Monday, November 19, 2007

Q 5

5. What does the word “connexions” mean? Trace its uses. What does Austen imply by these uses of the term? (See, for example, pp. 66, 106, 108, 161 & 169 and collect other examples).
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was planning on including the OED entry for the word "connexions," but apparently I have to log in to look it up. I'm not sure if this is because I'm at home using my internet, or if the entire website has changed. :(

Connexions is basically a word dealing with society and social positioning. Connexions are relations with others, either people or families, and usually denote a positive relationship. In the quotes on pages 66 and 106 ("no connections to secure even his farther rise in that professions" and "the young Hayters would, from their parents' inferior, retired, and unpolished way of living, and their own defective education, have been hardly in any class at all, but for their connexion with Uppercross," respectively) demonstrate the nature of connexions. The word often describes a beneficial relationship; a rapport that elevates the social standing of one of the parties involved. Connexions are extremely important throughout the novel. People who don't have connexions are obviously of a much lower social standing than those who have many, and it is considered beneath one's station to marry someone who has less connexions (e.g. Anne was discouraged from continuing her engagement with Wentworth because Wentworth had very little connexions at first). The more connexions the better.

November 22, 2007 at 10:29 PM
Erin Trapp said...

yes--you have to login from "offcampus" on the uci libraries homepage: www.lib.uci.edu, then you can access the oed.

are there some in the novel who dislike or distrust connections? what other kinds of social relationships serve as a contrast to these types of superficial (?) connexions?

November 23, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Anonymous said...

In the context that the word connexion is being used it can be traced back to 1773 where the Oxford English Dictionary states, "Relationship by family ties, as marriage or distant consanguinity." Connexions means basically networking, and having certain relationships that can have your name well-known to be able to make something of yourself as is the reference to Wentworth lacking connexions in the novel. Austen is implying that in order to do we socially, your named has to be well connected and well known.

November 25, 2007 at 6:18 PM
Anonymous said...

I think it's cool (okay, not really. Interesting) that your connections can bring you down. It makes life (in Austen's novels) much more worrisome for her protagonists, because they don't just have to make sure their OWN actions are proper, but they have to make sure that they aren't even associated with people who will bring their reputation down, which might be hard to do if those people are blood relations.

November 25, 2007 at 11:02 PM
Anonymous said...

I think it was obvious in the book when Sir Walter and Elizabeth was so worried over how to approach Lady Dalrymple and how badly they wanted to make connections with her. I think that it implies that in the complex 18th century society that they live in, there are many social protocols to be followed and to be done carefully to ensure your family to be well-known.

November 26, 2007 at 10:30 AM

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