This project has entirely changed my perception of Jane Austen. I came into this project viewing Austen as a simplistic writer who wrote cheesy, overblown romance narratives. In other words, I subscribed to the myth of Austen. Every day this summer I have come to realize that the “truth” of Austen’s literary genius lies within her ability to inadvertently engage with intensely political material and her ambiguous satire. At almost every moment in the text, she simultaneously uses and break downs satire. It is always both. I now understand that Austen is an incredibly complex author, both difficult to read and interpret.
Our Project
How are digital archives changing the way we can conduct and publish primary research? This project will introduce students to methods in digital research and digital publishing, within the context of the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death and the posthumous publication of her first and last novel, Northanger Abbey. Participants will design and conduct research on Jane Austen and her novels, drawing on digital archives that give researchers access to primary historical documents. The research will be published in the form of digital projects intended for a general audience. Students will also use this research to host a series of community reading groups, which will include both student research presentations to provide context for the novels and student-led discussion of Austen's Northanger Abbey.
Love it. : ) Brit lit isn’t so bad, is it? : )