Rank Among the British

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By reading Persuasion by Jane Austen we can understand the importance that land, rank in society, and the way women were viewed in Britain, influenced many people those of which included Jane Austen. Her writing was influenced by everything that was going on during the time that she was alive. Was land so important to them that they would give up their well being just to say they owned it? Were people constantly being criticized and put down due to the thought process that someone's rank was not good enough? Did women hold any position of power in society or were they expected to “good wives” by staying at home and cleaning? Oddly enough, these questions could be asked about our society now and we would get similar answers.
For example, women today are still fighting to hold a place of power in society.
In the novel, property is held very close and dear to those who own it. They did not want there land to get taken away and they did not want to sell it either. Sir Walter was very adamant about not wanting to sell his Kellynch property. He states that if he sold his estate his name would be tarnished (Austen, Persuasion.1.10). Property is something one would be proud to have. In the midst of talking about having a tenant in Kellynch, Sir Walter states that whoever shall be the tenant of his home would be very lucky and he would have with him the best prize (Austen, Persuasion.3.20). Property was also considered an identity in itself. Lady Russel tells Anne that “Kellynch Hall has a respectability in itself” (Austen, Persuasion.2.13). Even years after the book was published the importance of land had not diminished. Friedrich Engels asked in his work, The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844, what was to bec...

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...n criticizing a working man based on his looks. Mary Wollstonecraft says that, women should be allowed to speak up and voice their thoughts as it is a given right to humanity (Arnstein, 1993. pp134). Women were very knowledgeable and hungry for it. For example, Mrs. Croft was more into finding out every aspect of the Kellynch Estate, such as how much its taxes were, compared to her husband (Austen, Persuasion.3.27). Wollstonecraft states that women should not just be placed in the house to perform chores, such as cleaning the house (Arnstein, 1993. pp134). Yet, according to Mr. Sheppard women are the only ones that could take care of a household (Austen, Persuasion.3.26)

Works Cited

Arnstein, W, The Past Speaks 1993. D.C. Heath and Company Lexington : Massachusetts.

Austen, J, Persuasion1818. Little, Brown, and Company Boston : Massachusetts. Ebook. pp. 1-
330.

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