Compare And Contrast Jane Austen Heroine

1685 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Jane austen and women

Jane Austen Heroine Jane Austen was a famous author from Regency England. Some of her most famous works include Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Pride and Prejudice. In her own life, Jane Austen never married and proved society wrong by focusing on her career as an author rather than become a gentry house wife. Jane Austen’s novels focused on the life of a young woman seeking love, either for her or someone else in the case of Emma. The heroines in her novels all share similar qualities. A heroine is a strong, independent woman who is kind hearted and genuine in everything she does. The Jane Austen heroine is Elizabeth Bennet. Her qualities include her intelligence love of family, prejudices, strength to stand up for herself, and self-revelation. …show more content…

Elizabeth is very family oriented throughout the novel. This is first seen in her conversations with her sister Jane. Of all the sisters, Elizabeth is the closest with Jane. The two sisters share everything together. The protective nature of being so close with each other is first seen when Jane’s courtship with Mr. Bingley is halted at the hands of Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth does not think twice about calling Mr. Darcy out on splitting up Jane and Mr. Bingley during his proposal. This quality is also seen when Elizabeth receives word that Lydia plans to elope with Mr. Wickham. Knowing that Mr. Wickham has a history of mistreating women, Elizabeth is crushed to find out that Lydia has made such a rash decision without thinking about the rest of the family. Nevertheless, Elizabeth’s loving nature brings her back home from her trip with her aunt and uncle to support the rest of her family in this worrisome time. Also, Elizabeth is concerned with Lydia’s safety, and is happy to hear she is safe after her father and uncle searched all of London vigorously for her. This makes a good quality for a Jane Austen heroine because it shows the reader that they have a good sense of

Show More
Related

  • Essay on Elizabeth's Strength of Character in Pride and Prejudice

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    Elizabeth's strength of character is emphasized by its contrast with the weak, naive acceptance of Jane's, the instability and excess of Mrs. Bennet's and the blind, weak-willed following of Kitty's. Her strength is also shown in her rejections of the proposals of Mr. Collins and Darcy. Unlike her mother, she does not base her choice of lovers on the financial security they will give her, and has the strength to reject them. This is especially evident in her rejection of Darcy's initial proposal, when she displays a passionate strength in her anger due to her belief that he has willfully prevented Jane and Bingley's marriage and wronged Wickham by refusing to grant him the property that the old Mr. Darcy bequeathed him. In both cases, the suitor is self-assured that his suit will be accepted, and as a result Elizabeth's rejections are amplified by the size of the blows that their egos receive. In Rosings, she does not let Lady Catherine tyrannize her as "the mere satellites of money and rank, she thought she could witness without trepidation." The Lucases and Collinses are submissive to Lady Catherine, with Maria being "frightened almost out of her senses", and it is probable that society as a whole behaves likewise, as Elizabeth suspects she is "the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with such dignified impertinence". She is again presented as a rebel against ideas of class when Lady Catherine pays a visit to her to ensure that ...

    Read More

  • Women in the 19th Century

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 1800s, society believed there to be a defined difference in character among men and women. Women were viewed simply as passive wives and mothers, while men were viewed as individuals with many different roles and opportunities. For women, education was not expected past a certain point, and those who pushed the limits were looked down on for their ambition. Marriage was an absolute necessity, and a career that surpassed any duties as housewife was practically unheard of. Jane Austen, a female author of the time, lived and wrote within this particular period. Many of her novels centered around women, such as Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice, who were able to live independent lives while bravely defying the rules of society. The roles expected of women in the nineteenth century can be portrayed clearly by Jane Austen's female characters of Pride and Prejudice.

    Read More

  • Infatuation Of Marriage In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

    1327 Words  | 3 Pages

    She emphasizes that marriages can only be successful if they are founded on mutual love. Elizabeth and Darcy 's relationship is really different from all the others in the novel. Elizabeth does not care about him being super rich and he does not find her the most beautiful. At the beginning, he thinks she is “tolerable”. They do not like each other at the beginning, they argue a lot and are really sassy towards each other. They are the opposite of amiable. Their relationship is far beyond just physical attraction. Darcy secretly helps out with Lydia 's situation. He does not want Elizabeth to be hurt nor does he want her family to ruin their repuation. He helps Elizabeth and does not bring it up, let alone brag about it. Love is not boastful. This shows the reader how contrasting Darcy and Collins ' characters are. “Elizabeth 's heart did whisper, that he had done it for her...” She has a feeling that Darcy is the one who helped out but she is not one hundred percent sure. Elizabethis wistful about saying so many bad things about him and she regrets her little speech when she rejected him. Unlike every other character in this novel, Darcy and Elizabeth took things slowly. Darcy purposes to her after a long time, when he was sure about his feelings for her. Even when she rejects him once he did not ask her over and over again, unlike

    Read More

  • Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Characters and Social Expectations

    1861 Words  | 4 Pages

    England, under James 1st rule was a vastly altered period compared to our now modern society. So many of the values held during this time, have now been discarded and forgotten. Jane Austen grew up in the Romantic period and experienced a world which was divided, whether through education, class, status, fashion, abilities, gender and etiquette. Her novel, Pride and Prejudice is counted as one of the great classics of English Literature. Austen engrosses readers to live in her world for a time and experience a society filled with matchmaking, romance, marriage and gossip. Every one of her characters is so distinctive and has a clearly outlined caricature. Each of their diverse values conveys a different thinking of the time. Pride and Prejudice is preoccupied with the gentry and most of the social aspects which consumed these people’s lives. There were so many expectations of how you would behave in public, but of course not all of these were upheld. Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Mrs Bennet and Charlotte Lucas are four characters which keep such strong beliefs about the social norms. These characters are expressed so descriptively and through their personalities readers can learn just how the numerous social standards were received.

    Read More

  • Little Friendship in Jane Austen's Persuasion

    1444 Words  | 3 Pages

    DaDundo, Laura. "Jane Austen" Concise Dictionary of British Literary Biography. Vol. III. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1992.

    Read More

  • Pride and Prejudice Essay: The Character of Elizabeth

    1881 Words  | 4 Pages

    In her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays Elizabeth Bennet as "strong and intelligent, yet bewitching in a completely feminine way". Elizabeth's possession of these attributes: strength of character and moral integrity, great intelligence, and an attractive personality, make her an admirable person. Yet Elizabeth has faults, which makes her more human. Austen's portrayal of Elizabeth is realistic and masterful, often juxtaposing her with characters lacking her attributes to heighten our appreciation of her.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Elizabeth And The Bennet Sisters

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    She is the most beautiful of all her sisters and is a very sweet girl. If not for her kind personality, her character would be rather boring, seen as more of a dramatic individual who is irritating and hard to root for. She sees the best in people, too the point of naivety; this is precisely her problem. While it is a flattering trait of hers, Jane is actually quite oblivious to the real qualities of many of the people she encounters. As Elizabeth says, “she never sees a fault in anyone”. For example, up through the first thirty chapters of the book, Jane is the only one who refuses to believe that Mr. Darcy is a self-entitled, high standard wanting, elitist fiend. She insists that he is a good man who has deeper qualities than anyone cares to admit. Meanwhile, Darcy says that she “smiles to much”. Another example of her naivety is when she finally accepts that Miss Bingley is trying to separate her from Mr. Bingley, as insisted by Elizabeth. Upon reflection of the matter, she states, "I do not at all comprehend her reason for wishing to be intimate with me; but if the same circumstances were to happen again, I am sure I should be deceived again". She even admits it! She is sweet, but she is a little blind. Her sister Elizabeth, on the other hand, is much more witty. She is beautiful, kind, smart, and not so oblivious. Of the sisters, she is the most sensible and

    Read More

  • Female Stereotypes In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is a female centric novel. The contrast between Austen’s strong female protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, and the theme of marriage as a driving force throughout the novel suggests that, for an author whose own life was independent from a man, Austen was providing social commentary on women in society and could thus be seen to challenge traditional female roles. This is particularly important when taken into account the time period the novel was produced in. Austen was writing during a time where feminism was not a developed idea. As a female writer she was viewed as highly unusual for not marrying and having a career, something which ran contrary to the middle-upper class view for women as the domesticated, subservient housewife. Therefore, although Austen can be seen to conform to the view of gender stereotyping, it is possible to see the emergence of feminist attitudes in the way Austen presents strong female protagonists.

    Read More

  • Jane Austen's Influence on Literature: Pride and Prejudice

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jane Austen Society of North America, Inc. A Brief Biography. jasna.org. 26 April. 2014.

    Read More

  • Elizabeth Bennet The Ideal Woman Analysis

    1574 Words  | 4 Pages

    Her main goal when meeting new people was to establish that she was on the same level as them, and demand the same amount of respect. To be a feminist meant to not look upon gaining equal rights in the workforce, more so with earning equal standing in the individual’s family structure. “In Austen’s interpretation, feminism in her time meant having independence and keeping some distance from the males of the family to maintain your own identity” (Alafaireet). This is a striking parallel to Jane Austen’s own life, which was dictated by members of the patriarchal society. Austen’s characters sometimes reflected her own life, so as Austen wanted to distance herself away from the patriarchal society, so did Elizabeth. She wanted an equal part in her family’s decisions since she was a part of it, and with her strong opinions, she was truly a feminist. When Lady Catherine questions her on her motives of marrying Darcy, Elizabeth responds “In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman 's daughter; so far we are equal” (Austen 339). One of Darcy’s internal struggles in proposing to Elizabeth due to

    Read More

  • Jane Austen: An Analysis of Sense and Sensibility

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    Austen was a recondite writer with a new inside perspective with an outside view on life in the early 19th century. Born on December 16, 1775, Austen was a curious child given the unseal luxury of an education. Her father was a part of the gentry class and raised a family of ten, but was not well off by any means (Grochowski). Sense and Sensibility, written by Jane Austen, tells a dramatic story of three sisters and their emotional journey where they encounter love and betrayal. Because Jane Austen was raised in a liberal family and received a comprehensive education, her dramatic analysis of societal behavior in Sense and Sensibility was comparable to the hidden truths of social and class distinctions in 18th and 19th century Europe.

    Read More

  • Jane Austen

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through her works of romantic fiction, Jane Austen has made a place for herself as one of the most widely read authors in English literature. Her realism, witty writing style, and social commentary have given her historical significance among scholars and critics and have earned her a place in the hearts of many readers both young and old. Although, sadly, she did not live to see the extent of her legacy.

    Read More

  • The Male Characters in "Pride and Prejudice"

    2225 Words  | 5 Pages

    Jane Austen’s great writing talent is shown throughout her story, Pride and Prejudice. The way she develops her characters, particularly the main male characters, draws in the reader. Mr. Wickham, who first is seemed to be the perfect man, sweet charming, and respectful, is actually later in the story revealed to be selfish, self-consumed, and greedy. Mr. Bingley who is sweet, shy, and friendly learns to become more independent and confident throughout the story. Last but not least, Mr. Darcy, who is prideful, snobby, and pompous, becomes the complete opposite. Towards the end of the story the reader sees his changes: he is humbled, sensitive, and is able to show his vulnerability. Jane Austen makes her characters come alive to the reader. The way in which she shows her characters growth throughout the story is pure genius.

    Read More

  • The Unique Heroine in Jane Austen's Emma

    1856 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Jane Austen's Emma the eponymous heroine is "handsome, clever, and rich" but she also suffers from arrogance and self-deception. With the good judgement of Mr Knightley, and her own self scrutiny, Emma experiences a movement of psyche, from arrogance and vanity through the humiliation of self knowledge to clarity of judgement and fulfilment in marriage. The tone of the novel and the episodes where Emma is self deceived progresses from the light comedy of Mr Elton's gallantry and the eventual mortification to the sombre depression of Emma's belief that she has ruined her own chances of happiness by bringing Mr Knightley and Harriet together. Although at times the reader is able to laugh at her mistakes, as she moves slowly and uncertainly to self knowledge and maturity, the reader, like Mr Knightley, comes to take her seriously, for in the novel serious moral and social issues are dealt with, issues which directly concern her. While we may be 'put off' by her mistakes, and flights of illogical fancy, these are also the very qualities which endear her to us.

    Read More

  • Jane Austen's Writing Style

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jane Austen's writing style is a mix of neoclassicism and romanticism. Austen created a transition into Romanticism which encourages passion and imagination in writing instead of a strict and stale writing style. It is very emotional and follows a flowing not structured form. Mixing these two styles was one of Austen's strongest talents, which gave her an edge in the literary world. No other author in her time was able to create such a strong transition between writing styles. Austen used her sharp and sarcastic wit in all of her writing including in one of her most famous works; Pride and Prejudice. She could create a powerful and dramatic scene and immediately lead it into a satirical cathartic scene. We see these in various locations in Pride and Prejudice. She was able to use her experiences as well as her intense knowledge to create meaningful insights into her words, regardless of what topic she would be discussing. She often talks about marriage, or breaking the roles of what a person should be. She made controversial works that praised imperfections which praised the...

    Read More

More about Compare And Contrast Jane Austen Heroine

Open Document