paper-3 assignment

Name :- Aditi Vala

Ma Sem :- 01

Batch :- 2020-2022 

Paper no. :- 103 [ The Literature Of Romantic Period]

Topic :- Representation of women in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Roll no. :- 01

Enrollment no. :- 3069206420200018

Email id :- valaaditi203@gmail.com

Submitted to :- Smt.S.B.Gardi Department of English, MKBU

Representation of women in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice :

Introduction : 

                        Jane Austen was a British writer who was active during the Regency era. Pride and 

Prejudice (1813) is probably her most famous novel. It deals with the life of Elizabeth Bennet, 

who is the second of five daughters in the Bennet family. Describes women’s life and position in the Regency England. Women’s life revolved around getting married, preferably to a rich man, to secure their social position. The second chapter describes the personalities of Elizabeth, Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet, the characters from Pride and Prejudice.. The analysis focuses on the heroines' 

personalities and their social situation in order to show how their decisions and actions are 

shaped by their position in and their view on society.

                    Pride and Prejudice has consistently appeared near the top of lists of "most-loved books" among literary scholars and the reading public. It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, and has inspired many derivatives in modern literature.For more than a century, dramatic adaptations, reprints, unofficial sequels, films, and TV versions of Pride and Prejudice have portrayed the memorable characters and themes of the novel, reaching mass audiences.

Representation of female characters :

                   The novel Pride and Prejudice deals with the life of the sisters from the Bennet family. It focuses on the life of Elizabeth, the main protagonist of the story. The Bennet family belongs to 

the middle class. Mr. Bennet does not have a male heir: Very few people nowadays have any reason to understand the meaning of an estate's being entailed –- it is, or was, a legal arrangement whereby the property could descend only to a male heir. If there was no direct male heir, as in the Bennets' case, then the next nearest male collateral descendant of the owner who had originally created the entail would inherit — in this case, Mr Bennet's distant cousin Mr Collins. (La Faye 184).Fearing that her daughters will be left with nothing after their father’s death and that they will depend on good will of his cousin, Mr. Collins, Elizabeth’s mother, Mrs. Bennet, devotes her life to finding husbands for her daughters: “The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news” (Austen, Pride and Prejudice 5). Mrs. Bennet is a loving mother who wishes nothing but the best for her daughters and therefore she forces Mr. Bennet to 

introduce their daughters to Mr. Bingley, an unmarried young man with a handsome income who has just moved in the neighborhood: “If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at 

Netherfield (a place where Mr. Bingley lives) . . . and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for” . However, there are times when her 

motherly love is overshadowed by her ambition concerning her daughters. For example, she makes Jane go on horseback to Netherfield because she knows that it will rain and that Jane will 

have to stay there. When Jane gets sick, Mrs. Bennet is not too worried. On the contrary, “she is very happy and satisfied because of this opportunity that her daughter is having to be there for 

more time and to be closer to Mr. Bingley ”. Moreover, Mrs. Bingley is a woman who indulges in gossip and inappropriate social behaviour. She is described as not 

being a very smart person: “Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding; little information and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied 

herself nervous” . Mrs. Bennet is a very loud person who states her opinion even when it is inappropriate. In a room full of people she talks to Lady Lucas “of 

nothing else but of her expectation that Jane would be soon married to Mr. Bingley. –It was an animating subject and Mrs. Bennet seemed incapable of fatigue while enumerating the advantages of the match” . Mrs. Bennet does not understand that her behavior influences her daughter’s destiny and that because of this conversation with Lady Lucas Mr. Bingley will be separated from Jane. Mr. Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy, and his sisters state that “with such a father and mother, and such low connections” , the Bennet daughters have no chance of marrying rich. Thereupon, it is evident how much social connections and a family’s reputation determine a woman’s life and her future, 

a future which can be only secured through marriage.Elizabeth “Lizzy” Bennet is the second daughter of the Bennets. She is twenty years old and is described as having “a lively, playful disposition which delighted in anything ridiculous” 

. Because of her intelligence and observations, she is one of the most famous literary characters of all time: “For the first time in English literature, outside 

Shakespeare, we meet heroines who are credible, with minds, with the capacity to think for themselves, with ambition and wit” (qtd. in “Study Guide for Pride and Prejudice. She is Mr. Bennet’s favourite child. Describing his daughters, Mr. Bennet says that “they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters” .

          In contrast, she is the last dear to her mother because “she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humored as Lydia” . Yet, Elizabeth transcends her family members in her manners and understanding of life. Because of their behaviour at certain events, she: “blushed and blushed 

again with shame and vexation”. Moreover, Elizabeth states her opinion directly and has a sharp tongue, which often shocks those who believe that ladies cannot be allowed such freedom. During her conversation with Lady Catherine, who is a very powerful woman, she answers a lot of questions but with some reservation and asserts her opinion on the social norms: But really, Ma’am, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they should not have their share of society and amusement because the elder may not 

have the means or inclination to marry early.- The last born has as good a right to 

the pleasures of youth as the first.- And to be kept back on such a motive!- I think 

it would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind.

                    Lady Catherine is astonished by such an answer because Elizabeth openly challenges social norms regarding female behavior. When Lady Catherine finds out that the five daughters have 

been brought up without a governess, she is shocked because it is unimaginable that young women have not been taught necessary skills such as drawing and playing an instrument. Elizabeth finds it unimportant by stating: “Compared with some families, I believe we were; butsuch of us as wished to learn, never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, andhad all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle, certainly might” . In other words, reading is what feeds the mind and other skills that 

women are forced to learn are unnecessary. Elizabeth's opinion is the product of common sense, not of social conventions. Elizabeth: “suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified 

impertinence” , thus proving herself to be a modern woman .who does not care about class and rank. In addition to this, even her attitude towards marriage is different. She wants to marry out of love, not just so that she would be financially secured. Her 

romantic values contrast those of society. Mr. Collins, the man who will inherit the property of Mr. Bennet after he dies, proposes to Elizabeth and she rejects his proposal. He believes that she 

pretends to be unattainable and that is when Elizabeth states her opinion: 

I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there 

are) who are so daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a 

second time. I am perfectly serious in my refusal.—You could not make me 

happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would 

make you so. Elizabeth understands the true purpose of marriage, something that neither her mother nor he sisters do. When she rejects Mr. Collins, her mother is furious because “society recommends that all women accept the marriage proposal they receive” . She even rejects Mr. Darcy’s first proposal because she believes him to be an immoral and evil man. He is very rich, richer than Mr. Bingley, but it means nothing to her because “Elizabeth sees that a loss of her personality in the name of security is worse than [being a] penniless spinster” . Her 

attitude towards marriage is visible from the way she speaks with Charlotte, her dearest friend, when she hears that Charlotte has accepted Mr. Collins’s proposal. Elizabeth thinks that

“Charlotte, the wife of Mr. Collins, was a most humiliating picture!—And to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem, was added the distressing conviction that it was 

impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen“ . She feels sorry for her friend because she knows that she and her future husband

will never love each other. Moreover, Elizabeth’s judgments are sometimes irrational and blinded by her pride but, when this is the case, she is willing to admit that she is wrong. When 

she realizes that Wickham has deceived her and lied to her about Darcy’s nature, that Darcy is actually an exceptional man, she grows “absolutely ashamed of herself. – Of neither Darcy nor 

Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, 

absurd“ .She tries to be fair towards everyone and that is why she feels that she has done wrong to Darcy. Later on, when Lady Catherine confronts her 

because she believes that Elizabeth and Darcy will get married, Elizabeth shows that she is not 

afraid of her. Lady Catherine states that their marriage would be the most unsuitable match; yet,

Elizabeth does not share that opinion: “In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as 

quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we are equal” . In other words, Elizabeth does not care about money and 

does not think of Mr. Darcy as her superior; she believes them to be of equal worth. When Lady 

Catherine asks that she refuse Darcy, Elizabeth dismisses her request instead by saying: 

You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in 

mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject. 

               Elizabeth is not a woman whom someone could easily scare and she fights for what she wants 

and believes in – and that is Mr. Darcy and her love for him. Again, Elizabeth proves to be an intelligent and independent woman who does not care about the opinion of others; she does what 

she thinks to be the best for her.

Jane Bennet is the eldest daughter in the family. She is 23 and is aware “that she has reached the age where it is beyond proper, rather necessary, for her to marry“ . She is the prettiest girl in the county; even Mr. Bingley states that. When people ask him who he thinks to be the prettiest woman around, he answers: “Oh! the eldest Miss Bennet without a 

doubt, there cannot be two opinions on that point” . She is kind-hearted and always thinks the best of people, which makes her naïve in certain cases. For 

example, when she learns about Wickham’s true nature, Elizabeth describes her state of mind: 

“What a stroke was this for poor Jane! who would willingly have gone through the world without believing that so much wickedness existed in the whole race of mankind, as was here collected in one individual“ . Moreover, she has the best opinion of Mr. Bingley's sisters and believes them to approve of her. However, this is not the case. They do not see her as a suitable match to their brothers, so they take him away from the Netherfield. When they leave, Jane is broken, but she does not despair: ”He may live in my 

memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance, but that is all. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reproach him with. Thank God! I have not that pain. 

                  A little time therefore.—I shall certainly try to get the better“ .Jane proves to be a strong woman who decides to conceal her pain. She is not interested in Mr. Bingley's fortune; she really loves him: “Jane loves and admires Mr. Bingley not for his yearly allotment, 

but for his person and character. Therefore, Jane Austen shows that the eldest Bennet sister is 

unimpressed by social status alone“ .. Those feelings do not fade as the time goes by: She still cherished a very tender affection for Bingley. Having never even fancied herself in love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment, and from her age and disposition, greater steadiness than first attachments often boast; and so fervently did she value his remembrance, and prefer him to every other man, that all her good sense, and all her attention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check the indulgence of those regrets, which must have been injurious to her own health and their tranquillity.

            Jane is the same as Elizabeth when it comes to love; she prefers love over financial security and, 

unlike her mother and other women, does not care about money.Charlotte Lucas is worth mentioning because she represents traditional women who are 

not interested in marrying out of love. She “finds herself with little to recommend her and even 

fewer options on the marriage front“ .. She is 27 years old and considered to be a spinster. She accepts Mr. Collins's proposal: “Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want“ . It is obvious that she does not like him but she thinks that she cannot do better than him. She only thinks about the position that she will acquire once she is a married woman: “I am not romantic you know. I 

never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’s character, connections, 

and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most 

people can boast on entering the marriage state” . Charlotte does not realize that her economic motivations deprive her of a chance to be happily married and emotionally attached to her husband. In the end, she pays the price for her choice as she becomes the same shallow person as he is. Accordingly, Austin's novel makes it clear that, according to the social standards of the time, dependent women have no chance of living a fulfilled life.

                     Lydia and Kitty are the youngest sisters in the Bennet family. Kitty is 17 and Lydia is 15. 

They are not so intelligent and behave like most of the teenagers. Mr. Bennet describes them as 

being “two of the silliest girls in the country” . Their life revolves around balls and the military: “Every day added something to their knowledge of the 

officers’ names and connections. Their lodgings were not long a secret, and at length they began 

to know the officers themselves“ . They behave 

inappropriately and are not interested in anything except the soldiers. Lydia is much worse than 

Kitty, as she has “high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence, which the attentions 

of the officers, to whom her uncle’s good dinners and her own easy manners recommended her, 

had increased into assurance“ . Her free spirits leads to the most shameful act of all. She runs away with Mr. Wickham, thus endangering the position of her sisters on the marriage market since no one would marry them if the news of her escape became

public. Yet, Lydia does not care about that; she is happy to be a married woman:Oh! mamma, do the people hereabouts know I am married to day? I was afraid they might not; and we overtook William Goulding in his curricle, so I was 

determined he should know it, and so I let down the side glass next to him, and took off my glove, and let my hand just rest upon the window frame, so that he 

might see the ring, and then I bowed and smiled like anything. Her reckless behavior shows how social norms regarding marriage make young women do 

foolish things and enter a marriage they will one day certainly regret.

Conclusion :

         In conclude ,female characters in Jane Austen’s famous novels Pride and Prejudice,represent their heroines' unconventional attitude toward marriage and 

everyday life. Even though these characters vary in spirit and state of mind, there are some 

similarities between them. Each one of them is defined by her economic and social position. 

Some minor characters, such as Lydia and Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, represent 

women who see marriage as something of a great importance in their lives. Both of them are 

reckless in their actions, believing that everything they do will lead to a better life, either their 

own or the life of those who are closest to them. By focusing on social relations and the women 

characters, Austin's novels reveal what it was like to be a woman in early nineteenth century

England. Yet, even though they depict many restrictions regarding women's life and freedom, 

they also pave the way to women's emancipation and liberation, portraying characters who refuse

to get married in order to ensure their future and financial stability, but instead challenge social 

norms through their determination to marry the men that they love.

Refrence :

 "Austen power: 200 years of Pride and Prejudice". The Independent. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2018.

Study Guide for Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – The Glencoe Literature Library. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2000. PDF file.

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