Reader, I Married Him : 19th century reading practices, reading, and readers in Charlotte Brontës Jane Eyre
The international journal of the book. 2011 S. 67 - 76
Erscheinungsjahr: 2011
ISBN/ISSN: 9781863359443 ; 1863359443
Publikationstyp: Buchbeitrag
Sprache: Deutsch
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Inhaltszusammenfassung
The reading experience is connected irrevocably to the novel: without a reading audience, what use is writing and publishing a book? However, some authors write as if there was no reading public, whereas other authors consciously include the reader and the act of reading in their narrative as a recurring motif. This paper discusses the motif of reading in Jane Eyre, which is employed by Charlotte Brontë in several ways: Jane Eyre contains an unusual number of literary references and (mis)...The reading experience is connected irrevocably to the novel: without a reading audience, what use is writing and publishing a book? However, some authors write as if there was no reading public, whereas other authors consciously include the reader and the act of reading in their narrative as a recurring motif. This paper discusses the motif of reading in Jane Eyre, which is employed by Charlotte Brontë in several ways: Jane Eyre contains an unusual number of literary references and (mis)quotations, a fact which has been duly noted by readers, critics and scholars alike. Furthermore, there are appendices and articles dedicated to Brontës own library and reading. Finally, Brontë addresses the reader throughout the novel (Reader, I married him). This paper however argues that Brontës incorporation of the act of reading into her novel Jane Eyre goes beyond addressing the reader. Brontë presents 19th century reading practices and readers, namely Jane herself and readers whom Jane meets and judges according to their reading habits. Jane shows a palpable empathy with those who read, and a rejection of others who do not. This analysis of examples from the novel, connected with a look at the cultural understanding of reading at the time of its publication, will shed new light on the understanding of the motif of reading in Jane Eyre.» weiterlesen» einklappen
Autoren
Klassifikation
DFG Fachgebiet:
Literaturwissenschaft
DDC Sachgruppe:
Englische Literatur