The Living Form of Genre: A Study of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in the Light of Genre Theory by John Frow

Abstract

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a famous novel, which captures the attention of readers through its plot and narrative structure. There is a lot of work available on this novel including on its Marxist, Feminist and structural perspectives, but there is inadequate research available on the exploration of its genre structure. By qualitatively employing Catherine Belsey’s textual analysis, this study aims to apply John Frow’s Genre theory on the selected novel to identify its generic structures. This study suggests that genre is not only a classification but a living system of social and literary practice. The selected novel highlights these conventions by its narrative, plot, and characters. Furthermore, the study opens the new way for interpretation of literature from the generic point of view.