Analysis of Feminism in Pride and Prejudice Essay

Abstract superciliousness and harm is a marvellous fig manpowert of Jane Austen. Although in her age, wowork force ar obedienceed as emotional, weak, nurturing, and submissive, Austen depicts her heroine, Elizabeth as a wo gentlemanhood who has her give perspectives, impressionings, and opinions. This paper analyses feminism in P loosee and Prejudice from its move and justton-d receive aspects. The former is reflected from the perspective of the guidance of muniment and movie of Elizabeth, while the latter(prenominal) is illustrated when this novel is restrict in antique family, that is, it compromises with custom and tradition of its time. Key language feminism, fe manlys narrative perspective, motion-picture show of Elizabeth, compromise.1. Introduction Pride and Prejudice is re instantaneouslyned as a masterpiece of Jane Austen for centuries. some(prenominal) a nonher(prenominal) factors cont make funute to the success of it. The p bevy is enchanting it t ells how the hero, Darcy abbreviates rid of his pride and the heroine, Elizabeth nails over her disfavour and to know apiece separatewise and how they at coherent last maintain married. The piece technique is detectable as wholesome. Narrative perspective from Elizabeth influences readers judgement, which causes readers interpret of Darcy at the blood line.The correction of Elizabeths spirit of Darcys real graphic symbol in the last chapters creates wizard of the climaxes in this novel. Austens language is witty and concise, and many actors line be full of wisdom and humor. We whoremonger observe Austens feminism in Pride and Prejudice, although she may non hit it. The fib from a egg-producing(prenominal)s perspective is worth get uping. It provides us with a divers(prenominal) world from a males setting. Women atomic number 18 placed in the center of narration. In the novel, Elizabeth is placestanding among those women. She is a adult female who entai ls she is passable with men. However, feminism in this novel is conservative, for Austen did non go beyond social custom in her day. in that respect is virtu on the wholeything against feminism. Women argon nonoperational and dependent on man stinting solelyy. I will snap the progressiveness and conservativism in this novel.A rough friendship of Austens composing background is helpful for us to rede the analysis better. The story happens in the latish eighteenth or the early 19th century in a British rural country which is similar to Austens brio environment. In Austens day, for women did non work outside homogeneous men, their frugal lieu is quite low. Lack of economic independence as well as suggests that women permit to deposit on men after wedding party if they want to live decently. In comparability in economy leads to womens dependence. Inequality ca apply by social custom withal affects womens social status. The inferior position long occupied by women in immemorial society has been culturally, non biologically, produced. (Hornsby, 257) Men were regarded as governors of society, while women as objects governed by them. withal women themselves did not think they were as equal as men.They usurped it as a truth that men were innately introductory-class to them. However, in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is against this handed-d own view. She has much(prenominal) confidence on her intelligence and perspicaciousness and at the time she is against tradition to some extent. Elizabeths distinction is a account of Austens awakening of feminism. This paper appreciates the females perspective of narration in Pride and Prejudice and the commission that Austen depicts Elizabeth as a char who has similar rack with feminists. Meanwhile, this paper notices that the novel has its limitation in terms of feminism. This paper analyses feminism in Pride and Prejudice from its progressive and conservative aspects2. Progress in Terms of fem inist movement2.1 The Females Narrative persuasion Special view localize is important to consider the idea and life own of the vote counter and thus far the writer. (Min Jie, 65) In conventional novels, the narrators ar al closely males, and male characters are usually in the center of narration. Then it is not strange that mens thoughts and experience are talked about yet those of women are heedlessnessed. In a mans narration, females are objects of observation they are passive and pick out no digressive prop starnt. (Cheshire, 158) The mental picture of females is simplified and polarized.There are sole(prenominal) two kind-hearteds of girls ripe(p) girls or painful girls. Good girl accepts her conventional sexual practice use and obeys the immemorial rules, while poisonous girl is the opposite. (Tyson, 38) The well-rounded character of females in real life does not get much attention. The cooking stove of women is materialized, partly out of mens imagin ation. They build the image agree to their expectation, taking for granted womens real feelings. Therefore, womens feelings are not hearkened and their feelings not perceived. This is a kind of neglect and even more discrimination. Fortunately Austen make a vaulting try in the men-governed novel world. Virginia Wolf once verbalise that men and womens concerns are signifi rafttly different. (Min Jie, 25) They understand things differently. Something that is trivial in mens eyes is credibly truly important in womens eyes. Austen alter the narrative perspective from male-centred to female-centred, emphasizing the thought of female subjectivity.She shows to readers how females react to the world. The story goes not with the affairs around the males, save with females life experience and feelings. Women are given discursive power, which is a rare case in traditional novels. Austen make great efforts to kind the rules in patriarchy. In this novel, Austen purposely limits her ex clusive unspoilt of narration. In the first ten chapters, the novel has an omniscient narrator who takes care of all the things and people. It shows basic background information to readers. As the story goes on, we get interested in Elizabeth and therefore the view begins to be knockout on her naturally. She change domains the heroine and the whole narration is confined to her world. What she sees and hears is the completely way for us to hold in information. Her attitudes and thoughts inevitably influence our judgment. In other(a) words, females that are narrated and controlled in traditional novels are endowed the discursive power.They spend a penny the ripe to talk about their opinions and make judgment. In the Bible, God takes out a rib from Adam to create Eve. This archetype all the time underlies the domination and superiority of males. In crease, females are repressed and even they themselves could not see their identity clearly. They are as daughters, wives and o btains. In short, they live for men. Nevertheless, in Pride and Prejudice, men are observed and judged. They endure the other, which Simone de Beauvoir called women. Austens description of males also impacts on the liberty of patriarchy. Elizabeth points out Darcys pride and after self-reflection, he corrects it. He gets improved with the help of Elizabeth. To some extent, Elizabeth plays the exercise of his tutor. (Zhang zhisong, 12)This is quite unusual in traditional novels. Austen changes the fact that males are placed above females. In Pride and Prejudice, females become the subjects of narration and men are learned. The discursive power mastered by men is now shared by women as well. Austen deconstructed the male-centred narration and helped eliminate the discrimination against women in writing tradition. In the novel, the narration from a female viewpoint is a challenge to the authority of patriarchy. Meanwhile, Austen made a big tempo in the history of female literature .2.2 picture of ElizabethAustens feminism is mainly substantiate in her depiction of Elizabeth. Different from traditional women, Elizabeth is no longer someone to ravish males, nor one to obey patriarchy. She is confident and independent and charming in someoneality. Austen starts to mould Elizabeth from the view that women are born equal with men in intelligence. This view reflects the confidence Austen has on women. She had a new view of women, which is shown in the description of Elizabeths character from different aspects. In Jane Austens day, an accomplished woman must have a normal knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and modern languages. Besides, she must recompense attention to her manners, dress and expressions. (Cai Lanlan, 85)Girls are improve in this way not for their sake or to prune their minds. However, the accomplishments are to reap a good economize, especially a affluent one. Girls practice these skills to acquire a key to open the door of a happy sexual union. Once they get married, these accomplishments are usually abandoned. Nevertheless, Elizabeth is quite different from traditional women. She does not learn the accomplishments tradition and society encourage girls to acquire. She is elegant in a special way. She prefers extensive reading to cultivate her mind. She admits frankly that she does not sing or play the piano well. She does not think it is a shame, either. Her rebellion against traditional accomplishments shows that she is conscious(p) of the identity of females. She rejects to be the tool to gratify males. She prefers pursuing spiritual carry outment.She would like to be a fully developed person whose mind is really educated, rather than simply someones married woman. Austen does not wonder womens absolute obedience. She rebels against it when necessary. Elizabeth is special for she is bold sufficient to challenge the feudal ethics. To guarantee the health of her sister, Jane at Netherfield, El izabeth walks three miles in a bad day by herself regardless of her mothers opposition. With scare ankles, dirty stockings, and a face radiate with the warmth of exercise, (Austen, 31) she entered Netherfield, leaving the Bingley sisters detest her successfully. She does not care about her indecent dress, or Bingley sisters contempt. From that point, we discharge see Elizabeths detachment from traditional shackles. Elizabeth does not feel humble when encountered with people who are in higher position. She is courageous to refute excessive reproaches to her as well. To some unreasonable requirements, she can respond forcefully.In Austens eyes, Elizabeth is the shape of self-esteem and courage. When Lady Catherine forces her to promise that she would abjure Darcy if he asked her to marry him, she refutes that she will follow her happiness without reference to Lady Catherine or anyone unconnected with her. (Austen, 367) She is not threatened by someone who has higher social ra nk. She does not feel shy or direful when uniting is mentioned before her, although traditional women in her day are asked to behave in opposite. Elizabeth is intelligent and insightful. She is good at canvas character and analyzing herself as well. What concerns her most is not something superficial, such as wealth or status when making judgment on others, save something in nature. She also reflects herself. It is her self-analysis that makes her notice her prejudice against Darcy and then rebuilds her knowledge about him. Elizabeth is somewhat a studier of character. (Austen, 88)This is quite precious for in preceding(prenominal) novels, women are observed by others and womens perspectives on the world are seldom mentioned. Elizabeth is independent and strong-minded, which come from her confidence. Once she defines something is right and worthy to be done, no one can change her mind. She has strong confidence in her judgment, though she does not everlastingly make the right decision. This forms a strain with Jane, who is a representative of traditional girls. She knows her own mind less than Elizabeth does. There is some other example to show Elizabeths good will. When her younger sister, Lydia elopes with Wickham, it is Elizabeth who plays a crucial role in solving the problem, while her mother just falls in affection referable to worry. Her independence makes her less influenced by others and she can behave on her own will. Her confidence leads her to deal with emergency calmly and orderly. Her attitude towards marriage is worth mentioning.She perceives that grapple should be an important element in marriage, which is quite important. That can be seen in her refusal of Mr. Collins proposal. Though she is poor and her family suggests her occasion with a man who is to inherit her set outs property, (Carson, 21) she refuses to marry a man who she despises. She rejects marriage which does not include grapple. In her eyes, marriage is not a tran saction, in which a man exchanges a wife with heap. It seems a humiliation to her that people regard marriage as a trade. She insists that go to bed be the foundation of marriage. That forms a contrast with her intimate friend, Charlotte, who marries Mr. Collins to get rid of possible poverty in subsequently life. There is something else that matters in marriage for Elizabeth. She believes that marriage should also be based on equality and respect mingled with maintain and wife.Elizabeth does not accept Darcys first proposal for she feels his sense of her inferiority and she is stiff by Darcys pride. After realizing her misjudgement on Darcy and Darcys change of his pride, they both become more mature and understand each other more. They help each other improve their personality. They are lovers as well as friends. Therefore, not only love just also esteem exists between them. Men and women are free to claim their spouses, but their affection should be hard-boiled by reaso n and with respect. (Cai Lanlan, 19) Elizabeth has a lot of courage to pursue her happiness, which is precious in her day.Elizabeth is wise, independent, confident and strong-minded, and much feminism is reflected on her character. Austen does not mould her as a perfect figure. Elizabeth commits prejudice against Wickham and Darcy, which makes big mistakes. However, Austen heart and soul no criticism to her imperfection but a challenge to the traditional fundament of heroes or heroines, who were perfect in many priory novels. Austen made a change. The imperfection on Elizabeth makes her more real and distinctive she is even more charming due to her short glide slopes. Meanwhile, this kind of writing is more valuable according to aesthetic. (Ma Wenting, 69)3. Conservatism in Terms of feminismAusten did make much contribution to feminism. She advocated that females should be conscious and independent. Elizabeth is a figure whose awareness of feminism is much more modernistic tha n that of other women in her day. However, limited by social custom and education she received, Austen was not radical as some feminists of nowadays. She was a pioneer in the field of feminism, but her consciousness was weak and conservative. Influenced by patriarchal culture, she could not escape from tradition thoroughly. She made a compromise with social custom, so there is something against feminism in this novel. In love, females are objects of being chosen. In marriage, women hush depend on men in material. Only by males approval can females fulfil their values. This paper also explains the conservatism in terms of feminism in this novel. In patriarchy, women nearly have no rights to choose the ones they are fond of. They are not allowed to be active in love.Women are asked to show as a couple of(prenominal) feelings as possible. When Elizabeth sheds her prejudice against Darcy, she falls in love with him immediately. However, instead of telling her feelings to him at once, she has to wait until Darcy makes a proposal to her again. If Darcy got anger by her refusal and never asked her to marry him again, probably Elizabeth would miss the chance. (Ji Ying, 47) Elizabeth is the best-loved figure by Austen, but she nonoperational can not get rid of the confinement from social custom. Jane pretends to be detached from Bingleys affection due to the restraint of the rules. It is her restraint that puzzles Bingley and almost ends their relationship. tout ensemble women can do is to wait for the coming of love and sometimes even accept a proposal against their will.They have no freedom to choose husbands, not mention to pursue them. In marriage, for men and women are not equal in economy, women have to avow on their husbands. At the beginning of the story, Austen mentions that a man with good fortune must subscribe a wife. (Austen, 1) In fact, the story proves reversely that a woman if not to be brocaded by her parents must find a husband with much proper ty. Elizabeth is surprised by her sensible and rational friend Charlottes marriage with contemptible Mr. Collins. Actually, except that Elizabeth finds someone who appreciates her and is wealthy as well, there is no point for her to be amazed by Charlottes choice. Elizabeth pursues independence and liberty in spirit, but after marriage, she quiet down has to live like other women, depending on their husbands in material. Austen depicts Darcy as a wealthy man, unconsciously proving that she still thinks a man with wealth is advantaged. Austen used the archetype of Cinderella.The difference from the original one is that Cinderella in Pride and Prejudice is not fragile and the prince is not charmed only by his Cinderellas beauty, but also by her personality. It seems to resist against the discrimination that women are just beautiful in appearance, for what concerns Austen most is the description of Elizabeths character. Nevertheless, women are still evaluated by men it is men who have the right to announce how a woman is. Without the appreciation of Darcy, probably Elizabeth would stay as Cinderella forever. (Liu Xueqiong, 3) She is not able to change her status by herself. Elizabeth is witty and different from other girls, but what Austen expresses to us is that Elizabeth is worthy to get married with. Elizabeth is envied not for she is a on the whole independent person as a woman, but for she will be Darcys wife. The psychology of depending on men is grow in contemporary custom. It was acknowledged that there was nothing wrong for women to be raised by men.Even though Austen found that spiritual independence was not enough for women, she was powerless to change the situation. Social body did not reach the point that Austen could not bear so that she attempted to tump over its standards totally in her writing. Confined by social custom in her day, Austen did not catch the real meaning of equality between men and women and independence of women. special(a) by contemporary social tradition, Austen gave in to it. There is something against feminism. In the novel, women are passive when dealing with love and they have to rely on men after marriage. Furthermore, they need mens appreciation to fulfil their life. Feminism is observed in Elizabeth, but it is vague.4. ConclusionAusten is insightful into society in which she lived. Pride and Prejudice is excellent in many aspects. Her knowledge of feminism is advanced in her day. She uses female-centred narration, which is different from traditional narration, which is male-centred. She depicts Elizabeth as a woman shining with the rain cloud of feminism. In this novel, Elizabeth is independent, intelligent confidant and strong-minded, which does not meat mens expectation. These factors state feminism of this novel. Meanwhile, her feminism is quite conservative. She gave way to social custom of her day. Women are passive, for they are not allowed to make decisions on their own marriages they have to depend on men economically, which affirms their inferiority.These elements expose the conservatism of this novel. Austen challenges the rules in patriarchy but unfortunately she is confined by them as well. Above all, she as a pioneer contributes a lot to feminism, and the depiction of Elizabeth is so successful that girls of nowadays have much to learn from her.