The Women of !8th Century

February 27, 2014SSO

The Women’s

Role in

the 18th

Century

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

I. Abstract……………..Page 3

II. Introduction….…….page 3-4

III. Thesis Statement…page 4

IV. Analysation………..page 5-14

V. Discussion………....page 14

VI. Conclusion………..page 15

VII. References……….page 16

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THE WOMEN’S ROLE IN THE 18TH CENTURY

By Diane [email protected]

I. ABSTRACT

Every literature that is written from an older time brings out characteristics of that

specific period and it portrays the beliefs and the society of that time. As a material, a book written

from that period can provide us with social information from the specific time. In connection with

this, Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” novel, takes us back to the society of the eighteenth

century. Austen’s novels are classic within English literature. The women’s role has achieved great

change that reflects nowadays, since the eighteenth century. The attempt of the study is to find out

if women’s role has changed in the selected novel by Jane Austen, by analyzing: the characteristics

of the characters from the book, the society and the women’s role and discuss and compare the

results to present. The novel can provide us with a better picture /understanding of women during

the society of the eighteenth century and its society’s manipulation on women’s thinking.

II. INTRODUCTION

The status and role of women has been a long discussed issue all over the world. In

the eighteenth century, there has always been a cultural or traditional difference between women

and men. It is a belief of the civilization that inherited since the eighteenth century, and it has

persisted throughout the years within the society.

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During the eighteenth century women’s role in England were unappreciated by the

society and they have had really hard time. People were divided in three categories: the upper class,

middle class and lower class. The ones that had the worst job of all were the lower class. The main

role and profession of women was to remain at home, and be homemakers. Home making means

from nurturing the children, doing the laundries, making clothes, to cleaning the house, maintaining

the fire, taking care of the farm animals and even doctoring their families. The women from the

middle-class and upper class get help from their servants.

Women were uneducated under this period. The women, who got the chance to learn

to read, write and play instruments are mostly from the upper and middle class, due to the

expensiveness of schools. The women studied not for themselves, but to attract a future husband.

A lot of people connect the eighteenth century to romanticism, though there was no

love in marriages at that time. Women in the eighteenth century were looked upon as property of

their fathers and are considered automatically to marry a man, whom can help them financially.

Therefore, women were very dependent of men. A woman could marry as soon as she reached the

age of 13-14, and it was often and very common for society. If a woman reached the age of 25 and

unmarried, she was considered an outcast and an embarrassment for the family and a laughing stock

of the society.

Once a woman gets married, she becomes a legal property of her husband. She is

entitled to follow and please her husband. Her husband has the legal right to beat her up too. If she

ran away from the marriage she was considered a thief, because of the clothes she was wearing

from her husband. If husband kills his wife, he would be hung. If a woman kills her husband, they

were to burn alive.

In reflection to this, the book of Jane Austen “Pride and Prejudice” holds an analysis

of how the society dealt with women at a very significant period. The novel gives us a deeper

understanding of women in the eighteenth century, through and by following the character and love

story of Elizabeth Bennet and her life with her family and her relationship to Fitzwilliam Darcy.

The women’s character in the novel give us a better understanding of their characteristics, by

following them constantly with their reactions in a given situation.

III. THESIS STATEMENT

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- Provide a summary of the significant historic features of the Industrial Revolution in

England.

- Then required an analysis of the novel "Pride and Prejudice" with special emphasis

on personal characteristics of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, and their

relationship.

- Discuss the female figure in the novel gives a realistic picture of women's position

and their terms.

IV. ANALYSATION

The main characters:

Elizabeth Bennet

“Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there are not many in my rank

of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money.” – Elizabeth (p.185)

Elizabeth Bennet is the second to the eldest of the Bennet sisters and one of our round

characters, as described by E.M. Foster. She is attractive enough, compared to Jane, the eldest and

most beautiful of them all. She is a very upfront woman compared to her time. She is smart and

witty with her comments. She is not afraid to get her point across, careless of the results or reactions

of people. Elizabeth is a good example of a woman, who is unrealistic at that time, who marries for

love and not for money.

Her honesty, and sharp tongue and quick judgment of others, sometimes take her too

far. The obstacle she needs to overcome is not only being judgmental. But there is also her hopeless

mother, her two flirty-immature sisters, and her distant father. Including the snobbish females that

are going to stand in her way, on her way to find romance in her life. She must also overcome her

attitude of being judgmental, in order to pursue their marriage. In addition to that, she has the

society and family problems that she needs to overcome as well. Elizabeth is a good contrast to the

effects of the society to women. Although there are still some points in the story, where Austen

cannot change the whole reality. But upon marriage and way of thinking about money, Elizabeth is

different. She manages to stand strong on this character

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Fitzwilliam Darcy

“All this she must possess,” added Darcy, “ and to all this she must yet add

something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.” - Darcy

(Page 51-52)

Mr. Darcy is the son of a wealthy man, well-established master of Pemberley. He is

the male counterpart of Elizabeth. We come to learn of Mr. Darcy’s characteristic through

Elizabeth’s point of view of situations. The narrator does not really explain how he is or what he

feels in most scenarios. But as reader we continue to learn that he could possibly be the partner for

Elizabeth, although he is a proud man. A characteristic he has, because he has almost everything

because of his wealth. He makes hasty and fast decisions, without really thinking it through. He is

very conscious about his social status that is why he had a hard time pursuing Elizabeth. When he

proposed to Elizabeth, and was rejected, his pride was hurt. But even though, his admiration for

Elizabeth continues. Mr. Darcy cannot simply resist her charms and wit. He simply pursue her, by

helping out Lydia, Elizabeth’s younger sister, and kept pursuing her against the odds, mainly: the

society.

The chronic scenes of “Pride and Prejudice”

The introduction statement from chapter one of the book “Pride and Prejudice”, “It is

a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in a possession of a good fortune, must be in

want of a wife.”(Page 1) It is already made a concrete issue of the book, about marriage, fortune

and society expectation.

The Bennet Family has five unmarried daughters, namely: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary,

Kitty, and Lydia and one big problem. The problem is, when Mr. Bennet dies they are to be thrown

out of their home according to the English property law. They live in a village of Longbourn, where

a young wealthy single man named; Charles Bingley moved. Mr.Bingley rented a manor in

Netherfield Park and Mr. Bennet paid a social visit to him, because his wife pressured him to. Of

course, they were invited to a ball, including his daughters. Mrs. Bennet is so excited to hear about

the news, because she is so desperate to marry her daughters. In this part, as soon as Mr. Bingley

enters the picture, the story of the novel begins to run. It shows how eager the Bennet’s mother is to

show her daughters to Mr. Bingley, because he is a single man and wealthy.

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There are times at when the narrator on this chapter describes the traits and

characteristic of Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Bennet. It says that Mr. Bennet was “odd a mixture of quick

parts, sarcastic, humor and reserve, and caprice” (page 5) while, Mrs. Bennet is “a woman of

mean understanding, little information and uncertain temper.”(Page 5)

The Bennet’s attends the ball that Mr. Bingley is holding. Mr. Bingley is

automatically attracted as soon as he lays eyes on Jane. He spends great time dancing with Jane

almost the whole evening. She is very happy about it but tries to hide her feelings, for Jane is a

reserved woman. Mr. Bingley is with his best friend, named Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Mr. Darcy does

not seem to enjoy the night. Even though, Mr. Bingley insisted on him dancing with Elizabeth, but

he denies and said she was not that attractive. Elizabeth observes Mr. Darcy, and he has not dance

with anyone in the room the entire evening. She begins to dislike him. The Bennet girls attended the

ball for the chance of finding their prospective future husbands. It is a way of understanding the

symbolism of the word “Prejudice” from the title itself, meaning an unfavorable opinion. The

impression that plays a part on our characters, between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy: mutual dislike.

Afterwards, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are constantly meeting each other in different

social events, where Mr. Darcy begins to feel attracted to Elizabeth charms and intelligence, which

is very seldom at that time. Jane’s friendship with Mr. Bingley continues, and she is invited to visit

the Bingley mansion. On her way to the mansion, Jane is caught in a massive rain and got sick. She

was forced to stay longer at the Bingley mansion. Elizabeth learned the news about her sister Jane,

and decided to attend to her sick sister at the Bingley’s mansion. Elizabeth is worried about her. As

she arrives, and stays with her sister, Miss Bingley sister of Charles Bingley notices, Darcy’s secret

admiration to Elizabeth, whom she likes. It is obvious the jealousy of woman to another woman,

because she easily notices Mr. Darcy’s’ behavior towards Elizabeth.

Jane turned well again, so they decided to go home. As they arrived home, they found

Mr. Collins visiting their home. Mr. Collins is the one who’s going to inherit their place, whenever

Mr. Bennet dies. Mr. Collin thought the best idea is to marry one of the Bennet. He sat eyes on

Elizabeth, though Elizabeth hates him and denies the request of marriage. On this part of the story,

it shows how Elizabeth is towards marriage. She is unwilling to marry for the cause of money, even

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the loss of their home, when her father is gone. Mr. Collins is a good example of criticizing and

knowing how the law works at that time, when it comes to inheritance and marriage.

Meanwhile Lydia and Kitty are becoming friends with the soldiers in the militia

officers stationed in a town nearby. They are trying to flirt and find them a prospective husband.

This tells us how desperate even young ones at that time. One of the soldiers named Wickham, who

is handsome as well, became friends with Elizabeth. Wickham and Mr. Darcy have a past.

Wickham tells Elizabeth about their past about how Mr. Darcy took him out of inheritance from

Darcy’s father. It affected Elizabeth’s impression of Mr. Darcy enormously and she almost hated

him about it. Explains how women tend to believe after gossip, without concrete proof.

At the beginning of winter Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley went back to London, and this

disappointed Jane. She thought she would marry Mr. Bingley and now she is left behind. Elizabeth

can see on her that she is hurting. Not only that, the big news exploded about Charlotte Lucas, best

friend to Elizabeth, engage-to-be-married to Mr. Collins. As Charlotte breaks the news to Elizabeth,

and give reasons for her decision, she says:

“ … I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and

considering Mr. Collins character, connections, and situations 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.” (Page 126)

Elizabeth is in shock of the newly heard news about her best friend. She is in doubt of

a good marriage when Mr. Collins offered two marriages in three days. Charlotte Lucas decision

made proof of the economical dependence on men of women at this period, and the desperation of

women desperation after her age. Charlotte is six years older than Elizabeth, which in that time 25

years old is already late for marriage, and leaves a woman with no future if she does not marry.

As spring comes, Elizabeth visits Charlotte as she promised when she got married.

Charlotte now lives close to Mr. Collins’ patron, Lady Catherine de Borough, who is Darcy’s aunt.

Lady Catherine is a rich wealthy woman in her modest years. Coincidentally Mr. Darcy made

consecutive visits to his aunt, which made him and Elizabeth meet up even more. One day, Lady

Catherine invited Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth to her drawing room. Lady Catherine is curious about

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s conversation, so she asks what was it about. Mr. Darcy tells her, it is

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about music. Lady Catherine starts explaining how practice is necessary for perfection of playing

instrument and criticizes Elizabeth lack of it. This part of the book points out the difference between

the middle-class and upper class women. Lady Catherine is definitely from an upper class category,

because of her knowing and non-consideration of the time and money for having to perfect on how

to play an instrument. Regarding Elizabeth, who is from a middle-class category and who does not

have enough time and she does not have enough money to pay for a tutor.

One day, Mr. Darcy made a shocking move of proposal of marriage to Elizabeth. Mr.

Darcy expresses his affection love for Elizabeth. But she then refuses to accept his proposal.

Elizabeth tells Mr. Darcy that she believes that he is an arrogant and unpleasant man, who took Mr.

Bingley away from Jane. She blames him for the cause of Jane’s suffering and pain, and spilling the

beans about Mr. Wickham misfortunes of the inheritance from his Darcy’s father. Mr. Darcy did not

deny the accusation of him taking away Mr. Bingley from Jane, and he is disappointed to hear that

Elizabeth chooses to believe Wickham, rather than him.

Afterwards, Mr. Darcy writes a letter to inform Elizabeth about why did he take Mr.

Bingley away from her sister. He believes that what ever is going on between Jane and Mr. Bingley

is not serious. As for Wickham, he discarded him from inheritance because of his dark intention of

seducing and marrying the very young sister of Darcy, Georgiana Darcy. In this statement, it proves

that not only women are after the money but also men like Wickham. This part made a huge turn for

the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth begins to entertain another thought

about Mr. Darcy, that she misjudged Wickham and Mr. Darcy.

As Elizabeth returns home, she did some re-thinking and her feelings towards Mr.

Darcy changed and begins to be cold towards Wickham. The militia is about to leave town, these

made Lydia and Kitty uneasy. Lydia asks permission from her Mr. Bennet to spend the whole

summer with the old colonel in Brighton, where Wickham and army will be based. Lydia, as we

know now by so far is a desperate young woman, who takes desperate measures. She wants to be

close to the militia to catch a big fish, meaning to find a man to be her future husband.

Elizabeth travels North, just beside Pemberley, state of Mr. Darcy, with the Bennet

relatives, the Gardiners. She only traveled to Pemberley, after confirming that Mr. Darcy is at the

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Pemberley State. On her way to North, she admires the view of nature, the buildings and

landscapes. During their visit to Pemberley, Elizabeth hears the servant how generous, wonderful

and kind master Mr. Darcy is. She looks around and admires the mansion where Mr. Darcy lives.

Then she hears the sound of the piano, someone is playing it. She sneaks and finds a little girl

playing it, and suddenly Mr. Darcy shows up. He sees her, she runs, and he runs after her. He

caught her, and invites her to meet his younger sister, and then he entertains them. He invites Mr.

Gardiner to fish the next day.

The appreciation for nature of Elizabeth shows realism of her character. The reason

Mr. Darcy invited the Gardiners because it’s his idea of getting close to Elizabeth. He did not take

the chance of asking her, due to the recent rejection of proposal and of his affected pride.

While Elizabeth is in Lambton, she received two letters from Jane. The letters brings

some dreadful news that Lydia ran off with Wickham, and got married. First they thought they ran

off to Scotland, but found out that they are staying at London. Mr. Darcy is very worried about

Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is very worried about her younger sister. She knows Wickham very well

by now. Wickham has no connection, no money and nothing that can tempt him. And that would set

her sister in a really bad situation. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner are getting stressed about the

situation, suggested that they would try and help their father to determine their location. The

Bennets are worried because they did know, how much debt Wickham is. Elizabeth told them about

Wickham’s past with the family of Mr. Darcy. Apparently Mr. Gardiner helped him, just to get the

family out of embarrassment, at least that’s what they have thought. But Lydia tells them later on,

that Darcy was on the wedding day. These made Elizabeth wonder and write a letter to Mrs.

Gardiner asking for more detailed reason of him, being there.

This kind of situation will put the family’s reputation to embarrassment, if Lydia did

not get married with Wickham. Luckily, they did and she is proud of her stubborn doing. Everyone

in the family is quite against the marriage, aside from Mrs. Bennet. She felt like she achieved a

triumph. Mrs. Bennet had always wanted that one of her daughters would be married as soon as

they were sixteen. The reputation of being married sometimes builds a big ego for some women,

like Lydia, where she says to Jane while standing at her mother’s right hand:

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“Ah! Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married

woman.” (Page 318)

She obviously felt the majority over her elder sister, because she got married first.

Elizabeth receives a letter from Mrs. Gardiner explaining why Mr. Darcy was at the wedding. Mrs.

Gardiner tells Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy paid for the debts of Wickham. So Wickham and Lydia

could get married, without the economical problems and without them feeling guilty of not telling

the truth about Wickham.

After Wickham and Lydia depart to their new home, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy

arrive in Netherfield Park once again. They passed by the Bennets and asked they could come to a

dinner. Upon dinner, Mr. Bingley stares at Jane with full attention, though he still does not have the

courage to propose. It happens again at one meal. The third time, he succeeds asking permission

from Mr. Bennet to marry Jane. Then he finally proposed marriage to Jane. Jane is very happy, and

shares her happiness to her sister, Elizabeth. With the engagement happening, Mr. Darcy is not

standing in between Jane And Mr. Bingley anymore. Mr. Darcy accepts the fact that the Bennets are

from low category, and did not stop his friend from proposing to Jane.

A week after Mr. Bingley and Jane become engaged, Lady Catherine de Borough pays

a visit to the Bennets. Lady Catherine wants to speak with Elizabeth. She insisted on they should

take a walk while they are talking. Lady Catherine, tells Elizabeth that she heard some rumors that

her nephew, Mr. Darcy, is planning to propose a marriage her. Lady Catherine is so furious about it,

and she insists that it should not happen. She believes Elizabeth and the Bennet are low class of

people. She insisted as well, that Mr. Darcy is implied to be engaged to her own daughter.

The snobbery of upper class woman like Lady Catherine proves once again that under

this period, there was a big difference between categories of class. It is not only seen in the home

making part. But as well, as how people look and treat other people. Lady Catherine does not

appreciate the richness of the character of Elizabeth. Thus, Elizabeth cannot be tamed by this kind

of treatment.

Elizabeth is in big shock, and hides her feelings, and talk calmly with Lady Catherine.

The latter tells her that she must to obey what is saying, that she should not marry or deny Mr.

Darcy’s proposal, if ever. Because if ever Elizabeth will marry Mr. Darcy, she would destroy Mr.

Darcy’s reputation to his friends and to the society. Elizabeth defends herself and her family

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towards Lady Catherine. She reason that she is a daughter of a good man, and so as Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth in condemned frustration reasons to Lady Catherine, she says:

“…To act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness,

without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.” (Page 359)

This statement of Elizabeth determines her characteristic. She is unlike most of the

women under this period. She lives after romance and love. The confrontation of both was a

criticism to snobbery to people at that time, as mentioned before. Elizabeth plays the contrast to

difference of the society under the eighteenth century. A typical woman under this period, would

just bow to a Lady, and obey her commands, but not Elizabeth.

After Lady Catherine’s visit, Mr. Darcy comes to stay with Mr. Bingley at Netherfield

Park. The two friends visit the Bennet and ask them to go for a walk. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth walk

behind the others. As soon as they were alone, Elizabeth give thanks him for helping Lydia at the

wedding, him paying Wickham’s debts. Mr. Darcy replies that he did not do it for the sake of her

sister, it is because he still loves her and his feelings did not change. Elizabeth tells him her feeling

has changed and she now ready to marry him. The unification of the two, and the fantasy about love

is not part of the realistic world under the eighteenth century. Austen uses writing to live her

imagination and her fantasies through the book.

That night, Elizabeth tells her sister Jane about the engagement. But Jane had hard

time believing her, though at the end she did. Like Jane, Elizabeth needs to convince her father

about her feelings towards Mr. Darcy. She explains him how their relationship developed and she

told him about Mr. Darcy covering for the debts of Wickham, at the wedding of the two.

After the wedding, MR. Bingley buys a place near Pemberley so the sisters can visit

one another time to time. Kitty is kept away from Lydia, because she is a bad influence. Kitty got

mature slowly, as she spends more time with her elder sisters. This is a good way of showing a

good example of how is an immature woman, can be influenced by mature women by just spending

time with them. Especially in a period where there is only a few opportunities for them from the

low category of society.

Lydia and Wickham did not change. They always ask for money from Mr. Darcy and

visit Mr. Bingley, whom at the end gets tired of them. An ironic partnership of immaturity and

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money obsessed people. Elizabeth got close with Georgiana Darcy. Apparently, Lady Catherine

accepts the marriage as well. She visits them once and a while at Pemberley.

The Relationship of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy

We know now how it all ends, that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy got married. To think of

all the struggles and differences they had from the start to the end. Elizabeth wrong judgements

about Mr. Darcy, that she thought he was a snobbish and a very proud man. On the other hand, he is

a real snob. Mr. Darcy did not like Elizabeth at first meeting, all because she is not a part of the

upper class. A cultural belief of the society, that the upper class people are better than the lower

ones.

Although Elizabeth is right, she could not resist him and he cannot either. Mr. Darcy

cannot resist Elizabeth’s charms and wit. Elizabeth had a huge dislike for him, especially when

Wickham told her about Mr. Darcy taking away his inheritance. As if she almost disgusted Mr.

Darcy. Then comes Mr. Collins, who is desperate to marry either Jane or Elizabeth. He ended up

proposing to Elizabeth because Jane is waiting for Mr. Bingley to propose. The proposal did not go

well, and Elizabeth rejected him. Mr. Collins is one symbol of how law works in the eighteenth

century, that law and marriage are connected.

Elizabeth faced two females of upper class, as obstacles towards Mr. Darcy, Miss

Bingley and Lady Catherine de Borough. Miss Bingley has a long crush for Mr. Darcy, she became

jealous of Elizabeth. She witnessed how Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth, and it confirms how he

feels about her. She tried being on their way, and tried proving to Mr. Darcy that she is way better

than Elizabeth. How and why? By showing to Mr. Darcy that she is from the upper class, and she is

way better. But it did not help. Mr. Darcy’s attention and eyes are only focused on Elizabeth.

Enters the second female who will stand in their way to marriage, Lady Catherine de

Borough. She is a wealthy woman, meaning she is from the upper class as well. Lady Catherine is

really against for both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to get married. Instead she wants her daughter to be

married to him. Lady Catherine really thinks they are way better than the Bennets. She even went to

their house and spoke with Elizabeth to stop her from marrying Mr. Darcy. She did not succeeded,

because the very next day Mr. Darcy proposed to her and Elizabeth accepted it.

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Mr. Darcy had hard time accepting that the Bennets are from the lower category. But

he cannot resist Elizabeth, so he made ways. He even helped Lydia – younger sister to Elizabeth –

when she was to marry Wickham. Wickham is in debt, which will make Lydia suffer when they are

married. But because of Mr. Darcy’s feelings towards Elizabeth, he paid them all.

Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth twice. The first one he was rejected. A man like Mr.

Darcy has a big pride. For someone as snob as him and from an upper class society, a wealthy man

like him, to be rejected from what he considers from the lower class, must hurt his pride a lot. But it

did not stop him from pursuing Elizabeth. He simply made his ways to her heart.

The difference of the society brings to the main characters are the main themes for

their relationship. The issues that the eighteenth century has are society, feminism and prejudice,

those are just good examples. Their relationship is a good way of exhibiting the conquered society

expectation to one’s partnership. Although women from the middle class and lower class intends

and tries to attract them from the upper class. Marriage is a financial dependence for women. The

reason women are eager to marry at such an early age. The fathers to daughters treat them as their

property as well, when it comes to marriage. They simply make a financial deal with the future

husband. The reason a daughter must ask permission to marry first, and then if the daughter gets a

yes, then they may get married.

V. DISCUSSION

The women under this period are considered weak. The women’s main role under the

eighteenth century were homemakers, portrayed as a father’s property to be sold to marriage and

uneducated. The women from this period were considered less of intelligence and capacity. The

society is even divided into three categories the upper, the middle and lower class. If one is from the

lower class, then one should not even think to consider even worthy of a glimpse from a wealthy

man because they are not interested to someone who comes from a lower category.

In comparison to the women of the twentieth century or of the present time, women

are very different. Women of the present time are true independent women. An independent woman

has the courage to go after what they want and what or whom they love. The freedom to decide

what, which or who would make her happy. The freedom of an independent woman to not be

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owned or be a property of someone is already an enormously big change from the eighteenth

century. Elizabeth may not be completely free from the manipulative society, but her characteristics

as Austen describes her, is one ideal thinking to empower the change that has to be done. The

change to believe one has all the right and free from the expectation of society. For what a woman

really is… is a human being, like a male gender.

VI. CONCLUSION

This paper has dealt with the analysis of the novel book “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane

Austen, with the constant focus and analysation on the main characters and their characteristics and

their relationship to each other. It discusses as well the impression and the condition of women at

that time. The book “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen is like a time machine, which takes us

back to the eighteenth century. It gives us a clearer picture and understanding on how women’s role

under this age.

The influence and effect the society had for women under this period are tremendous.

Especially, being married at such an early age and expected to be married before a certain age. The

society believed that women are not deserving of better education. The women should be treated

equally with men, and not to be considered as the weaker sex. It is something should be learned,

reminisce --- if forgotten… and must be passed to the next generations and should not be denied.

Women deserve undivided appreciation and unbiased treatment. Women should have the right to

decide for themselves and have the equal rights as everyone else. After all, women are the birth

givers of the next generations, who make the society.

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VII. REFERENCES

Austen, Jane - “Pride and Prejudice” novel book, 1813

Erwin, Lynette - The 18th century: Women, May 2, 2010

http://sofaithfulaheart.blogspot.dk/2010/05/18th-century-women.html

Used: February 16, 2014

Leconte, Ariel - What’s an Independent Woman in 2013?

July 2, 2013

http://www.sheckys.com/2013/07/02/whats-an-independent-woman-in-2013/


Women’s Press - Women’s life in the 18th century, Colonial

http://www.womenspress-slo.org/?p=6446 times, April 30, 2012


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http://www.womenspress-slo.org/?p=6446

http://www.sheckys.com/2013/07/02/whats-an-independent-woman-in-2013/

http://sofaithfulaheart.blogspot.dk/2010/05/18th-century-women.html

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