Essay on Jane Austens Middle-class Female - 987 Words

Jane Austens Middle-Class Female Jane Austin insightfully portrays the class mentalities of the middle and upper classes during the early nineteenth century in her novel Pride and Prejudice. Society then was overly preoccupied with the distinction of classes, and with these shameless distinctions there existed an obvious hierarchy that governed peoples behavior and obligations to their respective societies. Austens story focuses on Elizabeth Bennet and her family, who are well-to-do members of middle-class society in England. Throughout the novel, the Bennets maintain social contact with their fellows of the middle-class as well as with upper-class characters; and as vanity, love, and gossip permeate the storys development,†¦show more content†¦A prime example of this haughty vanity is found in the Bingley sisters, who despise the Bennets and waste no effort attempting to conceal this fact. Their prejudiced behavior becomes especially evident during Elizabeths visit to Netherfield, where Jane is laid up sick. With no other alternative, Elizabeth had chosen to walk the three mile journey in her haste to see her sister. Miss Bingley later remarks to her own sister, I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair so untidy, so blowsy! (36). Unfortunately, many of the other middle-class women in the book, especially Mrs. Bennet, share this deep regard for the superiority of the higher class. However, if many of the middle-class character do show submission and lower taste, this notion is starkly contrasted by Miss Bingleys senselessness in her fawning behavior toward Darcy. In her efforts to gain his favor and disincline him to Elizabeth, she actually accomplishes the very opposite. Mr. Darcy, a man of impeccable refinement, is turned off by her pushy pestering, and her snide, verbal challenges to Elizabeth serve to display the latters sensibility and her indifference to petty quarrels. For instance, while the three briefly occupy the same room, Miss Bingley attempts to provoke Elizabeth, cuttingly saying, Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a greatShow MoreRelatedBritish Social Class in Mansfield Park by Jane Austen1742 Words   |  7 Pagesis a complete socially oriented novel. In this novel Jane Austen closely describe the everyday life of rural middle class society, its gaieties and hardships, describing a distinct system of moral and social principles influencing people’s lives in that period, women status in the system and female life expectations. In the novel Austen shows the efforts of some trying to break the predetermined limitations in order to improve their social class and rank. Austen pointed out the social threats thatRead MoreEssay Feminism and Jane Austens Emma1151 Words   |  5 Pageswas not popular by that time, author can only through literature to express her thought and discontented about society. Jane Austenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Emma advocates a concept about the equality of men and women. Also satirizes women would depend on marriage in exchange to make a living or money in that era. By the effect of society bourgeois, Emma has little self-arrogant. She is a middle class that everyone could admire, â€Å"Young, pretty, rich and clever†, she has whatever she needs. She disdains to have friendsRead MoreJane Austen and Her Feminism1158 Words   |  5 PagesJane Austen and Her Feminism ---analyzing of feminism revealed in Pride and Prejudice Introduction It is universally acknowledged that Jane Austen was a major woman novelist in English; but it is also a truth that almost as universally ignored that Jane Austen was a feminist. By intensively reading her six novels (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion) and studying feminism, I have found some significant and fresh thingsRead MoreJane Austen s Life And Prejudice1430 Words   |  6 PagesJane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, England. She was the seventh child and second daughter of Cassandra and George Austen. Jane Austen s life was one of the most transformative eras in British history. The American Revolution, The French Revolution, family and societal views caused Jane Austen s life to be influenced in several ways. Jane Austen was a conservative female who spent most of her time writing novels that reflected her views on love, war, reputation, andRead MoreSocial Commentary on Love and M arriage in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin1734 Words   |  7 PagesPride and Prejudice Love and Marriage Jane Austen shows the readers within the first sentence what the plot and main theme of Pride and Prejudice is and what social ideas she plans on presenting through this novel. The first sentence of Pride and Prejudice stands as one of the most famous introductory lines in literature. It states, â€Å"it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife† (Austen 5). This statement puts the novel inRead MoreFemale Writers Have Made A Great Impact On Literature Throughout History886 Words   |  4 PagesFemale writers have made a great impact on literature throughout history. Whether it be in poetry, short story, or novels female writers have introduced new forms of writing throughout the ages. Many female writers never received recognition while they were still living, instead the recognition they deserved mostly came after death. Many female writers had hard lives that lead them to becoming the writers that the y were. Most suffered some type of hardship be it a poor childhood, death, or heartacheRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1418 Words   |  6 PagesMarriage is a fundamental topic in Jane Austen’s famous novel, Pride and Prejudice. Readers become invested in the lives of the Bennet sisters who are constantly dreaming of relationships. Still unknown, however, is Austen’s reason for writing this novel that is so extremely concentrated on marriage. Some critics believe that Austen wrote the novel to portray how different social classes affected the lives of women such as the Bennet sisters. Others, however, believe that the novel was writtenRead MoreJane Austens Influence on Literature: Pride and Prejudice1216 Words   |  5 PagesEven though today Jane Austen is regarded for her writing, during her time she couldn’t even publish her work under her own name, because it was considered unladylike for women to be intellectual figures. Unlike J. K. Rowlin g and other English female writers today, who are well known for their works even without using their full names, Jane Austen lived within the sanctuary of a close-knit family and always published her works under a pseudonym that could not be traced back to her (jasna.org). Read MoreLiving in Social Classes in Jane Austins Novels816 Words   |  3 PagesJane Austin is a great author from the 1800s. I really enjoyed the few books of hers, that I did get around to reading .I enjoyed the movie adaptions even more, Jane focused on things she thought about and used humor to point out the lives of the middle class, the wealthy, nobility, and families in different financial standings, battling to keep up or with their social status. Jane puts most of her focus and writing into the importance of marriage. She lived with her family her entire lifeRead MoreManners in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen3437 Words   |  14 Pages Pride and Prejudice Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice not only established her historical importance among scholars and critics, but continues to remain popular. Pride and Prejudice, a comedy of manners, was published in 1813, and is a staple of the English literature. It recreates the social world of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England and embodies the theme that preconceptions and egotism can overcome true love. Pride and Prejudice is somewhat autobiographical; emphasizes the key elements