Jane Austen: The Role of Parenthood in Mansfield Park and Persuasion Paper Example

Introduction

All of Jane Austen's novels are considered as famous masterpieces that worth discussion, since they all have left a huge imprint on the world of literature. They, actually, inspired different debates that are led by various critics through different times. These people who have discussed the merits of Austen's literary works have accounted for her unique style of writing, her view of different social issues, as marriage and class and her critical view of the female position in her society. Aside from all mentioned prominent subjects, they also raise the issue of education in Austen's era. In the book, Jane Austen's Achievements, Lloyd W. Brown is one of those critics who mentions how education is affected by the relationship between parents and their children, in his article "The Business of Marrying and Mothering" he argues that the "maternal failure [is] an extension of the inadequacies of the woman's education and individual development" (39). This claim shows how each element affects the other. On the one hand, education has a huge impact on the process of developing children. And on the other hand, an effectiveness experience of motherhood or fatherhood leaves a vital influence and determines a high level of the general social education in a certain society.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

C. L. Johnson also introduces a very powerful claim on the issue of motherhood. Johnson argues that "Austen removes her heroines from the parental abode altogether precisely in order to free them from [familial/ parental obedience] and to oblige them to think and act for themselves" (84). Honestly, Jane Austen tries to lift the veil of truthiness and show her readers how the English society lived when education did not exist. And in contrary to the usual norms in the eighteenth century, Austen tries to build up an independent new generation that is totally free from the institution of family, displaying female heroines who stand against tough circumstances, achieving unlimited success without the help of their mothers or fathers. Not only that, the author also, by that way, shows how the presence of parents who lack the ability to form a responsible and genuine relationship with their sons and daughters create a new generation that doesn't have the capacity make the good decision or know what is socially acceptable and what is not. Thus, it is possible to summarize that in Austen's novels, the presence or the lack of a relationship with the parents brings about a negative influence on the characters behaviors.

This paper is written to manifest the real role that parents in general and mothers in particular play in both novels, Persuasion and Mansfield park. It also attempts to find out how that role influences the fateful decisions made by different characters and specifically heroines. Exploring the roles and their effect on heroines will show how the author tries to make the reader aware of the negative influence of bad parenting at that time and how the lack of a convenient treatment will radically affect the children's future. In persuasion, for example, the focus of the paper will be on the character of Anne Eliot who was persuaded by her mother's friend - Lady Russell, to reject Captain Wentworth's proposal. It is possible to say that the absence of her mother as well as the good advice are the main reasons for her odd behavior of leaving such well-mannered person who has pure intentions. Whereas in Mansfield Park, Fanny Price endures the consequences of her mother's choice of marrying a poor guy for love. She also makes wrong decisions, as Ann, since her mother is so busy with raising other children and her father has no time for his sons and daughter because of alcohol. The lack of a loving director at home is the answer for why heroines might behave improperly.

This research will also try to look into different aspects about the concept of parenting. The first section will concentrate on the novel "Mansfield Park", and focus will be on some monstrous aspect in motherhood and how women have showcased their mother figure. The second section will bring out about motherhood element in persuasion. To add on that, it displays how woman displays their roles in the society. Both 'Mansfield Park' and 'The persuasion' are mainly about women, from the fundamental of education, the author uses heroines who at the most fundamental level become better and even more intellectual. In both, there is a clear line of difference in motherhood which I will clearly illustrate in this essay.

Motherhood in "Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen

Motherhood has been brought out by Austen in her time as compared to the current. This subject is clearly shown to have no limitation when it comes to a biological relationship. An older woman is capable of maturing a child be it a nurse, Nannie, caregiver governess, aunties, and even stepmother so long as they function as a mother. Mothers of a bit upper class are usually fond of delegating the roles to others. It is a socially accepted norm. Though you will find out that the guideline of maternal requires the mother to take their responsibilities to look after their children, and engage with them in various activities for their well-being and brought up. It a guideline that Austen like to pull it through and incorporate it in her writing because it constitutes a notion that support and give heads up on motherhood and mothering capabilities. According to Gibson guideline concerning about motherhood, seek to give insight the need to look into child dietary, another thing that features out clearly is the need to incorporate exercises in their particular doings. Mother they should get involved in substantive action pertaining to their children wellbeing. Apart from that, monitoring child friend is a very important and necessary aspect because it will allow the parent to keep a keen record on their children activities all along their schedule as they interact either other. It is clear that he is relatively concerned about shaping a child character (Park, p.25) The advice that comes along with it to mothers, is basically to be deeply engaged with their children as to be confident when dealing with them. What he thought was a little bit dangerous was the face of a child being fugitives and pose danger to parenting since it would prevent the mother from doing the role of parenting properly. He went ahead to warn the parent especially the mothers against duplicity in children character and behavior. He mentioned this act to be dangerous and lethal in a way. To add on that, they should totally be fair and just, an action such as sibling rivalry should not get into their relationship at all. In the process of assessment and study analysis, it is found out that mothers can act as advisers and role models to their daughters in successful transition through courtship to adulthood.

Apart from successful transition, the conduct- manual reinstated and supports by Austen form a basic background to mother's standards of the application when it comes to parenting act regarding domesticity, charity, modesty, and chastity. These kinds of standard raise female self- effacement if the not selfless character in them. Society has upheld the virtue to praise the women for parenting role without inclusively incorporating or drawing attention on their self-characters or standard put it all together. "We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be." (Park, p.45). Therefore, it can be clearly stated that any defiance of these roles within a society by women, is a selfish character and monstrous because of ignorance and overt resistance in a way. Particularly, its monstrous aspect of mother to veer away from the expectation. This is clearly seen in her inability to parent in a proper manner, involvement in a complete rejection in selflessness in regards to maternal, above all her refusal to cooperate in the parenting role. Perhaps the society is speculative and hides a lot of things that include parenthood, therefore mothers need to proof their motherhood character by inclusively being subjective in their undertaking (Park, p.75) The wide range of deviancy and monstrous character is explicitly displayed in the social context of the society. To define such character, it takes mothers self-evaluation and self-reflection to determine its degree of effect. The implication of self-love on the mother rather than agape love to their children have an implication on the outcome result of the child such as being completely ignored, abused and mislead. Otherwise, nonthermal power is inherently dependent on her willpower to dictates the outcome result from their children up bring and growth in regards to mother's willingness, sense of self-fulfillment and overall society expectation on brought up brings as a mother. On contrary, monstrous mothers use their willpower to go against expectations. Indeed, such character is the basic warning in parenting for both parents and children as it can lead to family failure in the society.

According to Austen, the topic of motherhood has revolved along her novels, as such maternal worth, as well as maternal deviance, are regular vocabulary that jostled in between her Novels especially In Mansfield park, where the issue of marital is expounded as such, there was a possibility of relationship destruction due to the embarrassment of her daughter and also her aggression concerning social matters "There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere." (Park, p.105) This kind of character from time to time pose of danger to the parenting aspect. To add on that, relation to sense and sensibility, where Mrs. Ferrars, purposeful disinherits her son. This event shows inherent behavior of not only misunderstanding to her deemed children but also went further to defies the convection that built social norms. It's clear that some mother figure goes beyond the boundaries of parenting in an attempt to impose their will without any concern to the affected party. In some case, a monstrous character is elaborated when mothers, pursue their own pleasure rather than tending to their charges, roles, and responsibilities. Despite that, there is defiance in motherhood, there are also positive mother figures. Who is likely to define the real aspect and charter that mother should display and shows their commitment in conducting their esteemed role as deemed by society as well as self-created and sustainable family.

Mansfield Park gives a totally different perspective and perception when it comes to the presentation of monstrous motherhood nature in unrelieved context. It also shows the containment of deviance character in relation to the maternal and also belated concept. Mrs. Norris and Mrs. Price as observed by Casals, noted that these characters defy, unde...