Monday, May 30, 2011

jane austen biography

started reading a biography about jane austen by Peter Leithart.  it's part of the 'christian encounters' line of books trying to tell the 'truth' about authors, etc.  the first part makes jane seem like a pop culture phenomenon because we are currently a godless society, hmmmmm.  the second part is detailing the access to religious men in her life, to ultimately discuss how christian austen was and why that's important.  i find it very odd that the authors, leithart, spends so much time detailing the current austen craze, fanfic, movies, etc, and poinitng out all the ways a less christian  more godless society idolizes authors/authoresses like austen, then moves on to a 'true' account of her life and her christianity.  what about the social implications of her christianity, the social causes of her practicing christianity?  has he not read the opening line "it is a truth universally acknowledged."  biographies are never without social influence, leithart claims the christian influence as his, but then holds austen's current popularity against the godless fans currently worshiping her, while completely leaving out the societal influences of austen's christianity and claiming his retelling for the closest truth.  how can those two parts exist within the same chapter?  how can current popularity demonstrate unacceptable hero worship, being traced to less than ideal (according to leithart) christian practices, while social influences are not at all discussed when detailing austen's christian practices?  granted i'm not done with the book, but i'm already really taking issue with the methodology of this biography.  in my book you can't be up front with your influences (in this case christianity) then try to pass of different types of methodology in different era's as 'truth' about a long dead author.  reading austen fanfic should label me as an austen worshiper.  leaving out the social influences of attending church, some of the social reasons small communities attend church services beyond just worship is missing all the important social influences on religion that influenced the cultural practices of religion in austen's time period.  not being seen at church services would have made you a social outcast in a small community, your place, your pew, your practices, who you sat with said a lot about your position in the society.  this still holds true in many churches today, so why was this aspect of religion completely ignored?

No comments: