Assignment #4- Jane Austen/Novels

I believe novels are a reflection of society through the author's eyes. Jane Austen grew up during an era of an emerging middle class. Shortly beforehand, only the nobles and peasants existed; therefore, I believe Jane Austen uses her own middle class perspective to suggest times are changing. Many of Austen's novels intertwine the upper and middle class in some type of love story involving money, power, and greedy "villains" (aka upper class tyrants). Time and time again, she writes her female, middle class protagonist as the ultimate heroine. For example, Northanger Abbey depicts Catherine, our lower classed protagonist, in a world where status is everything. She quickly learns the customs of proper etiquette after being emersed in foreign Bath-- though she falls into the pitfalls, which every heroine must do before achieving victory, she ultimately succeeds in the end by marrying her upper class lover. After reevaluating my comments, maybe Austen's novels are not a true reflection of society, but what she ultimately hopes society will become-- middle class heros save the day.