Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction This page intentionally left blank This page intentionally left blank Cassandra Austen's Portrait of her sister Jane Casandra Austen's portrait as re-drawn by Mr Andrews in 1869 for the frontispiece to the Memoir of Jane Austen by James Edward Austen~Ldgh, first published in 1870 Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction Margaret Kirkham THE ATHLONE PRESS London & Atlantic Highlands, NJ This edition first published 1997 by THE ATHLONE PRESS i Park Drive, London NWII 7SG and 165 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 © Margaret Kirkham, 1997 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0485 12129 8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kirkham, Margaret. Jane Austen, feminism and fiction / Margaret Kirkham. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-485-12129-8 (pbk.) i. Austen, Jane. 1775-1817 - Political and social views. 2. Feminism and literature — England — History — I9th century. 3. Women and literature - England - History - I9th century. I. Title. PR4038.F44K57 1997 823'.7- dc2i 97-1024 CIP All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Printed and bound in Great Britain by Short Run Press Ltd, Exeter To Robert This page intentionally left blank Contents Preface page ix Acknowledgements xix Introduction xxi Part One: Feminism and Fiction: 1694-1798 1. Introduction 3 2. Mary Astell to Catherine Macaulay: Women, Morals and Education 6 3. 'A New Species of Writing' 13 4. Sir Charles Grandison 27 5. Women as Authors: 1788-98 33 6. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 39 7. The 'Great Wollstonecraft Scandal' of 1798 48 Part Two: The Publication and Reception of Jane Austen's Novels, 1797-1818 8. The Feminist Controversy and the Received Biography 53 9. Residence in Bath 61 10. The Curious History of Mrs Ashton Dennis (M.A.D.) 66 11. Scott's Review of Emma 74 Part Three: Allusion, Irony and Feminism in the Austen Novels 12. Comedy and the Austen Heroines: The Early Novels 81 13. Sense and Sensibility 86 14. Northhanger A bbey 88 15. Pride and Prejudice 91 16. Kotzebue and Theatrical Allusion in Mansfield Park and Emma 93