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How Elizabeth Bennet is used by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice
as a form of social protest
In the society of Jane Austen's day it was imperative that a woman
married a suitable husband in order for them to live comfortably and
improve the social standing and wealth of her family. Women in high
society did not work and so it was vital that they married well. This
situation is best summed up in the book by Jane Austen as we are given
an insight as to the motives of Elizabeth's sister Charlotte as she
considers an offer of marriage, she writes "Without thinking highly
either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it
was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of
small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be
their pleasantest preservative from want.
It was often the case that the mothers of the potential brides would
seek out the most appropriate gentlemen for their daughters, and it
was often the case that couples would meet at parties and balls
organised by respectable members of society. It is said in the novel
that "to be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in
love". This is evident as when describing Mrs Bennet Jane Austen
writes "The business of her life was to get her daughters married".
Elizabeth Bennet stands at the centre of the novel "pride and
prejudice" as a woman who differs from ordinary women of the time. She
has a natural vivacity, she is strong willed, opinionated and intent
on not succumbing to the ideology that women should be left at home to
sew, learn languages and play the piano. She describes herself by
saying "There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be
frightened at the will of other...
... middle of paper ...
... clothes is superior to the rest-there is no occasion for anything
more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply
dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved." In
contrast to this warning we are given an insight as to the opinion of
Elizabeth and how she perceives Lady Catherine. "She had heard nothing
of Lady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents
or miraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money and rank she
thought she could witness without trepidation. This is perhaps one of
the most revealing sentences in the book as it not only reveals the
feelings of Elizabeth toward the society in which she lives, but in
writing this sentence we are given an insight as to the feelings of
the author Jane Austen as she uses Elizabeth as a form of social
protest toward the society in which she lives.
In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet’s journey to love and marriage is the focal point of the narrative. But, the lesser known source of richness in Austen’s writing comes from her complex themes the well-developed minor characters. A closer examination of Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s dear friend in Pride and Prejudice, shows that while she did not take up a large amount of space in the narrative, her impact was great. Charlotte’s unfortunate circumstances in the marriage market make her a foil to Elizabeth, who has the power of choice and refusal when it comes to deciding who will be her husband. By focusing on Charlotte’s age and lack of beauty, Austen emphasizes how ridiculous and cruel marriage can be in this time.
Jane Austen wrote this book trying to make people understand about the period of time this book was set in. Jane Austen’s book has many reasons for why the book was set in this time and one of them is the gender issues back then. Back then men and women weren’t permitted to do certain things and were expected to act in a certain way because if you were different it wasn’t considered good unlike nowadays, we can be different and nobody really cares, it’s who you are.
Jane Austen completes her story with a “Cinderella ending” of Catherine and Henry marrying. However, her novel is more than a fairytale ending. Although often wrong and misguided in their judgments, she shows the supremacy of males that permeated throughout her society. Jane Austen takes us from a portrayal of men as rude, self-centered, and opinionate to uncaring, demanding, and lying to downright ruthless, hurtful, and evil. John Thorpe’s and General Tilney’s total disregard for others feelings and their villainous ways prove Austen’s point. Whether reading Northanger Abbey for the happy ending or the moral lesson, this novel has much to offer.
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.
... 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.
It is not unusual for an individual to disagree with social customs or expectations. Some people are only happy when they can rebel against society. Most mature adults eventually realize that compromise is necessary to achieve happiness. This is the case in the early nineteenth century England setting of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. In the novel, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a lively, independent woman, whose family's financial situation and whose strong mindedness suggest that she may never marry. Mr. Darcy, is a rigid and proper man, who falls in love with Elizabeth, despite their differences. By the end of the novel, Elizabeth and Darcy learn to compromise, and, in doing so, become truly happy. In marrying, they not only fulfill themselves as individuals, but also affirm the principle values of society. The marriage at the end of the novel shows Jane Austen's ideal view of marriage as a social institution.
The intent of this essay is to compare and contrast the characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucas. The main points that will be compared and contrasted include the relative beauty, age and the characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucas. The similarities and differences in their families, position in society and their wealth, their differing attitudes to marriage, and finally, who has the better deal and why, will also be discussed. By the end of this essay, the reader will be able to discern the differences and similarities in both Elizabeth and Charlotte.
To Elizabeth, she felt as though “her family made an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening” (Austen 70). Had Elizabeth’s sisters been taught to behave properly in public, this whole fiasco would have been avoided and the drama that would have occurred later in the novel would have never been. The blame is not entirely the girls’ fault, as it was in fact the parents who did not set the precedent of proper behavior during an outing. Mr. Bennett providing an ok example, flitting from fellow to fellow chatting away, but it was his wife who embedded in their daughters to be tiresome, as it was after all she who rambled on and on about such a match for her Jane and how such a match would for “her younger daughters […] throw them in the way of other rich men” (Austen 68).Being a loud talker and insensitive about who hears ones conversation, Mrs. Bennett should bear the fault entirely of her daughters’ folly, for it was she who provided the poor example, and how could one learn to act accordingly if one’s own mother does not behave prudently for public affairs. Yet Mrs. Bennett is not the only one to blame.
In 1813, a woman’s main goal was marriage. Females wanted to find a man who could provide for them and take care of them; not all women wanted love. Many were fine with living on a wealthy estate and living in an upper-class manner. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a novel about the Bennet sisters, five girls whom, in the time of 1813, are all unmarried and are looking for husbands. The central conflict is based around two young women, the eldest of the five Bennet daughters, Jane and Elizabeth. The girls have their similarities and differences, and can be compared and contrasted in many ways; in terms of which is stronger at handling the pressure of relationships, context clues give a valid answer. What the reader must interpret for his
In her first published novel, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen brought to life the struggles and instability of the English hierarchy in the early 19th century. Through the heartaches and happiness shared by Elinor Dashwood, who represented sense and her sister Marianne, who stood for sensibility, Austen tells a story of sisters who plummet from the upper class to the lower crust of society and the characters that surround them. Austen juxtaposes the upper and lower classes in English society to give the reader a full understanding of the motivation to be a part of the upper class and the sacrifices one will give up to achieve such status. Austen exposes the corruptness of society, the significance of class and the fundamental building blocks both are to the decision-making surrounding her protagonists, Marianne and Elinor.
Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice portrays varying attitudes to marriage. "The intricate social network that pervades the novel is one that revolves around the business of marriage". Through her female characters the reader sees the different attitudes to marriage and the reasons that these women have for marrying. These depend on their social status and their personal values. The reader is shown the most prevalent and common view of marriage held by society in Austen's time, and through the heroine, a differing opinion of marriage is explored. We are shown how marriage is viewed by the very wealthy and the values they emphasise in marriage. Through the characterisation of these women and use of irony, Austen has influenced the reader's opinions on the characters attitude about marriage and that of their contemporaries.
She first begins with the introduction of Jane Austen’s life circumstances, how small amount of money she had with her mother and her sister and the better life circumstances of her five brother whilst they had got access to work that was paid, inheritance and preference and also the right for independence, personal power that is prosperous and masculinity.
Austen was raised in an unusually liberal family where her father was a part of the middle-landowning class. They had a moderate amount of luxuries, but were not considered well off. Unlike many girls of her time Austen received a fairly comprehensive education. She received this mainly through the undivided support of her family. Austen and her sisters, like most girls of their time, were homeschooled. Austen’s zealous parents encouraged the girls to play piano, read and write. Her parent’s encouragement led to her interest in writing. Austen’s father housed an extensive library filled with books which kept Austen occupied for years (“Sense and Sensibility” 119). Through her observant nature and passion to read and write, Austen was able to eloquently write of the many “hidden truths” of social and class distinction during her time. They included daily societal changes some of which foreshadowed future societal leniency. Familial support also extended societal norm of marriage. Her parents attempt...
The Role of Women in the Society Depicted by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice
Austen writes of the small gentry, the rural elite, and in considering this question, it is crucial to have an understanding of the prevailing social distinctions, the expectations for women of this class and the limited options available to them, as well as the inheritance laws of the time.