Feminism, By Jane Austen

In today 's society, marriage is a significant bond that must be on the basis of love and understanding. Marriage is a relationship described as more for love and emotion rather than convenience or money. Through the experience of Lydia and Wickham, Charlotte and Collins, and Elizabeth and Darcy, Austen criticizes marriages based on infatuation, convenience and money, and emphasizes that marriage can only be successful if they are founded on mutual love.

Austen’s characters in this novel disrupt gender expectations as we see Eleanor reading from history books, Catherine does not keep a journal like most other women and Henry is knowledgeable

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was first published in 1813(Gary vii) a time when women had “few legal and economic rights or even receiving little respect, women can be seen as oppressed victims of a patriarchal society, subordinate first to their fathers and, then, to their husbands who had, of course, been selected by their fathers” (Swords, 76-82). At first glance one might think that Pride and Prejudice reinforces sexist stereotypes, however upon further examination of Jane Austen and her heroine Elizabeth it is clear that Pride and Prejudice in fact erodes the sexist stereotypes of women.

From my point of view, Jane Austen should be seen as a ‘feminist’ writer. As she wrote in one of her novel Persuasion, she considers that ‘Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything’ (Anne Elliot, in Jane Austen’s Persuasion). Such feminist ideas are expressed in many of her literary works. In her another novel Northanger Abbey, there are various issues discussed, which include not only marriage, social criticism and Gothic, but also feminism as well. The essay is to discuss Jane Austen and her feminist thoughts by analyzing Northanger Abbey.

For this presentation I will be analyzing Emma by Jane Austen, which was written in the 1700’s, and Clueless, which came out in 1995, and how the representation of women changed in the novel and its film adaption. Because the novel and its adaptions were made in such drastically different times, the views on women and their roles are very different.

Living in nineteen century England, where women were oppressed victims of a patriarchal society, subordinate first to their fathers and, then, to their husbands, Emma’s wealth and her indulgent father allow her a sense of independence few women had. Therefore, vastly different from most female characters of her time, Emma does not wish to get married and swears to stay by her Father’s side. In fact, Emma’s family situation provides for her a level of authority that is scarcely challenged in her Highbury social circle “The real evils, indeed, of Emma’s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself”(3).

Feminism has become an ugly word. Some say it does not even live up to its definition anymore. However, the definition remains unchanged in the pages of history. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary’s definition of Feminism reads, “The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” If one digs deep into this definition, beyond the surface of society’s view on feminism today, one can see that feminism would benefit both sexes. The true ideals of feminism break down gender roles, thus benefitting men, women and future generations.

Before feminism, an American woman 's life was like a prison. A woman could be forced to stay at home, abused mentally and physically, and had no rights in the eyes of the law. In the 19th century, the first feminist convention was permitted: the Seneca Falls convention for women’s advocates in New York. The convention was held by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. These women addressed the idea of improving the rights of women. Accomplishing the overall idea, sixty-eight women and thirty-two men signed the Declaration of Sentiments, the document that outlines the grievances and the agenda for the Woman’s Rights Movement. Involved was a set of eleven resolutions calling for equal treatment of women under the law and voting rights

The problem with this approach is that it depends upon a view of feminism that does not cut across racial and class lines, and ignores the societal impact of the normalization of sex work. Liberal feminism is, due to this, a fundamentally exclusionary philosophy. Cheryl Butler, in her essay applying critical race feminism to the question of the sex trade and sex trafficking in America, reveals the holes in liberal feminist theory. She specifically calls out how “liberal feminist perspectives on prostitution have focused on… the need to protect the rights of women to choose prostitution,” and, in doing so, ignore “how racism and other factors obscure choice for women of color in the United States.” According to Butler, discussions about

The novel, sense and sensibility, written by Jane Austen was a social critic and a feminist. Austen would defy the social laws or that standard woman. Challenging the standards on which was set for women and would disintegrate the laws of society. Throughout the novel Austen demonstrates the power of self worth in the development of the characters and how the women enhance their characteristics and exhibit their femininity to lead to the ultimate desire;

In Emma Jane Austen exposes the limitations of the role of women in her society. Examine Austen’s presentation of what is called in the novel, women’s usual occupations of eye, and hand, and mind. Emma – Role of Woman In Emma Jane Austen exposes the limitations of the role of women in her society.

This study will define the empowerment of the feminist heroine in the Anglo-Saxon Literary tradition of Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. In Austen’s novel, the characterization of Elinor as a feminist heroine is defined through her intelligence, morality, and refutation of patriarchal traditions. This type of feminist heroine has its roots in the story of Beowulf, which defines the role of Wealhtheow as the empowered wife of King Hrothgar. Wealhtheow serves the great mead cup of Hrothgar to raise Beowulf’s standing in the royal court. More so, the role of Mother Mary as the patron of Sir Gawain in his fight against the powers of evil that tempt him into immoral acts by rejecting the seduction

In Surfacing by Margaret Atwood, there are numerous portrayals of feminism and gender roles. There are underlying hints of distaste towards the female sex role and the predatory, aggressive behaviour of men towards women. The suppression of women is portrayed and analyzed, and Surfacing manages to tackle the theme of gender roles by exploring through the perspective of the female narrator how women are marginalized in many aspects of their lives. . Surfacing makes a case for strong women that defy stereotypical gender roles and portrays how men are continually pushing the boundaries of their roles and going to the extreme with them.

The way in which Austen may appear less than feminist manifests itself in her portrayal of the majority of her female characters. Firstly, most of the women are uncomplicated and generally described using stereotypical and negative feminine characteristics. Austen portrays Anne’s oldest sister, Elizabeth as a vain and self-involved woman whose sole purpose

Pride and Prejudice In Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, women have few opportunities to support themselves aside from marrying into wealth and prestige. The male-dominated society that Austen writes in is one in which women have no rights and are used as doormats to men. However Austen’s main character, Elizabeth, is portrayed as a very strong willed and intelligent woman of her time. Austen can be seen as a feminist ahead of her times because she does not view women as intellectually or morally lesser to men by marrying for money instead of love, also this novel Austen authors proves the hierarchy of social-class during the time period.