Jane Austen and Discourses of Feminism

by Devoney Looser (Editor)

In recent decades the vision of Austen as a subversive or rebellious author has appeared most forcefully in the varied scholarship of feminist literary critics. Some feminists have fashioned an Austen more closely linked to what Juliet Mitchell has called 'The Longest Revolution' (the women's movement) than to the French Revolution; others have vehemently disagreed. Jane Austen and Discourses of Feminism involves - among other things - a reassessment of these versions of Austen's relationship to feminisms. By foregrounding issues of artistic merit, genre, and history, many literary critics have effectively ignored issues of gender in their studies of Austen; feminist scholarship provided an important corrective. On the other hand, some feminist criticism, although it approached Austen's texts in innovative ways, gave short shrift to issues of history, literary genre, social context, or artistry. This volume aims implicitly and explicitly to recap second-wave feminist attention to Austen and to suggest new directions that criticism on Austen might take.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction

207 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1995

About the author

Hi! I'm Devoney Looser, Regents Professor at Arizona State U. I also go by Stone Cold Jane Austen, especially on roller skates. I'm really excited about my next book, Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane (St Martin's Press), coming out 2 September 2025. It's just in time for Austen's 250th birthday.

I've also written or edited eleven other books, including Sister Novelists and The Making of Jane Austen. Check out my lessons on Jane Austen on The Great Courses and Audible. Then sign up for my free author newsletter on history's strong women, from Jane Austen to roller derby. Thanks so much for connecting here.

P. S. I pronounce my name DEV-oh-knee LOH-zer. It wasn't a great name to have as a kid on a playground, but it definitely made me stronger!

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book called me from the shelves in the Uni library and I simply had to read it. Because I love Jane Austen and feminism, so both things together are perfect for me. Also, I was curious for what they would argue about her books being discourses of feminism, because I know that she is a very problematic author for modern feminists. I mean, all her characters end up in very conventional marriages.

Throughout this book, different scholars discuss all her books and how they are feminist discourse in her own particular way. My favorite one was one (I can’t remember the name of the essay and I’ve already returned the book) that discussed Austen’s Juvenilia, and in particular her English History. It’s a very fun read (really, if you’re an Austen fan and have ever read her Juvenilia go and get it), and I agree completely with the reading they do here. In writing her own version of history, she’s subverting the male narrative of History. And that’s awesome. All hail the amazing Jane Austen.

Some of the essays discuss why Austen’s heroines can be considered feminists, despite their leading very conventional lives. I liked the discussion about Fanny Price (and I think I should read Mansfield Park again), as the essay was about her changing Edmund. It was an interesting take on a character I usually find pretty boring. She was seen as an educator, in contrast with men who are usually the ones who teach women in 19th century literature. And they also show her evolution, contrasting Catherine from Northanger Abbey to Mansfield Park’s Fanny. I’d never thought about bringing them together, but the author of that particular essay makes a great point. There was also a very good essay regarding Emma and the idea of the “marriage plot”, but I’ve completely forgotten the name of the author.

This book is very clear as far as the themes discussed are concerned. And I didn’t find it excessively hard to understand (but that may be because I’ve been studying these things for four years now), and it is illuminating in many senses. The authors of the essays highlight the most subversive parts in Austen’s fiction, and argue their points really well. There are many examples for each one of them, so that’s perfect. I love when scholars give a lot of illustration in their papers. It’s fun because they also made me think differently about Austen’s books. I love them, but it’s hard for me to think of them as subversive. And, according to these people, they are very subversive indeed.

Jane Austen is my favorite writer ever and I enjoy reading different perspectives on her work. If you’re a devout Janeite and don’t mind reading Literary Theory (which could be the case, there are lots of people who prefer reading fiction), maybe you should give it a go. The comments and issues that the authors raise are very interesting, and I think the book itself is clear enough for anyone to understand the points they are making.