'The Best Chosen Language':
Stylistic modes in Jane Austen
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i n r e a d i n g J a n e A u s t e n ' s n o v e l s , w e are made
d i s c o n c e r t i n g l y aware o f a d i s p a r i t y b e t w x e n subject»- matter a n d significance. A h e r o i n e is i n v o l v e d , i t m a y be,
i n c o m m i t t i n g herself t o a l i n e o f c o n d u c t i n r e l a t i o n t o some
q u e s t i o n i n i t s e l f t r i v i a l e n o u g h : C a t h e r i n e M o r l a n d declines the
T h o r p e s ' i n v i t a t i o n t o j o i n t h e m o n a pleasure j a u n t , E l i z a b e t h
B e n n e t gets her feet w e t i n v i s i t i n g her s i c k sister, F a n n y P r i c e
resists a l l attempts t o i n v o l v e her i n amateur theatricals —
s i m i l a r instances m i g h t be m u l t i p l i e d m a n y times o v e r . Y e t , o n
each o c c a s i o n , the sense o f m o m e n t o u s i m p l i c a t i o n s , o f p r o f o u n d
m o r a l o v e r t o n e s , is u n m i s t a k a b l e . T h i s feature o f h e r w o r k m a y
h e l p t o a c c o u n t f o r the m o s t s t r i k i n g aspect o f its c r i t i c a l h i s t o r y :
the c o n t r a s t i n g , e v e n c o n t r a d i c t o r y , j u d g e m e n t s w h i c h h a v e at
v a r i o u s times been passed o n the n o v e l s . F o r those w h o see o n l y
the surface, her w o r k is i n e v i t a b l y l i m i t e d i n range a n d o p e n t o a
charge o f t r i v i a l i t y ; o n the other h a n d , a n awareness o f the p o w e r
o f m i n o r i n c i d e n t s t o suggest m a j o r issues reveals her as an
artist of, i n F . R . L e a v i s ' s w o r d s , ' p r o f o u n d m o r a l significance'.
EPEATEDLY,
H o w is this sense o f the far-reaching i m p o r t a n c e o f the l o c a l
a n d the e p h e m e r a l c o n v e y e d ? V e r y l a r g e l y , i t c a n be a r g u e d , b y
stylistic d e v i c e s : i t is J a n e A u s t e n ' s
finely-controlled
use o f
language w h i c h signals t o the attentive reader the c r u c i a l a n d
r e v e a l i n g i m p o r t o f episodes a n d c o n v e r s a t i o n s a p p a r e n t l y slight
i n themselves. H e r use o f c e r t a i n staple items o f v o c a b u l a r y to
delineate, w i t h p r e c i s i o n a n d c o n s i s t e n c y , h u m a n character a n d
m o t i v e has recently b e e n e x a m i n e d a n d a t t e n t i o n p a i d t o other
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I n the present author's 'Standards of Excellence: Jane Austen's language',
Review of English Eiterature, v i r , 3, 1966, 91-8.
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aspects o f her style, i n c l u d i n g her use o f d i a l o g u e a n d the e p i s t o lary element i n the n o v e l s ; still further aspects, s u c h as the
i m p o r t a n t q u e s t i o n o f the syntax o f her p r o s e , await c r i t i c a l
c o n s i d e r a t i o n . T h e present article is c o n c e r n e d w i t h a m o r e
general stylistic theme : the r o l e o f language i n t w o o f the earlier
n o v e l s . F o r i t is p o s s i b l e to argue that m a n y n o v e l s , i n c l u d i n g
Jane A u s t e n ' s , m a y be p r o f i t a b l y discussed n o t o n l y b y means o f
the t r a d i t i o n a l concepts o f p l o t , character, m o r a l i n t e n t i o n , a n d
so f o r t h , b u t also i n terms o f the l i n g u i s t i c m o d e o r m o d e s w h i c h
characterize their style.
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O n e s u c h m o d e is the a m b i g u i t y o f Northanger Abbey. It is
surely n o accident that the n o v e l b e g i n s a n d ends w i t h statements
that possess this q u a l i t y :
N o one w h o had ever seen Catherine M o r l a n d i n her infancy, w o u l d
have supposed her b o r n to be an heroine.
. . . I leave it to be settled by whomsoever it may concern, whether the
tendency of this w o r k be altogether to recommend parental tyranny,
or reward filial disobedience.
A t the outset, C a t h e r i n e ' s status is deliberately e q u i v o c a l : the
o p e n i n g sentence can be i n t e r p r e t e d as m e a n i n g 'She became a
h e r o i n e against a l l o d d s ' , o r , w i t h e q u a l j u s t i f i c a t i o n , ' O b v i o u s l y
she n e v e r at a n y t i m e h a d any o f a h e r o i n e ' s q u a l i t i e s ' . A t the
c o n c l u s i o n , the m o r a l o f the n o v e l is presented as a j o k e u p o n
fictional
d i d a c t i c i s m . E v e n the w r i t e r ' s attitude to the reader
is far f r o m clear: is the latter the sharer i n , o r the v i c t i m of, this
gentle m o c k e r y ? C o n v e n t i o n a l expectations are teasingly d i s a p p o i n t e d : the appearance o f a f a m i l i a r w o r d s u c h as ' h e r o i n e ' ,
o r a n o v e l i s t ' s cliché s u c h as 'the tendency o f this w o r k . . . t o
r e c o m m e n d . . .' m u s t be reinterpreted as a s i g n a l o f i r o n i c
rather t h a n l i t e r a l m e a n i n g .
B e t w e e n this o p e n i n g a n d close, there o c c u r m a n y instances o f
a m b i g u i t y , n o t a l l o f the same k i n d . S o m e t i m e s the c o n f u s i o n
is l e x i c a l , t u r n i n g o n the i n t r i n s i c capacity o f w o r d s to m i s l e a d .
T h e r e is a g o o d example o f this i n C h a p t e r 14, w h e n the n a i v e
C a t h e r i n e observes to H e n r y T i l n e y a n d his sister, ' " I h a v e h e a r d
that s o m e t h i n g v e r y s h o c k i n g i n d e e d , w i l l s o o n c o m e o u t i n
See H o w a r d S. Babb, Jane Austen s novels: the fabric of dialogue, O h i o , 1962;
Ian Jack, 'The Epistolary Element in Jane Austen', English Studies Today, ed. B o n nard, 2nd series, Berne, 1961, pp. 173-8Ó.
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L o n d o n " '. T i l n e y q u i c k l y grasps the nature o f the m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d characteristically t u r n s the tables o n C a t h e r i n e b y
c o n t i n u i n g the c o n v e r s a t i o n , w h i c h has b e g u n w i t h a n accidental
a m b i g u i t y , i n deliberately a m b i g u o u s terms : ' " T h e r e m u s t be
m u r d e r , a n d g o v e r n m e n t cares n o t h o w m u c h " . ' E a c h o f the
k e y - w o r d s i n this d i a l o g u e is capable o f different interpretations :
come out (be perpetrated, be p u b l i s h e d ) , author ( c r i m i n a l , w r i t e r ) ,
murder ( i n fact, i n fiction). W h e n the l i n e o f m i s a p p r e h e n s i o n s is
b r o k e n b y M i s s T i l n e y ' s e x c l a m a t i o n (' " h a v e the g o o d n e s s t o
satisfy m e as t o this d r e a d f u l r i o t " ' ) , her b r o t h e r c o n t i n u e s i t
f o r a m o m e n t l o n g e r : ' M y dear E l e a n o r , the r i o t is o n l y i n y o u r
o w n b r a i n . T h e c o n f u s i o n there is scandalous.' T h e reader is
a g a i n the v i c t i m o f a u t h o r i a l d e c e p t i o n w hen C a t h e r i n e penetrates
t o the f o r b i d d e n r e g i o n s o f the A b b e y . P r e p a r e d t o sup f u l l o f
h o r r o r s , she enters the m y s t e r i o u s r o o m a n d b e h o l d s ' w h a t fixed
her to the spot a n d agitated e v e r y feature' — a neat a n d perfectly
o r d i n a r y b e d r o o m . A s t o n i s h m e n t a n d a g i t a t i o n are a m b i g u o u s
e m o t i o n s , a n d i n this case they are p r o d u c e d b y the c o m m o n p l a c e
rather t h a n the e x t r a o r d i n a r y . T h e sentence q u o t e d is the p i v o t o f
the s k i l f u l l y - w r i t t e n p a r a g r a p h i n w h i c h i t o c c u r s . T h e p o i n t
is made e x p l i c i t a few lines l a t e r : ' C a t h e r i n e h a d expected to
h a v e her feelings w o r k e d , a n d w o r k e d they w e r e ' , w h i c h has i n
t u r n its o w n a m b i g u i t y .
T
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A s o m e w h a t different k i n d o f effect is p r o d u c e d b y passages i n
w h i c h reason is s h o w n t o be u n r e a s o n : w h a t appears t o the
i m m a t u r e C a t h e r i n e t o be l o g i c is i n fact h i g h l y i l l o g i c a l , a n d this
facet o f her nature is a g a i n c o n v e y e d b y a d e v i c e o f style — i n this
case, b y sentence-structure. A t the b e g i n n i n g o f the s e c o n d
v o l u m e , she tries t o a c c o u n t f o r h e r uneasiness i n the G e n e r a l ' s
company :
It c o u l d not be General Tilney's fault. That he was perfectly agreeable
and good-natured, and altogether a very charming man, d i d not admit
of a doubt, for he was tall and handsome, and Henry's father, (p. 129)
I n terms o f c h a r a c t e r - p o r t r a y a l , this d e l i g h t f u l l y r e v e a l i n g non
sequitur is w o r t h a p a r a g r a p h o f d i r e c t statement. L a t e r , Catherine's
See Jane Austen, Nor/hanger Abbey, ed. R. W . Chapman, O x f o r d , 1923, p. 193.
Subsequent references are to this edition.
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s u s p i c i o n s c o n c e r n i n g the G e n e r a l lead her t o b e c o m e distressi n g l y aware o f w h a t she takes t o be gross h y p o c r i s y . I n c h u r c h ,
her eye is caught b y 'the h i g h l y - s t r a i n e d e p i t a p h , i n w h i c h e v e r y
v i r t u e was a s c r i b e d t o her b y the i n c o n s o l a b l e h u s b a n d , w h o
m u s t h a v e been i n s o m e w a y o r o t h e r her d e s t r o y e r ' : she is b y
n o w (p. 190) c o m i n g t o l e a r n that w o r d s d o n o t always m e a n
w h a t they appear t o say, t h o u g h she is i n fact again m i s t a k e n .
T h e m a i n p u r p o s e o f the n o v e l , i n d e e d , is t o s h o w that t h i n g s
are n o t always w h a t they s e e m ; a n d , g i v e n this p u r p o s e , the use
o f a m b i g u i t y as a m a r k e d feature o f its style is h a r d l y s u r p r i s i n g .
A related feature is the use, p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t a b l e i n passages w h e r e
the satire o n the r o m a n t i c n o v e l is m o s t p r o m i n e n t , o f language
w h i c h is o f a s t r e n g t h s t r i k i n g l y i n excess o f w h a t w o u l d seem t o
be d e m a n d e d b y the subject i n h a n d . T h u s , w h e n C a t h e r i n e is
let d o w n b y her d a n c i n g - p a r t n e r , the a u t h o r c o m m e n t s :
T o be disgraced i n the eye o f the w o r l d , to wear the appearance o f
infamy while her heart is all purity, her actions all innocence, and the
misconduct of another the true source of her debasement, is one of those
circumstances w h i c h peculiarly belong to the heroine's life, and her
fortitude under it what particularly dignifies her character, (p. 5 3 ; the
present author's italics)
I n i s o l a t i o n , s u c h a sentence m i g h t be t a k e n s e r i o u s l y ; i n this
c o n t e x t , i t is a p p r o p r i a t e t o the satire b u t w i l d l y o u t o f p r o p o r t i o n
t o the s i t u a t i o n b y a n y reasonable scale o f values. T h e j o k e
derives f r o m the d i s p a r i t y b e t w e e n the w o r d s used a n d their
referents, a n d is at the expense n o t o n l y o f the h e r o i n e ' s i n experience b u t also o f the k i n d o f f i c t i o n w h i c h a d o p t s this
h a c k n e y e d s t y l e . I n a n o t h e r passage, the reader is alerted t o
i r o n y a n d a m b i g u i t y b y the s i g n a l l i n g d e v i c e o f r e p e t i t i o n : i n
C h a p t e r 15, w h e n C a t h e r i n e asks M a r i a T h o r p e ' f o r s o m e
particulars o f their yesterday's p a r t y ' , she learns that ' i t h a d been
altogether the m o s t d e l i g h t f u l scheme i n the w o r l d ; that n o b o d y
c o u l d i m a g i n e h o w c h a r m i n g it h a d been, a n d that i t h a d been
m o r e d e l i g h t f u l t h a n a n y b o d y c o u l d c o n c e i v e ' . C l e a r l y , the
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There arc, in Jane Austen's Leiters, many instances o f the same deliberately
disproportionate use of language for comic-satiric purposes : e.g. she writes of the
'wondrous happiness' of a trunk arriving safely, and 'the never failing regret' for a
dress that has been unsuccessfully dyed. See Letters, ed. R. W . Chapman, O x f o r d ,
1952, pp. 190, 215.
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reader is n o t t o take M i s s T h o r p e ' s epithets at t h e i r face v a l u e :
r e p e t i t i o n is here n o t a d r a m a t i c b u t a n i r o n i c d e v i c e , c a s t i n g
d o u b t u p o n the speaker's s i n c e r i t y . T h e same i r o n y extends t o
the a u t h o r i a l c o m m e n t w h i c h f o l l o w s : ' S u c h was the i n f o r m a t i o n
o f the first five m i n u t e s . . .' (p. 116).
I n contrast to s u c h characters as M i s s T h o r p e , w h o s e p o v e r t y
o f l a n g u a g e betrays t h e i r i n t e l l e c t u a l l i m i t a t i o n s , a n d e v e n their
m o r a l s h o r t c o m i n g s , the n o v e l ' s h e r o , H e n r y T i l n e y , shares h i s
creator's c o n c e r n f o r p r e c i s i o n i n language. H i s sister says o f h i m
that ' H e is f o r e v e r finding fault w i t h m e , f o r s o m e incorrectness
o f l a n g u a g e ' (p. 107), a n d he is p r o m p t t o react t o the t h o u g h t l e s s
exaggerations a n d inaccuracies o f female c o n v e r s a t i o n . A p a r t
f r o m h i s w e l l - k n o w n strictures o n C a t h e r i n e ' s use o f the w o r d
nice ( p p . 107-8), he also takes h e r u p o n amazingly (p. 107) a n d
faithfully ( p p . 1 9 5 - 6 ) : w h e n she i n n o c e n t l y observes that 'Isabella
p r o m i s e d so faithfully t o w r i t e d i r e c t l y ' , he exposes the h o l l o w ness o f the c o n v e n t i o n a l phrase a n d o f the attitude that lies b e h i n d
it. A n d C a t h e r i n e herself, w e m a y s u r m i s e , is easily t a k e n i n n o t
least because she is i n s e n s i t i v e t o the insincerities o f p o l i t e speech :
one o f the key-passages o f the n o v e l expresses h e r p u z z l e m e n t at
the G e n e r a l ' s i n c o n s i s t e n c y :
. . . w h y he should say one thing so positively, and mean another a l l
the while, was most unaccountable! H o w were people, at that rate,
to be understood? (p. 211)
I n a w o r l d i n w h i c h the i n n o c e n t are beset b y the u n a c c o u n t a b l e
a m b i g u i t y o f w o r d a n d a c t i o n , the p r o b l e m o f k n o w i n g h o w
people are t o be u n d e r s t o o d b e c o m e s o f s u p r e m e i m p o r t a n c e .
P r e c i s i o n , a n d the l a c k o f i t , i n u s i n g l a n g u a g e is also o n e o f
the themes o f Sense and Sensibility, a n o v e l t h r o u g h w h i c h r u n s a n
alert interest i n l a n g u a g e as a n aspect o f s o c i a l b e h a v i o u r , a n d
p a r t i c u l a r l y as a clue t o the strengths a n d frailties o f h u m a n
character. T h e use a n d abuse o f l a n g u a g e b y the v a r i o u s characters
resembles the l i n e traced b y a sensitive r e c o r d i n g i n s t r u m e n t , a n d
e v e n m i n o r q u i r k s a n d d e v i a t i o n s f r o m the n o r m o f w h a t is
acceptable m a y reveal the presence o f d i s t u r b i n g elements. I n
the t h i r d chapter, E l i n o r a n d h e r m o t h e r discuss E d w a r d F e r r a r s :
'It is enough,' said she; 'to say that he is unlike Fanny is enough.
It implies everything amiable. I love h i m already.'
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T think y o u w i l l like h i m , ' said E l i n o r , 'when y o u k n o w more o f
him.'
' L i k e h i m ! ' replied her mother, w i t h a smile. T can feci no sentiment
o f approbation inferior to love.'
' Y o u may esteem h i m . '
T have never yet k n o w n what it was to separate esteem and love.'
M r s D a s h w o o d ' s e n t h u s i a s m o v e r r i d e s v e r b a l d i s t i n c t i o n s that
are i m p o r t a n t , as r e p r e s e n t i n g necessary differences o f f e e l i n g ,
a n d as i m p l y i n g a p p r o p r i a t e differences o f b e h a v i o u r . She does
n o t share her d a u g h t e r ' s sense that s u c h terms as like, love a n d
esteem need t o be h a n d l e d w i t h care, a n d her unawareness of, o r i n difference t o , these g r a d a t i o n s o f m e a n i n g is s y m p t o m a t i c o f her
c o n f u s e d m o r a l p e r c e p t i o n s . T h e c o n v e r s a t i o n q u o t e d a b o v e is
e c h o e d a few pages later, w h e n E l i n o r uses s i m i l a r terms i n
d i s c u s s i n g E d w a r d w i t h her sister:
T do not attempt to deny,' said she, 'that I think very highly o f h i m
— that I greatly esteem, that I like h i m . '
Marianne here burst forth w i t h indignation: 'Esteem h i m ! L i k e
h i m ! Cold-hearted E l i n o r ! O h ! worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of
being otherwise. Use those words again, and I w i l l leave the r o o m this
moment.'
M a r i a n n e is e v i d e n t l y her m o t h e r ' s d a u g h t e r ; a n d her passionate
r e j e c t i o n o f w o r d s w h i c h suggest a n y t h i n g less t h a n the strongest
e m o t i o n prepares us f o r the m i s j u d g e m e n t s that she makes later
i n the n o v e l .
A n o t h e r k i n d o f differentiation is s h o w n w h e n S i r J o h n
M i d d l e t o n tells M a r i a n n e , i n C h a p t e r 9, w h a t he k n o w s o f
Willoughby:
' A n d what sort o f a y o u n g man is he?'
' A s g o o d a k i n d o f fellow as ever l i v e d , I assure you. A very decent
shot, and there is not a bolder rider i n E n g l a n d . '
' A n d is that all you can say for h i m ! ' cried Marianne indignantly.
' B u t what are his manners o n more intimate acquaintance? What his
pursuits, his talents and genius?'
Sir J o h n was rather puzzled.
' U p o n my s o u l , ' said he, T do not k n o w much about h i m as to all
that. B u t he is a pleasant, g o o d humoured fellow, and has got the
nicest little black bitch of a pointer I ever saw. Was she out w i t h h i m
today?'
I n a n a l m o s t l i t e r a l sense, M a r i a n n e a n d S i r J o h n d o n o t speak
the same l a n g u a g e : the latter sees W i l l o u g h b y n o t i n the
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abstract terms o f manners, talents a n d genius, each d e n o t i n g a
carefully-defined aspect o f p e r s o n a l i t y — his p r a c t i c a l m a n ' s
c o n t e m p t f o r ' a l l that' is o b v i o u s — b u t i n the p h y s i c a l terms o f
his s h o o t i n g , his r i d i n g a n d his d o g . W h e n S i r J o h n does attempt
t o describe character rather t h a n b e h a v i o u r , he slips i n t o the easy
clichés o f g o s s i p , as w h e n he describes the M i s s Steeles as 'the
sweetest g i r l s i n the w o r l d ' , a n d a f e w lines later tells the M i s s
D a s h w o o d s that they are 'the m o s t b e a u t i f u l creatures i n the
w o r l d ' — a m a n n e r o f speech that cuts n o ice w i t h E l i n o r , w h o
' w e l l k n e w that the sweetest g i r l s i n the w o r l d w e r e t o be m e t
w i t h i n every p a r t o f E n g l a n d , u n d e r e v e r y p o s s i b l e v a r i a t i o n o f
f o r m , face, t e m p e r , a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g ' .
A s i n Northanger Abbey, the h e r o is n o t o n l y the s p o k e s m a n f o r
c o m m o n sense i n the satire d i r e c t e d at r o m a n t i c excesses o f
f e e l i n g , b u t also insists u p o n a use o f language that s h o w s respect
f o r t r u t h , as i n his speech t o M a r i a n n e i n C h a p t e r 18 :
'. . . remember I have no knowledge i n the picturesque, and I shall
offend y o u by my ignorance and want o f taste i f we come to particulars.
I shall call hills steep, w h i c h ought to be b o l d ; surfaces strange and
uncouth, w h i c h ought to be irregular and r u g g e d ; and distant objects
out o f sight, w h i c h ought only to be indistinct t h r o u g h the soft
medium o f a hazy atmosphere. Y o u must be satisfied w i t h such
admiration as I can honestly give.'
S u c h h o n e s t y , Jane A u s t e n seems t o suggest, is a l l t o o rare. I n
different w a y s , o t h e r characters r e v e a l t h e i r m o r a l natures t h r o u g h
the w o r d s they use : L u c y Steele's b a d g r a m m a r , a n d her a d d i t i o n
t o the w o r d beaux ('I d o n o t perfectly c o m p r e h e n d the m e a n i n g
o f the w o r d ' , E l i n o r s o m e w h a t f r i g i d l y tells h e r ) , c o n v i c t h e r o f
v u l g a r i t y o u t o f her o w n m o u t h ; a n d M r P a l m e r s i g n i f i c a n t l y
r e m a r k s t o his f o o l i s h w i f e , ' " D o n ' t p a l m a l l y o u r abuses o f
language u p o n m e " '. B y s u c h means, u n o b t r u s i v e l y b u t , t o the
reader a t t u n e d t o the matchless subtleties o f her style, q u i t e
u n m i s t a k a b l y , Jane A u s t e n adds a n e w d i m e n s i o n t o the language
o f f i c t i o n , a n d gives style i t s e l f a c e n t r a l i m p o r t a n c e i n the
d i s c u s s i o n o f her n o v e l s .