Mansfield Park; Empire & Orientalism from Edward Said Essay

Edward states analysis of Jane Austens news report in her 3rd novel Mansfield Park (1814) is based on his feature studies of orientalism. This term is defined by utter as a garland of false assumptions /depictions of Eastern people within Western attitudes. This is achieved, he argues, by instrument of the literary discourse provided by post-enlightenment, post-colonial American/European (Western) authors. Said draws our help to an underlying theme of Mansfield Park, which is empire. Said recycles his interpretation of stereo figured Muslims, Arabs & angstrom Egyptians and applies it again to a different social group. He does so by examining the novels representation of the Atlantic slave divvy up (in the West Indies), and in mo concludes that Austen must reassert British values of imperialism and empire. He operates out the relaxation method with which Austens characters refer to Antigua, and convinces us that Austens infrequent use of this vocalize is evidence of her personal support of the degradation of slaves.In his analysis of the text, Said starts at the beginning, and relies heavily on the ignorant way in which Sir doubting doubting Thomass colony is isolated from his family and domicile, which remains proudly on side of meat land, miles across the globe. He implies that the slight references to Antigua do no verticalice to its consume looker, history, and the event that it is, in comparison, a paradise island. However Austen does actually support this claim herself, as Lady Bertram does no justice to India, wanting besides the commodities it can offer I may catch a shawl. I think I will have two shawls His ultimate point is that the Antigua seen in Mansfield Park is no more than a place for work, essential for obtaining personal luxuries and fortune for the locals of Britain. Austen doesnt deny this in her novel, but she doesnt shout about it either. Saids writing just reminds us of how unfair the situation was, by pointing out the geographical space in between Mansfield Park (w here the money is spent and enjoyed) and the Antiguan sugar plantation (where the money is produced).His critique of the ease with which the familys needs argon met by a sojourn in the Caribbean is unnecessary and useless in explaining his point, it that serves to highlight the fact that the slave trade was, at its peak, very successfully organised and achieved, due to the political military force. Sir Thomass means will be rather straitened, if the Antigua estate is to make such(prenominal) woeful returns, Mrs Norriss comment proves that Austen is aware of the dependence of the family on their slave trade income, as is Lady Bertram, because her reply is Oh that will soon be colonized. Although his wife is unwilling to spend time talking on the subject, this type of ignorant attitude seems to be a convention of realism which Austen applies to her characters systemically, in hopes that their final outcomes will explain her own d isposition on the subject. Said ceaselessly alludes to Austens lack of concern for the slave trade, because her narrative lacks the comment which is needed to properly illustrate the subject, and the setting.Said argues that without the slave trade, the Bertrams could not have been possible, but again, I retrieve Austen is fully aware of the fact that slavery enables the Bertrams to flourish in Mansfield Park. Otherwise, she simply would not have written so much about wealth and class in relation to the success of women, for ex axerophtholle in the end of Pride & Prejudice (1813) Lizzie chose love over money, and Mr Darcy chose love over class. Furthermore Austen includes the declivity of the slave industry within her narrative, and in turn she shows the downfall of Sir Thomas because of the latter. Sir Thomas is depicted (in the end) as having remorse for his actions, and having learned his lesson by means of redemption. Jane Austen is stereotype by Said as a typical euro- centric academic, nave towards the very threats, inequalities and unfairnesss of the world. Just like the slaves Sir Thomas had the advantage of owning, rat becomes the only slave who is able to dwell in Mansfield Park. I confide Austens hopes were that she would be seen as the epitome of the slave She could hardly believe it.To be placed above so many elegant childlike women It was treating her like her cousins Austen explains, from the very first chapter how the class/background ideas of the era are a hindrance to her success, at home and in society. Overall she is inured as below standard, but by the end of the novel she is happy, sanely comfortable and is married to the one whom she was meant to be worth less than. She was constantly referred to as from a different class, background, and place. Those notions of breeding compare her to a real puppy breed her up with them from this time, and suppose her even to have the beauty of an angel, and she will never be more to eith er than a infant. Fanny herself remarked upon the dead silence which followed from her uncle, after her enquiries about the slave trade. She cogitate that because she showed a curiosity and pleasure in his information which he must wish his own daughters feel she regretted asking about the slave colony, as if she just re-realised that she isnt fit to do certain things.Her character reflects ideas of downright and persecution and oppression she is the ultimate realist of the novel. With regard to the character of Sir Thomas and his silence on the subject of his work, Said would most likely argue that he is self-seeking and ignorant and therefore doesnt permit any time cosmos wasted on the subject. However, Austen is more likely treating the subject with the shame and embarrassment it deserves. It is my view that Austen would have been sympathetic towards these slaves and could not surely condone such hegemony, oppression and empire? After all she herself was a victim of opp ression, world a female author unable to take credit and absorb praise for her own work within society. Austen ended her life as a spinster, having never married a man, showing that she didnt conform, for some(prenominal) reason(s), to social expectations of women. Moreover, her life was dependant on the males within her family, as per the UKs laws regarding rights, inheritance and property, because she had nothing of her own.Therefore she would be hypocritical to support the constrained labour of slaves for the benefit of the nation she somewhat rejects. Supposing Austen was supportive of Britains imperialist venture for empire, surely someone with such priorities would have settled and married, just for wealth and security? This is summarised in Susan Fraimans writing Lacking the franchise, enjoying hardly a(prenominal) property rights (and these because she was single), living as a dependent at the bump into of her brothers estate, and publishing her work anonymously, Austen was arguably a build of exile in her own country In conclusion I completely refute Edward Saids claims toward Austen his statements are judgemental and a secondary confused. Moreover, his attention to detail is lacking in research, as Fraiman cleverly states here So ready is Said to offer Austen as Exhibit A in the case for cultures endorsement of empire. and so the degradation of slaves was clearly fact, however, if Austen herself is an outsider to Mansfield Park and its narrative, then her opinions would be channelled through her characters fate. In my opinion, Said fails to take into account the fate of such characters, and the possibility that humans can exercise remorse and rehabilitation. Said draws the conclusion that Austen is idly making trivial references to other important changes from this period, one being the Napoleonic revolution. However, I think that in the period and place she lived, it would have been inconclusive to openly critique the powers of the gov ernment, being that it really WAS un-just it would have been too terrible to do so.BibliographyAusten, Jane, Mansfield Park (Oxford Worlds Classics, London 1814)Said, Edward, Jane Austen and Empire, enculturation and Imperialism (Knopf, New York 1993) http//www.scribd.com/doc/57070252/3-Edward-Said-Austen-and-Empire accessed 19/10/2012 Fraiman, Susan, Jane Austen and Edward Said Gender, Culture, and Imperialism, Janeites Austens Disciples and Devotees alter by Deidre Lynch (Princeton, Princeton 2000) https//blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/orientalism-spring2011/files/Fraiman0001.pdf accessed 19/10/2012