From villain to anti-hero: the evolution of Jane Austen's unworthies

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dc.contributor.advisorMagee, William H.
dc.contributor.authorDonahoe, Patrick Joseph
dc.date.accessioned2005-07-19T20:01:29Z
dc.date.available2005-07-19T20:01:29Z
dc.date.issued1973
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 119-122.en
dc.description.abstractJane Austen's novels portray the movement of a heroine toward marriage. For Austen, marriage indicates the heroine's achievement of the individuality and social maturity prerequisite to a happy and productive adult life. In each of the novels, at some point before the heroine finally chooses or accepts her husband-to-be, she consciously rejects a male character, often another suitor, who has failed to manifest the characteristics of mind and manner which are demanded not only by the heroine, but also through implication, by the moral background of the novel. Chief among these male characters variously described as villains, rakes, triflers and flirts are John Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility, George Wickham in Pride and I>Pejudiae, Henry Crawford in Mansfield Park, and Frank Churchill in Emma. The role played by John Thorpe in Northange~ Abbey, and William Walter Elliot in Persuasion, is somewhat similar to that of the other "unworthy" male characters, but Thorpe and Elliot lack their significance and impact and are more incidental and episodic figures in terms of total relevance to their novels than even John Willoughby of Sense and Sensibility~who is the most stereotyped of the four unworthies. An examination of the central novels in chronological order reveals a definite change and development in the presentation of the "unworthy" male character. Although Willoughby, Wickham, Crawford and Churchill perform structural and thanatic functions which are roughly similar in their respective novel~, the consistency, the depth and the subtlety with which they are drawn become, more and more, an indication of Austen's increasing and maturing artistic ability. There is a striking change from a stereotyped presence of evil with characteristics of the scoundrel bordering on criminal to a man who, instead of showing the dignity and power expected of the gentleman he appears, is revealed to be simply trifling and flirtatious. The evolution from Willoughby to Churchill is one from wickedness to mere foolishness. This development is as much the evidence as it is the product of Austen's growing skill.
dc.description.notesThis title is not available online. Access options are: - consulting the copy from Archives in our reading room in person - https://asc.ucalgary.ca/visiting/ - borrowing a circulating copy from the Library catalogue – https://ucalgary.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01UCALG_INST:UCALGARY&lang=en
dc.format.extent122 leaves ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier82480859en
dc.identifier.citationDonahoe, P. J. (1973). From villain to anti-hero: the evolution of Jane Austen's unworthies (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/19321en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/19321
dc.identifier.lccPR 4037 D65 1973 Microficheen
dc.identifier.other82480859en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/13155
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject.lccPR 4037 D65 1973 Microficheen
dc.subject.lcshAusten, Jane, 1775-1817
dc.subject.lcshVillains in literature
dc.titleFrom villain to anti-hero: the evolution of Jane Austen's unworthies
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEnglish
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (MA)
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 169 82480859
ucalgary.thesis.notesPLen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleasenoen
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