9 -hi+h ,liaeth slo-ly learns to understand -hile she is at

"eerley! ;,liaeths :ourney throuh the park9 (ro its oundary to the house9 is a spatial

re+apitulation o( her asso+iation -ith ar+y (ro her (irst pre:udi+ed ipressions o( his

e8ternal appearan+e9 throuh a re+onition o( other =and seeinly +ontradi+tory> ie-s9 to a

(inal arrial at the +entral +ore o( his +hara+ter< =u+k-orth 1)19 125>/ This akes the s+ene

ore than :ust a detailed a++ount o( the lands+ape9 as it tells een ore aout ar+y as a

person and +hanes ,liaeths ie-s +opletely/

!r "nightley and Donwell Abbey

Austens (ourth noelEmma9 -hi+h -as pulished in 1.159 tells the story o( ,a

Woodhouse9 a youn -oan -ho9 in +oparison to ost other Austen heroines9 does not

hae to -orry aout oney and arryin -ell/ ,a is ore o++upied -ith the loe lies o(

other people around her than tryin to (ind a suitale an (or hersel(/ She takes +are o( her

(ather9 -hile stayin usy -ith at+hakin and helpin Harriet Sith9 an inno+ent irl9 to

learn all aout anners and ho- to e a proper lady/ Without noti+in it at (irst9 ,a hersel(

slo-ly (alls in loe -ith Mr &nihtley9 a (riend o( the (aily9 -ho lies in an estate +lose to

theirs9 on-ell Aey/ The s+ene in -hi+h ,a takes a (irst9 real9 proper look at the

rounds o( Mr &nihtley is a sini(i+ant eent in the noel! ;Alon -ith the des+ription o(

"eerley9 the ie- (ro the pleasure rounds o( on-ell Aey is Austens ost

in(luential lands+ape< =Wenner9Prospect.2>/ Like inPride and Prejudice9 -here ,liaeth

7ennet starts to see Mr ar+ys real personality -hen she isits "eerley9 Austen also uses

the lands+ape and ar+hite+ture o( on-ell Aey to portray Mr &nihtleys true +hara+ter/

The nae o( ,as loe interest already suests part o( his +hara+ter/ Mr &nihtley

is des+ried throuhout the noel as a +hialrous an9 so his nae (its hi per(e+tly/

16


17/62

&nihtley is introdu+ed as an intiate (riend o( the (aily9 -ho is in his thirties and o-ns an

estate9 on-ell Aey/ At the start o( the noel9 ,a already sees hi as a true entlean

and +opares hi to other en! ;Mr &nihtleys air is so rearkaly ood that it is not (air

to +opare Mr Martin -ith hi/ ou iht not see one in a hundred -ith entlean so

plainly -ritten as in Mr &nihtley< =2'>/ She speaks hihly o( hi in alost eery situation!

;* kno- no an ore likely than Mr &nihtley to do the sort o( thin to do any thin

really ood@natured9 use(ul9 +onsiderate9 or eneolent< =1>/ Ho-eer9 &nihtley is also the

only one -ho dares to +hallene ,a and +on(ront her -ith her istakes9 -hi+h is

soethin ,a is not al-ays pleased -ith! ;Mr &nihtley9 in (a+t9 -as one o( the (e-

people -ho +ould see (aults in ,a Woodhouse9 and the only one -ho eer told her o(

the! and thouh this -as not parti+ularly areeale to ,a hersel(9 she kne- it -ould e

so u+h less so to her (ather9 that she -ould not hae hi really suspe+t su+h a +ir+ustan+e

as her not ein thouht per(e+t y eery ody< =5>/ ,en thouh ,a thinks hihly o( Mr

&nihtley9 she neer +onsiders hi as a possile loe interest (or hersel( until oer three@

?uarters o( the narratie9 -hen she hears Harriet say she is in loe -ith &nihtley/

The nae o( &nihtleys estate9 on-ell9 also has another eanin9 e+ause it re(ers

to the (a+t that &nihtley9 -ho elons to the -ell@estalished entry9 has done -ell in the

sense o( ein an a+tie (or+e (or oral ood in so+iety/ Ho-eer9 it also suests that ,a

hersel( needs to realise &nihtley is the riht an (or her and that she -ill hae done -ell (or

hersel( -hen she ends up toether -ith hi/ Althouh ,a has isited on-ell Aey

ultiple ties9 this s+ene is her (irst isit -here she a+tually learns to adire the entire estate/

Just like ,liaeth 7ennet9 ,a relates the +hara+teristi+s o( the lands+ape and uildins to

that o( its o-ner9 -hi+h +auses her to reard Mr &nihtley in a ne- and di((erent anner/

%n a (ine day in June9 ,a9 Mr Weston9 Mrs ,lton and others de+ide to oranise a

trip to o to 7o8 Hill toether/ When he hears this9 Mr &nihtley inites all o( the to +oe

1


18/62

to on-ell Aey and en:oy soe o( his (ast@ripenin stra-erries/ At this point in the story9

,a has e8perien+ed soe seta+ks9 ainly hain to do -ith her at+hakin plans (or

Harriet9 and she is lookin (or-ard to a pleasurale day -ithout any -orries/ As soon as

,a and her (ather arrie9 Mr/ Woodhouse is pla+ed in one o( the est roos o( on-ell

Aey and taken +are o(9 so ,a +an o her o-n -ay/ She starts to inestiate the uildins

and the rounds and9 ainly -ith her nephe- Henry in ind9 -ho -ill e+oe the o-ner o(

on-ell Aey i( &nihtley does not arry9 starts to see the eauty o( it!

She (elt all the honest pride and +opla+en+y -hi+h her allian+e -ith the present and

(uture proprietor +ould (airly -arrant9 as she ie-ed the respe+tale sie and style o(

the uildin9 its suitale9 e+oin9 +hara+teristi+ situation9 lo- and sheltered its

aple ardens stret+hin do-n to eado-s -ashed y a strea9 o( -hi+h the Aey9

-ith all the old nele+t o( prospe+t9 had s+ar+ely a siht and its aundan+e o(

tier in ro-s and aenues9 -hi+h neither (ashion nor e8traaan+e had rooted up/

=2.)>

The estate is slihtly hidden and has a traditional (eel to it/ *t is not des+ried as hain een

iproed in arious -ays or slihtly odern (or its tieD it is a traditional house -ith a

eauti(ul9 natural settin around it9 -hi+h (its Austens and 4ilpins ideas o( the ideal

lands+ape/ The ;aundan+e o( tier in ro-s and aenues< +an e linked to a spe+i(i+ s+ene

in Austens/ansfield Par0-here #anny hears Mr Bush-orth is plannin on +uttin do-n an

aenue at his estate Sotherton! ;GCut do-n an aenue What a pity oes it not ake you

think o( Co-perN Ge (allen aenues9 on+e ore * ourn your (ate unerited< ='1>/ #anny

entions Willia Co-per9 -hose -ork and ideas Austen loed and supported/ The

;aundan+e o( tier in ro-s and aenues< at on-ell Aey is there(ore a positie sin9

e+ause it portrays the natural (eel o( the rounds9 -hi+h is in a++ordan+e -ith oth Austens

and Co-pers ideas/ *n the des+ription o( on-ell Aey9 the house is des+ried as

1.


19/62

;respe+tale< and hain a ;suitale9 e+oin9 +hara+teristi+ situation/ *n the des+ription9 the stress is

ore on ;+o(ortale< than ;handsoe


20/62


21/62

dra-n (ro one set o( people9 and one style o( liinD I i( not (oolish she -as

inorant< =21>/ Mrs ,lton tries to ake an ipa+t on other people in Hihury as u+h as

she +an and e+ause o( this she e+oes a threat to ,a/ &nihtley and ,a ay not e

ipressed y Mrs ,ltons ehaiour9 ut ost o( the other people are9 -hi+h is risky (or

,a and her position as the Oueen 7ee o( Hihury/ The +ontrast et-een the e8traaan+e

and theatri+al ehaiour o( Mrs ,lton and the traditional and polite personality o( Mr

&nihtley is the sae kind o( distin+tion (ound inPride and Prejudice-hen lookin at

"eerley and Bosins/

#eneral Tilney and Northanger Abbey

The noel-orthaner *bbey9 o( -hi+h the (irst ersion -as titled Susan9 -as -ritten y

Austen at the end o( the nineteenth +entury/ Ho-eer9 it -as one o( the last o( her -orks to e

pulished9 naely in 1.19 a(ter her death/ The story (o+uses on seenteen@year@old Catherine

Morland -ho akes seeral ne- a+?uaintan+es -hen she is isitin 7ath9 in+ludin her loe

interest Henry Tilney/ Henry and his youner sister ,leanor are oth (ond o( Catherine and

e+ause o( this their (ather9 4eneral Tilney9 inites her to isit their estate orthaner Aey/

This is the start o( another sini(i+ant s+ene in Austens -ork9 as the des+ription o( the estate

+an e linked to the +hara+ter o( its o-ner9 naely 4eneral Tilney/ Ho-eer9 in +ontrast to

the earlier e8aples o( Mr ar+y and Mr &nihtley9 the des+ription o( orthaner Aey is

not (latterin to the o-ners personality9 ut is intended at his neatie +hara+ter traits/ nlike

ar+y and &nihtley9 4eneral Tilney does not (it the iae o( the per(e+t9 sypatheti+

entlean/ *nstead he is a shallo-9 aterialisti+9 sel(ish an9 -hi+h e+oes apparent in the

des+ription Austen ies o( orthaner Aey/

-orthaner *bbey+an e seen as a parody o( the 4othi+ noel9 o( -hi+h the (irst

e8aple -as Hora+e Walpoles 'he Castle of Otranto) * 2othic Story9 pulished in 165/

There are espe+ially siilarities et-een the -ell@kno-n 4othi+ noel 'he /ysteries of

21


22/62

3dolpho=1)'>9 -ritten y Ann Bad+li((e9 and Austens storyline/ Catherine and her (riend

*saella Thorpe are oth (as+inated y 4othi+ literature and read and dis+uss Bad+li((es

ooks in the noel/ As the story is a parody9 Catherine is the +oplete opposite o( 4othi+

heroines/ While these heroines -ere eauti(ul and had e8+itin lies9 Catherine is des+ried as

a plain9 orin irl -ho is ;alost pretty< ='>/ As soon as she arries in 7ath9 she starts to use

her iaination ore and ore and +oes up -ith e8+itin 4othi+ s+enarios in order to turn

noral situations into soethin ysterious and supernatural/ Catherines delusions +reate a

+ertain psy+holoi+al tension9 -hi+h -as one o( the eleents o(ten used in 4othi+ noels/

Whereas the (irst part o(-orthaner *bbeyhas nothin to do -ith 4othi+ (i+tion9 the se+ond

part is a +lear parody o( the enre9 -hi+h espe+ially eeres -hen Catherine isits

orthaner Aey! ;7y oin to the aey Catherine (or a +hapter or t-o takes the reader

-ith her into the settin and plot o( a Bad+li((ean noel o( terror9 ystery and sel(@indu+ed

illusion< =7utler 88ii>/

The 4othi+ in(luen+es in-orthaner *bbeyalready e+oe oious -hen Catherine

is on her -ay to orthaner Aey toether -ith Henry Tilney/ They talk aout the estate and

it e+oes +lear that Catherine is lookin (or-ard to her isit and e8pe+ts u+h o( the aey!

;I ou ust e so (ond o( the aey A(ter ein used to su+h a hoe as the aey9

an ordinary parsonae@house ust e ery disareeale/< He siled9 and said9 ;ou

hae (ored a ery (aourale idea o( the aey/< ;To e sure9 * hae/ *s not it a (ine

old pla+e9 :ust like -hat one reads aoutN< ;And are you prepared to en+ounter all the

horrors that a uildin su+h as G-hat one reads aout ay produ+eN Hae you a stout

heartN eres (it (or slidin panels and tapestryN< =101>

Henry is :okin around y tryin to s+are Catherine a it e(ore she arries at the estate/

Ho-eer9 this +an also e seen as soe kind o( -arnin! Catherine e8pe+ts 4eneral Tilney to

e a ni+e an9 ut she re+eies an early -arnin o( the horrors she -ill proaly en+ounter

22


23/62

-hile at orthaner Aey/ *n ters o( a 4othi+ story9 Catherine plays the role o( the heroine9

-hile 4eneral Tilney +an e seen as the doesti+ tyrant/ At one point Catherine also starts to

suspe+t 4eneral Tilney o( urderin his -i(e9 -hi+h is the per(e+t storyline (or a true 4othi+

story/

Henry +ontinues his s+ary tales9 y tellin Catherine she -ill proaly e loded apart

(ro the (aily9 in a looy +haer -ith no one to talk to ut a +reepy9 old housekeeper/

His -ords really resele a 4othi+ story!

othin (urther to alar perhaps ay o++ur the (irst niht/ A(ter surountin your

un+on?uerale horror o( the ed9 you -ill retire to rest9 and et a (e- hours un?uiet

sluer/ 7ut on the se+ond9 or at (arthest the third niht a(ter your arrial9 you -ill

proaly hae a iolent stor/ "eals o( thunder so loud as to see to shake the edi(i+e

to its (oundation -ill roll round the neihourin ountains E and durin the (riht(ul

usts o( -ind -hi+h a++opany it9 you -ill proaly think you dis+ern =(or your lap

is not e8tinuished> one part o( the hanin ore iolently aitated than the rest/ =102>

Henry tells his stories in order to s+are Catherine9 -hi+h he anaes to do/ These tales +ause

Catherine to think that the aey is een older and iposin than she already e8pe+ted/

When Catherine and Henry rea+h the estate9 Catherine e8pe+ts to see a 4othi+9 lare9

old uildin9 ut reality does not e8a+tly (it her des+ription!

She kne- not that she had any riht to e surprised9 ut there -as a soethin in this

ode o( approa+h -hi+h she +ertainly had not e8pe+ted/ To pass et-een lodes o( a

odern appearan+e9 to (ind hersel( -ith su+h ease in the ery pre+in+ts o( the aey9

and drien so rapidly alon a sooth9 leel road o( (ine rael9 -ithout osta+le9

alar9 or solenity o( any kind9 stru+k her as odd and in+onsistent/ She -as not lon

at leisure9 ho-eer9 (or su+h +onsiderations/ A sudden s+ud o( rain9 driin (ull in her

(a+e9 ade it ipossile (or her to osere anythin (urther/ =103>

23


24/62

While ,liaeth 7ennet and ,a Woodhouse isit oth the "eerley and the on-ell

Aey estates on sunny days9 Catherine arries in the rain9 -hi+h9 in true 4othi+ (ashion9 +an

already e seen as a ad oen/

The interior o( the aey9 the (urniture9 and the de+orations are not -hat Catherine

e8pe+ted9 as ost o( it is odern and has een rede+orated!

es9 it -as deliht(ul to e really in an aey 7ut she douted9 as she looked round

the roo9 -hether anythin -ithin her oseration -ould hae ien her the

+ons+iousness/ The (urniture -as in all the pro(usion and elean+e o( odern taste/

The (irepla+e9 -here she had e8pe+ted the aple -idth and ponderous +arin o(

(orer ties9 -as +ontra+ted to a Bu(ord9 -ith slas o( plain thouh handsoe

arle9 and ornaents oer it o( the prettiest ,nlish +hina/ The -indo-s9 to -hi+h

she looked -ith pe+uliar dependen+e9 (ro hain heard the eneral talk o( his

preserin the in their 4othi+ (or -ith reerential +are9 -ere yet less -hat her

(an+y had portrayed/ To e sure9 the pointed ar+h -as presered the (or o( the

-as 4othi+ they iht e een +aseents ut eery pane -as so lare9 so +lear9

so liht To an iaination -hi+h had hoped (or the sallest diisions9 and the

heaiest stone@-ork9 (or painted lass9 dirt9 and +o-es9 the di((eren+e -as ery

distressin/ =103@'>

Catherine had +ertain e8pe+tations9 ut the house does not lie up to the/ The sae +an e

said aout 4eneral TilneyD Catherine e8pe+ts hi to e a +harin9 (riendly an9 ut he turns

out to e e8a+tly the opposite9 as 7lair suests! ;Catherines -illinness to suppose the

4eneral +harin does not surie lon on+e she is at orthaner/ Here Austen unleashes the

4eneral aon his aterial possessions and sini(iers o( status to deastatin e((e+t< =8ii>/

Catherine in the einnin also heard stories aout 4eneral Tilney hisel(9 -hi+h

raised her e8pe+tations o( hi/ John Thorpe9 one o( her a+?uaintan+es in 7ath9 ies her a

2'


25/62

positie a++ount o( Henry and ,leanors (ather! ;He is a (ine old (ello-9 upon y soul Stout9

a+tie E looks as youn as his son/ * hae a reat reard (or hi9 * assure youD a entlean@

like9 ood sort o( (ello- as eer lied< =60>/ When Catherine eets 4eneral Tilney (or the

(irst +ouple o( ties in 7ath hersel(9 she is +hared y hi and has nothin neatie to say

aout his +hara+ter9 like eeryone else! ;That he -as per(e+tly areeale and ood@natured9

and altoether a ery +harin an9 did not adit o( a dout9 (or he -as tall and handsoe9

and Henrys (ather< =.2>/ Ho-eer9 :ust like the aey9 -hi+h does not turn out to e as

iposin and 4othi+ as Catherine e8pe+ted9 4eneral Tilney is not -hat other people des+rie

and think hi to e9 -hi+h e+oes apparent as the noel proresses/

4eneral Tilney has used his ;iproin hand< =11.> to +hane the old aey in any

-ays9 in order to hae eerythin ne-er9 ier and etter than his neihours/ The

iportan+e o( lu8ury and -ealth aoe +o(ort already suests 4eneral Tilneys shallo-

+hara+ter! ;The odernity and (ashionaility o( the interior (ittins and (urnishins9 detailed

in the 4enerals runnin +oentary9 ay displease Catherine y ein Gnot@4othi+D ut

Austen is sutly dire+tin the readers attention to the shallo-9 usy9 ostentatious aterialis

o( the 4eneral< =7lair 8iii>/ There are +ertain aspe+ts o( the estate9 the ildin in soe o( the

roos and the shape o( the -indo-s9 (or e8aple9 -hi+h are all iproeents -hi+h 4eneral

Tilney talks aout the ost/ These iproeents are odern and do not enri+h the aey9 in

Catherines eyes9 :ust like 4eneral Tilneys shallo- and aterialisti+ side do nothin (or his

+hara+ter/

An e8aple o( 4eneral Tilneys loe (or iproin is the kit+hen o( the house9 -hi+h

has een trans(ored (ro an an+ient pla+e to one o( the ost odern kit+hens o( its tie!

They pro+eeded y ?ui+k +ouni+ation to the kit+henthe an+ient kit+hen o( the

+onent9 ri+h in the assy -alls and soke o( (orer days9 and in the stoes and hot

+losets o( the present/ The enerals iproin hand had not loitered here! eery

25


26/62

odern inention to (a+ilitate the laour o( the +ooks had een adopted -ithin this9

their spa+ious theatreD and9 -hen the enius o( others had (ailed9 his o-n had o(ten

produ+ed the per(e+tion -anted/ =11)>

The kit+hen has een renoated9 :ust like arious other roos9 -hi+h is a -aste o( the old

roos and ar+hite+tural desin o( the aey/ Catherine9 :ust like Austen hersel(9 sees to e

appalled y all these iproeents! ;Catherine +ould hae raed at the hand -hi+h had s-ept

a-ay -hat ust hae een eyond the alue o( all the rest9 (or the purposes o( ere doesti+

e+onoyD and -ould -illinly hae een spared the orti(i+ation o( a -alk throuh s+enes so

(allen< =11)>/ Catherine is also sho-n the arden9 -hi+h the 4eneral des+ries as ein

;unrialled in the kindo< =115> and soe o( the other ost eleant and e8pensie roos in

the house9 -hi+h -ere ;ost +opletely and handsoely (itted upD eerythin that oney

and taste +ould do9 to ie +o(ort and elean+e to apartents9 had een esto-ed on

these< =120>/ ,en thouh Catherine is slihtly ipressed y all o( this9 she starts to think o(

the aey in a ore +riti+al -ay/ Ho-eer9 een thouh Austen uses the des+riptions to

already ie the reader a hint o( -hat 4eneral Tilneys +hara+ter really is like9 Catherine

+ontinues to e naPe and still eliees 4eneral Tilney to e the ni+e and (riendly an he

appears to e at (irst siht/

*t does not take lon e(ore Catherine e8perien+es 4eneral Tilneys real +hara+ter

hersel(/ When he +oes hoe (ro a short trip9 he orders ,leanor to tell Catherine the -hole

Tilney (aily has to o a-ay and Catherine is e8pe+ted to leae the estate the ne8t ornin as

early as seen o+lo+k/ The (a+t that Catherine is (or+ed to leae orthaner Aey so

suddenly is a i insult9 -hi+h ,leanor (eels terrile aout/ Later on9 Catherine (inds out

4eneral Tilney only inited her to his estate9 e+ause he thouht she eloned to a -ealthy

(aily/ As soon as he realises this is a+tually not the +ase9 he thro-s her out9 e+ause he does

not -ant to e asso+iated -ith lo-er@+lass people/ 4eneral Tilneys real personality9 hints o(

26


27/62

-hi+h had already een ien in the s+enes at orthaner Aey9 eentually shines throuh/

Catherine suspe+ted the eneral o( hain urdered his -i(e and een thouh he did not do

that9 his a+tions are alost as horrile in her eyes! ;Catherine9 at any rate9 heard enouh to

(eel that in suspe+tin 4eneral Tilney o( either urderin or shuttin up his -i(e9 she had

s+ar+ely sinned aainst his +hara+ter9 or ani(ied his +ruelty< =162>/

When lookin at the des+riptions o( orthaner Aey9 the reader noti+es that 4eneral

Tilney has really iproed and +haned the pla+e/ Ho-eer9 the (oundations o( the 4othi+

aey are still there/ #or e8aple9 as ?uoted e(ore9 -hen Catherine enters the aey she sees

all the iproeents9 ut there is still the pointed ar+h -hi+h is part o( the oriinal aey/

The oriinal -alls hae :ust een +oered -ith odern plaster9 -hi+h +an also e said aout

the o-ner/ 4eneral Tilney tries to e odern and +iilied9 ut eneath the kind and polite

an there is a 4othi+ tyrant/ Clearly9 Austen also used the old (oundations o( the estate and

linked these to 4eneral Tilneys personality/

,en thouh only these three e8aples hae een dis+ussed in this +hapter9 Austen

also -orks +onne+tions et-een o-ners and their estates into soe o( her other noels/ *n

Sense and Sensibilitythe orland estate +hanes (ro a pleasant and eauti(ul pla+e into an

iproed9 stately +ountry anor as soon as John ash-ood and his (aily +oe to lie there/

This +hane +an e linked to John9 -ho is one o( the unlikeale +hara+ters in the noel9

e+ause he does not try to help out his other or sisters and only thinks aout his -i(e and

hisel(/ *n the sae noel9 ela-are9 Colonel 7randons estate9 suits the sypatheti+

personality o( its o-ner and the sae oes (or Boert Martin and his Aey@Mill #ar in

Emma/ *n all these +ases9 Austen uses the lands+ape des+riptions to suest ore aout the

di((erent personalities o( iportant +hara+ters9 oth positie and neatie9 -hi+h helps the

Austen heroines on their -ay/

2


28/62

$. Austen%s &eroines ' the (andsca)e

,a+h Jane Austen noel has its o-n typi+al Austen heroine9 -ho has her o-n positie and

neatie ?ualities/ While ,liaeth 7ennet is kno-n (or her ipertinen+e9 ,a Woodhouse

-orries too u+h aout other peoples usiness9 Anne ,lliot is the ost introerted9 and

Catherine Morlands +hara+ter is de(ined y her naPetQ/ Ho-eer9 een thouh the heroines

hae their o-n distin+tie ?ualities9 there are seeral siilarities et-een the as -ell/ e8t

to the (a+t that all the (eale protaonists are lookin (or roan+e and happiness9 ost o(

the also see to hae a spe+ial relationship -ith the lands+ape around the/ Soe o( the

heroines sear+hes (or happiness and a pla+e in so+iety are +losely linked to the lands+ape9 as

7arara 7ritton Wenner suests! ;Austen kne- that a -ay o( seein and a -ay o( ein

-ithin a lands+ape -ere +ru+ial (or her noelisti+ heroines/ She -orked to +reate spa+es (or

her heroines to neotiate positions o( reater po-er -ith ore opportunities (or (reedo and

happiness on their o-n ters< =( 4ave9 par/ 3>/ A++ordinly9 another iportant e8aple o(

Austens lands+ape use in her noels is the interestin relationships she soeties estalishes

et-een the di((erent heroines and the nature and ar+hite+ture around the/ ,8aples o( this

are the link et-een the seasonal lands+apes inPersuasionand the +hara+ter o( the heroine

Anne ,lliot and the +onne+tion et-een #anny "ri+e and the Mans(ield "ark estate in the

noel/ansfield Par0/

Anne Elliot and the *easons

Persuasionis Austens si8th and last +opleted noel9 -ritten in 1.16 and pulished in 1.1./

The noel tells the story o( Anne ,lliot9 an introerted youn -oan -ho9 at the ae o( 29

sees destined to e+oe a spinster/ When she -as youner9 she (ell in loe -ith a youn9

poor naal o((i+er naed #rederi+k Went-orth/ Ho-eer9 her (aily and (riends did not

2.


29/62


30/62


31/62

(raents o( lo- ro+k aon the sands ake it the happiest spot (or -at+hin the

(lo- o( the tide9 (or sittin in un-earied +onteplationD the -oody arieties o( the

+heer(ul illae o( p LyeD and9 aoe all9 "inny9 -ith its reen +hass et-een

roanti+ ro+ks9 -here the s+attered (orest@trees and or+hards o( lu8uriant ro-th

de+lare that any a eneration ust hae passed a-ay sin+e the (irst partial (allin o(

the +li(( prepared the round (or su+h a state9 -here a s+ene so -onder(ul and so

loely is e8hiited9 as ay ore than e?ual any o( the reselin s+enes o( the (ar@

(aed *sle o( Wiht! these pla+es ust e isited9 and isited aain to ake the -orth

o( Lye understood/ =3>

Words su+h as ;happiest9 ;roanti+

The (resh sea reee also sees to hae a positie e((e+t on Anne9 e+ause she slo-ly starts to

et in tou+h -ith her old9 youner sel( aain/ She loses the neatie attitude -hi+h -as so

+learly present in the autun lands+ape in pper+ross9 and starts to loo aain/ Austen uses

Lye as a pla+e -here nature and eotions +oe toether! ;Lye Beis as rendered y

Austen o((ers a rearkale (it et-een pla+e and (eelin9 nature and huan nature9 eoloy

and so+ioloy/ Lyes istas inspire the transports o( sensiility :ust as its ra+in air

iniorates the ody< =4raha 1)>/ #rederi+k Went-orth also sees this trans(oration in

31


32/62


33/62

The looin o( Annes personality sees to +oe to a stop -hen she has to leae

Lye and pper+ross and o to her (ather and sister in the +ity o( 7ath instead/ She has to

leae the (reedo o( the seaside and +ountryside ehind and o to the +ity9 -here she (eels

like a prisoner9 -hi+h e+oes +lear as soon as Anne enters the +ity! ;Anne entered it -ith a

sinkin heart9 anti+ipatin an iprisonent o( any onths9 and an8iously sayin to hersel(9

G%h When shall * leae you aainN< =105>/ While Lady Bussell9 Annes (riend and

+opanion9 is happy to e in the +ity aain9 Anne does not share that (eelin! ;She persisted

in a ery deterined9 thouh ery silent disin+lination (or 7athD +auht the (irst di ie- o(

the e8tensie uildins9 sokin in rain9 -ithout any -ish o( seein the etter9 (elt their

proress throuh the streets to e9 ho-eer disareeale9 yet too rapid< =103>/ The +old and

rey eleents o( the +ity uildins re(le+t Annes ood! she (eels trapped and eotionless in

this aterialisti+ pla+e and isses the (reedo she had at the seaside in Lye/ Ho-eer9

-hen Anne -as unhappy in pper+ross she :ust de+ided to a++ept her situation9 e+ause een

thouh she loned to e soe-here else9 she thouht she +ould not hae that anyore/

Ho-eer9 a(ter e8perien+in the eauty and (reedo in Lye9 she is stron enouh to de+ide

she +annot e (or+ed to (ind a pla+e in 7ath9 e+ause she -ants to e else-here/ This

+opletes Annes trans(oration9 as she no- kno-s -hat she -ants and -hat akes her

happy/ Captain Went-orth +on(irin his loe (or her +opletes the per(e+t pi+ture9 ut een

e(ore that Anne has already (ound her o-n personality and eauty/ Clearly9 Austen uses

+ertain parallels et-een Annes +hara+ter and the lands+ape and -eather to sho- the

trans(oration she oes throuh/

+anny Price and !ansield Par-

Jane Austen -rote her third noel/ansfield Par0et-een 1.12 and 1.1'9 the year in -hi+h

it -as also (irst pulished/ The ook tells the story o( a youn9 poor irl naed #anny "ri+e

33


34/62

-ho is raised y her -ealthy aunt and un+le9 Sir Thoas 7ertra and his -i(e9 -ho lie at

Mans(ield "ark/ #anny ro-s up -ith her (our +ousins ,dund9 To9 Maria and Julia9 ut

,dund is the only one -ho is kind to her and does not see her as in(erior/ #anny slo-ly

turns into a youn -oan -ith any adirale ?ualities in +ontrast to ost o( the other

+hara+ters9 -ho ake istakes and do not ehae the -ay they are e8pe+ted to/ As Ann

7an(ield -rites in ;The Moral Lands+ape o( Mans(ield "ark9 as in ost o( Jane Austens -orks/

Throuhout the noel9 di((erent des+riptions o( the s+enery and estates +an e linked to

+ertain +hara+ters or eents +entral to the story/ The iportan+e o( lands+ape already +oes

(or-ard -hen lookin at #anny9 -ho is o(ten seen as a soer Austen heroine9 ut -ho lihtens

up -hen surrounded y or talkin aout nature! ;#anny "ri+e9 like Jane Austen hersel(9 loed

to osere Gthe appearan+e o( the +ountry9 the earins o( the road9 the di((eren+e o( soil9 the

state o( the harest9 the +ottaes9 the +attle9 the +hildren< =7atey 22>/ *n the noel9 there

appears to e a spe+ial link et-een #anny and the Mans(ield "ark estate/ #anny sees to

hae a +ertain in(luen+e on the house9 and i+e ersa/ The state o( the house +an e linked to

#annys personality and eotions at +ertain ties9 -hi+h is another e8aple o( Austens use

o( des+riptions o( lands+ape and ar+hite+ture in order to say ore aout her heroines path/

#anny +oes to lie -ith the 7ertra (aily -hen she is only ten years old9 shy and

silent/ As the noel proresses9 #annys personality +hanes and parallels et-een #anny and

Mans(ield "ark e+oe ore oious/ #irst9 oth take up a +entral pla+e in the noel/ #anny

is the ain +hara+ter around -ho all the storylines see to reole one -ay or another/ Like

#anny9 Mans(ield "ark also takes up a +entral role in the noel sin+e it is the ain pla+e o(

eents9 to -hi+h alost all o( the +hara+ters +ontinue to +oe a+k9 oth literally and

(iuratiely/

3'


35/62


36/62

Later on in the noel9 Mans(ield "ark is des+ried in siilar ters! ;The elean+e9 propriety9

reularity9 harony9 and perhaps9 aoe all9 the pea+e and tran?uillity o( Mans(ield9 -ere

rouht to her reeran+e eery hour o( the day< =2.0>/ *n these des+riptions9 a link

et-een #anny and Mans(ield "ark is oious/

#anny hersel( also (eels +onne+ted to Mans(ield "ark9 as 7arara 7ritton Wenner

arues!

#anny has een at Mans(ield "ark only a short -hile9 and yet she (eels e8treely

+onne+ted to this pla+e9 e8+laiin to her +ousin9 ,dund9 ;*( * +ould suppose y

aunt really to +are (or e9 it -ould e deliht(ul to (eel ysel( o( +onse?uen+e to any

ody E Here9 * kno-9 * a o( none9 and yet * loe the pla+e so -ell/ These spe+i(i+ -ords are used y Austen to re(er a+k to

#anny hersel(9 e+ause she is a odest and irinal sall irl -hen she arries at Mans(ield

"ark! ;She -as sall o( her ae9 -ith no lo- o( +ople8ion9 nor any other strikin eautyD

e8+eedinly tiid and shy9 and shrinkin (ro noti+e< =)>/ The atti+ is des+ried as a sall

roo9 +lose to the nurseries and the houseaids9 so #anny +ould et help (ro the -heneer

she needed it/ Ho-eer9 it is a di((erent roo9 naely the old s+hoolroo o( the 7ertra

+hildren9 -hi+h #anny akes her o-n and not the little atti+/ Austen -rites!

36


37/62

The roo had then e+oe useless9 and (or soe tie -as ?uite deserted9 e8+ept y

#anny9 -hen she isited her plants9 or -anted one o( the ooks9 -hi+h she -as still

lad to keep there9 (ro the de(i+ien+y o( spa+e and a++oodation in her little

+haer aoe! ut radually9 as her alue (or the +o(orts o( it in+reased9 she had

added to her possessions9 and spent ore o( her tie thereD and hain nothin to

oppose her9 had so naturally and so artlessly -orked hersel( into it9 that it -as no-

enerally aditted to e hers/ =10)>

#anny akes this deserted s+hoolroo her o-n pla+e in the lare house y radually puttin

soe o( her o-n possessions in there and spendin ore tie in it/ #anny learns u+h -hile

stayin at Mans(ield "ark9 ut she also slo-ly ut surely turns into a tea+her hersel(9 soeone

-ho tea+hes other people -hat is iportant and -hat to do/ The little -hite atti+ and the

s+hoolroo9 then9 (it #annys personality at di((erent staes in the noel per(e+tly/

Just like she (inds her pla+e in the old s+hoolroo9 #anny also radually (inds her o-n

pla+e in the (aily/ She keeps her aunt +opany9 e+oes +loser to ,dund and her un+le

starts to e (ond o( her as -ell/ The old s+hoolroo is ein lied in aain and e+oes a

spe+ial roo in its o-n riht9 naely #annys roo9 :ust like #anny is also looin and

(indin her o-n pla+e at Mans(ield "ark/ The roo is iportant to #anny! ;The roo -as

ost dear to her9 and she -ould not hae +haned its (urniture (or the handsoest in the

house9 thouh -hat had een oriinally plain had su((ered all the ill@usae o( +hildren< =110>/

She loes the roo and the (urniture in it (or -hat it is9 :ust like #anny eentually -ill e

loed at Mans(ield "ark (or the person she is/ *n this +ase9 there is also an oious link

et-een #annys personality and the house itsel(/

This +onne+tion e+oes een ore isile -hen #anny has to leae Mans(ield to o

a+k to "ortsouth/ While she is a-ay9 seeral un(ortunate eents happen to the 7ertra

(aily! Maria is anished a(ter runnin a-ay -ith Henry Cra-(ord9 To has e+oe ill and

3


38/62


39/62

spendin tie at "eerley9 Marianne ash-ood talks aout nature in a Boanti+ -ay9

-hi+h (its her o-n personality9 and ,a Woodhouses a+tions not only see to in(luen+e

hersel( ut also the to-n o( Hihury9 and i+e ersa/ The t-o +ases dis+ussed in this +hapter

are proaly the ost -orked out e8aples -hen talkin aout links et-een lands+ape and

the sear+h o( the leadin ladies to (ind happiness and a pla+e in so+iety9 -hi+h is yet another

e8aple o( Austens stru+tural and theati+ use o( des+riptions o( lands+ape and ar+hite+ture

in her -ork/

3)


40/62

. *ymbolism and (andsca)es

*t +an sa(ely e said that nature and ar+hite+ture play an iportant role in Jane Austens

arious stories/ Whether a lands+ape des+ription is used to say soethin aout one o( the

heroines or aout their loe interests9 in Austens -ork alost all o( these des+riptions o(

estates or natural s+enery hae a spe+ial eanin and re(er to soethin else9 soethin less

oious/ Soe o( these lands+ape s+enes9 the ones that hae een thorouhly thouht out y

Austen9 not only hae a literal eanin9 ut also a syoli+ one/ *n these parti+ular s+enes9

the details o( the lands+ape +an e seen as syoli+ (or the situation the heroine (inds hersel(

in at that parti+ular oent or -hat the past or the (uture looks like/ *n these +ases9 Austen

de+ided to ie the readers soethin to think aout -hile readin the story9 instead o(

spellin it all out (or the/ An iportant e8aple o( these alleori+al lands+ape des+riptions

is the Sotherton s+ene in/ansfield Par09 -hi+h tells u+h aout the di((erent personalities o(

the +hara+ters in the noel/ Se+ondly9 the 7o8 Hill s+ene inEmmaies ore e8pli+it

in(oration aout the residents o( Hihury and ,as (eelins and situation/ *n othPride

and PrejudiceandEmma9 there are also other syoli+ des+riptions o( the lands+ape9 -hi+h

tell soethin aout -hat is oin to happen in the (uture o( the heroines/ Lastly9 Austen also

tends to (or oppositions et-een the +ountryside and the +ity9 and the di((erent eents takin

pla+e in ea+h o( these lo+ations/ *n this +hapter a +loser look -ill e taken at these di((erent

s+enes and ho- Austen uses the lands+ape to tell the reader soethin in a syoli+ -ay/

*otherton

An iportant e8aple o( the syoli+ relation et-een lands+ape and +hara+ter is the

Sotherton s+ene in Austens/ansfield Par09 -hi+h tells u+h aout the iinent do-n(all

o( +ertain +hara+ters/ *n this s+ene9 Austen o((ers the reader soe hints aout the di((erent

personalities o( the +hara+ters y akin the isit Mr/ Bush-orths estate9 Sotherton/ A

'0


41/62


42/62

and iproeent usually stands (or soethin neatie in Austens -ork/ *t is9 in (a+t9

Marias o-n +hara+ter -hi+h needs iproin and not the estate/ Maria entions the park is

not uly at the einnin9 ut the house looks dread(ul/ This +an also e said aout the youn

people theseles! (ro the outside they are eauti(ul9 a++oplished people (ro hiher

+lass9 ut a +loser look reeals that their a+tions are not that attra+tie at all/ Maria also says

they hae to o do-nhill9 -hi+h iht perhaps re(er to the do-n(all o( soe o( the +hara+ters

later on in the ook/

7esides #anny9 no one in the roup is really interested in the house9 until they arrie at

the priate +hapel o( the anor/ #anny entions she (inds it a pity that the +hapel is not used

any loner (or (aily prayers9 -hi+h is the start o( the (irst sall aruent et-een ,dund

and Mary Cra-(ord!

;*t is a pity9< +ried #anny9 ;that the +usto should hae een dis+ontinued/ I A

-hole (aily asselin reularly (or the purpose o( prayer9 is (ine/

Another iportant syoli+ s+ene is the one in -hi+h Julia talks aout a possile

-eddin et-een her sister Maria and Mr Bush-orth!

While this -as passin9 the rest o( the party ein s+attered aout the +hapel9 Julia

+alled Mr Cra-(ords attention to her sister9 y sayin9 ;o look at Mr Bush-orth and

Maria9 standin side y side9 e8a+tly as i( the +ereony -ere oin to e per(ored/

Hae not they +opletely the air o( itN< Mr Cra-(ord siled his a+?uies+en+e9 and

steppin (or-ard to Maria9 said9 in a oi+e -hi+h she +ould only hear9 ;* do not like to

see Miss 7ertra so near the altar/< Startin9 the lady instin+tiely oed a step or

t-o9 ut re+oerin hersel( in a oent9 a((e+ted to lauh9 and asked hi9 in a tone

not u+h louder9 ;i( he -ould ie her a-ayN< ;* a a(raid * should do it ery

a-k-ardly9< -as his reply9 -ith a look o( eanin/ =6'>

Maria is supposed to take on the role o( the ride9 ut at the sae tie she (lirts -ith Henry9

-hi+h already sho-s the ad (uture prospe+ts o( her relationship -ith Mr Bush-orth! ;The

+hapel is also the (uture s+ene o( Maria and Bush-orths arriae/ Here the +ouple a+ts out

the +ereony in a +harade -hi+h reeals its real nature/ While Julia +alls attention to the

'3


44/62

standin side y side e(ore the altar I Henry (lirts -ith the ride/ The pantoie suests

-hat the arriae -ill e! an epty (orality< =7an(ield )@10>/

Henry and Marias s+andalous (lirtation is des+ried in alost ili+al iaery in their

-alk throuh the arden9 -hi+h is surrounded y iron palisades and a lo+ked iron ate -hi+h

leads to the park/ Mrs Bush-orths +hoi+e o( -ords in this s+ene is rather strikin!

;Jaes9< said Mrs Bush-orth to her son9 ;* eliee the -ilderness -ill e ne- to all

the party/ The Miss 7ertras hae neer seen the -ilderness yet/< o o:e+tion -as

ade9 ut (or soe tie there seeed no in+lination to oe in any plan9 or to any

distan+e/ All -ere attra+ted at (irst y the plants or the pheasants9 and all dispersed

aout in happy independen+e/ Mr Cra-(ord -as the (irst to oe (or-ard9 to e8aine

the +apailities o( that end o( the house/ =65@66>

Aain9 Austen -rites -ith a doule eanin/ The -ilderness +an re(er to the park itsel(9 ut

also to the 7ertra sisters (uture a+tions o( isehaiour/ *t is9 oiously9 also typi+al that

Henry Cra-(ord is the (irst person to oe (or-ard to-ards the -ilderness and that he is the

one that takes the others -ith hi/ A(ter -alkin (or soe tie9 the roup has split and #anny

de+ides to stop -alkin and sits do-n on a en+h/ She sees Maria and Henry oin to the

lo+ked iron ate and ho- Henry tries to persuade Maria to :ust slip around it instead o(

-aitin (or Mr Bush-orth -ith the key!

As she spoke9 and it -as -ith e8pression9 she -alked to the ate9 he (ollo-ed her/ ;Mr

Bush-orth is so lon (et+hin this key< ;And (or the -orld you -ould not et out

-ithout the key and -ithout Mr Bush-orths authority and prote+tion9 or * think you

iht -ith little di((i+ulty pass round the ede o( the ate9 here9 -ith y assistan+eD *

think it iht e done9 i( you really -ished to e ore at lare9 and +ould allo-

yoursel( to think it not prohiited< =2@3>/

''


45/62


46/62

e8+ited! ;,a had neer een to 7o8 HillD she -ished to see -hat eery ody (ound so -ell

-orth seein9 and she and Mr/ Weston had areed to +hoose soe (ine ornin and drie

thither/ T-o or three ore o( the +hosen only -ere to e aditted to :oin the9 and it -as to

e done in a ?uiet9 unpretendin9 eleant -ay< =2.'>/ Ho-eer9 the trip is not ?uite su+h a

su++ess as ,a e8pe+ted it to e/ The s+ene plays a sini(i+ant role in the aturation and

deelopent o( ,as +hara+ter9 in -hi+h Austen uses the s+ene settin to ie the reader

soe hints o( -hat is oin to happen/

The 7o8 Hill s+ene +an e seen as the +lia8 o( this noel/ *t is the pla+e -here ,a

is no loner in her +o(ort oneD instead she is a-ay (ro Hihury9 at the top o( a hill9

-hi+h is the stae (or the peak o( Austens story/ When the roup is at 7o8 Hill9 di((erent

eents take pla+e and ,a realises not eerythin oes the -ay she -ants it to o/ ,en

thouh Austen hersel( does not des+rie -hat the lands+ape e8a+tly looks like in this s+ene9

there is still u+h to e said aout the s+ene settin o( 7o8 Hill and the eents happenin

there/ %ther +riti+s -ho hae -ritten aout this su:e+t are 7arara 7ritton Wenner9 -ho

isited seeral sini(i+ant pla+es in Austens noels in+ludin 7o8 Hill in Surrey9 and "enny

4ay9 -ho dis+usses the 7o8 Hill lands+ape in her arti+le ;A Chanin Fie-! Jane Austens

Lands+ape

'6


47/62


48/62

#rank Chur+hill9 Harriet and Mrs ,lton9 -ho is ain and a+ts as i( she is really iportant9

-hereas she is not9 hae already sho-n their true personalities9 ut then it appears to e

,as turn/

As ,a is ored and annoyed9 parti+ularly y Mrs ,ltons ehaiour9 she is tri+ked

into insultin Miss 7ates!

;%h ery -ell9< e8+laied Miss 7ates9 ;then * need not e uneasy/ GThree thins ery

dull indeed/ That -ill :ust do (or e9 you kno-/ * shall e sure to say three dull thins

as soon as eer * open y outh9 shant *N E =lookin round -ith the ost ood@

huoured dependen+e on eery odys assent> E o not you all think * shallN< ,a

+ould not resist/ ;Ah aa9 ut there ay e a di((i+ulty/ "ardon e E ut you -ill

e liited as to nuer E only three at on+e/< Miss 7ates9 de+eied y the o+k

+ereony o( her anner9 did not iediately +at+h her eaninD ut9 -hen it urst on

her9 it +ould not aner9 thouh a sliht lush sho-ed that it +ould pain her/ ;Ah E -ell

E to e sure/ es9 * see -hat she eans9 =turnin to Mr &nihtley9> and * -ill try to

hold y tonue/ * ust ake ysel( ery disareeale9 or she -ould not hae said

su+h a thin to an old (riend/< =2))>

,a insults Miss 7ates9 -hi+h is not her usual ehaiour9 as she is enerally a polite irl/

This insult is the start o( other istaken a+tions and interpretations9 (or e8aple aout

possile arriaes/ #rank (lirts -ith ,a and she oes alon in this ae o( his9 -hi+h

hurts Jane #air(a89 #ranks se+ret (ian+Qe -ho no@one kno-s aout/ At the sae tie9 Mr

&nihtley also appears to e a little :ealous o( #ranks (lirtations -ith ,a/ At the top o(

7o8 Hill9 iles a-ay (ro Hihury9 all kinds o( ioral ehaiour sees to take pla+e/ *t is

the outsider9 the an (ro the +ity9 #rank Chur+hill9 -ho sees to e the leadin +hara+ter

here9 the one -ith the po-er9 as Susan Boers -rites! ;He hisel( presides oer the ae at

7o8 Hill/ ,a is erely the o:e+t o( the ae/ She is set in a pla+e -here she is adired

'.


49/62


50/62

hersel( and -here the straner (ro the +ity9 #rank Chur+hill9 sees to in(luen+e eeryone/

"enny 4ay -rites!

The ehaiour o( #rank Chur+hill and ,a durin this pi+ni+ sho-s that oth are

;out o( ounds< =,a has neer een to 7o8 Hill9 thouh it is only seen iles (ro

Hihury>/ This lands+ape9 ein neither produ+tie nor in any -ay related to its

isitors9 is a no@ans@land9 spiritually and literallyD and ,a in insultin poor Miss

7ates reaks the asi+ rule o( the +ounity -hi+h norally +onstrains her

ehaiour/ =60>

The open lands+ape and the ie-s (ro the top o( the hill suest ne- and -ide possiilities9

ut the -ron +hoi+es are ade y ,a/ She pi+ks the -ron (riends9 #rank Chur+hill and

Harriet9 and the -ron eneies9 in this +ase Miss 7ates and Mr &nihtley9 -ho is

disappointed in ,as rude ehaiour and +on(ronts her -ith it/

The lands+ape in this s+ene is used y Austen in a syoli+ -ay9 e+ause it (its

,as eotions and oral deelopent at this point in the story/ At the top o( 7o8 Hill9 a

di((erent side o( ,as +hara+ter +oes to the sur(a+e and (or on+e9 nothin oes the -ay

she -ants it9 -hi+h she is not used to! Mrs ,lton and #rank Chur+hill are the ones in the

spotliht9 Harriet and #rank9 -ho are supposedly her (riends9 let her do-n9 she is rude to Miss

7ates9 -hi+h is unlike her true sel(9 and Mr &nihtley is heaily disappointed in her/ There is

no pla+e to hide -hen she is on the hill9 -hi+h +auses ,a to ake the -ron de+isions and

e +on(ronted -ith her o-n ad ehaiour/ This s+ene +an aye een e linked to the old

4reek ter ;huris


51/62

hal( -ay do-n the hill9 and eerythin le(t (ar ehind< =303>/ *t is also -ith unusual speed that

,a anaed to ruin her reputation -ith her inappropriate ehaiour9 and the -ay it all -as

e(ore the trip to 7o8 Hill is le(t (ar ehind as she dries a-ay/ At the sae tie9 ,a also

leaes a +ertain part o( her personality ehind/ A(ter this s+ene9 she realises #rank Chur+hill is

not as reat as she thinks he is and she slo-ly starts to realise -ho the de+ent people are and

ho- they desere to e treated/ ,as departure (ro 7o8 Hill has t-o eanins9 as Ada

"otkay -rites! ;,a takes a +arriae ride hoe that reoes her9 literally and alleori+ally9

(ro the noels +entral s+ene o( theatri+al display/ ,a leaes 7o8 Hill and all that it

represents< =par/ 1>/

Pride and Prejudice'Emma

*n othPride and PrejudiceandEmma9 Austen not only uses the des+riptions o( lands+apes

to tell soethin aout the personality o( the o-ner o( an estate9 ut also aout the storylines

o( the heroines theseles and -hat is in store (or the/ ,liaeth 7ennets loe li(e is

des+ried syoli+ally y Austen -hen ,liaeth and her aunt and un+le isit Mr ar+ys

"eerley estate/ ,a Woodhouses (uture is also already hinted at y Austen -hen

des+riin the ie-s (ro Mr &nihtleys on-ell Aey estate/

*nPride and Prejudice9 Austen +ontinues her syoli+ des+ription o( "eerley -hen

,liaeth and her aunt and un+le de+ide to take a -alk throuh the rounds9 -here they up

into Mr ar+y hisel(/ ,liaeth does not kno- ho- to ehae around hi and (eels

ashaed o( ho- she has treated hi in the past/ The (aily +ontinues their -alk -hile ar+y

oes the other -ay and at one point ,liaeth (inds hersel( near a sall strea!

They +rossed it y a siple ride9 in +hara+ter -ith the eneral air o( the s+eneD it

-as a spot less adorned than any they had yet isitedD and the alley9 here +ontra+ted

into a len9 allo-ed roo only (or the strea9 and a narro- -alk aidst the rouh

51


52/62


53/62


54/62


55/62

This diision et-een +ountryside and +ity is also +learly present in Austens other

noels/ *n Sense and Sensibility9 Marianne and ,linor ash-ood are oth at their happiest

-hen they are in the +ountry/ *t is in the +ity that Marianne (inds out the truth ehind Mr/

Willouhy and that she e+oes ill and also the pla+e -here ,linor thinks ,d-ard #errars is

oin to arry Lu+y Steele/ *nPersuasion9 Anne ,lliot (eels unhappy -hen she is in 7ath

-ith her (aily and only lons to o a+k to the +ountry and the sea/ *n-orthaner *bbey9

Catherine loes the +ity9 ut she is a youn and naPe irl -ho still has a lot to learn/ She

akes any istakes -hile she is in the +ity and learns the ost lessons -hen she is in the

+ountryside/ *t is in the +ity -here she akes the -ron (riends9 naely the Thorpes9 and

-here she e+oes (as+inated y 4othi+ stories9 -hi+h ake her (antasy run -ild/ *n the

+ountryside9 she slo-ly learns to see the iportant di((eren+e et-een (antasy and reality and

it is also the pla+e -here she eentually ets toether -ith the an she loes9 Henry Tilney/

These e8aples all sho- that Austen also used the di((eren+e et-een the +ountryside and the

+ity and the arious a+tions and eents in these pla+es in a syoli+ -ay9 siilarly to ho- she

used other lands+apes in/ansfield Par0andEmmain the sae anner/

55


56/62

Conclusion

The di((erent lands+ape s+enes in Jane Austens noels ea+h tell their o-n story/ ,liaeth

7ennet -alkin throuh the "eerley rounds9 the siilarities et-een #anny "ri+es

personality and Mans(ield "ark9 Marianne ash-oods roanti+ thouhts on natureD in all her

noels Austen sho-s her o-n loe (or nature y iin lands+ape and ar+hite+ture a

sini(i+ant role/

*n her noelsPride and Prejudice9Emmaand-orthaner *bbey9 Austen uses the

des+riptions o( estates like "eerley9 on-ell Aey and orthaner Aey to ie the

reader a hint o( -hat the +hara+ter o( the estates o-ner is really like9 positie or neatie/ *n

Pride and Prejudice9 Austens des+ription o( Mr ar+ys estate "eerley sho-s the

+hara+ter o( its o-ner9 -hi+h helps ,liaeth to look at ar+y (ro a di((erent point o( ie-/

She realises -hat his true +hara+ter is like9 -hi+h akes her (all in loe -ith hi/ *n ,a9

the des+riptions ien o( on-ell Aey and its surroundin rounds also tell u+h aout Mr

&nihtley9 the o-ner o( the estate/ *n her noel-orthaner *bbey, Austen uses the

des+riptions o( the estate orthaner Aey to tell ore aout its o-ners +hara+ter/

Ho-eer9 this tie it all -orks neatiely9 as the des+ription o( the lands+ape and ar+hite+ture

+an e +onsidered a -arnin o( the true +hara+ter o( 4eneral Tilney/ These eanin(ul

des+riptions help the heroine realise -hat her true (eelins are or are used y Austen as a

-arnin9 in the +ase o( Catherine Morland/

Austens heroines also all see to hae a spe+ial relationship -ith the di((erent

lands+apes they (ind theseles in/ There is a +lear link et-een #anny "ri+es aturation

and the estate o( Mans(ield "ark9 and Anne ,lliots personality +hanes toether -ith the

di((erent seasons/ *n these e8aples9 Austen e8pli+itly uses the lands+ape to sho- the

deelopent o( the heroine in that parti+ular noel/

56


57/62

Lastly9 Austen also o++asionally uses lands+ape des+riptions in a syoli+ -ay9 to

ie oth a literal and a (iuratie eanin to parti+ular s+enes/ When lookin at the

Sotherton s+ene in/ansfield Par09 the reader noti+es that the a++ount o( the estate and its

surroundin rounds tells een ore aout the di((erent +hara+ters and their paths in li(e than

aout the lands+ape itsel(/ The sae oes (or the 7o8 Hill s+ene in Emma9 -hi+h arks a

sini(i+ant point in the aturation o( ,as +hara+ter/ *nPride and PrejudiceandEmma9

Austen also adds seeral syoli+ lands+ape des+riptions to ie the reader a hint o( -hat the

heroines (uture looks like/ #inally9 there is also an oious use o( syolis -hen lookin at

the di((erent eents and (eelins in the +ountryside and the +ity/ When lookin at the di((erent

s+enes in her noels9 the reader +an noti+e that Austen pre(erred the +ountryside oer the +ity9

-hi+h is -hy ost un(ortunate eents see to happen in the +ity instead o( the +ountryside9

-here all the proles are soled and the heroines lie happily eer a(ter/

%er the years9 arious +riti+s hae dis+ussed Austens use o( lands+ape in their -ork/

While Alistair u+k-orth (o+used on the iproeent o( estates in Austens noels9 7arara

7ritton Wenner dis+ussed the iportan+e o( prospe+t and re(ue (or Austens heroines in the

arious lands+apes9 and Bosearie 7odenheier and Mais 7atey oth dis+uss the Austen

lands+apes (ro yet another di((erent approa+h/ *n +ontrast to9 ut also -ith the help o(9 these

+riti+s * hae set out to +oine Austens arious uses o( lands+ape des+riptions in one -ork

and look at these roups separately ut also in relation to one another/ #irst o( all9 * dis+ussed

the stati+ des+riptions o( estates as an ele (or the oral ?ualities o( the di((erent ale and

(eale o-ners/ This -as (ollo-ed y the role o( lands+ape in the eotional deelopent o(

the arious Austen heroines9 and9 last ut not least9 the dynai+ role o( syoli+ des+riptions

o( lands+ape and ar+hite+ture in the plot o( arious stories/ These di((erent uses o( lands+ape

are e8treely interestin to look at in +loser detail and sho- Austens (as+inatin -ay o(

5


58/62

usin des+riptions o( oth lands+ape and ar+hite+ture to tell ore than :ust -hat the s+enery

looked like/

Thouh this inestiation is (o+used on three spe+i(i+ +ateories9 u+h ore +an e

said aout Austens use o( lands+ape/ #or e8aple9 -hen takin a +loser look at Marianne

ash-oods Boanti+ ideas on nature in Sense and Sensibilityor #rederi+k Went-orths

dis+ussion -ith Louisa Musroe on a hael nut inPersuasion9 the reader +an see that there

are een ore sini(i+ant s+enes in -hi+h nature plays an iportant role -hi+h hae not een

dis+ussed in this paper/ e8t to this9 there are also the any di((erent (il and teleision

adaptations o( Austens noels -hi+h are -orth resear+hin9 in -hi+h ea+h dire+tor has his or

her o-n ideas on ho- to portray the typi+al ,nlish Austen lands+apes/ Clearly9 een (urther

resear+h +ould e done y e8ainin other lands+ape and nature s+enes in Austens noels in

order to (ind out een ore aout her o-n ideas on nature and ar+hite+ture9 and the role o(

lands+apes in her noels/

%erall9 it has e+oe +lear that Austen portrayed her o-n loe (or nature and

ar+hite+ture in her -ritin/ ot only y des+riin eauti(ul ,nlish +ountryside ie-s9 ut y

usin the lands+ape in any di((erent -ays to ie een ore in(oration on her +hara+ters

and storylines/

5.


59/62


60/62

Crisa(ulli9 Lilla Maria/ #ore-ord/Re7dra5in *usten) Picturesue 'ravels in *ustenland/ ,d/

7eatri+a 7attalia and ieo Salia/ aples! Liuori ,ditore Srl9 200'/ 8iii@8/

2oole !oo0s/ 15 May 200) http!UUooks/oole/nlUooksNidV'.BA%d#*Y&+CX

u+k-orth9 Alistair M/ ;Lands+ape/


61/62

"otkay9 Ada/ ;Leain 7o8 Hill! ,a and Theatri+ality/< *nRe7readin !o: 4ill)

Readin the Practice of Readin Everyday Life/ ,d/ Willia 4alperin/ #eruary 2000/

Boanti+ Cir+les "ra8is Series/ 16 June 200)

http!UU---/r+/ud/eduUpra8isUo8hillUpotkayUpotkay/htlX

Boers9 Susan/ ;,a at 7o8 Hill! A Fery Ouestionale ay o( "leasure/


62/62

62

Documents

The Use of Landscape in Jane Austen’s Novels