Jane Austen in the Context of Abolition: 'a fling at the slave trade'

by G. White

Overview

This wide-ranging and convincingly argued study looks at the issues of and attitudes towards slavery in Jane Austen's later novels and culture, and argues against Edward Said's critique of Jane Austen as a supporter of colonialism and slavery. White suggests that Austen is both concerned and engaged with the issue, and that novels such as Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion not only presuppose the British outlawing of the transatlantic slave trade but also undermine the status quo of chattel slavery, slavery's most extreme form.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781349542666
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	01/01/2006
Edition description:	1st ed. 2006
Pages:	231
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

GABRIELLE D.V. WHITE taught philosophy for the University of Leeds, UK and the Open University, UK. She was previously an English Teacher in Secondary Schools and is a former researcher for the University of Leeds and the British Library, UK.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Preface 'We Have No Slaves at Home- Then Why Abroad?' PART ONE: THE CHAWTON NOVELS Mansfield Park : Absenteeism, Autonomy and the Slave Trade Emma : Autonomy and Abolition Persuasion : Radical Change and the Royal Navy PART TWO: THE CONTEXT IN WHICH JANE AUSTEN WROTE THE CHAWTON NOVELS Some Philosophers on Race and Slavery: Opposing Viewpoints Abolitionist Influences on Jane Austen: Some Possibilities Conclusion Appendix 1: On Colonisation: Samuel Johnson The Idler, 1759 Appendix 2: Argument against Slavery: Samuel Johnson, 1777 Appendix 3: William Cowper's 1785 The Task : Extract quoted by Thomas Clarkson, 1807 Notes Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

' Jane Austen in the Context of Abolition is a wide-ranging, nearly exhaustive study of attitudes toward slavery in Austen's late novels. Arguing against Edward Said and others who have seen Austen as upholding colonialism and slavery, Gabrielle White shows, through provocative, convincing readings of Mansfield Park , Emma , and Persuasion , the subtle and direct ways that Austen's fiction instead supports abolition. White's fascinating study addresses one of today's most heated debates over this much beloved author. This book may permanently change the ways in which we read Austen.' - Devoney Looser, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA 'Gabrielle White has written an almost marvellous book...for those who would like a better understanding of the influences on Jane Austen's writing at this troubled time of Britain's history or for those who would like to understand more broadly the debates of the period, this is one for the bookshelves.' - Penny Nash, Sensibilities (The Jane Austen Society of Australia)

From the Publisher