Smart or not Smart: Seeking Multiple Intelligences in Jane Austen''s Emma and Persuasion

• Main Authors: Jana Yi-wen Chien, 簡怡玟
• Other Authors: Nicholas Koss
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2001
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/79595928861924788635

碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 英國語文學系 === 90 === As Howard Gardner, who is best known for his theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI theory) points out, individuals can use their intelligences to solve problems, so do Jane Austen''s heroines. In addition to the time sequence of publication, there is a change of writing style in Emma and Persuasion while they also differ from Austen''s previous four novels. Then, Emma and Persuasion are the major texts I am going to study in this thesis. Through analyzing the text by MI theory, my thesis proposes to study how Austen creates characters and designs appropriate ways for them to pursue their happiness by the use of multiple intelligences. I argue that their education toward maturity goes forward by solving problems with their intellectual competences in distinctive ways. Because of this, the analysis of the multiple intelligences of Emma Woodhouse and Anne Elliot will be the major method of approaching their problem-solving ability. Each one''s intelligences will be discussed in the following order: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Together with this, I will present the importance of some characters who stand for hindering or helping the heroine undergo the learning process. The First Chapter presents various critics'' thinking on the idea of education in Austen''s works. In Chapter Two on Emma, there are seven major problems waiting for Emma to overcome. Most of them relate to her relationships with other characters, such as Harriet Smith, Mr. Elton, Jane Fairfax, Miss Bates, Frank Churchill, Mr. Knightley, and herself. Chapter Three mainly deals with Anne in Persuasion. With her multiple intelligences, Anne''s main task is to solve two problems: awakening her emotions and deciding who her true love is. In the last chapter, the detailed comparison between Emma and Anne in terms of the eight intelligences concludes this study.