Jane Austen for Dudes

Feb 13, 2023

In this insightful conversation, John Mullan, a Professor of English and author of "What Matters in Jane Austen?", opens up the world of Jane Austen for a modern audience. He discusses his journey from disdain to appreciation, revealing how Austen’s themes of character and morality resonate with men today. Mullan delves into her narrative innovations, like free indirect speech, and highlights how her novels offer a unique perspective on human behavior. He even touches on how her works provided solace to men during tumultuous times. A delightful reawakening to the genius of Austen!

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ANECDOTE

Brett McKay's Austen Conversion

Brett McKay initially dismissed Jane Austen, associating her with "foo-fooey lady stuff".
However, after accidentally watching Sense and Sensibility, he became a fan.

ANECDOTE

John Mullan's Austen Journey

John Mullan initially viewed Austen's stories as "substanceless" tales of women seeking husbands.
Through teaching, he realized the depth and complexity of her work, constantly finding new insights upon rereading.

INSIGHT

Free Indirect Speech

Jane Austen pioneered free indirect speech, a literary technique that filters narration through a character's consciousness.
This innovation allows readers to experience the story through the character's biases and perceptions.

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Years ago, I was flipping through TV channels and came across Hugh Laurie, of Dr. House fame, decked out in 19th-century English gentleman garb. Because I was a House fan, I was curious about what Hugh Laurie sounded like with his native British accent, so I paused my channel surfing to find out.

Then I brought up the title and saw that I was watching Sense and Sensibility. "Ugh. Jane Austen. No way I would enjoy that," I thought. I associated Jane Austen with foo-fooey lady stuff. So my plan was to flip the channel as soon as I heard Dr. House talk British.

Two hours later, the end credits for Sense and Sensibility scrolled down the screen. I had watched the entire thing. Didn't even get up to go the bathroom.

Not only did I watch the whole movie, I remember thinking, "Man, that was really good."

Thanks to Dr. House, my resistance to Austen was broken, and I found myself genuinely curious about her books. So I got the free version of her collected works and slowly started working my way through what are arguably her three best: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. And I'll be darned if I didn't truly enjoy them all.

If you're a dude who's written off Jane Austen's work as I once did, perhaps today's podcast will convince you that there's something in it for women and men alike and encourage you to give her novels a try. My guest is John Mullan, a professor of English and the author of What Matters in Jane Austen? John and I discuss the literary innovation Austen pioneered that influenced the likes of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove and will give your social agility a healthy workout. John then explains why soldiers and Winston Churchill turned to Austen during the world wars. We also discuss the philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre's argument that Austen's work was "the last great representative of the classical tradition of virtues," Austen's idea of manliness, and how a man's choice of a wife will shape his character. And John shares his recommendation for which Austen novel men should read first.

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