Music as a female social accomplishment in three Jane Austen novels Alda Beatrix Claassen

179 Pages·2013·5.66 MB·English

Music as a female social accomplishment in
three Jane Austen novels

Alda Beatrix Claassen

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Music as a female social accomplishment in
three Jane Austen novels

Alda Beatrix Claassen

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

Magister Musicae (Musicology)

Department of Music
Faculty of Humanities
University of Pretoria

Supervisor: Prof. H.H. van der Mescht

August 2013
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Abstract

Title: Music as a female social accomplishment in three Jane Austen novels.
Student: Alda Beatrix Claassen
Supervisor: Prof. H.H. van der Mescht
Department of Music
Faculty of Humanities
University of Pretoria
Degree: Magister Musicae (Musicology)

This research tries to establish whether knowledge of music and its related areas – specifically
playing an instrument, singing and dancing – had an influence on the social status of a young
lady in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in England. Three of Jane Austen’s novels (Sense
and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Emma) are analysed and the main female characters
in each are scrutinised with regard to their differing levels of musical accomplishment. Their
individual positions on the social ladder at the end of each novel are evaluated and their
change in situation is discussed.

The notion that young ladies had to be accomplished in certain specified areas in order to be
socially acceptable was an established convention during Jane Austen’s lifetime. So-called
“conduct books” and the general expectations of society required that all young ladies who
were of a marriageable age and whose fathers could afford to have them “educated” had to be
trained in music, singing, drawing, dancing and the modern languages. These patrilineal and
superficial demands made on young ladies apparently irked Austen to the point of ignoring
them completely when she created the main female characters for her novels: none of them
conformed to the prevailing social norm. Nevertheless, each of the novels ends with the main
ladies having made a conquest of a gentleman who is in a socially superior position to
themselves. These matches are however love and admiration driven and the lady’s
accomplishment (or lack thereof) had no influence on the inevitable result.

Austen’s novels have been the inspiration for numerous adaptations, and two visual
adaptations of each of the chosen three novels are studied. Each of the films or BBC TV
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series emphasises specific aspects of the novels and accentuates the social sphere that the
characters live in. Although there are differences between the different versions (novel, film
and BBC TV series), the core of each story stays the same and the results are inevitable.

Austen’s supposed feministic views are pointed out in this study. Conflict of opinion exists
about whether Austen’s novels are examples of the patriarchal values prevalent at the time or
whether they in fact question and contradict such old-fashioned ideologies. Her connection to
Mary Wollstonecraft is explored and key concerns emerging from their individual works
come to the fore. Ascarelli summarises the converging viewpoints of Austen and
Wollstonecraft and remarks that (2004) “women are rational creatures, and […], in order for
women to fulfil their potential as human beings, they must learn how to think for themselves”.
The latter two concepts and their implications are highlighted in the three Austen novels
chosen for the study.

There is general consensus that Jane Austen is one of the most famous authors in history and
her six novels are her legacy. Although each of the novels is placed in a restricted milieu, the
morals and values that are raised in each still resonate worldwide in our day and age.

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Key words

Jane Austen
England
Long 18th century in England (1688–1832)
Social accomplishments
Class
Society
Feminism
Gender

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“What is all this about Jane Austen?
What is there in her?
What is it all about?”

Joseph Conrad to H.G. Wells, 1901
(Harman 2009: 1)

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Contents

Abstract ii
Keywords iv

1. Introduction 1-1
1.1 Background to the study 1-1
1.2 Personal motivation 1-2
1.3 Research questions 1-3
1.4 Aims, rationale and value of the study 1-3
1.4.1 Aims 1-3
1.4.2 Rationale 1-4
1.4.3 Value of the study 1-4
1.5 Methodology 1-5
1.6 Literature overview 1-6
1.7 Delimitations of the study 1-8
1.8 Short definition of terms 1-9
1.9 Chapter contents 1-10

1.10 Notes to the reader 1-11

2. Jane Austen’s life and social circumstances 2-1
2.1 Jane Austen 2-1
2.2 England – an historical overview 2-4
2.2.1 The long 18th century in England 2-4
2.2.1.1 Kings and Queen during the
“Glorious Revolution” (1688–1832) 2-4
2.2.1.2 Passing of the Reform Bills 2-6
2.2.2 Jane Austen’s Kings 2-7
2.3 Social circumstances 2-8

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3. Music in Jane Austen’s life and society 3-1
3.1 Music and Jane Austen 3-1
3.2 Music and society 3-6
3.3 Music as a gendered discourse 3-7

4. Jane Austen and the novel 4-1
4.1 The English novel 4-1
4.2 Austen’s writings 4-3

5. Music and musical knowledge as portrayed in Sense and Sensibility
and in the visual representations of this novel 5-1
5.1 Plot summary of the novel 5-1
5.2 Discussion of the narrative 5-3
5.3 Discussion of the novel 5-8
5.4 Discussion of the visual adaptations 5-18
5.5 The influence of accomplishment on social standing
and on the outcome of the novel 5-24

6. Music and musical knowledge as portrayed in Pride and Prejudice
and in the visual representations of this novel 6-1
6.1 Plot summary of the novel 6-1
6.2 Discussion of the narrative 6-4
6.3 Discussion of the novel 6-7
6.4 Discussion of the visual adaptations 6-22
6.5 The influence of accomplishment on social standing
and on the outcome of the novel 6-32

7. Music and musical knowledge as portrayed in Emma
and in the visual representations of this novel 7-1
7.1 Plot summary of the novel 7-1
7.2 Discussion of the narrative 7-4
7.3 Discussion of the novel 7-10
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7.4 Discussion of the visual adaptations 7-25
7.5 The influence of accomplishment on social standing
and on the outcome of the novel 7-33

8. Feminism in Jane Austen’s world and novels 8-1

9. Conclusions and recommendations 9-1
9.1 Introduction 9-1
9.2 Answering the research sub-questions 9-1
9.2.1 What were the main characteristics of Jane Austen’s life and
society? 9-2
9.2.2 What was the role of music in Jane Austen’s and English social
life? 9-2
9.2.3 How do Jane Austen’s novels fit into the history and development
of the English novel? 9-3
9.2.4 How is musical knowledge portrayed in Sense and Sensibility,
Pride and Prejudice and Emma (novels and visual representations)? 9-3
9.2.5 How is th e concept of feminism portrayed in Jane Austen’s life
and novel s? 9-5
9.3 Answering the main research question: To what extent did a young
lady’s musical accomplishment influence her social standing in the early
19th century, and how is it portrayed in Jane Austen’s Sense and
Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Emma? 9-5
9.4 Recommendations for further study 9-9
9.4.1 Music as a social accomplishment in Mansfield Park,
Northanger Abbey and Persuasion 9-9
9.4.2 The level of musical knowledge of the main characters in
Jane Austen’s novels 9-9
9.4.3 Music as a feministic tool in Jane Austen’s novels 9-9
9.4.4 Music in Jane Austen’s novels as a shared judgement foundation
for different times 9-10
9.5 Final word 9-10
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Sources S-1
Dictionaries S-6
Discography S-7

Appendices
Appendix A: References to music in the film Sense and Sensibility A-1
Appendix B: References to music in the BBC TV series Sense and Sensibility B-1
Appendix C: References to music in the BBC TV series Pride and Prejudice C-1
Appendix D: References to music in the film Pride and Prejudice D-1
Appendix E : References to music in the film Emma E-1
Appendix F : References to music in the BBC TV series Emma F-1

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