Austen's FID and Sterne's Parody and Satire in Gender Representations of the 18th Century

Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Lawrence Sterne’s A Sentimental Journey were written in the same time period and have overlapping themes; a significant theme both novels address is the topic of gender roles. In eighteenth-century Britain, men and women were expected to act certain ways. However, the men and women in Persuasion and A Sentimental Journey often take the role of the opposite gender. Through free indirect discourse, Austen uses the narrator and other characters to critique or approve of characters that have fallen out of the expectations of their gender role. Because the focal point is usually ambiguous in free indirect discourse, the audience is left to interpret the true meaning of a passage—often, there are times we wonder if we are reading raw thoughts or reading the critical thoughts of the narrator. In a similar fashion, Sterne’s main character Yorick’s first person narrative also critiques those who have fallen outside of their expected gender role. Yorick’s candid, wandering, satirical, and parodic—almost seemingly stream of conscious thoughts leave us with ideas of eighteenth-century views on gender roles. Though some may disagree, Austen’s use of free indirect discourse and Sterne’s use of the first person narrative, satire, and parody through their characters and their characters' thoughts help produce gender representations of the eighteenth-century Britain to a great extent.

Austen and Sterne's Sentiments

While Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Lawrence Sterne’s A Sentimental Journey were written in the same time period and have overlapping themes and similarities, there are also many differences in the effects that are produced in their use of free indirect discourse and the first person narrative, respectively. Two passages that demonstrate the similarities and differences in the effects produced have an overlapping theme of confusion over motives. In Persuasion, there is a point when Anne struggles with the idea of going to the outer door to check for rain when she clearly saw Wentworth pass by earlier. We can compare and contrast this to the passage in A Sentimental Journey when Yorick questions his motives of inviting a lady he had just met to share a carriage with him.

            Though the two passages share the same theme, there are also some differences. We can see that Austen’s use of free indirect discourse distances us from the situation. We witness bits and pieces of Anne’s thought process—“she wanted to see if it rained. Why was she to suspect herself of another motive?” (165) Though we can see what she is thinking, we do not get to see it in a great detail. What would cause her to question herself? We can only observe. Because it is FID, we also are unsure whether the descriptions of Anne are her own or are of the narrator. However, in A Sentimental Journey, instead of distancing us from the main character, we become closer to the main character. Sterne’s use of first person narrative brings us along with Yorick in Yorick’s thought process—“Now where would be the harm, said I to myself, if I was to beg of this distressed lady to accept of half of my chaise?—and what mighty mischief could ensue” (19). We know exactly what Yorick is thinking. His constant stops with the use of hypens add to this effect. His thoughts jump from one thing to another. Sometimes, he is confused and his conscience comes up to persuade him of one thing while his mind thinks another thing—“you know not who she is, said CAUTION” (19).

             While the use of FID in Austen’s novel gives the audience many focal points and hence different lenses to look through, Sterne’s use of the first person narrative also accomplishes something similar. In Persuasion, we see Anne’s focal point—“Why was she to suspect herself of another motive?” (165) She, in her mind, is “suspecting” herself of wanting to get a glimpse of Wentworth. However, we also see that the passage can be from the narrator’s focal point. The narrator in Persuasion usually takes a critical tone. Here we can see that the narrator may be using “suspect” to actually tell us that Anne is trying to deceive herself. Hence, we have two different focal points to view the overall situation. Similarly, Sterne’s use of the first person narrative shows us Yorick’s thought process. In doing so, we have multiple focal points in which we can see this situation as well—Yorick and Yorick’s conscience. In fact, Yorick’s conscience is personified as multiple things: avarice, caution, cowardice, discretion, hypocrisy, meanness, and pride. However, Austen only provides us with the narrator and Anne to view the situation from. We do not see what exactly persuades Anne, but we see exactly what persuades Yorick. 

What's With Weissman?

At the end of Persuasion by Austen when Anne and Captain Wentworth meet, the narrator ambiguously describes Anne and Captain Wentworth’s interaction in order to portray the sensation and feeling that Anne and Captain Wentworth both may have felt and may be feeling through the passage.

Weissman, in her analytical essay “Doubleness and Refrain in Jane Austen’s Persuasion”, interprets this particular incident a little differently by saying that because “they returned into the past, more exquisitely happy perhaps”, we begin to be doubtful of the ending; however, what exactly are we doubtful of? The vagueness of the doubt is one thing that leaves her interpretation open to many counter arguments. My interpretation is that she feels that when we encounter this incident, it causes us to think that Anne and Captain Wentworth may not get married; the past may repeat itself once again. While Weissman does mention “missing elements of the narrative” Weissman (90), hinting at the ambiguity Austen uses in this passage, she may have overlooked how this passage, stylistically speaking, represents Anne and Wentworth’s feelings towards one another and how they have grown; instead of creating feelings of doubt, Austen may be using this to give us the same feeling that Anne and Wentworth may have.

Austen begins by describing their interaction and how they “exchanged again those feelings and those promises” (225). However, she does not tell us exactly what they are exchanging; she leaves it ambiguous by using the word “those”. By excluding us from the actual content of their conversation from the start, she induces our curiosity as readers. We are like Anne in the beginning of the novel, curious about how Captain Wentworth feels about her. Austen then builds up some tension in using “more”. Her repetition of “more” also induces more curiosity. We are led to think: “Why I there so much concern with ‘more’?”

            Though Austen builds up our curiosity on Captain Wentworth and Anne’s interaction, she does not keep us totally in the dark; she gives us a release from the tension and satisfies some of our curiosity in the last section of the passage. This is also similar to Wentworth and Anne’s story. When they met after their period of separation, they felt some tension – at least, Anne did. As the story comes to a close, Wentworth professes his love for her and Anne feels “an overpowering happiness” Austen (223); She is happy and relieved that she finally knows how he feels about her. Similarly, we find out that they talk about “retrospections and acknowledgements” Austen (225). Some of our curiosity is fulfilled – they are just two lovebirds talking, “heedless of every group around them”. We can also be happy for them – after their years of separation, they can finally be together.

            To conclude, while Weissman’s interpretation may not necessarily be incorrect, she may have overlooked the stylistic aspect of Austen’s writing that may point to a different interpretation – that Austen may be using ambiguity to portray feeling and sensation.


Note to the reader: I realize that this turned out to be a bit more of an essay with Weissman's view as a counterargument to my argument; I am not sure if this is appropriate. Please advise.

Persuasion's Perspectives

From Jane Austen’s Persuasion (Beginning of Chapter 1):

Vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot’s character; vanity of person and of situation. He had been remarkably handsome in his youth; and, at fifty-four, was still a very fine man. Few women could think more of their personal appearance than he did; nor could the valet of any new made lord be more delighted with the place he held in society. He considered the blessing of beauty as inferior only to the blessings of baronetcy; and the Sir Walter Elliot, who united these gifts, was the constant object of his warmest respect and devotion.

            There are many different literary techniques that Jane Austen employs in her novels. The passage above is an example that demonstrates Austen’s use of free indirect discourse in her novel, Persuasion. In this passage, located near the beginning of the first chapter, we are introduced to one of the main characters of the novel – Sir Walter Elliot. Austen uses free indirect discourse to give us different perspectives on Sir Walter Elliot.

            This passage is one of the first to introduce and describe Sir Walter Elliot’s character. The narrator begins by describing Sir Walter Elliot as vain – “Vanity was the beginning and the end”. Being vain is not a compliment; the tone here is critical. Combining this knowledge with the fact that not many other characters have been introduced at this point, we can conclude that only a handful of characters would be thinking this: the narrator, Sir Walter Elliot himself, and other people in general. We can narrow it down to either the narrator or other people in society because Sir Walter Elliot would probably not be critical of himself; in fact, he seems quite fond of himself – “the Sir Walter Elliot, who united these gifts, was the constant object of his warmest respect and devotion”.  Through this first sentence, we already have a feel for the two possible focal points present in this passage. Sir Walter Elliot thinks highly of himself; the narrator does not.

            However, though the tone of the first sentence of the passage carries a critical tone, it switches in the second sentence – “He had been remarkably handsome in his youth…was still a very fine man”. There does not seem to be criticism here; there is praise. This could be from Sir Walter Elliot’s point of view instead of the narrator. It is supported by his attitude towards himself, once again, in the last sentence of this passage – “…was the constant object of his warmest respect and devotion”. It exemplifies his high opinion of himself. On the contrary, it can be argued that this is still the narrator, but with a mocking tone.

            The narrator can be seen as mocking Sir Walter Elliot in the second sentence by the first half of the third sentence –“Few women could think more of their personal appearance than he did”. This implies that he does not fall into the stereotype of his own gender. Single women in the 18^th century were expected to find husbands without being outwardly flirtatious; hence, it is assumed that maintaining outward appearance would be one of their top priorities. Men, on the contrary, were the head of the house, had voting rights, and were more focused on vocational activities. In comparing Sir Walter Elliot to women primarily concerned with their appearance, the narrator ridicules him and compares him to a young, single woman from the 18^th century.

The last sentence presents a continuing critical and mocking tone. It contributes evidence to the first sentence, the description of Sir Walter Elliot as a vain man. The narrator shows what Sir Walter Elliot thinks of himself; Sir Walter Elliot believes that he was blessed with “baronetcy” and “beauty”. He is so consumed with himself that he is “the constant object of his warmest respect and devotion”. However, we could also see this is still from Sir Walter Elliot’s focal point; these “blessings” and “gifts” align with his self-glorifying viewpoints.

Austen’s use of free indirect discourse presents different possible perspectives and focal points. At times in this passage, we can see the text through Sir Walter Elliot’s focal point; at others, we can see how it may be the narrator’s focal point. However, I am led to believe that this may be from the narrator’s focal point. Even though there is evidence to suggest that this passage is may be from Sir Walter Elliot’s focal point, Austen uses free indirect discourse to give reader’s insight on Sir Walter Elliot’s character.