Hannah More, a well-educated and accomplished writer and a leading member of the influential Bluestockings group published Village Politics1 in 1792 in the aftermath of the French Revolution. The rebellion itself left in its wake effects which resonated even across the waters in Britain, leaving the country politically separated. More found herself heavily opposing the attitude of the French sympathisers, members of the British public who agreed with the need for revolution and freedom from an oppressive monarchy in Britain. As a result More published her hugely popular Cheap Repository Tracts which highlighted the dangers of rebellious thinking whilst targeting an impressionable mass audience. Village Politics, one of the many Cheap Repository …show more content…
Whilst there has been question in this essay with regards to More’s true impression of the working classes, her work did manage to include a large social class in this most significant discussion regarding the British political scene of the time, when other works of this kind such as Paine’s Rights of Man failed to engage them. With this in mind it can be easily argued that More has secured that the act of reading outside of the text was, and still is, incredibly important as well as being extremely useful in sharing views and ideas that some readers may never have considered. Village Politics may not present a fair and rational argument, as More seems as intent on discrediting Thomas Paine and his text as much as she wishes to destroy all revolutionary ideas within Britain. Whilst it can be argued that this text is indeed a piece of political propaganda rather than an educational text it is also a prime example of the effects of reading on the larger population. Not only, then, is Hannah More’s Village Politics display the effect of reading within this text, which is to the detriment of Tom Hod’s character, she also manages to portray how the act of reading can be simultaneously constructive and damaging both in the text’s original context and in today’s contemporary
The value of literature delineates an opportunity for humanity to achieve collective growth. The intellectual capability of both individuals and communities are affected by the importance assigned to literary works. Lack of such regard results in a limited capacity for sociological cohesion consequently shaping the discourse of an era. Austen inadvertently expresses the minimal regard for written material in her society through Pride and Prejudice. The exclamation “there is no enjoyment like reading!” highlights the passion felt for such an activity. However, this desire can be attributed to discourse. Austen exhibits this through the cultural expectation that a woman “must have thorough knowledge”, furthered by the dialogue of gaining cognizance
George Orwell’s book “Wigan Pier” and Greenwoods film “Love on the Dole” provide very similar descriptions of the working class in the inter war years in Britain. Both works provide many descriptions of the everyday living conditions and social issues faced by most working-class individuals. Very poor state benefits such as the Means Test and the unfairness of their policies can be seen in the Orwell’s book and the film. The intelligentsia community however did not really address the social issued that seemed to be of great importance to the working class.
In the Victorian era, major social issues like poverty and the rights of women are topics of much discussion throughout the period. However, with the Chartism movement and expansion of the British Empire into the eastern hemisphere of the world, many Victorians grew more concerned with the idea of a collective identity. By comparing Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton and Thomas Macaulay's 'Minute on Indian Education,' this paper will prove that the relationship between John Barton and the masters of labour and Thomas Macaulay and the Indians is antagonistic because Barton and Macaulay align themselves with groups -- the trade union and the British Empire -- that instil a collective identity in them that is similarly flawed for their lack of responsibility,
Vanden Bossche identifies Charlotte Brontë’s utilization of Jane Eyre as a vessel for spreading revolutionary ideas about equality, both supporting and creating new ideology in response to the social expectations of the Victorian era. These ideas tend to fall in accordance with Marxist values, which stress the negative impact of a hierarchal social structure on lower class or marginalized groups (Brizee). Vanden Bossche, in turn, relates the common critical
I’m not sure how these two ladies (More and Austen) had been viewing each other’s writings, or, will Hanna More have read Austen’s novel ever. To me, More seems to castigate the type of ‘accomplishment’, we have been reading in Austen’s novels, and which was in a common fashion within domestic circumference. With this in mind, More’s critique on the established idea of ‘accomplishment’ of her time-period is mere a general critique or we can anticipate that she is criticizing Austen also. At one point she points out, “some popular female authors on the subject of female instruction” … (41). I am trying to make sense out of all these readings and whatever we have discussed in the class so far. This might be the reason that Austen delivers a different idea of ‘accomplishment’ in her Mansfield Park, and if so, I can speculate that she must have read More by that time (I’m curious to know more about it). But a few questions for this week are: how More’s thoughts/strictures had been received by the readers and/or general public of that time? What was their reaction and what was the reaction of ‘popular authors’? How much her views could be able to bring any change in female’s
In Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, Bronte seemingly condemns the existing social hierarchy. Not only are the characters who are most concerned with the allure of fortune and rank portrayed as either deceitful or unethical, but even characters who’ve accepted their means of poverty and demonstrate honest moral natures are mocked. Rather than use the normal class structures, the book suggests that a person of impoverished means can be viewed as socially respectable with the condition that they maintain a sincere desire to better both oneself and their means of living.
Based on the ideas of Karl Marx, this theoretical approach asks us to consider how a literary work reflects the socioeconomic conditions of the time in which it was written. What does the text tell us about contemporary social classes and how does it reflect classism? Jane Eyre depicts the strict, hierarchical class system in England that required everyone to maintain carefully circumscribed class positions. Primarily through the character of Jane, it also accents the cracks in this system, the places where class differences were melding in Victorian England. For example, the novel questions the role of the governess: Should she be considered upper class, based on her superior education, or lower class,
Throughout the course of history, social hierarchies have existed across the globe, spanning from prince to pauper or business tycoon to lowly scrivener. Authors, in turn, have written works regarding social class, often examining the negative effects of societal structure on personal growth. Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre takes place in Victorian England, in the age of industry and genesis of industrial capitalism. The novel’s protagonist, Jane, first lives a life of neglect, then a life in poverty, and eventually finds her happy ending. Through Jane’s personal experiences and interactions with fellow characters, Brontë analyzes the effects of social class. Professor Chris Vanden Bossche’s article analysis “What Did ‘Jane Eyre’ Do? Ideology, Agency, Class and the Novel” examines social inclusion and monetary pressures placed on the central characters during this pivotal era of English history. Through the Marxist lens, Jane Eyre can be understood in terms of complexity and character motives. Vanden Bossche effectively argues that external forces, like money and people, both motivate and repress Jane into choosing her own path. Thus, a more developed explanation is made for Jane’s various behaviors regarding social inclusion and societal rebellion.
Comparisons of Emma and Clueless pose critical explorations into the importance of context and its role in shaping social values. Heckerling’s appropriation of Jane Austen’s 19thC Emma, provides contrasting social ideals regarding gender and class which can be accredited as a result of their differing contextual settings. Values surrounding the importance of social hierarchy, gender disparities and education are prevalent themes addressed within each text. Due to shifts in social standards during the 2 centuries separating these texts, there are particular distinctions between the mechanisms underlying these themes. However, a key similarity linking these texts are their critiques on the morality behind the actions of those in privileged
The Victorian Era was known for its propriety, and for its social standards that could be as strict as the caste system in India. Citizens in England of low social regard faced many prejudices and limitations that could be almost insurmountable to overcome. Much like the caste system, people considered to be the dregs of society were often alienated and had little room for opportunity. In Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre, the main character, Jane, suffers social prejudice because she is a simple governess, revealing much about the social stigmas about the working class during the Victorian Era. Jane’s social status limits her not only from being with the one she loves, but also hinders her endeavor to achieve true autonomy.
Boundless limitations existed in society, which in turn caused inequality, a lack of freedom and inferiority to occur. Immanuel Kant (2016) explores and deconstructs the notion of enlightenment in ‘An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?” by claiming that people with power cause fear in others, which has created a society that has restrictions and rules to control and ‘guide’ the general public. On the other hand, Mary Wollstonecraft (2016) highlights the inferior status that has been imposed upon women by those with power, which she further emphasizes in ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’. Although, both authors have clearly demonstrated their perspectives on freedom, there is a dissimilar concept they both debate upon throughout their respective texts.
The Rights of the Individual and Women Lost in Thomas More’s Utopia that appeal to both Renaissance and modern readers; however, modern society may find the manipulation of the individual for the good of the commonwealth and the negative attitude towards women to be dystopic features of Utopia that hinder it from being an ideal place. Through expectations and restrictions individuals in Utopia are manipulated into pursuing a trade that benefits the commonwealth. This manipulation can be seen in how all Utopian lives, from childhood, are geared to agriculture. To be expected to follow one path would be dystopic to a modern reader who has many options open to them and they may find the lack of diversity monotonous.
In this poem, Hemans showcases the social conditioning of women in the early 16th century (Properzia Rossi) as an allegory for the continued belittlement in the 19th century (Felicia Hemans). In 1799, Hannah More critiqued the education system by saying that its current curriculum provided a system which promoted a lack of confidence for women (166). Those who felt this lack of self-confidence also subsumed a position of reliance to men leading to frustration and, in the extreme, self-destruction due to their unrequited affectations.
Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte explore social class in a number of different ways throughout their novels Pride and the Prejudice and Jane Eyre. They do this through the use of stylistic devices which in turn appeals to their different audiences. Both Jane and Charlotte are notable writers for their remarkable texts. Jane Austen is known for playing a revolutionary role in the generation of English female literature, which was counteracted by this piece- and Charlotte Bronte also developed her feminist thoughts, which have been displayed throughout her novels. By analysing social class in Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre this essay will compare these two women writers’ texts and display how social class is presented
An obscure orphan governess, perceived to be too young, too penniless, too insignificant to control her own life, defied societal conventions of her time, and remains relevant to this day. Why does this poor, plain governess with no financial prospects or social standing matter in a modern feminist perspective? If she could speak, a modern feminist’s beliefs would likely shock her, so to interpret this novel as feminist, one must see it through the lens of the time and place Brontë wrote it. Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre was a feminist work in that Bronte expressed disdain for oppressive gender structures through the voice of Jane Eyre, and the actions of Bertha Mason.