In an excerpt from Jane Austen's Juvenilia, the attraction of a young gentleman to a female letter writer challenges the established gender roles of the late 18th century while also reinforcing them. The passage depicts the character Laura writing about sheltering a young man and his servant with her family. This essay argues that Austen's careful use of dialogue, diction, and narration in this passage subversively challenges traditional gender stereotypes within the societal norms of the time, ultimately facilitating the emergence of a new literary tradition that encourages women to express their voices and agency.

The passage commences with a family discussion that highlights Laura's limited power due to the pervasive gender stereotypes and societal expectations of that period. However, it also suggests that women's voices were not entirely suppressed, and they could still exert some agency within the household. Despite Laura's father being the ultimate decision-maker as to whether or not to provide shelter, he looked towards his wife and daughter for guidance. This portrayal of opposing gender roles is visible through family dialogue, notably when Laura's daughter asks definitively, "Won't you admit them?" and her father responds with, "You have no objection, my Dear?" (Austen). In this instance, Laura and her mother assertively and empathetically consider the young gentleman and his servant, while the father's language lacked conviction, despite having ultimate power in the home. Overall, the dialogue presents a distinctive tension between reinforcing gender stereotypes and challenging them within the limits of that period's societal norms.

When the stranger joins the household, Austen employs Laura's fondness for the young gentleman to further complicate the theme of gender roles and expectations. Traditional gender norms dictated that a man pursued a woman, but the passage subverts this power dynamic, with Laura actively pursuing the stranger and declaring him as "the most beauteous and amiable Youth, [she] had ever beheld" (Austen). Austen's diction in this quote challenges the notion that women are passive objects of desire, yet its highly romanticized language conforms to societal expectations that women are ruled by their emotions. Laura's exclamation that her "happiness or Misery of [her] future Life must depend" on this young man echoes societal beliefs that social mobility, security, and future success were only attainable through marriage to a man. This tension between reinforcing and challenging traditional gender roles in the passage and Laura's love interest adds complexity and nuance.

To grasp the passage's wider implications on literary tradition, it is crucial to consider Austen's social standing and the literary conventions of the time. As a female author during the late 18th century, Austen's presence in the literary world was a significant achievement. Although Austen wrote within the language and conventions of the time, she did not allow these limitations to dampen her authentic voice. Therefore, by choosing a female narrator in this passage, Austen was able to challenge societal expectations and limitations imposed on women while adhering to the literary norms of her time. Thus, the passage serves as a testament to Austen's agency and contribution to the literary world. She unmade the traditions she operated within, created a new literary tradition, and paved the way for greater female involvement and representation in literature.

Bibliography

Austen, Jane. Juvenilia [handwritten document]. Three volumes. McMaster University, 2023.