Jane Austen

As a preface, to give credit where credit is due, this is not an original idea- just something I thought I'd try to get other people in on. As nerdy as it might be I am a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America (Baltimore District) and last summer, or fall, I went to one of the society's luncheons. There was a guest speaker who discussed, and asked the attendees for examples of, a topic similar to this.

1) Emma: When Mr. Knightley proposes to Emma, Emma voices her concerns about leaving her father alone when she gets married; Mr. Knightley offers to move into Heartfield. Obviously the norm for regency England was the woman moving in to the man's estate, but Mr. Knightley was willing to sacrifice living at his estate for the comfort of his wife and father-in-law.

2) Pride & Prejudice: Lizzy sacrifices the assured security and comfort of her mother and sisters that marrying Mr. Collins would bring. Since the estate of Longbourn is entailed to Mr. Collins upon Mr. Bennet's death the practical thing would be for one of the five Miss Bennets to marry Mr. Collins in order to keep the estate in the family and assure the other Bennet women (who may or may not marry) a place to live. The chore to marry Mr. Collins fell to Lizzy, since everyone thought an engagement between Jane and Mr. Bingley was eminent. Lizzy refused to marry without love!

Please feel free to discuss the two topic items I have mentioned or post your own examples of sacrifice for us to discuss. Thank you.

first of all, I think that nerd are people who don't appreciate J.A...so WE ARE NOT!!!!;-p
then, to be honest I have to say that Emma is my favourite J.A novel, but when she refuses to marry Mr Knightely for such a stupid reason, I was very disappointed!! I mean, a woman who sacrifices love for a boring, lonely life seemed to me unable to have real and deep feelings..
so, I was surprised when Knigthley's not disappointed himself!!!!


About P&P, Lizzy,as an indipendent and cleaver young girl, take proof of a modern way of life: according to those times, it was hard to find another girl of such courage..marriages was first of all a contract between families to encrease their property and status, and THEN-and eventually- a love affair..but she knows she doesn't love mr collins,and so it isn't hard for her to sacrfice her marriage..

I believe Rosa she was asking what our favorite sacrifices in the novels were.

But I thought that Emma was quite the loving daughter to give up her happiness for the sake of her father. She thought that if she married Mr. Knightley than her father would be on his way to an early grave. And like Mr. Knightly said, "I cannot secure your happiness at the risk of losing your father's." I thought it was really sweet of both of them.

For me though it was Anne in Persuasion, she first gave up the love of her life for the sake of the preservation of her family's reputation. And than she turned down quite the eligible match in Charles Musgrove. Even though later she sacrifices that same family's future comfort when she turns down yet another eligible match in the heir presumptive William Elliot.

Melonie, your second one totally reminds me of Mansfield Park when Fanny nearly marries Henry Crawford- it would have secured her place in society and wealth, but not in love or happiness, and that's a sacrifice of sorts also... one that Charlotte Lucas (P&P) decided to make.

Northanger Abby- Henry Tilney was willing to sacrifice his father's acceptance to marry Catherine.

Also in Persuasion, I feel like Anne Elliot often sacrificed her dignity to bow down to what everyone else wanted from her on a daily basis: her sisters, her father, Lady Russell...

Sacrifice is a huge theme in Jane Austen's novels. Each main heroine makes sacrifices in their own way. However, Emma is the least sacrificial. She is also the only only heroine with a fortune. She does not need to sacrifice money for love.

Anne is poor and must marry money as does Elizabeth, Elinor/Marianne, Catherine, and Fanny. What is interesting is that each of these women (except Elinor) marries for love and gets money too.

Jane Austen tells the same story through the eyes of 6 women. I wonder if she did not tell the stories of other women in lower classes because it would not be interesting or because she was not able to see through their eyes.