Pride and Prejudice is one of the most well-known works of English literature and is a classic Regency novel written by Jane Austen in 1813. In this novel of manners, the author describes the character development of the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, and depicts the society of late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century England with its values and flaws. Special attention in the novel is given to the image of a woman and sexist stereotypes imposed by society. The aim of this paper is to prove that in her book, Austen managed to reinforce sexist stereotypes about a woman through the portrayal of British society and its views. Stereotypes related to gender inequality, marriage, and an image of an accomplished woman will be discussed in detail to illustrate this point of view.
The first stereotype about women that the author proves is that female characters are less powerful in society than men. Women in Austen’s novel are limited in rights and cannot be free in their decisions. The theme of inequality is one of the most important not only in Pride and Prejudice but also in other works of Austen, including Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion (Jones 358). Heroines in these novels “demonstrate women’s condition – in material terms, at least – to be one of precarious dependency” (Jones 358). As a result, marriage was almost the only solution to improve the financial situation of a woman.
One of the most evident examples of inequality in the novel is demonstrated in the structure of the legal system. Austen explicitly describes entailment, or the order of inheritance, which proves the low status of a woman in society. The property of Mr. Bennet is entailed to the cousin of the five daughters, Mr. Collins, since in Mr. Bennet’s family, there are no males to inherit the Longbourn estate (Austen 85). Moreover, the inferior status of female characters and their financial vulnerability are expressed in Mrs. Bennet’s fury when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins’s proposal. These examples show that in both legal and social realms, women are limited in rights and freedom of choice and depend on men.
Another significant stereotype about an English woman of that time is related to marriage as the reflection of a woman’s financial stability and social status. In British society of the 19th century, marriage was mainly motivated by materialistic values rather than the sincerity of a relationship (Jabborova and Alimova 269). Moreover, marriages were often organized by parents, who saw matrimony as means of achieving happiness (Jabborova and Alimova 269).
In Pride and Prejudice, this idea is expressed through the character of Mrs. Bennet, the mother of the protagonist and her four sisters. “The business of her life was to get her daughters married,” Austen writes about this obsession (4). Indeed, Mrs. Bennet’s desire to arrange her daughters’ weddings can be explained by social attitudes towards marriage, which was believed to define the happiness of a woman and her status in society.
The experiences of young unmarried female characters of the novel prove the conservative views on marriage described above. According to Jones, “for Austen’s financially precarious heroines, marriage, with its promise of security, becomes “the grand feature of their lives” (360). For example, Charlotte Lucas’s marriage to Mr. Collins is motivated by her desire to gain social and economic stability. Being older and not very attractive compared to the five sisters, she is happy about the opportunity of the advantageous proposal. In contrast, for Elizabeth, morale and personal values appear to be more important than marriage and social status.
For example, despite Mr. Collins’ financial state, she refuses his proposal. Similarly, she is not attracted to Mr. Darcy in the beginning since he appears proud and arrogant. According to Simpson, “Miss Austen believed in the ultimate possible happiness of every marriage” (293). Marriage based on true feelings is demonstrated through the development of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. This contrast reinforces the stereotypical view of marriage as an advantage-based solution for a woman to improve her financial and social status.
Finally, one of the stereotypes is related to the image of an accomplished woman, an ideal in which the outside elegance is appreciated more than personal qualities. This idealized image is demonstrated in Miss Bingley’s description of a successful British woman. According to her, a British lady should demonstrate intelligence and multiple talents and be an example of perfect manners and appearance (Austen 27). Men, on the contrary, are not subject to such social requirements; for example, Mr. Collins, with his ridiculous behavior, is still considered a desirable party for marriage because of his wealth.
At the same time, Elizabeth is depicted as the complete opposite of who can be called an accomplished British woman. In Austen’s portrayal of the protagonist, one can see the reflected position of the author, whose characters are usually far from ideal (Simpson 294). Indeed, Elizabeth is shown as a young woman without the perfect manners and grace of a British lady. Some of her actions are considered disgracing: for example, her decision to walk three miles to see Jane in Netherfield causes disapproval of her mother. The latter explains that Elizabeth will not look appropriately after the long walk. The abovementioned examples prove that women were constantly under the pressure of society and its stereotypical views about an image of a perfect successful woman.
In conclusion, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen indeed reinforces sexist stereotypes of women at the turn of the nineteenth century. First, women were considered inferior to men in the social and legal spheres of life. Secondly, according to stereotypical views on marriage, a single woman was regarded as financially unstable and unsuccessful. Finally, the stereotypical role of a woman in society was to be a perfect example of intelligence and elegance. Therefore, Austen introduces both stereotypical and non-typical characters in her novel and describes the common social attitudes, proving the pressure of sexism imposed on women of that time.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Fourth Norton Critical Edition, edited by Donald Gray and Mary A. Favret, W.W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 1-256.
Jabborova, Hilola, and Mukharram Khayatovna Alimova. “The Problem of Gender Equality in the Novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.” E-Conference Globe, 2021, pp. 266-270.
Jones, Vivian. “Feminisms.” Pride and Prejudice. Fourth Norton Critical Edition, edited by Donald Gray and Mary A. Favret, W.W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 357-367.
Simpson, Richard. “The Critical Faculty of Jane Austen.” Pride and Prejudice. Fourth Norton Critical Edition, edited by Donald Gray and Mary A. Favret, W.W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 293-295.