Austen was the daughter of a clergymannearly became engaged to anotherand clergymen play central roles in most of her novels. She represents the Church of Englandwith its emphasis on calmrational belief and a suspicion of "enthusiasm" and the Puritan tradition. Indeedshe said of the evangelical revival"they who are so far from Reason and Feelingmust be happiest." Yet we hardly ever see her clergymen at workand death occurs rarely in her novels and is then treated with a minimum of sentimentality. Stillone cannot read her works without getting the sense of a strong moral code underlying the comedy.
What part does religion play in her works? Are the best characters in her novels religious? Compare them to the best characters in PopeSwiftand Johnson.
Incorporated in the Victorian Web July 2000