“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
What is one of the most well-known opening lines in British literature is also a good starting point to a discussion of Jane Austen’s work. It demonstrates her wit and sharp eye for social critique. Moreover, its iconic status provides a way into a discussion of her contemporary popularity and the cultural relevance of her novels in the twenty-first century. This seminar will take a look at Austen’s writing in its historical context, examining the continuities of Austen’s work with literary traditions of the eighteenth century as well as her literary innovations. We will discuss their elements of social critique and familiarize ourselves with core Jane Austen scholarship. Turning to twentieth- and twenty-first-century adaptations we will question what aspects of Austen’s novels are meaningful to contemporary audiences and how recent filmmakers and writers have adapted, engaged with or intervened into her work.
- Lehrende/r: Laura Schmitz-Justen