Jane Austen is very resistant to being classified as part of a literary
"school", or being placed in any customarily-defined literary period --
partly because none of the obvious available terms, "18th-century, "Romantic",
or "Victorian", would appropriately describe her. Almost all of the major
figures who were literarily active in the period 1800-1837, and who are
currently deemed worthy of remembering (i.e. are "canonized"), fall into
one of a few categories -- either they launched their literary careers
before 1800 (Burney, Edgeworth); or they were part of the Romantic movement
(or were more or less strongly influenced by romanticism, or wrote in self-conscious
reaction to romanticism); or they did most of their writing and publishing
after 1837 (e.g. Dickens). Jane Austen is the conspicuous exception who
does not fit into any of these categories.
The following list defines many of the chronological or quasi-chronological
terms relevant to Jane Austen's era:
"Eighteenth century"
This obviously covers the years 1700-1799 (or the years 1701-1800, according
to some pedantic definitions).
On the one hand, Jane Austen was born in 1775; she does have similarities
to some authors that are classified as "18th century"; starting in the
mid-to-late 1780's she wrote short humorous pieces for her family, and
early versions of three of her later novels; and one of her novels (Northanger
Abbey) is set in 1798-1799. But she didn't sell a novel until 1803, her
first actual publication was in 1811, and all of the novels whose first
drafts had been written before 1800 were revised by her after 1809 before
they were published -- so that her most important period of literary activity
was 1810-1817, for which "18th century" doesn't seem to be a very accurate
description (unless perhaps a loose "extended 18th century" is defined).
"Romantic"
The term "Romantic" can be used in a general chronological sense (covering the late 18th century and the first half of the nineteenth century, the main heyday of romanticism); but it can only be used to describe individual artists if they were influenced significantly by romanticism -- which Jane Austen was not.
"Victorian"
Victoria acceded to the throne in 1837, was crowned 1838, and died in
1901. (Jane Austen died more than a year before Victoria was even born.)
Victoria's reign lasted so long that it comprised several periods.More
than anything else what makes Victorians Victorian is their sense of social
responsibility, a basic attitude that obviously differentiates them from
their immediate predecessors, the Romantics.(1)
Regency"
The Regency is the period 1811-1820 when King George III was declared
incapacitated (due to insanity), and the Prince of Wales (later George
IV) acted as Regent. However, the term is often loosely used to cover the
Directoire and Empire periods as well (one reason to do this is that these
periods seem to group together as a unit socially -- for example the period
of about 1795-1820 is when women's clothing styles were somewhat classically-influenced
and relatively less cumbersome in basic outline)
Some historians of architecture and antique furniture dealers also
seem to use "Regency" as a loose term for everything between 18th-century
and Victorian.
While "Regency" is the word which best describes Jane Austen's writing
career in purely chronological terms, this word has not traditionally been
used to label a literary era (there is no conventionally-recognized "Regency"
school of writers).
"Directoire"
The period from 1795-1799, especially in France (which was then ruled by a directorate of five, later three, men).
"Empire"
The period of Napoleon's declared Empire, from 1804 to 1814/1815 (or
starting from 1800, if one includes his "Consulate").
"Federal"
Insofar as this has an exact meaning, it would refer to the period
from 1788/1789 to 1801 -- between the establishment of the U.S. Constitution
and Thomas Jefferson's coming into the office of President as a "Republican"
(having triumphed over the "Federalist" John Adams) -- though dealers in
antique furniture apparently use this term in a somewhat different sense.
"Georgian"
Monarchs named George reigned in Great Britain from 1712 to 1830, but
"Georgian" seems mostly to be used to refer to a style of eighteenth century
architecture, or as a vague synonym for "Eighteenth Century" with special
reference to Britain.
"Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars"
France was involved in wars with other European powers (always including
Great Britain) from 1792-1802, from 1803-1814, and during the "hundred
days" in 1815. The wars of the French Revolution may be considered to last
until perhaps about 1795, after which Napoleon began to take an increasingly
prominent part in France's military affairs.
"Congress"
Congress (of Verona, 1822); the idea was that periodic diplomatic The
period from the Congress of Vienna (begun 1814) to the last conferences
would be held, at which European affairs would be settled -- particularly
by the five big European powers (Great Britain, France, Austria, Russia,
and Prussia).
(Note that the terms "Regency", "Georgian", and "Victorian" come from
British political history, "Directoire" and "Empire" from France, and "Federal"
from the U.S. -- which can affect how these terms are used.)
http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/japeriod.html
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© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
Universitat de València Press
Creada: 22/02/2000 Última Actualización:
11/03/2000