Jane Austen and George Eliot
Two of my five favorite novelists of all time
Two British authors of the 19th Century remain two of my five favorite novelists of all time. George Eliot – real name Mary Anne Evans – lived from 1819 to 1880. Jane Austen lived from 1775 to 1817.
GEORGE ELIOT
Eliot wrote five of my favorite novels. Like millions of other readers, I value Middlemarch (1861-2) as one of the best literary works in human history. I also highly value The Mill on the Floss (1860), Silas Marner (1861), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), and Daniel Deronda (1876).
The depth and the breadth! Human nature with all of its narrow-mindedness, insipidness, deceitfulness, ambition, greed, corruption, selfishness, and cruelty as well as all of its ideals, decency, loyalty, fortitude, maturity, goodness, and redemptive love.
We could hardly ask for more from a writer. Eliot’s intelligence and insights can be found on every page. She was both brilliant and wise. She was a keen, perceptive, astute observer of people, relationships, and society. And she had a sense of humor.
What other novelist has ever offered us so many characters who are morally and ethically interesting? Her characters are complex, dimensional, and subtly and intricately developed, and she takes us into their minds and their beings. As they face profound moral choices, sometimes their souls become more restricted and sometimes they develop, they grow, and their souls become fuller.
Eliot presents us with empowered female characters, culminating with Gwendolen Harleth in Deronda. In a time when men rarely respected women, she portrays bright women who find their own voice.
JANE AUSTEN
Austen wrote six of my favorite novels and two great unfinished novels. I join in the consensus that Pride and Prejudice (1813) is her best novel, and I deeply appreciate her other five: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1815) as well as the posthumously published Northanger Abbey (1818) and Persuasion (1818). Her unfinished novels The Watsons (1804) and Sanditon (1817) have both yielded hotly-debated “continuations” by other writers.
Many of the male characters are worthy of our attention, but what extraordinary female characters! She was writing at a time when women had no outlet but dances, social functions, courtship, and marriage for their lively and active minds.
And yet, at that moment in history, Austen presented to the world one empowered woman character after another: Anne Elliott, both intelligent and accomplished, and learning by what she lost out on to trust her own judgment. Catherine Morland, maturing beyond her naïve trust that everyone is as well-intentioned as she is. Fanny Price, maturing (though no one appreciates her) into a practical, observant, clever, and strong-minded young woman. Emma Woodhouse, poor in judgment and lacking in self-awareness yet so exuberant, impetuous, vital, and bright. Elinor Dashwood and her sister Marianne – one with level-headed “sense” and one with emotional “sensibility”. And the most endearing and admirable Austen character of all, the quick-to-judge but smart, vivacious, playful, and quick-witted Elizabeth Bennet.
Jane Austen shows us so much that really matters.
In the personal dimension of our lives, Austen shows us how self-examination and self-knowledge move us along on the rocky, mistake-marred path to a life of prudence, moderation, fortitude, dignity, and grace. She shows us how to move from unawareness to self-awareness and social awareness, from poor judgment to keen judgment, from immaturity to maturity.
In the social dimension of our lives, Austen shows us how to live with respect, esteem, tactful manners, agreeable conversation, friendly relations with neighbors, and looking out for the well-being of other people. In our good conduct in social situations – around the dinner table, while at a dance, during a visit to a neighbor’s home -- we prove the qualities of our character.
And Austen is best known for showing us the keys to good intimate partnerships. Getting to know each other’s minds and hearts. Rooting ourselves in mutual respect. Earning each other’s esteem. Seeing each other’s worthiness. And pushing each other to become better people.
Love your choice of authors. It shows your depth and breath of your knowledge of master works of literature. I am so jealous! Francisco.
I too love these two authors. I recently reread Northanger Abbey and I go beck to Emma often. I go back to Austen like so many others do. I gave her entire collection to my granddaughter and she's now reading all of them and adores her and reads her deeply --and in the latter book, published posthumously my granddaughter and I discussed her sophisticate satire of the gothic novel. She's just 13. Wonderful to discover these authors early, introduce them to others and then revisit.