Jane Austen’s Moral Universe

Jane Austen is the most moral of writers, but what is her morality? What values does she espouse and promote? That is not an easy question, given the elusiveness of the authorial mind and the gap between life and art, but I propose to deal with an easier subject: what moral ideas I have derived from reading her works. I also shall describe how her books strike me, hoping (but not claiming) that this corresponds to her intentions and attitudes. 1 It seems to me an interesting and distinctive set of values, worth making explicit and pondering. I will not demonstrate my interpretation by reference to the texts; I will simply set out the view that I find in them with minimal reference to character and story.

The most significant feature of Austen’s moral view is that it is a two-tier perspective — she believes in two sorts of loosely connected values. It is often said that Austen is a worldly writer, aware of reality (especially social reality) and its demands; she is not high-minded. This is true, but only partially. She certainly accepts the value of worldly things: money, houses, good looks, clothes, rank, manners, charm, carriages, horses, balls, comfort, food, warmth, furniture, and money (always money). A handsome man with a large fortune is not to be sneezed at, as is a pretty girl who can play the harp and make witty conversation. Austen properly values these worldly things and is happy to…