The Improvement of the Estate: A Study of Jane Austen's Novels - Paperback

by Alistair M. Duckworth (Author)

Originally published in 1994. In The Improvement of the Estate, Alistair Duckworth contends that understanding Mansfield Park is fundamental to appreciating Jane Austen's body of work. Professor Duckworth understands Mansfield Park as underscoring the central uniting theme in Austen's work--her concept of the "estate" and its "improvement." The author illustrates Austen's connection to the values of Christian humanism, which she conveys through the uniting theme of estate improvement. According to Duckworth, the estate represents moral and social heritage, so the manner in which individuals seek to improve their estates in Jane Austen's novels represents the direction in which she saw the state and society moving. Finally, Duckworth underscores Austen's awareness of the importance of a society of individuals whose behavior is socially informed.

Author Biography

Alistair Duckworth is a professor emeritus of English at the University of Florida. He also taught at Mount Holyoke College, Florida State University in London and Florida, the University of Virginia, and SUNY Buffalo.