A Hierarchy of Class in spite of Manners Throughout the course of history, human beings have made a conscious effort to stratify each other into separate classes as a method of distinguishing individuality, superiority, and entitlement. These labels have since become a method of operation for society and a basis of tradition for interactions between one another. However, as time goes on, the people marked by these classifications can outgrow the meaning and use of them, leading to misrepresentation, confusion, and manipulation within the social fabric of society. In early 19th Century England, the symptoms of class integration began to take hold within the country, and the defining characteristics of what constituted someone of high class …show more content…
However, while the lower classes seem to be rising to the occasion by elevating their conduct, some members of the gentry see this weakened hierarchy as a chance to manipulate it in their favor. The first example of this occurring happens when Emma takes on Harriet Smith as a project of hers to transform Harriet’s mannerisms and demeanor into that of an elegant, noble lady. Unfortunately, Emma naively overlooks the importance of Harriet’s background, which is of low social standing: ‘Harriet Smith was the natural daughter of somebody. […]This was all that was generally known of her history’ (18). This element of Harriet’s past is a far greater handicap than Emma is willing to admit, and is why she is stunned by Mr. Elton’s refusal of her courtship: ‘no doubt, there are men who might not object to—Every body has their level but as for myself, I am not, I think, quite so much at a loss (94). Although Emma has made progress in her grooming of Harriet’s appearance and behavior, she has been so blinded by confidence in her social status and power that she has completely ignored the reality unfolding before her eyes. In a classic display of dramatic irony, Austen shows how oblivious Emma was to Mr. Elton’s intentions, concluding with his refusal of Harriet for the exact same reason Emma refused Mr. Martin for her: good manners are not good enough for them. However, when put into the perspective of suitors other than themselves, both Emma and Elton see the potential for courtship. A convenient hypocrisy exhibited by the elite class of
The elaborate artwork by Lucas Cranach the Elder titled: Virgin and Child, 1513-1514, depicts the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus sitting on what appears to be a bench under a tree. In the background and to the left of The Virgin Mary is a castle, or what could be considered as a mansion of some sort. Closer to the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, but still behind them, is a path that is surrounded by grass. This path could signify that they are in a park. One of the colors used in the painting is blue, which signifies the sky. The color brown represents the tree, the bench, and the path that is in between the grass behind the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. The Virgin Mary's hair is brown in the painting also. The color green is used for the Virgin Mary's garment, as well as the vegetation in the artwork Virgin and Child. The color of light brown, or what it appears to be, is also used in Cranach the Elder's artwork. The castle, or mansion, in the painting is the color of light brown. What attracts me about Cranach the Elder's Virgin and Child is how calm and serene the characters depicted in it are. Cranach the Elder's style and portrayal of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus sitting on a bench in the park would be considered as unconventional to me because most of the people of that time period knew about how special Jesus was going to be, even before he was born. Furthermore, with the prior knowledge of how great Jesus would have be before he was even born, I can imagine that the people of this time period would have been gathered around behind the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, bombarding them almost, because of all the special things they have heard about Jesus; coupled with the fact that it was virgin birth by Mary. Alth...
Emma Woodhouse of the Jane Austen novel Emma, is part of the rich, upscale society of a well off village in nineteenth century England, while Cher Horowitz the main character of the movie version Clueless, lives in the upscale Beverly Hills of California. The Woodhouse family is very highly looked upon in Highbury, and Cher and her father are also viewed as the cultural elite. The abuse of power and wealth, arrogance, and a lack of acceptance all prove that the class status of these families plays a significant role in the shaping of both the novel and the video.
“Throughout recorded time, and probably since the end of the Neolithic era, there have been three kinds of people in the world, the High, the Middle, and the Low.” (Orwell, 201) From the ancient and primitive tribes of our ancestors to the blue-collar and white-collar jobs within cities, the human race has always divided itself into clear groups of social classes. Sometimes, the distinction is placed to forcibly separate the elite from the workers, while others are formed through a separation of class interests. Over time, writers have distinguished a pattern common within most societies. Most societies, from the utmost primal to the most advanced, have congregated themselves into three classes of people. These societal classes are exemplified
... But in fact her powers and beauty cannot change the foundation of her society. Emma’s circumscription within the boundaries of her class kept her world under control. This prevents her from considering another society beyond her existence. The confusion from her failed attempts with Harriet due to her guidance, allows her to embrace reality. Jane Austen uses Emma’s character to reveal the quality in the structures of the nineteenth century society. Based on the conclusion of the novel, when Emma is forced to look beyond the limited power and beauty she has and acknowledge the existing order and structure of the early nineteenth century English society.
Johnson, Claudia Durst, ed. Issues of Class in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
In modern society these 3 traditional social classifications, working, middle and upper class are outdated, fitting less than 40 percent of the United Kingdom's population. In April 2013 the British Broadcast Corporation introduced a new model for social classification, within the United Kingdom. Social class and socioeconomic groups traditionally have been defined by income, occupation and ed...
Emma also transforms into a proper woman through correcting her original neglect. Trollope states that “[i]n every passage of the book she is in fault for some folly, some vanity, some ignorance, or indeed for some meanness” (7)19. Because of her ignorance toward attitudes of her neighbors, Emma interferes through their lives in a way that makes them unhappy, for “she had often been negligent” (Austen 359)20. Mr. Knightley predicts the outcome of Emma’s plans in the beginning of the novel when he states that “[y]ou are more likely to have done harm to yourself, than good to them by interference” (Austen 8)21 and also that “[v]anity working on a weak head produces every sort of mischief” (Austen 53)22. Not only is Emma stubborn toward her actions, but she is also negligent to herself when she convinces herself “I cannot really change for the better” (Austen 73)23. On other matters about her plans for others, Emma’s consideration falls short through her own selfishness and withholding of her pride, for “[t]he longer she considered it, the greater was her sense of its expediency” (Austen 27)24.
...ied about his intentions during the entire novel, no one truly knows him. Frank’s uncle, Mr. Churchill is inferior to his wife in regards of control. Throughout the novel the reader hears more about his wife than they hear about him. Their relationship represents complete switch of the traditional idea of man being superior to woman. The Knightleys however, John and Isabella, are purely conventional and are ideal couple for Nineteenth Century society’s times. Mr. Elton does not represent true gentility while Mr. Weston too gentle. Although all of these characters have their flaws, Austen finds her perfect figure in George Knightley. His infallible nature is unrealistic, yet it gives society the ultimate gentleman to aspire for. Austen’s Emma is more than a comedic novel of manners but also a quintessential piece that fits perfectly into the lives of today’s society.
Emma, a novel by Jane Austen, is the story of a young woman, Emma, who is rich, stubborn, conniving, and occupies her time meddling into others' business. There are several recurring themes throughout the novel; the ideas of marriage, social class, women's confinement, and the power of imagination to blind the one from the truth, which all become delineated and reach a climax during the trip to Box Hill. The scene at Box Hill exposes many underlying emotions that have been built up throughout the novel, and sets the stage for the events that conclude it.
Weston’s marriage, Emma looks for companionship in Harriet Smith. Emma and Harriet’s friendship is one in which Emma is the dominating figure and this is the reason Emma is drawn to Harriet in the first place. Harriet is dependent on Emma for good social standing as Harriet comes from no known family nor fortune. Her dependency can be seen in how Emma manipulates her love life. Emma discourages Harriet’s affection towards Mr. Martin by saying that he is inferior to her. After telling her this, Emma admits that by rejecting Mr. Martin, the two of them are able to still be friends. She tells Harriet, “It would have grieved me to lose your acquaintance, which must have been the consequence of you marrying Mr. Martin... it would have been the loss of a friend to me. I would not have visited Mrs. Robert Martin, of Abbey-Mill Farm. Now I am secure of you forever,” (Austen 52). Rather than encouraging Harriet, she insists that Mr. Elton is a more suitable match. By manipulating Harriet’s love life, Emma finds a way to maintain the intimacy she has with her most loyal
Over the centuries, women’s duties and roles in the home and in the workforce have arguably changed for the better. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen teaches the reader about reputation and love in the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries by showing how Elizabeth shows up in a muddy dress, declines a marriage proposal and how women have changed over time. Anything a woman does reflects on her future and how other people look at her. When Elizabeth shows up to the Bingley’s in a muddy dress, they categorize her as being low class and unfashionable. Charles Bingley, a rich attractive man, and his sister had a reputation to protect by not letting their brother marry a ‘low class girl’.
Within the novel, Jane Austen’s exploits of irony are shown linked throughout Emma’s notions of love and the real within her own society. Emma’s lack of education on the concepts of love is quite evident within her apathy towards Frank Churchill as her opinions are deeply rooted within her own affections, as she states, “Emma continued to entertain no doubt of her being in love. Her ideas only varied as to the how much. At first, she thought it was a good deal; and afterwards, but little. She had great pleasure in hearing Frank Churchill talked of; and for his sake, greater pleasure than ever in seeing Mr. and Mrs. Weston; she was very often thinking of him. But, on the other hand, she could not admit herself to be unhappy, nor, after the first morning, to be less disposed for employment than usual; she was still busy and cheerful; and, pleasing as he was, she could yet imagine him to have faults,” (Austen 264). Emma’s sketch of Harriet is another illustration of irony surrounded by Emma’s arrogance as it does not portray an accurate depiction of Harriet as Emma has altered ...
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.
Jane Austen’s works are characterized by their classic portrayals of love among the gentry of England. Most of Austen’s novels use the lens of romance in order to provide social commentary through both realism and irony. Austen’s first published bookThe central conflicts in both of Jane Austen’s novels Emma and Persuasion are founded on the structure of class systems and the ensuing societal differences between the gentry and the proletariat. Although Emma and Persuasion were written only a year apart, Austen’s treatment of social class systems differs greatly between the two novels, thus allowing us to trace the development of her beliefs regarding the gentry and their role in society through the analysis of Austen’s differing treatment of class systems in the Emma and Persuasion. The society depicted in Emma is based on a far more rigid social structure than that of the naval society of Persuasion, which Austen embodies through her strikingly different female protagonists, Emma Woodhouse and Anne Eliot, and their respective conflicts. In her final novel, Persuasion, Austen explores the emerging idea of a meritocracy through her portrayal of the male protagonist, Captain Wentworth. The evolution from a traditional aristocracy-based society in Emma to that of a contemporary meritocracy-based society in Persuasion embodies Austen’s own development and illustrates her subversion of almost all the social attitudes and institutions that were central to her initial novels.
Jane Austen is very clear in her writing about class distinction and she uses the novel to look beyond the widely stratified community divided by social classes experienced in the 18th century in England. This distinction shows that class snootiness is simply but an illusion rather than a real obstruction to marriage, given that Elizabeth, though socially inferior to Darcy, she is not in any way academically inferior to him. In this sense, Darcy realizes that his class pretentiousness is mislaid toward Elizabeth, since she also finds out that her prejudice towards Darcy’s snobbish and superior manner is misplaced when he rescues Elizabeth’s family from a scandal and disgrace. In this context, the writer uses Darcy and Elizabeth to show that class distinction does not guarantee one’s happiness in life, neither does it allow him or her to own every good thing desired. For instance, Darcy is brought out as a haughty character, who initially fails to think that Elizabeth is worth him for she originates from an unrecognized family; a middle class girl not so beautiful enough to suit him. However, as the...