On Declaring Love: Eighteenth-Century Literature and Jane Austen

Book Details

• Author: Fred Parker

• Publisher: Routledge

• Language: English

• Edition: 1st Edition

• ISBN: 9780367077389

• Pages: 204

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches

About The Book
In Declaring Love in Literature: Courtship and the Self in the Age of Jane Austen, Fred Parker explores the delicate art of declaring love in literature from the middle of the eighteenth century to the death of Jane Austen. This book uncovers the uncertain boundaries of the self in the force-field of courtship, examining how personal feelings could be communicated through public social terms in a period that was acutely sensitive to propriety and the artificiality of public expressions.

The act of declaring love is understood as a hazardous attempt to reconcile the personal with the public, often complicated by the expectations placed on women during this era. The author delves into the challenges of sincerity, performance, and social roles, particularly through the lens of Austen's novels, which often focus on the dynamics of courtship and the pivotal moment of a proposal.

Parker’s analysis of Austen’s work highlights the importance of the narrative voice in supporting the subjectivity of those in love, ultimately asking the question: in love, can you only feel what you can express? This scholarly yet accessible book offers a rich historical and literary perspective on the expression of love and its complexities, making it essential reading for students of literature, gender studies, and cultural history.