Focalization And Free Indirect Discourse In Persuasion

Jane Austen's novels, viewed according to the chronology of publication, show an escalating use of free indirect discourse, experimentation in the early works leading to a habitual reliance upon this narrative device after 1814. However, not many critics have given consideration to her writing technique as a stylist.In her last complete novel, Persuasion, most of the actions and characters are perceived and judged through Anne Elliot's viewpoint. As she is a calm and silent observer, her opinions are mainly presented by unceasing consciousness rather than speech. The representation of her consciousness involves two narrative techniques, focalization and free indirect discourse. The thorough analysis of Austen's sophisticated use of these two narrative techniques in this novel will contribute to a better understanding of its characters and themes.The present thesis is based on Mieke Bal's theory of focalization deriving from Narratology: Introduction of the Theory of Narrative, and Stefan Oltean's theory of FID deriving from A Survey of the Pragmatic and Referential Functions of Free Indirect Discourse. To be terser and compacter, the thesis takes a series of interrelated and representative passages as examples for discussion of the use of these two techniques. Through the discussion on Austen's use of internal/character-bound focalization and external/non-character-bound focalization, the features of different characters and the themes of the novel are revealed. Through the analysis of Anne Elliot's consciousness rendered in free indirect discourse, Anne's true character is disclosed. She is the most reticent heroine in all Austen's novels but at the same time she is the most mature, rational and discerning.The skillful and flexible employment of focalization and FID, makes Jane Austen a great master in writing craftsmanship, and makes Persuasion a great success in the history of literature.