Jane Austen’s Brotherly Love

Brothers take a back seat in Jane Austen’s novels; still, they do play an essential role in her stories as well as her life. In her novels, some displayed positive traits by being protective, supportive, kind, forgiving, and understanding, while others were selfish, self-centered, indifferent, and controlling.  Let’s examine who demonstrates the best traits of brotherly love versus the worst traits of brotherly antagonism? 

Pride and Prejudice

While the five Bennet sisters captured the bulk of our attention, the brothers who make an appearance all reflect positive traits.  Mr. Bingley was an amiable man inclined to be genuinely fond of everyone around him including his two sisters, Caroline and Mrs. Hurst, who accompanied him to Netherfield Park when he first leased the property.  In contrast to his affability, his sisters were vain and judgmental.  They considered themselves to be above the social sphere of the local community including the Bennet’s, even though Mr. Bennet was a gentleman of property while Mr. Bingley’s family came from trade.  It would seem his five thousand a year bought a great deal of respectability.  Immediately enamored with Jane Bennet, Mr. Bingley was forced to defend her family from the criticisms of his sisters and his friend, Mr. Darcy, who vigilantly guarded his own status as well as Bingley’s.  Eventually they all prevailed on him to quit Netherfield Park and return to London to avoid an entanglement with Jane Bennet, whose lack of a sizeable dowry made her much less eligible than Georgiana, the young sister of Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy, despite his aloof manners and distain for local society, proved himself to be a protective and loving brother after he revealed in a letter to Elizabeth Bennet that his sister, Georgiana, had very nearly been compromised by the avaricious scoundrel, Mr. Wickham, who attempted to elope with her to secure her fortune and humiliate Darcy.  Despite Lizzy’s rejection of his proposal and accusations of wrongdoing, he felt obliged to justify his behavior and we, along with Lizzy, became more familiar with the introverted Darcy as a protective, loving, and forgiving older brother worthy of our admiration. 

Even Mr. Gardiner, the brother of Mrs. Bennet, showed himself to be caring and supportive of her family when he joined Mr. Bennet in London to locate his runaway niece, Lydia, who had thrown herself in the path of Mr. Wickham and eloped.  When Mr. Darcy discovered them in London, Wickham, who had no intention of legitimizing the union, was prevailed upon to marry her for a price.  Much to the chagrin of Mr. Gardiner, he was forced to initially take credit for resolving the affair even though all had been arranged by Mr. Darcy.  Mr. Gardiner proved himself to be a supportive and generous brother while earning the respect of Darcy and later became a great favorite at Pemberley. 

Sense and Sensibility

What can be said of the Ferrars brothers?  Edward exhibited all the laudable traits of decency and principled behavior when compared with his brother, Robert.  Edward chose the honorable path by admitting his youthful mistake of entering a secret engagement to the shrewd and cunning Lucy Steele, when he was the young student of her uncle.  He stood by his commitment despite the threat of disinheritance and the loss of the woman he had come to love, Elinor Dashwood.  Robert was the beneficiary who not only claimed the family inheritance but also married conniving Lucy who set her sights on him as soon as it became clear that a marriage to disinherited Edward would not be in her best interests.  The newly independent, vain, and self-absorbed Robert was a perfect target for a social climber adept at flattery like Lucy Steele, who always ingratiated herself wherever she went. 

Manipulative, unbrotherly behavior was also demonstrated by John Dashwood under the influence of his wife Fanny, the sister of Edward and Robert.  She persuaded John to ensure his recently widowed stepmother, and her daughters were consigned to poverty and forced displacement, after he inherited his father’s property, Norland Park.  She and Robert were cut from the same cloth as far as greed and indifference are concerned.  Edward was the only brother worthy of admiration and finally won the hand of his beloved Elinor.

Emma

The Knightly brothers, John and George, appeared to share a high degree of fraternal devotion.  While George was the eldest and inherited the family estate of Donwell Abbey, John had married Emma’s older sister, Isabella, and was the father of five small children.  It was from John that George sought advice after becoming increasingly aware of his growing romantic feelings for Emma stemming from jealousy over her perceived attraction to Frank Churchill.  Both the Knightly brothers make the “good” list.

Robert Martin had all the markings of an excellent brother who perhaps looked to his sisters for guidance when he wrote his first letter of proposal to Harriet Smith.  Emma surmised as much when she attributed the authorship with its “good sense, warm attachment, liberality, propriety, and delicacy of feeling” to be beyond his capacity, saying it was “so good a letter, Harriet, that everything considered, I think one of his sisters must have helped him.”  If that was the case, he was a wise brother to consult with his sisters for advice and they continued to encourage his efforts even though Harriet rejected him the first time until, at last, he won her hand. 

Mansfield Park

Thomas and Edmund Bertram and their sisters were children of privilege raised by their baronet father, Sir Thomas, to take their place in the social hierarchy and enjoy the advantages their position offered.  Unfortunately for Sir Thomas and Edmund, Tom took his pleasures with friends to excess when he pursued a fast and loose lifestyle at his younger brother’s expense, ringing up debts that his father had to honor.  Tom’s indiscreet choices cost his brother, destined for the clergy, a significant living from a wealthy parish he stood to inherit, leaving him with a much smaller preferment of another.  Tom did nothing to set a role model for his younger sisters either, instead engaging them in the impropriety of participating in a home-staged play, “Lovers’ Vows”; even Edmund succumbed to the lure of the play to please Mary Crawford.  On returning from Antigua and discovering the plan, their father’s anger and dismay was on full display and plans for the play were cut short. 

Edmund, unlike his prodigal brother, was reserved and conscientious, at least until he fell under the spell of Mary Crawford and struggled with his feelings for her, especially since she distained his calling as a clergyman.  Were it not for the missteps of Maria Bertram Rushworth running off with Henry Crawford, thereby ruining her marriage and her reputation, Edmund might have been prevailed upon to forsake his calling and marry Miss Crawford who had an inheritance to sustain them.  That would have been a blow to his cousin, Fanny Price, whose resentment of Mary as an unsuitable choice for Edmund, masked romantic feelings for her cousin that were just beginning to emerge.

William Price, on the other hand, was a much better example of brotherly love and showed affection for his younger sister by writing to her and visiting her at Mansfield Park.  He did benefit from her acquaintance with Henry Crawford who arranged for William to get a promotion in the Navy, all to impress Fanny of the sincerity of his feelings and offer of marriage.  His efforts to persuade her of his affection were undone when Henry, on a whim, ran off with recently married Maria.  Still, when it comes to the portrayal of brothers in the novels, William Price is agreeable, sincere, and admirable.

Persuasion

Captain Wentworth had an amiable attachment to his sister, Sophie Croft, whom he visited after Admiral Croft leased Kellynch Hall, and he seemed to have a close relationship with his brother as well.  When we encountered him as a young man starting his career in the Navy, he was visiting his brother when he first met and fell in love with young Anne Elliot, whose family didn’t approve of the match.  Eight years later, having returned as a successful, wealthy Naval officer, he allowed his resentment towards Anne to surface as he pursued flirtations with the two Musgrove sisters, sisters-in-law to Mary (Elliot) Musgrove, whom Anne was visiting.  Following an accident that befell Louisa Musgrove in Lyme, Captain Wentworth sought out his brother again when it became apparent that his overt behavior might have obliged him to marry the young lady for whom he had no great attachment.  Time spent with his brother allowed him the opportunity to recognize his enduring attraction to Anne and he followed her to Bath in hopes of winning her hand.  Lucky for Anne, who had never forsaken her love for him, had a great fondness for the Crofts, and could then enjoy visiting Kellynch Hall freely.  Naval officers shine in this novel.

Northanger Abbey

Several brothers are introduced in Northanger Abbey but only one was deserving of praise.  Early on Catherine Moreland was introduced to Isabella Thorpe finding an intimate friend her own age with whom to discover the enjoyments of Bath, discuss their love for gothic novels, and pursue flirtations.  When Isabella’s brother, John Thorpe, and Catherine’s brother, James Moreland, arrived in Bath, the two young ladies we’re immediately paired off, especially after James and Isabella became engaged.  This was not to the liking of Catherine who was far more interested in pursuing an acquaintance with Henry Tilney and his sister, Eleanor, and was put off by the boastings of John Thorpe.  James was less than sensitive to his sister’s feelings, pressuring her to go out for carriage rides with John so he could spend time with Isabella.  All three treated Catherine like a pawn to be used and manipulated, and egotistical John Thorpe took it so far as to presume he would have a future betrothal with her after his sister became engaged to his best friend. 

Things went amiss with the arrival in Bath of another “bad boy” brother, Captain Tilney.  Charming and handsome like his younger brother, Henry, he was also proud, manipulative, and used to getting his way.  While James was visiting his home to make financial arrangements for the engagement to Isabella, she openly welcomed the attentions of Captain Tilney, thinking she might have the opportunity to upgrade her engagement to a wealthier candidate.  Instead, she was not only dropped by Captain Tilney when he left Bath, but her engagement to James fell through as well. 

The Austen Brothers

Jane had six brothers, and they played an important role in her life.  James was eldest and became vicar at Steventon when her father retired and moved to Bath.  Of the second, George, little is known other than he had a disability and didn’t live with the family.  Edward Austen Knight was adopted by his wealthy relatives at the age of 12 and eventually inherited three estates in Godmersham, Steventon, and Chawton where Jane frequently visited.

Jane’s favorite brother, Henry, was a clever teenager and bright scholar, who joined the militia, married his cousin, Eliza, failed as a banker in London, and eventually became the clergyman his father always hoped he would become.  Francis (Frank) became a sea captain and the youngest, Charles followed him into a career in the navy. 

Following the death of Mr. Austen, Mrs. Austen and her two daughters became dependent on the combined support of the brothers.  Edward and Frank agreed to contribute 150 pounds per annum while James and Henry contributed 50 pounds per annum to support the three women who ended up living something of a nomadic life.  After moving from Bath, they shared rented accommodations with Frank’s family in Southampton for three years and visited various branches of the family until finally settling at the cottage in Chawton.

Considering Edward’s wealth, his contribution seems rather paltry considering his wife, Elizabeth, was the daughter of a baronet.  He inherited three estates but only provided the cottage in Chawton to his mother and sisters after the death of his wife, who passed away giving birth to their eleventh child.   I’ve wondered if she was a bit like Fanny Dashwood and influenced him to contribute no more than his brothers even though he had far more resources, but, in fairness, they did have eleven children so perhaps that’s why he was parsimonious.   

Although Henry was her favorite brother and instrumental in finally getting her novels published, he was also rather open in attributing the critically acclaimed stories to his sister who sought anonymity.  I wonder at some of his choices after her death since he was in attendance.  She was buried in Winchester Cathedral rather than in Chawton with a rather large tombstone that befit the setting but did nothing to acknowledge her as an author of popular, highly praised novels.  He made sure the last two, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, were published after her death, and he also wrote the first biography of his sister, but he appeared rather dismissive of the time and effort she put into the creation of these timeless stories by claiming her “books sprang to life fully-formed – painlessly, effortlessly.” 

All things considered, I believe Jane Austen was very proud of her brothers, had a shrewd eye for the value of “the living” both for her family and the impact of the role on society.  She also had great respect for naval careers as evidenced by the very positive portrayals of naval officers in her novels.  She was a keen observer of social inequality, and the limitations placed on women, as she makes abundantly evident in her plots.  Why would she not reveal the forced dependence the women in her family had on the men?  Fortunately, they were good men who did their duty and demonstrated true “brotherly love”.