Pride and Predjudice Early Feminism and Women
It is evident from reading Pride and Prejudice how different the lives of women were during the end of the eighteenth century. During the eighteenth century it is evident that a women's reputation is of the greatest importance. Women, in general, were expected to behave in certain ways in order to uphold their reputation, such as wed when age appropriate, focus primarily on arts, and always look presentable.From the first sentence, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife," (1) it is evident that there is great importance on marrying a man of well-established status and fortune. The entire novel speaks of Mrs. Bennet trying to seek out suitable men for her five daughters to marry. An extreme amount of attention is paid to these men in hopes of an engagement. When one of the sisters married, Lydia, she said to Mrs. Bennet, "'and what do you think of my husband? Is not he a charming ma
It seems as if unwed women of the eighteenth century are frowned upon and discredited. Elizabeth recounted that she, along with her sisters, played and sang little. She later proceeds to say that because her sisters are not wed that they must not have anything important to do at all. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Jane, Lydia. Although Elizabeth is lovely and clever, she is also witty and forthright. This discrediting may be attributed to a women's social, as well as economical, position being dependent upon their father and their future husband. In addition to Elizabeth, Austen's other female characters demonstrate the opposite. That she should have walked three miles so early in the day, in such dirty weather, and by herself was almost incredible to Mrs. Also, it is imperative that women of the eighteenth century always look presentable. I only hope they may have half my good luck'" (236). This is noted in the novel when Elizabeth goes to Netherfield to care for her ill sister Jane. During Elizabeth's first encounter with lady Catherine, she was asked whether she played and/or sang.
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Acceptance Essays
