Pride and Prejudice: Hardships of Women in the 19th Century

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Women of the 19th century experienced severe hardships. Elizabeth Bennett’s experiences demonstrated the life of women who where pressured to conform to society’s expectations. After breaking down barriers women today have the freedom to express themselves, be educated and prosperous, and most important of all live without restrictions. “Pride and Prejudice,” written by Jane Austin, portrays the protagonist of the novel through the eyes of the author. Issues of marriage, class mobility, conforming, and restrictions to marrying, only account for some hardships faced by Elizabeth and other characters throughout the novel.

Throughout the novel, characters where faced and forced to overcome obstacles of love. Views of marriage differed from character to character. Women where not educated and where forced to conform to the society’s expectations which kept them from being independent. Therefore, Elizabeth Bennet’s mother, Mrs. Bennet forced marriage upon her daughters. Elizabeth’s engagement to Darcy was criticized because many did not feel the couple was a good match for each other because he was a “proud” individual, and their economic differences and stature also prohibited the couple to be a good match according to society. Mrs. Bennet was happy when she heard about Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth stating, “How rich and how great you will be!”… what pin- money, what jewels, what carriages you will have!” (Austen 325). Mrs. Bennet’s focus of life revolved around her daughters or at least one of her daughters marrying wealthy, so that not only that daughter will be cared for, but Mrs. Bennett and any unwed sisters will be provided for, as well. Mr. Bennett agreed that, “the business of her life was to get her daughters married; i...

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... she did not love him, knowing that she would have been able to secure her fathers’ wealth. Elizabeth did not conform to her society’s expectations and refused to marry for any other reason than true love, sticking to what she believed in most although opposing the beliefs of her society. She placed a higher importance on interest, attraction, and love.

Bibliography

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice,3rd ed. Norton, 2001.

Williams, Michael. “Vision: Jane Austen Study Guide,” University of South Africa Pretoria, 2002.

Menon, Sindhu. “The Literature Network.” Jalic Inc. 3 March. 2015. http://www.online-literature.com/austen/prideprejudice/

"Pride and Prejudice." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. .

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