Jane Austen scholars or experts…
I’m trying to get a sense for how her books were viewed in the 1840s. I know collected editions were being released by then, but I’m trying to work out if there was a vibe of “those are boring classics my parents read” or if younger people would have been into them. And did the language or social mores already seem a bit old-fashioned by then, or was change slow enough that it wouldn’t feel like reading a 1980s book would to us?
Secondly, would Wickham’s character have been immediately apparent to readers from various narrative cues a modern reader might not spot, or would it have been a huge twist when he’s revealed as morally deficient? If the latter, how soon was the twist generally spoiled for new readers? (Ie if a young reader picked up P&P in the 1840s, would she go in knowing Wickham’s a scoundrel and/or knowing the plot in detail?)
Lastly, long shot, is there any evidence of proto-fanfic (people writing in diaries or letter about Lizzie getting together with Wickham or other outcome)? I think I recall another author of the era getting complaint letters about how his characters should have acted, for example.
[#]JaneAusten #PrideAndPrejudice #Wickham #Regency #LitHist #Austenites #history
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