The Reception of Jane Austen in Europe

This volume of international research provides a wide-ranging account of Jane Austen's reception across the length and breadth of Europe, from Russia and Finland in the North to Italy and Spain in the South. In historical terms, the survey ranges from the near-contemporary - since Austen's novels were available in French very soon after their original publication - to modern times, in those countries which for various reasons, linguistic, historical or ideological, have taken up the novels only in recent years. For many, Austen's novels are valued for their romantic content, as love stories, but increasingly they are being perceived as sophisticated, ironic narratives. In this, the quality of translation has been a significant factor and the many film and television adaptations have played an important part in establishing Austen's reputation amongst the public across two centuries. It will be seen from this that across Europe Austen's 'reception history' is far from uniform and has been shaped by a complex of extra-literary forces.

Anthony Mandal is Reader in English Literature and Director of the Centre for Editorial and Intertextual Research at Cardiff University. His publications include Jane Austen and the Popular Novel: The Determined Author (2007) and a new scholarly edition of Mary Brunton’s bestselling Regency novel, Self-Control (2014). He is also one of the General Editors of the New Edinburgh Edition of the Works of Robert Louis Stevenson.

Brian Southam was an active figure in Austen studies, in which he played a formative role, until his death in 2010. Among his many books are Jane Austen’s Literary Manuscripts(1964, 1966, 2001), two volumes of Jane Austen: The Critical Heritage, 1811–1940 (1968, 1987) and Jane Austen and the Navy (2000, 2005).

Elinor Shaffer, FBA, is Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Modern Languages Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London, and Director of the Research Project on the Reception of British and Irish Authors in Europe. The author of The Fall of Jerusalem: The Mythological School in Biblical Criticism and Secular Literature 1770-1880(Cambridge University Press), and Erewhons of the Eye: Samuel Butler as Painter, Photographer, and Art Critic (Reaktion), and many articles on Coleridge’s aesthetics and other topics in European Romantic studies, she was a founder member of the British Comparative Literature Association and editor of the annual journal Comparative Criticism(Cambridge), and has taught in universities in Britain, the United States and Europe.