Professors explore what can be learned from Jane Austen
Gonzaga holds sixth in series of faculty discussions on great thinkers throughout history
Rebecca Olson
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: News
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Jane Austen knows the secret to living happily, and it's not all about romance. Two lectures titled "What Can We Learn From Jane Austen?" explained the Austen myth and delved into the secrets of her novels.
Dr. Patsy Fowler, an English professor at Gonzaga, and Dr. Douglas Kries, a GU philosophy professor, each lectured on Thursday in Wolff Auditorium.
The event, part of a series about prominent writers and thinkers of the past, was co-sponsored by Gonzaga's College of Arts and Sciences and the Robert K. and Ann J. Powers Chair of the Humanities.
Austen was an English writer who lived from 1775 to 1817. She never married or left her family home except for short visits. She published six books, but her name did not appear on the title pages, so she received little recognition during her life. Her fame arrived only when Sir Walter Scott wrote about her great talent after her death.
On Oct. 18, an excited audience of students, professors and community members filled the auditorium. Fowler lectured first.
"I want to leave you with more questions than you came in with," she said.
Fowler said the Austen myth is everywhere, from films like Bollywood's "Bride and Prejudice" to Wishbone to "I love Mr. Darcy" sweatshirts. Austen even has her own jokes, including "You might be an Austen redneck if you don't think it's weird that everyone seems to marry their cousin."
Although Austen's books are romances, she has been criticized for the lack of sexuality in her novels. The recent movie about Austen, "Becoming Jane," addresses how she was incapable of having a sexual story of her own.
"But why do we need for Austen to have had a passionate romance?" Fowler asked. "Do we need to believe she wrote from experience about romance and disappointed desires?"
Austen's books shouldn't be put on a romantic pedestal. They must, instead, be examined on all levels, Fowler said.
"Austen's works are so layered, ambiguous, and so complex. You can learn almost anything you want from her," Fowler said.
Dr. Patsy Fowler, an English professor at Gonzaga, and Dr. Douglas Kries, a GU philosophy professor, each lectured on Thursday in Wolff Auditorium.
The event, part of a series about prominent writers and thinkers of the past, was co-sponsored by Gonzaga's College of Arts and Sciences and the Robert K. and Ann J. Powers Chair of the Humanities.
Austen was an English writer who lived from 1775 to 1817. She never married or left her family home except for short visits. She published six books, but her name did not appear on the title pages, so she received little recognition during her life. Her fame arrived only when Sir Walter Scott wrote about her great talent after her death.
On Oct. 18, an excited audience of students, professors and community members filled the auditorium. Fowler lectured first.
"I want to leave you with more questions than you came in with," she said.
Fowler said the Austen myth is everywhere, from films like Bollywood's "Bride and Prejudice" to Wishbone to "I love Mr. Darcy" sweatshirts. Austen even has her own jokes, including "You might be an Austen redneck if you don't think it's weird that everyone seems to marry their cousin."
Although Austen's books are romances, she has been criticized for the lack of sexuality in her novels. The recent movie about Austen, "Becoming Jane," addresses how she was incapable of having a sexual story of her own.
"But why do we need for Austen to have had a passionate romance?" Fowler asked. "Do we need to believe she wrote from experience about romance and disappointed desires?"
Austen's books shouldn't be put on a romantic pedestal. They must, instead, be examined on all levels, Fowler said.
"Austen's works are so layered, ambiguous, and so complex. You can learn almost anything you want from her," Fowler said.