FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF THE PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Name: Shahida professor: Dr. Shafaat Yar Khan

Roll No: 015 Subjects: Critical Theories

Class: M.Phill English Literature

Department of English Faculty of language

MINHAJ UNIVERSITY LAHORE

Feminist analysis of the novel Pride and Prejudice

Abstract: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice concerns primarily of the social norms of
the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, in which was a patriarchal society ruled by
men who held economic and social power. Pride and Prejudice has certain components
that directly focus on the mixing of the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy during the age of
the Napoleonic wars and the beginning of an industrial revolution. Interested in the
balance between pragmatism, or the necessity of securing a marriage, and idealism,
particularly Elizabeth’s romanticism and individualism, Austen dramatizes her heroine’s
struggle to find a place within the conservative and social institution of marriage. During
Elizabeth’s struggle, it is to be noted that she also beings to emerge as a feminist
character. Through Elizabeth Bennett’s outburst at Lady Catherine de Bourgh , her lack
of horizontal hostility and being described as sporty be Georgiana, one can see that
towards the end of the novel Elizabeth Bennett truly emerges as the feminist character
she only subtly began as.
Introduction: Jane Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice, holds feminist views and
uses the novel to show her opinions about women's issues. Pride and Prejudice is a
personal essay, a statement of Jane Austen's feelings about the perfect lady, marriage,
and the relationship between the sexes. Jane Austen's characters, plot, and dialogue are
biased to reflect her beliefs. This is about the female social, psychological and sexual
reality in the novel Pride and Prejudice in Victorian England. It explores into the heroine
Elizabeth to study Austen’s special perspective on feminism in the patriarchal society. It
examines the nature of Jane Austen’s pioneering literary feminism, and both the
positive and negative characterizations of Elizabeth in the text reveal the writer’s
feminist value in the Victorian England.

When Elizabeth meets with Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the Lady visits Elizabeth’s
home, Lady de Bourgh confronts Elizabeth about her relationship with Mr. Darcy during
which Elizabeth says to Lady de Bourgh “he is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s
daughter; so far we are equal.” This is the first time in the novel that Elizabeth can truly
be portrayed as a feminist character. Feminism is a doctrine that equates women and
men equal, and this moment when Elizabeth declares herself equal to Mr. Darcy is
when Elizabeth emerges as the feminist subtly hinted in the previous chapters. From
the beginning of the book Elizabeth was merely an outspoken woman with many
opinions to express and unafraid of being suppressed by those around her. She never
truly equated herself with men or her oppressors, she never truly paved a true road for
herself with her own virtues and ideas for success for her future, unlike Charlotte Lucas
did by marrying Mr. Collins with only intentions of living a comfortable life. Feminism
during that time is much different from how it has evolved to present time and a perfect
example of a feminist during the era would be Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte can be seen
as a feminist instead of Elizabeth during the first chapters of Pride and Prejudice
because of her ability to make firm decisions for herself not based on wanting solely to
live for her husband’s every want and need. Charlotte states “I ask only a comfortable
home; and considering Mr. Collins character, connections and situation in life, I am
convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on
entering a marriage state.” (Chapter 22, Page 109) Elizabeth, during these first many
chapters, was much like a carefree and witty young lady, however by making such a
strong statement against Lady de Bourgh, she has truly rose above that rank to a
feminist woman. Equating herself with a man and that too of a much higher status than
herself shows that she has not only grown as a feminist but also in the way that she has
become comfortable with herself as who she is that she will not take criticism from
anyone.

There is also a lack of horizontal hostility that is observed on the part of Elizabeth.
Horizontal hostility is when members of an oppressed group fight amongst each other
because they cannot vent their anger out on those in power. During the late eighteenth
century and nineteenth century, the oppressed would be women and the oppressors
would be the men and those of higher class. Women were treated as commodities and
less valued therefore causing this horizontal hostility among their own kind. Women
would normally pent out anger on each other by mocking, taunting, belittling and
backstabbing each other. Elizabeth goes through various situations in which she can
show this horizontal hostility against her fellow women. For example, Miss Bingley who
seems to have a keen interest in Mr. Darcy however when she notices his apparent
curiosity of Elizabeth, she begins to dislike Elizabeth bent on proving her flaws to him.
Through this hate shown towards Elizabeth, she can easily put her anger on another
woman or back on Ms. Bingley. However, she chooses not to and instead hits her
oppressors directly. For example, her outburst at Lady Catherine de Bourgh; instead of
walking away from that situation with her head bent in defeat and expressing her anger
out on her sisters or friends Elizabeth promptly retaliates to Lady de Bourgh’s
comments. This type of standing up for oneself shows the movement away from the
conventional woman of that time to a more modern and self concerned woman.

The ultimate moment in the book when Elizabeth is truly emerged as a feminist is when
Elizabeth is described as having a sporty demeanour by Georgiana. “Georgiana had the
highest opinion in the world of Elizabeth; though at first she often listened with
astonishment bordering on alarm at her lively, sportive manner of talking to her brother”
(Chapter 61, Page 333) unlike Charlotte Lucas who took on the conventional role of a
woman after marrying Mr. Collins and caring for him and his house, Elizabeth retains
her livelihood and freedom after marriage. Through Georgiana’s surprise, it must be
noted that women would conventionally change after being married, taking up the role
of the homely caregiver submissive to her husband’s will. Sporty is defined as fond of or
good at sports; describing Elizabeth as sporty gives her masculine qualities as it was
the men that would play sports and be active. Mary Wollstonecraft states “I heard
exclamation against masculine woman, but where are they to be found? If by this
appellation men mean to inveigh against, their ardors in hunting, shooting, and gaming,
I shall most cordially join in the cry; but if it be against the imitation of manly virtues or,
more properly speaking, the attainment of those talents and virtues, the exercise of
which ennobles the human character, and which raises females in the scale of animal
being, when they are comprehensively termed mankind, all those who view them with a
philosophic eye must, I think, wish with me, that they may everyday grow more and
more masculine.” (A Vindication of the Rights of Women) In this, Wollstonecraft
introduces that calling a woman masculine raises them to that pedestal of being a
human being, having knowledge, talents and virtues – attributes of males. By describing
Elizabeth as masculine, she automatically receives all these attributes being put, once
again, as an equal to Mr. Darcy; this time, not only by herself but by those around her.

Women and Femininity

Mrs. Bennet
"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit
them." (1.32)
Right away, we learn how powerless women are: there's literally no
respectable way for the Bennet girls to meet Bingley unless their dad
makes the first move.

Miss Caroline Bingley

[Miss Bingley:] "Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no [woman]
can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what
is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music,
singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the
word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her
air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and
expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved."
Here's a good look at some of the expectations for upper class women:
music, singing, drawing, a nice voice, and a graceful walk. Notice
anything missing? Oh yeah: any skills or accomplishments
that aren't purely decorative. No calculus. No economy. No critical
thinking. Only things that will help her attract a dude.

Mr. Collins
"Pardon me for interrupting you, madam," cried Mr. Collins; "but if she is
really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether
be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who naturally looks for
happiness in the marriage state. If therefore she actually persists in
rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting
 me, because if liable to such defects of temper, she could not contribute
much to my felicity." (20.4)
Mr. Collins wants to be happy when he's married. Fair enough. But he
doesn't seem overly concerned—or, well, concerned at all—about
his wife's happiness. Obvi. That's totally not the point.

Jane Bennet
My dearest Lizzy will, I am sure, be incapable of triumphing in her better
judgment, at my expense, when I confess myself to have been entirely
deceived in Miss Bingley's regard for me. But, my dear sister, though the
event has proved you right, do not think me obstinate if I still assert that,
considering what her behaviour was, my confidence was as natural as
your suspicion. I do not at all comprehend her reason for wishing to be
intimate with me; but if the same circumstances were to happen again, I
am sure I should be deceived again. (26.26)
Regina George has nothing on Caroline Bingley: we know that Caroline
Bingley befriended Jane because she was the only tolerable woman
around Nether field. As soon as they were back in London—and as soon
as she figured out that her brother thought Jane was pretty nice, too—
she friend-dumps her.

When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was little to be done
but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any intermission
till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive
a manner, as proved that she was not used to have her judgment
controverter. She inquired into Charlotte's domestic concerns familiarly
and minutely, gave her a great deal of advice as to the management of
them all; told her how everything ought to be regulated in so small a
family as hers, and instructed her as to the care of her cows and her
poultry. Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great lady's
attention, which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others.
(29.11-15)
 You'd think that, as an actual aristocrat, Lady Catherine would have a lot
more to care about the poultry. But nope. She's basically telling Charlotte
how to keep house—which is pretty rich coming from someone who must
have dozens of servants.

Lydia Bennet
And when her sisters abused [the bonnet] as ugly, she added, with
perfect unconcern, "Oh! but there were two or three much uglier in the
shop; and when I have bought some prettier-coloured satin to trim it with
fresh, I think it will be very tolerable. Besides, it will not much signify what
one wears this summer, after the ——shire have left Meryton, and they
are going in a fortnight." (39.3-4)
Truth: we all know someone like this. And, just like now, some
(thankfully, a lot more than today) people thought that all girls were ditzy
idiots who wasted money on clothes and thought only about boys. Pride
and Prejudice was so revolutionary in part because it showed that
women could be lots of ways. (Check out "Brain Snacks" for a fun quote
about that.)

Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless. She
turned from sister to sister, demanding their congratulations; and when at
length they all sat down, looked eagerly round the room, took notice of
some little alteration in it, and observed, with a laugh, that it was a great
while since she had been there.
Argh. Lydia makes us want to pull our hair out, and we're not even
related to her. Here, she's just been rescued from social suicide by some
anonymous benefactor.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh

"Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more
reasonable young woman. But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I
will ever recede. I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance
I require."
 And by "reasonable young woman," Lady Catherine means "someone
who, like everyone else, will do exactly what I say." Lady Catherine is
ridiculous, of course, but these moments really show us how awesome
Elizabeth is.

Pemberley was now Georgiana's home; and the attachment of the

sisters was exactly what Darcy had hoped to see. They were able to love
each other even as well as they intended … By Elizabeth's instructions,
she began to comprehend that a woman may take liberties with her
husband which a brother will not always allow in a sister more than ten
years younger than himself.
This is sweet: at the end, we get a nice model of female friendship. Lizzy
and Georgiana end up best friends, and Lizzy even shows Georgiana
that it's okay to, you know, tease your husband a little. It turns out that
women need role models just as much as men do. (Also, can we point
out here that Lizzy and Georgiana are basically the same age?
Georgiana is about 18 here, and Lizzy is probably)

Mr. 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."
Mr. Darcy agrees with the superficial "accomplishments" that women
should have, but his standards are even higher: she should also
"improve" her mind through "extensive reading." But not, we suspect, so
she can actually have ideas of her own—just so she can actually know
what she's agreeing with, when she agrees with all of Mr. Darcy's
opinions. (At least until Lizzy teaches him better, that is.)

CONCLUSION: The position of women in terms of inheritance is weak. They do not

have the right to inheritance. Inheritance is Primogeniture lead to discrimination
between men and women. In addition, the Pride and Prejudice novel, Jane Austen also
photographed in the style of satire, how scared a mother if her daughter did not get a
fifth commensurate mate.
REFERENCES
http://www.academypublication.com/issues/past/tpls/vol01/12/22.pdf
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Feminism-in-Pride-and-Prejudice-by-Jane-
PK9NXGZVJ
https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/pride-and-prejudice/quotes/women-
and-femininity
https://chsaplitprideandprejudice.weebly.com/feminism.html

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/english-literature/feminism-in-jane-austens-pride-
and-prejudice-english-literature-essay.php

https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/81428-EN-feminism-reflected-in-pride-and-
prejudic.pdf