My first feeling is that the depressing term "free indirect discourse" is a dry, empirical, mechanical and totally ungraceful jargon inappropriate to describe a technique that embodies fluent and subtle virtuosity. It should be shot.
In free indirect speech (present tense narration), should I turn "Oh my God" into "Oh his God"? E.g. "George is breathing heavily. Oh his God, is he going to die here?"
Mr John Dashwood “civilly hoped” that they would not go far from norland, he doesn’t genuinely hope, he hopes only for the sake of civility. An example of the colouring of language in indirect discourse that you mention
Thank you for your lucid and interesting content. I love the use of free indirect discourse, partly because it is so economical, producing more meaning for a given quantity of words, and partly because it allows the author to be more or less imprecise over who is asserting a given statement. It does require careful monitoring of context in the reader's mind, which could either add to the pleasure or the annoyance. I've read somewhere that free indirect discourse can be used to distance the the author from their character. While I accept this point in cases where first-person narrative would be a natural option, in Jane Austen's novels where she is typically trying to convey the thoughts of multiple characters, free indirect discourse tends to reduce the distance compared to the obvious third-person narrative alternative.
Exactly! - it takes far more work from the reader. Well, it definitely adds to the pleasure for me. Hmmm - that does seem a bit odd. Perhaps the point was that in using Free Indirect Discourse Austen can achieve a comic distance between the character and the meaning? So, for example, in 'Sense and Sensibility' when John Dashwood is annoyed because the Dashwoods moving to Devonshire scuppers his plan to ‘assist’ them, the narrative reads: “Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how exceedingly sorry he was that she had taken a house at such a distance from Norland as to prevent his being of any service to her in removing her furniture. He really felt conscientiously vexed on the occasion; for the very exertion to which he had limited the performance of his promise to his father was by this arrangement rendered impracticable.-” In John’s terms, “he really is conscientiously vexed”. But in terms of the narrative, that John “really is conscientiously vexed” about this only serves to expose how much he is falling short of “his promise to his father”. Note the delicious use (and ironic double meaning) of “conscientiously” here.
I read a charming pastiche of "Sense and Sensibility" at the Derbyshire Writers' Guild, "A More Amiable Woman", that asks what-if John Dashwood had married Miss Charlotte Jennings instead. Your discussion of the canon Mrs John Dashwood made me think of it again. But thank you for all of your Austen Close Readings!
And that is an absolutely fabulous question - what are the worst marriages in Austen? In fact, you have inspired me to make a video about it! Regards, Octavia.
Hello again. In response to your question (asking 'Which is the worst marriage in Jane Austen's novels?'), I've made this video: ua-cam.com/video/UXkMvFYcdL0/v-deo.html Do you agree with my list? Who would you put on your list? Octavia
Dr Cox, off topic but do you see use of free indirect discourse in Georgette Heyer's novels? Say for instance, in "Venetia"? I think it is there and talking with my daughter over this particular novel (I'm reading it closer, she's reading the author for the first time) she mentioned how she finds it a bit difficult to follow who is thinking. Maybe it isn't the same and again, off topic. My apologies, but wanted to ask you. Thank you again.
Does Austen's use of free indirect discourse not count as head hopping because she uses a omniscient point-of-view? Also, is the very first sentence of Pride and Prejudice an example of free indirect discourse in the point of view from Mrs. Bennet?
Ah! - well, many people have read the opening sentence of P&P as inflected with the voice of Mrs Bennet. It might also be a joke at novelistic convention (it is the first sentence in a novel, after all)?
@@DrOctaviaCox Yes - for me the second interpretation works better; it doesn’t necessarily work better as a single narrative voice of Mrs. Bennet - it is ‘universally acknowledged after all
Sorry to jump in two years later, but- In P&P (and the only other place I can think of it as distinctly is a few places in Emma), there is present often, especially in time transitions, the character of “the neighborhood” for the purpose of summarizing thoughts and opinions on the goings-on of various people in the narrative. Sort of a Greek chorus representing society. I always thought the first line went along nicely with this “character.”
In free indirect speech (present tense narration), should I turn "Oh my God" into "Oh his God"? E.g. "George is breathing heavily. Oh his God, is he going to die here?"
Really old comment, but in free indirect discourse, I would probably leave the exclamation out entirely. To elaborate on your example, you might instead write: "George is breathing heavily and his heart is pounding. Is he going to die here? His knee hits the floor as he stumbles, his vision fading. No! His cell phone is on the coffee table. If he can just make it there--success! He grabs the phone and hastily dials 911. "'911,' the operator answers. 'What's your emergency?' "'Help me,' George whispers just before his face hits the floor and his world turns black as night."
Second person narrative. Very hard to write. Very hard to do well. Ridiculously overused in fanfiction. Free indirect discourse on the other hand is a marvel to read when done well. It's as if the omniscient narrator is actually your friend and he's telling you a story with all the juicy secrets and side-comments.
Do leave any comments that you have.
Have you found any other great examples of Free Indirect Discourse from Sense and Sensibility?
My first feeling is that the depressing term "free indirect discourse" is a dry, empirical, mechanical and totally ungraceful jargon inappropriate to describe a technique that embodies fluent and subtle virtuosity. It should be shot.
In free indirect speech (present tense narration), should I turn "Oh my God" into "Oh his God"? E.g.
"George is breathing heavily. Oh his God, is he going to die here?"
Mr John Dashwood “civilly hoped” that they would not go far from norland, he doesn’t genuinely hope, he hopes only for the sake of civility. An example of the colouring of language in indirect discourse that you mention
And a fabulous example too!
I would love it if you made a podcast 😊
There is so much to learn from and about Jane Austen's writing! It's so fascinating
I couldn't agree more!
This gives a really clear explanation of the differences between direct, indirect and free indirect speech, with good examples
Thank you! I'm glad that the explanations were helpful, and the examples illustrative.
I love your accent and Jane Austen's style. Thank you!
Thank you for your lucid and interesting content.
I love the use of free indirect discourse, partly because it is so economical, producing more meaning for a given quantity of words, and partly because it allows the author to be more or less imprecise over who is asserting a given statement. It does require careful monitoring of context in the reader's mind, which could either add to the pleasure or the annoyance.
I've read somewhere that free indirect discourse can be used to distance the the author from their character. While I accept this point in cases where first-person narrative would be a natural option, in Jane Austen's novels where she is typically trying to convey the thoughts of multiple characters, free indirect discourse tends to reduce the distance compared to the obvious third-person narrative alternative.
Exactly! - it takes far more work from the reader. Well, it definitely adds to the pleasure for me.
Hmmm - that does seem a bit odd. Perhaps the point was that in using Free Indirect Discourse Austen can achieve a comic distance between the character and the meaning? So, for example, in 'Sense and Sensibility' when John Dashwood is annoyed because the Dashwoods moving to Devonshire scuppers his plan to ‘assist’ them, the narrative reads: “Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how exceedingly sorry he was that she had taken a house at such a distance from Norland as to prevent his being of any service to her in removing her furniture. He really felt conscientiously vexed on the occasion; for the very exertion to which he had limited the performance of his promise to his father was by this arrangement rendered impracticable.-”
In John’s terms, “he really is conscientiously vexed”. But in terms of the narrative, that John “really is conscientiously vexed” about this only serves to expose how much he is falling short of “his promise to his father”. Note the delicious use (and ironic double meaning) of “conscientiously” here.
I read a charming pastiche of "Sense and Sensibility" at the Derbyshire Writers' Guild, "A More Amiable Woman", that asks what-if John Dashwood had married Miss Charlotte Jennings instead.
Your discussion of the canon Mrs John Dashwood made me think of it again.
But thank you for all of your Austen Close Readings!
It's my pleasure, Toriolees. Always happy to make people think of Austen again!
Dr. Cox, thank you for your videos. I’m learning so much about literature and writing that I never even heard about before.
Hi Dr Octavia! I love your way of teaching and explaining.
Kindly answer the question.
The worst marriages in Jane Austen's Novels.
Regards
Thank you very much. I'm glad you find my teaching helpful.
And that is an absolutely fabulous question - what are the worst marriages in Austen? In fact, you have inspired me to make a video about it!
Regards, Octavia.
@@DrOctaviaCox thanks! I'm looking forward.
Hello again. In response to your question (asking 'Which is the worst marriage in Jane Austen's novels?'), I've made this video: ua-cam.com/video/UXkMvFYcdL0/v-deo.html
Do you agree with my list? Who would you put on your list?
Octavia
Thank you so much
I have long wanted a good explanation of this, thank you, that was really helpful.
This was quite clear and helpful. Thank you!
Thank you for the video - very illuminating! (P.S. - I also very much love Chapter 2 of S&S.)
Thank you!
Dr Cox, off topic but do you see use of free indirect discourse in Georgette Heyer's novels? Say for instance, in "Venetia"? I think it is there and talking with my daughter over this particular novel (I'm reading it closer, she's reading the author for the first time) she mentioned how she finds it a bit difficult to follow who is thinking. Maybe it isn't the same and again, off topic. My apologies, but wanted to ask you. Thank you again.
I'm going to miss when the unis are all open again and dr cox doesn't have time for these videos anymore.
Does Austen's use of free indirect discourse not count as head hopping because she uses a omniscient point-of-view?
Also, is the very first sentence of Pride and Prejudice an example of free indirect discourse in the point of view from Mrs. Bennet?
Ah! - well, many people have read the opening sentence of P&P as inflected with the voice of Mrs Bennet. It might also be a joke at novelistic convention (it is the first sentence in a novel, after all)?
@@DrOctaviaCox Yes - for me the second interpretation works better; it doesn’t necessarily work better as a single narrative voice of Mrs. Bennet - it is ‘universally acknowledged after all
Sorry to jump in two years later, but-
In P&P (and the only other place I can think of it as distinctly is a few places in Emma), there is present often, especially in time transitions, the character of “the neighborhood” for the purpose of summarizing thoughts and opinions on the goings-on of various people in the narrative. Sort of a Greek chorus representing society. I always thought the first line went along nicely with this “character.”
💞🌻🥰🌺
In free indirect speech (present tense narration), should I turn "Oh my God" into "Oh his God"? E.g.
"George is breathing heavily. Oh his God, is he going to die here?"
Really old comment, but in free indirect discourse, I would probably leave the exclamation out entirely. To elaborate on your example, you might instead write:
"George is breathing heavily and his heart is pounding. Is he going to die here? His knee hits the floor as he stumbles, his vision fading. No! His cell phone is on the coffee table. If he can just make it there--success! He grabs the phone and hastily dials 911.
"'911,' the operator answers. 'What's your emergency?'
"'Help me,' George whispers just before his face hits the floor and his world turns black as night."
Second person narrative. Very hard to write. Very hard to do well. Ridiculously overused in fanfiction.
Free indirect discourse on the other hand is a marvel to read when done well. It's as if the omniscient narrator is actually your friend and he's telling you a story with all the juicy secrets and side-comments.
I read a book by Richard Powers in the second person. It was weird in English, probably unreadable in my mothertongue (German).
I love your close reading videos! I enjoy them a lot and they make me feel like I’m back at uni in the best possible way. 🤍✨📖