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The portrayal of women in Shakespeare's plays
Character and characterization of pride and prejudice
The depiction of women in pride and prejudice
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A Spirited Female Lead in Pride and Prejudice by Austen and Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen and "Much Ado About Nothing" by William Shakespeare are two of the best known and best loved literary works in history. One of the main reasons for this is the strength and personality of their leading female characters Beatrice, and Elizabeth and the relationships that they form within the books. Beatrice, described as being "possessed with a fury", and Elizabeth as an "obstinate, headstrong girl", are characters whose vibrant and incredibly spirited personalities simply leap off the pages capturing the imagination of any reader. One of the key techniques used by both authors is to give each character somebody in whom they meet their match. In Beatrice's case this person is Benedick, one of the young Lords who accompany the king, Don Pedro, on his visit to Messina. Following their first meeting in the play Shakespeare makes it very plain that these two characters are on the same intellectual level and that any conversation between them will always be a battle of wits. The speed and wit of the insults that are thrown between these two characters are what make this play so enjoyable to watch. When Benedick remarks that it is a relief that Beatrice has sworn off love "so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face" Beatrice fires back just as quickly with "scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as yours were." By giving Beatrice somebody to spar with in this way Shakespeare allows an outlet for her spirited personality allowing the audience to see it at its f... ... middle of paper ... ...wo very different genres of writing, both Shakespeare and Austen have succeeded in creating fantastically spirited and vivacious characters. Elizabeth and Beatrice appeal to their readers sense of fun and mischief, to that part of us that wants to behave audaciously and be as passionate and as intelligent as them, that wants to be involved in a battle of wits and come away as victoriously as they do. Shakespeare and Austen have managed to tap into this desire and it is from this idea that Elizabeth and Beatrice were born. Both writers have used methods that run parallel throughout their work to create a spirited female character but they could not have been as wholly successful as they were, were it not for the simple truth; in these characters we all see a little bit of ourselves or, at least, someone we aspire to be.
In her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen used the character of Elizabeth Bennet to epitomize the harmonious balance between reason and emotion in a woman, making her a truly admirable and attractive character.
...stantly trying to be agreeable and passive and allowed her to speak her mind and act upon her values. Elizabeth was very active in her life and expressed her thoughts when she wasn’t happy with something. This is in stark contrast with agreeable, passive women that were idealized by society in the Regency Period. Because Elizabeth was so independent and freethinking, Austen gave her an ideal ending and initiated the rewriting of societal norms for women in the process. Austen was known for her subtle but powerful social commentary in her books, especially on women’s rights and equality. Her ideas of how women should live and be treated were very ahead of her time and she helped pave the way for other feminists. Her character, Elizabeth Bennet, will always be iconic in the history of feminism for being one of the first to promote female independence and individuality.
Jane Austen, author of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and many other well-known books, was born on December 16th, 1775, in England. Her parents, George and Cassandra Austen, came from lower middle-class English families. When Austen was a child, her home had an open and intellectual atmosphere, and her family frequently discussed politics and social issues. This influenced her writing as an adult, which explored themes of social class and the treatment of women. As a teenager, Austen was sent to Oxford to be educated, but she contracted typhus and nearly died. She was then educated at home, learning what girls were normally taught during that time, such as French, needlework, and music. Austen was also a enthusiastic reader,
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too” (Paulo Coelho. Web.). In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the false façade of Mr. Darcy slowly peels away until his true personality is revealed. His upstanding values are misused and insensitive, but through the love he develops for Elizabeth he strives to become a better person worthy of her affections.
The text is Pride and Prejudice which is about the ups and downs of the connection/relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The person who changes the most throughout the novel is Mr. Darcy who changes for the affection of Elizabeth. The first copy of Pride and Prejudice was published in 1993 by Wordsworth Editions Limited. Jane Austen is the author and the genre of the novel is Historical/Romance. The book looks at Mr. Darcy and changing his personality, which characters remain static through the book, what Jane Austen is trying to say about the period of time the novel is set in and why Jane Austen has so many characters that stay the same all through the book.
In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Jane uses the novel to show the common day romance of the time period. In the novel, Elizabeth Bennet, a sophisticated, lively girl manages to change Mr. Darcy, a cocky, stubborn man into a person who is head over heels in love. Although it takes her some time, Elizabeth is able to change the way Mr. Darcy feels about love in general and causes him to act differently then he has ever done before. Mr. Darcy’s self- discovery in response to Elizabeth Bennet’s blunt honestly allows him to re-evaluate his approach to love.
other from Mr Darcy. Mr Darcy is a wealthy man who is a friend of Mr
a good mother and a good wife. The goal of women was to grow up to
“Biography of Jane Austen.” Critical insight: Pride and Prejudice (2011): 18-31. Literary Reference Center. Web. 24 Nov 2013.
Emma by Jane Austen Setting Emma took place in a small town called Highbury in 18th century England. During the time period set in the novel, there was a definite social rank, or hierarchy. Almost all of the scenes in the book take place in or around the estates of the characters. Their property determines their social status.
In Jane Austen’s social class and coming of age novel, Emma, the relationships between irony, insight and education are based upon the premise of the character of Emma Woodhouse herself. The persona of Emma is portrayed through her ironic and naive tone as she is perceived as a character that seems to know everything, which brings out the comedic disparities of ironies within the narrative. Emma is seen as a little fish in a larger pond, a subject of manipulating people in order to reflect her own perceptions and judgments. Her education is her moral recognition to love outside her own sheltered fancies and her understandings of her society as a whole.
There are many differences between Pride and Prejudice, and Wuthering Heights. One of the main differences is the women in the stories and how they act. The two women that are surrounded by the two stories and all the problems throughout are Elizabeth Bennet, and Catherine Earnshaw. These two women share major roles in all the conflicts in their respective stories. These two women are also vastly different sharing very few similarities.
I have also learnt a lot more about Jane Austen and her life and about
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: WW Norton &. Company, 1996.
As we read on, we see a change in Darcy, and feel that his heart of