136 - John Mullan: Jane Austen's Genius

Two for Tea Podcast

General Visit John’s academic webpage for more information on his publications: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/english/people/john-mullan John’s book ‘What Matters in Jane Austen: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved’: https://www.amazon.com/What-Matters-Jane-Austen-Crucial/dp/B00BNI1Z8Y Jane Austen’s books: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/68 References Iona’s Areo article ‘Writing Wrongs: Why Academics Write So Badly and How That Hurts Them’: https://areomagazine.com/2020/07/06/writing-wrongs-why-academics-write-so-badly-and-how-that-hurts-them/ Timestamps 0:00 Opening and introduction, with some remarks on obscurity and lucidity in academic writing. 3:30 Austen as revolutionary literary stylist: Iona reads from John’s book on her. 8:15 Iona reads a passage from Austen’s ‘Persuasion’. 12:11 John discusses Austen’s techniques in this passage, particularly her innovation in creating free indirect style. 21:03 Iona reads the next couple of paragraphs of ‘Persuasion’; further discussion of Austen’s subtle techniques and themes follows. 30:20 The importance of male sexuality in Austen (“in want of a wife”). 38:46 Austen’s underrated comic genius. 47:00 More on Austen’s men: rakes, celibates, and premarital sex. 54:25 Marriage, sex, and finality in Austen (and marriage as permanent fate in literature more generally). 1:05:00 Idiolects and character in Austen (and the controversy over Austen on the ten pound note). 1:14:20 Austen’s writing is both very simple and richly complex. 1:18:31 The importance of “impossible!” in Austen. 1:19:21 John’s advice for re-reading Austen and some final reflections on her work. 1:23:11 Last words and outro.