Date of Award
Fall 12-15-2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
English
College
College of Humanities and Fine Arts
First Advisor
Jennifer Boyle
Abstract/Description
The focus on the downfalls and misunderstandings of the Austen anthology has allowed critics to ignore her incredible ability to scientifically dissect the intricate workings of social circles and networks comprised of psychologically accurate characters and interactions. For instance, her portrayals of gender roles (heterosocial/sexual and homosocial/sexual) within those circles were so apt that they often still true today. The transcendental human nature of individuals like Emma's Emma Woodhouse and Mansfield Park's Fanny Price causes us to question how Austen amplifies and enlightens our understanding of how modern social networks, like Facebook or Twitter, stem directly from historically complex affective networks based on gender, socioeconomic standing, politics, occupation, and other important aspects of our everyday life in the contemporary technological age.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Shaver, Rebecca, "Emerging Media in 18th Century Literature: How Jane Austen Invented Facebook" (2012). Honors Theses. 63.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/honors-theses/63