While we may consider Burney to be a bit wishy washy in Evelina I think it is completely understandable. It can not forget that she was a pioneer of the kind, so of course Austen and the like who followed are going to be bolder. They simply were able to be this way and had they been the first I think their books would have just as likely contain just the same amount of trepidation.
Finally reading a book written by a female author was great. Burney being a female herself brought more depth and believability to Evelina's character. Additionally, some of the minor tiny little aspects of things Evelina would say or ways in which things were described (so little that I can't even think of an example of) made me go only a female author. Granted I may have red into things but I think there is a clear difference in the writing styles between man women. But all in all Burney's Evelina could not have been written by a male if it was it would have turned out to be a completely different book.
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I completely agree, I'm not sure what it is but I definitely feel there is a difference between male and female writers. I remember last semester in my History of English course someone in my class did their research project on the difference between female and male writers. I don't remember really what research he found but I remember thinking it was really interesting.
I'm not convinced that Burney being a female author made a lot of difference in her approach to the plot. Burney still tried to "educate" her readers in the niecties of polite society and to my mind holds them up as an example of correct behavior. I thought she showed a snobbish attitude about the merchant class and far too much acceptance of the values of the artistocratic ideal. She did, however, show how hard it was for a young woman to navigate in male dominated society and perhaps being a woman allowed her to do a better job than Richardson.
I completely agree with you, I reallly don't believe a man could have written Evelina's story and her character the same way as Burney did. The novel would have been a completely different read and ending. I really do enjoy her as an author.
I also agree with you because having to read all male writers work can be less opposing for you to like the work. By readng a female writers work you get to see the difference in the way she writes from male as well as the emotion in it. Females tend to be more emotion and independent. Here you see she makes her character go against everything and society to make a point.
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