'To be chosen, not offered': an introduction to Sarah Harriet Burney's "Traits of Nature" (1812)

Abstract

Este trabajo analiza la dimensión social de la novela familiar Traits of Nature (1812), escrita por Sarah Harriet Burney (1775-1844), hermanastra de la famosa Frances Burney y que también escribió Clarentine (1796), Geraldine Fauconberg (1808), Tales of Fancy (1816) y The Romance of Private Life (1839). Con este propósito, contextualizaremos brevemente esta obra y seguiremos el enfoque de los estudios de género y Burney Studies. Se trata de explorar cómo se articulan las relaciones familiares y el efecto del violento ostracismo social en la heroína. A través de repeticiones y paralelismos, la novela retrata abusos patriarcales que tienen como respuesta la violencia y rebelión. En Traits of Nature, Sarah Harriet no solo reivindica su condición femenina, sino que también ofrece una visión desalentadora de las relaciones sociales, lo que debe tenerse en cuenta en los estudios dedicados a la familia Burney (Burney Studies) y la distingue de otras escritoras del período.

This paper analyzes the social dimension of the family novel Traits of Nature (1812), which was written by the half-sister of the celebrated authoress Frances Burney, Sarah Harriet Burney (1775-1844), who also produced Clarentine (1796), Geraldine Fauconberg (1808), Tales of Fancy (1816) and The Romance of Private Life (1839). For this purpose, we will briefly contextualize this work and follow the approach of gender studies and the Burney Studies. The aim here is to explore how family relationships are articulated and the effect of violent and social ostracism on the heroine. Through a number of repetitions and parallelisms, the novel depicts patriarchal abuses, which is responded with violence and rebellion. In Traits of Nature, Sarah Harriet does not only vindicate her female condition, but also offers a grim vision of social relationships, which must be taken into account in the Burney Studies and singles her out from other women writers of the period.