Pride And Prejudice Predicting The Future Of Women Essay

The novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen depicts a social structure in which there are clear gender expectations. These gender expectations control and restrict the lives of both genders, most notably women. In. Austen’s world, women have few opportunities to support themselves, and have high expectations attributed to them. Men were held to similar standards. Upper and middle class men were expected to add to their families’ wealth, be charming, and eventually marry. Deviation from these spoken and unspoken rules, such as Lydia and Wickham’s elopement, would result in becoming a social pariah. In “Pride and Prejudice”, the characters of Elizabeth Bennet, her sister Lydia, and Mr. Darcy challenge the aforementioned gender roles put in

Collins. The act that all women must marry a man displays the control males have over females. Regarding pride, in Pride and Prejudice, even the title uses the term, and it is referring to the pride of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me” (Austen 12). Mr. Darcy’s description of Elizabeth Bennet at the ball demonstrates how self-centered Darcy is, as he places himself above any woman, due to his wealth and reputable heritage. The emphasis on the term, me, illustrates how highly Darcy sees of himself; unique and significant. Darcy’s vice of pride is a flaw which negatively affects Elizabeth, as his rude remark about her beauty as Elizabeth detaches any potential cordial feelings for the egotistical man. “Darcy’s pride that, far from being morally reprehensible, are connected with family tradition” (Morini 10). With the use of critical thinking, Darcy’s gratification of himself is rooted back to family traditions. Darcy comes from a family of upper class and one with a fortune, and his misogynistic and prideful characteristics come from the people who raised him. Therefore, it is evident that in that era, it is common for a man to view himself superior to a woman, as it even dates back to generations prior. Due to the lack of respect displayed by Darcy, Elizabeth begins to despise of the man, and even later goes as far as

In both proposals to Elizabeth there are rhetorical devices used. Mr. Collins uses appealing to authority, ethos, and logos to emphasize his proposal to Elizabeth because he thinks she will just say yes. He sees marriage as a business more than for love. Darcy uses pathos and ethos to emphasize his proposal because he actually loves Elizabeth and wants to show her that. Mr. Collins is unsuccessful while Darcy later on is.

Pride and Prejudice tells a story of a young girl in the midst of a very materialistic society. Jane Austen uses the setting to dramatize the restraints women had to endure in society. As the novel develops, we see how women have to act in a way according to their gender, social class, and family lineage. Elizabeth Bennet’s sisters represent the proper societal lady while Lizzy is the rebel. Through her characters Austen shows how a women’s happiness came second to the comfort of wealth. As the plot develops, events are laid out to illustrate how true love is unattainable when women marry for intentions of wealth. Women have very specific and limited roles in a society where men are the superior. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

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.

“Pride and Prejudice”, a novel written by Jane Austen represents eighteenth century English women as illogical, domestic individuals who economically depend on male members in their household. Major decisions in their life are decided by their fathers and brothers. They perform subordinate roles, and are considered inferior to men. This novel reinforces the sexist stereotypes of women.The female characters in the novel possess these virtues in varying degrees depending on their role. Marriage is considered essential to secure a woman’s future ,they are expected to behave in a certain manner to earn the respect of the society, and are treated unfairly by the social and justice

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice examines and critiques a society built upon gender roles. Austen does this by examining the obstacles women experienced in the Regency Period. Austen expresses how women were controlled, and objectified by men through their need to get married to a man. Additionally, the novel ridicules how women who could not afford to live without men were shadowed by their partner. This commentary is seen through the portrayal of the Bennet sisters. The females of the family are forced to marry because they do not inherit any wealth. The family is forced to comply with the same boundaries Austen was governed by. Therefore, Austen focuses on how the Bennet sisters overcome a society that suppresses them. This allows the reader to comprehend the strength, perseverance, determination, and assertiveness of the women in this time. Overall, Jane Austen addresses gender issues throughout the story. This is seen in the progressive image of Elizabeth, as she combats the inequality women experience. Although it was not common for women to criticize the patriarchy, the overall depiction of females is progressive. Elizabeth represents Austen’s feminist views, and the depiction of women in the novel is seen through her feminist image as she deals with Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy.

“Lady Catherine will not think the worst of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved” (Austen 127). Distinction of social classes has been slowly fading away in today’s modern society, but contributed to create a society dominated by a ironclad hierarchy prior to the twentieth century. Jane Austen published Pride and Prejudice in 1813, which revolves around the love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Both Elizabeth and Darcy have to overcome various issues of the Regency era, and learn to accept each other towards the end of novel. Jane Austen showcases the nineteenth century turmoil between the upper class and the working class through the strict social hierarchy and conflicts between the characters in Pride and Prejudice and ultimately proposes a solution towards the end of the novel.

The progress between Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship, in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) illustrates and explores several the key themes in the novel. Their relationship highlights class expectations, pride and prejudice, and marriage, and how they play a major role in determining the course of their association. These are outlined through their first prejudiced dislike of each other when they first meet, the stronger feelings for Elizabeth that develop on Darcy’s side, her rejection in Darcy’s first proposal, then her change of opinion and lastly the mutual love they form for one another. Pride and Prejudice is set up as a satire, commenting on human idiocy, and Jane Austen

First Impressions First impressions are very important. In the Victorian age, people based their whole opinion of someone on first impressions. Most times the first impression of someone is not the way they truly are. Sometimes a first impression can cause you to think negative of someone but later you find out that they are very nice and a very positive person. One example is when Mr. Darcy meets Elizabeth in the book ,Pride and Prejudice.

The contrast between Mr Collins' proposal and Mr Darcy's proposal is highlighted by the proposals’ varying styles, which shows the reader the emotions fuelling the proposals. Austen portrays Collins' proposal as arrogant and rehearsed, and this juxtaposes Darcy's proposal which is portrayed as much more authentic. Collins during the proposal is described as having ‘no feelings of diffidence’ (chap 19). Darcy, on the other hand, is tenser, even though in the Regency period it was rare for a woman of Elizabeth's status to ever turn down a man of his eligibility. Darcy's proposal is said, ‘in an agitated manner'. This shows that Darcy is expressing his feelings and is "agitated" because he is not sure they are reciprocated.  Collins proposal is overly rehearsed, for example, he lists his reasons for wanting to marry Elizabeth, "My reasons for marrying are,

  While Pride And Prejudice is demonstrably concerned with the subject of love, from Lydia's physical passion for Wickham, through Jane's slightly too patient and undemanding feelings for Bingley, to Elizabeth's final "perfect" match with Darcy, it would be doing the novel and its author a great injustice to assume that it is merely a love story, and has no other purpose or design. The scope of the novel is indeed much wider than a serious interest in who will marry who and who will have the manor that is worth the most money, or even the less shallow subject of women trying, failing, and succeeding at finding their perfect mates on a romantic level. While the investigation of love in its

Jane Austen’s novel is commanded by women; Pride and Prejudice explores the expectations of women in a society that is set at the turn of the 19th century. Throughout the plot, Austen’s female characters are all influenced by their peers, pressures from their family, and their own desires. The social struggle of men and women is seen throughout the novel. Characters, like Elizabeth, are examples of females not acting as proper as women were supposed to, while other women like Mrs. Bennett allow themselves to be controlled by men and society. Mr. Collins is a representation of the struggles males deal with in a novel dominated by women. The theme of marriage is prominent during Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Marriage can be examined in

Elizabeth thinks of Darcy as being “the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world” (15). After Darcy discomfits Elizabeth, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me” (13), she herself becomes prideful and prejudiced against him. Prejudice also is an issue for Darcy because he dislikes Elizabeth in the beginning for her low social status, for being impecunious and socially inept family: “Their struggle is as much as against each other as it is against the pressure of society or family. The novel presents a balance of power not only between two characters but between two conflicting modes of judgment” (Bloom 50), but Darcy is forced to deal with his pride and prejudice when he falls in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth rejects Darcy’s first proposal based mostly on his pride and condescension.

If she married a man with enough money and respectability, then she could look forward to a comfortable life. If she did not marry, then she was doomed to be homeless and indigent, as there were little to no job options for women at the time. In this time when women were fully dependent on men for survival, Elizabeth still manages to stay true to her beliefs by not being eager to marry. If she is to be married, Elizabeth would want it to be out of “true affection”, which could then grant her much “felicity” (Austen, 75). She would never want to marry a man solely for financial security, as society expects many women to. Elizabeth doesn’t let societal pressures hinder her beliefs on what constitutes a successful, worthwhile marriage. When Mr. Collins proposed to Elizabeth, she confidently turned him down by saying it was “impossible for [her] to do otherwise than to decline” his offer (Austen, 81). She had long decided that Collins was a ridiculous man who she had little respect for. She would not give up her independence to spend the rest of her life with him, even if it would have kept the Bennet property within the family. Declining this opportunity of marriage is rather courageous of Elizabeth because she is risking never being proposed to again, putting her chance for a stable life at risk. The Bennets could only afford a small dowry, which would not attract many suitors. With that in mind, Elizabeth shows her