I really REALLY liked this book. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that being more of an academic book, the text didn't flow that well, and it was easy to let your mind wander... I loved reading about the more political side of Jane Austen as people tend to concentrate on the romances and in my opinion they miss a lot. Although, I have obviously missed a lot as well, as I noticed (I might need a brush-up with my regency history of England...). I didn't agree with everything, but all in all, I thought this was a very insightful and thought-provoking read. ( )

I generally avoid literary criticism, preferring to enhance my understanding of an author through history and biography, but I recently picked up three books on Jane Austen that have made me rethink my position.

This is a very readable look at Jane Austen as a female author during a time when the proper behavior of woman was a hotly debated issue. In this volume, Johnson considers the literary context in which Austen was writing, and then relates each of her novels to it. This book was nicely complemented by Margaret Kirkham's Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction, which I read about the same time. The latter approaches the period from a slightly more historical, rather than literary perspective. The two are not repetitive, but rather mutually enriching. Johnson struck me as a little more politically doctrinaire, which is a minus for me, but a plus for some. A second book that may be of interest is Alison G. Sulloway's Jane Austen & the Province of Womanhood. Sulloway is discussing the same general topic, but she chiefly focuses on writings about proper female conduct, rather than literature.

I suppose that we chose our own Jane Austen, and I prefer the clear-eyed social critics whose lack of delusions have frightened some of her readers. This being the case, I particularly enjoyed Johnson's reading of Sense and Sensibility. Many critics, such as Claire Tomalin, have complained because Austen describes Marianne as getting over Willoughby and going forward to thrive as Mrs. Brandon. Johnson notes that if Marianne had in fact died of her illness, or if the younger Eliza has conveniently died, it would have been a standard, patriarchal sentimental solution to the "problem" of women disappointed in love, permitting the eternal preservation of loyalty to a man who has meanwhile gone his merry way. One wonders what bit of sickly sentimentality the critics of Austen's ending would like: Marianne renounces love and devotes herself to good works? Mrs. Willoughby conveniently dies? Or, pulling out all the stops: Eliza dies giving birth to a second, stillborn child fathered by another man (thus vindicating Willoughby's assertion that she wasn't really innocent, so his abandonment of her is less serious); Marianne successfully begs Colonel Brandon to let her rear her beloved Willoughy's child (a girl, naturally); Mrs Willoughby elopes with a lover (thus making Willoughby an injured party and allowing him to keep her dowry); after the divorce, Marianne and Willoughby marry, he is redeemed by her love, and she bears his heir. Faugh - I congratulate Johnson for cutting through such nonsense.

I am somewhat less convinced by Johnson's analysis of Austen's portrayal of Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey, but she builds a good enough case that I will have to reread the novel. I think she goes a bit off track in Mansfield Park. I think that Mrs. Norris was more incitor than adjutant to Sir Thomas' less admirable notions, although she certainly was both. I can see why Johnson finds the relationship of Fanny and Edmund disturbingly incestuous, but this is reading 20th century attitudes back into earlier times. I don't think Jane Austen thought this, and since the book purports to be analysing what she intended to say, this should be roped off a bit more.

The notes are nicely done, with running titles of the pages on which the citations appear, so it is easy to match up cite with note. The notes contain additional factual information, so the reader may find that it pays to check on them while reading. There is an index, but no bibligraphy. While the notes serve the latter function, it would have been nice to have a list of contemporary writing that were discussed.

David Monaghan's Jane Austen : Structure and Social Vision deals with different aspects of the author's commentary and I found it to be a worthwhile complement to this work. ( )