One of the greatest female English writers during the 19th century was Jane Austen.Who was well know for her six novels.She was a writer who vividly depicted the English middle-class life during the early 19th century.She explores into the character in her novels.Virginia Woolf mentions about Jane Austen in her book “how should one read a book” that “it is the character that interests her”.Along with her other novels Sense and Sensibility,Mansfield Park and Emma she also wrote Pride and Prejudice which was published in 1813,which is novel that reflects a femisnist point of view along with the reality of life at all times.
Pride and prejudice is a novel which reflects femisnist views and it also potrays about how Jane Austen has discussed the women issues in her contemporary society.(Xueqing Wang,Yan Liu,2011) “It explores into the heroine Elizabeth to study Austen’s special perspective on feminism in the patrachial society”.
Accordingly,the paper “the impact of the feminist heroine:Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice also it retells the feminist views and the contemporary issues related to women in the light of the heroine Elizabeth.The research area of this particular article is how the feminist heroine of this novel Pride and Prejudice has made an impact.
The feminist point of view in Pride and Prejudice is very well focused in literary criticism but a comparison on Elizabeth’s feminism with her other characters in the novel is focued here in this paper.This article examiness the feminist significance of Elizabeth Bennet,the heroine of Jane Austen,and the author poses the research questions explicitly.Also,Elizabeth’s feminism is
seen as a profound contrast to her female foil characters namely Caroline,Charlotte and Jane within the novel.This paper represents about how these three women bend to the societal rules of the Victorian society and how Elizabeth continues firmly to surrender to the gender inequality and the biased society.
Although,the feminist perspective and a contrast of the heroine Elizabeth with the foil characters in the novel are taken as the research area,an analysis about how her feminism has made an impact on inspiring Darcy is also evident in here.
Furthermore,the author argues that the heroine,Elizabeth’s character does not show feminsim in isolation,but it can be understood clearly making a contrast to Caroline,Jane and Charlotte.Also,this argument is well supported by the author through a deep comparison of the focal character Elizabeth and each of the female foil characters in the novel.
The author addresses the problem by analysing on his three main arguments such as a)gender views b)assertiveness c)Independence.Furthermore these questions are based on the comparison of Elizabeth’s unconventional character with the other three foil characters in the novel.This analysis of the foil characters in the novel potrays Elizabeth’s quest of being unwilling to bend to the rules of the societal dictates.
As mentioned earlier,the author of this article poses his research arguments focusing on some main fractions.Firstly he states about the gender views.In the Victorian era women were expected to be traditional,conventional and to abide and follow a lifestyle according to the social norms and traditions.This first example is concerning thebtraditional education of women and the types of dreams and achievements that are considered to be of value for women.
Caroline represents the cultural upbringing of the Victorian society and,this is evident in the conversation between Caroline,Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy.Caroline is a represstation of a stereotypical woman in the Victorian society,a woman who has been well educated according to the societal expectations but she does not value the intellectual achivements.In contrast,Elizabeth does not receive the typical female education despite her family’s financial means.Yet,she is so much interested pursuing the acaddemic achievements.She also has an interest in extensive reading Caroline is not a passionate reader but still she pretends to give preferance just because of the fact that Mr.Darcy likes it.This shows her conventionality and how the women of the Victorian society try to modify themselves in the pursuit of seeking a husband.This argument also shows how Elizabeth’s educational training is compared with Caroline’s traditional female upbringing, this shows her submissiveness and the traditional typical fashion of the Victorian society and how Elizabeth is completely incompatible to Caroline and how her superior mind strikes Mr.Darcy.
Caroline adopts the characteristics she believes Mr.Darcy would value in a woman and according to this paper, from a feminist perspective Caroline’s actions are different from the idea that a woman’s worth is defined by the male dominated society and she is submissive to the males like Mr.Darcy with the social status,because she thinks that this kind of behaviour is neccesary to attain a husband.Elizabeth is highlighted due to her independent behaviour,it is what makes her different from the conventional women in the Victorian era.For an instance Elizabeth is aware about Mr.Darcy’s position,knowing this she still states what is in her mind without trying to make attempts to charm Mr.Darcy like how Caroline did(she adopts her behaviour to any extent that will make her to impress Mr.Darcy).
According to another argument of this paper ,Elizabeth’s feminism focuses to serve the purpose of impacting Mr.Darcy’s character,and this is deeply discussed in this aspect of “gender views” as well.Elizabeth is a character who des not bend herself to the norms and traditions of her contemporary society.She has her own way of expression her own opinions without any regard to the societal dictates.Her refusal to dance with Mr.Darcy shows that a woman can state whatever she thinks and this also shows her independence.
This independent behaviour of Elizabeth draws the attention of Mr.Darcy.Moreover,during the conversation between Darcy,Caroline and Elizabeth we find a clear difference between Elizabeth and Caroline and it emphasizes Elizabeth’s feminist perspective.Elizabeth’s femisist view of women achievement reflects that a woman’s notion about accomplishing should not rely on the standards determined by Caroline and Mr.Darcy,their standards on women education was dependant upon social class and wealth,also Elizabeth’s states her feminist view bodly that it was unfair to judge all women according to that standard by moking at him.
Another argument that the author of this article poses is assertiveness or self confidence focused by making a comparison between the focal character Elizabeth and Jane.It highlights Elizabeth’s feminism as well.
Jane Bennet is a well-mannered,beautiful girl(Gregory in Auste,2003:419) mentions that it was a practice for the women in the Victorian era to conceal their feelings and emotions from men.She was indeed attracted by Mr.Bingley but still she kept her emotions from him.She was dictated by the social norms and she was conventional.Therefore,she was failing to convince Mr.Bingley of her love.Her lack of confidence to expose her fellings and emotions were a primary cause for her sorrow when Bingley left Netherfield.
Another instance as to show a contrast of Jane’s concealing nature of her feelings and emotions with Elizabeth’s outspoken nature of assertiveness is during the conversation between Jane and Elizabeth about Mr.Bingley after the ball.This article potrays as to how this conversation between them highlights their distinct personalities.Elizabeth is potrayed as a courageous,extrovert personality and Jane’s nature of being cautious in expressing her true feelings is exposed(Austen,2003:16).She is potrayed ass an introvert who isn’t courageous enough to display her thoughts and sentiments;but in contrast Elizabeth represents the feminist qualities of not being a stereotypical women in the Victoriaan era.
This article also displays aabout how Jane and Caroline take different approaches when it comes to presenting themsselvess to men.On one hand,Jane was a purer nature and passive in expressing her emotions aand on the other hand,Caroline actively tries to draw attention towards her.Although they took different approaches in presenting themselves to men,their ultimate goal was ssame in bending to the societal norms and deny their true thoughts for men.This particular character of Jane highlights Elizabeth attitude.
Elizaabeth’s refusal to Mr.Darcy’s first proposal sshows her daring and open minded nature.Unlike Jane,Elizabeth wouldd never hide her feelings and emotions and this frankness of Elizabeth made an impact on Mr.Darcy as no girl hadd over spoken to him with sso much of frankness.
Independence is the third and last aspect taken by the author of this article to illustrate the contrast between Elizabeth and the foil character Charlotte.
Jane and Elizabeth are two goodd companions but still they both have opposing view on marriage.Eventhough Elizabeth and Charlotte were open minded and sensible,Charlotte got married to Mr.Collins for economic reasons.She elaborates her feelings towards him,which lead to the disappointment of Elizabeth.Charlotte believed that Mr.Collins would help her to establish her future.This shows how Charlotte is willing to sacrifice her true feelings and opinions in order to gain social andd financial security.
Charlotte’s alteration of her own ideals andd her sacrifice of her happiness for marriage and material goods highlights Elizabeth’s unconventionality and how she is not moved with the economic stability of the two men who proposed her. The rejection of the two eligible bachelors is further a proof of her feminist views and gender norms.
Elizabeth’s refusal to the first proposal of Mr.Darcy shows her independence which also make a profound impact on Mr.Darcy. Charlotte thinks happiness in marriage is a matter of chance. She thinks that the women must work in order to attract and grab the attention of men, but Elizabeth’s refusal to the marriage proposal of Mr.Collins even though he was a man who was meant to inherit her father’s wealth, shows her feminist point of view of choosing the individualist view and her lacking of the conventional gaols of a women in the Victorian era. Her refusal shows that she is opposing the conventional views sof the society that women musst rely on men to secure their future economic security.
The author of this article profoundly analysis the impact of the feminist heroine Elizabeth. Also the author of this article gives clear cut evidences from the novel “Pride and Prejudice”. The evidences given in the article seems to be convincing and not compelling. Each foil characters, their ideas, feelings and emotions are clearly iddentified and made a clear contrast and how Elizabeth’s feminist perspective has made a profound impact on Mr.Darcy.
The author has used some of the theories to prove his arguments. He has used the theories such as “Marxist Feminist theory” and “ Jameson’s theory of Marxist Historicism”. To clarify the logic the heroine Elizabeth is against this patriarchial society and how it made her successful in persuading Mr.Darcy.
Therefore, this research area is relevant to a critical and analytical study of the novel because it paves a way to understand the novel in a better analytical manner. It helps to undersstand the novel in a profound manner with regard to the concept of feminism.
Written By
Sumaiya
Refrences
- Austen.J(2003), Pride and Prejudice. London. Penguin books (original work publishe in 1813.
- Chang. C.H., (2014) Impact of the Feminist Heroine: Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, ISSN 2200-3592 (print), ISSN 2200-3452 (online), 03.
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