Pride, prejudice and persuasion: Jane Austen re-visited

The many film and TV adaptations of Austen’s novels in recent years show that these works have a universal and lasting appeal. We take a fresh look at Austen’s most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice, and her last completed work, Persuasion, in the context of her life and times, and consider which (sometimes surprising!) aspects of her personality emerge from her letters. 

“The passions are perfectly unknown to her... What sees keenly, speaks aptly, moves flexibly, it suits her to study: but what throbs fast and full, though hidden, what the blood rushes through, what is the unseen seat of life and the sentient target of death that Miss Austen ignores.”

Thus Charlotte Brontë on the writing of one of our most popular 19th-century authors. Is this true? Is it just? After all, Austen’s novels seem to have a universal appeal, inspiring numerous popular film and TV adaptations especially in recent years. But there is a great deal more to her writing than romance plots with lively characters and witty dialogue. She was concerned with women’s education and their limited options in a patriarchal society, and analysed the relationships between generations and between marriage partners. She was aware that money and social status were determining factors in most people’s lives and that this could lead to a conflict between duty and inclination when choosing a partner in marriage. She accepted that social conventions mattered, but in each of her novels demonstrated that there may be a great disparity between manners and morals.

This course takes a fresh look at her novels in the context of her time and her social and literary background, exploring the way she was influenced by, and moved beyond it. Taking into account her own life and opinions as documented in letters we shall analyse the themes mentioned above, and address the question raised by Charlotte Brontë whether Austen was able to depict passion!

To this end, we will examine a selection of primary sources, especially Cromwell's own letters and speeches.

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• Develop students’ confidence in their own critical ability through taking part in discussions of texts they have read and reflected on independently
• Express responses to these texts, making use of other readers’ interpretations where appropriate
• Discuss issues of education and marriage in at least one of Austen’s novels

Classes

1. Introduction: “By a Lady”  

2. Pride and Prejudice  

3. Pride and Prejudice  

4. Persuasion  

5. Persuasion 

Required reading

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice many annotated editions 
Jane Austen, Persuasion many annotated editions

Typical week: Monday to Friday

For each week of study you select a morning (Am) and an afternoon (Pm) course, each course has five sessions, one each day Monday to Friday. The maximum class size is 25 students. Your weekly courses are complemented by a series of two daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £65 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically within a week of your courses finishing.