LESYA UKRAINKA VOLYN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

WHAT IS THE POSITION OF A WOMAN AS

IT IS REPRESENTED IN JANE AUSTEN’S
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1813) AND
CHARLOTTE BRONTE’S “JANE EYRE, AN
AUTOBIOGRAPHY” (1847): A
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

MARIA YASHCHUK

COURSE 2

GROUP 22

Lutsk 2022
 PLAN

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................2
I. THE SETTING, THE MAIN CHARACTERS AND A SYNOPSIS OF THE
PLOT............................................................................................................................3
a) JANE AUSTEN`S “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”...........................................3
b) CHARLOTTE BRONTE’S “JANE EYRE, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY”......4
II. THE POSITION OF A WOMEN IN “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” AND
“JANE EYRE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY”...............................................................4
CONCLUSIONS..........................................................................................................5

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 INTRODUCTION
Jane Austen ( 1775-1817) was an English writer from England. She was a
novelist, a satirist, a forerunner of realism in British literature and one of the greatest
writers in the English language. Jane Austen is a representative of the Regency
Period. Features of this period are expressed by: witty conversation, a focus on
marriage, and attention to fashion and manners.

Jane Austen’s novel “Pride And Prejudice” falls into a Classic Regency
Romance novel. It was written in 1813.

The title of “Pride and Prejudice” means that too much pride come to result
in ignorance as to who the person really is inside and makes the person unable to find
true love. The background for love relationship is the provincial mansions of the
aristocracy in eighteenth-century England. And it is in the history of main characters
that the meaning of the title of the novel lies: pride pushes Mr. Darcy away from his
beloved, and prejudice draws a false image in the heart of Ms Bennet.

The main theme of the novel is love, which can radically change the views
and behavior of any person. And also a novel about how important it is to get married
and marry for love.

Charlotte Bronte ( 1816-1855) was an English writer from England. She was
a novelist, poet, governess. Charlotte Bronte is a representative of the Victorian age.
Features of this period expressed by: the industial revolution, economic boom,
foreign trade, colonial expansion, rapid growth of middle class, a fight for women`s
rights, the need for women to be independent.

Charlotte Bronte`s novel “Jane Eyre: An Autobiography” fall into the Gothic
Bildungsroman Romance. The novel was written in 1847. It named for its
protagonist, an intelligent, curious woman who searches, not just for romantic love,
but also for a sense of being valued, sense of belonging. The main themes of “Jane
Eyre” are women's independence, love, religion and social class.

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 I. THE SETTING, THE MAIN CHARACTERS AND A SYNOPSIS
OF THE PLOT
a) JANE AUSTEN`S “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”

“Pride and Prejudice”, is set in rural England at the turn of the 19th century, in
Netherfield Park, Rosings Park, and Pemberley. There are several main characters
in the play. These are Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley.

In the poor Bennet family there are five daughters, the mother only dreams of
how to marry them off. A wealthy young gentleman named Mr. Bingley settles
nearby, along with a single and wealthy friend, Mr. Darcy. Bingley meets Jane and a
mutual sympathy develops between them. Elizabeth managed to win Darcy's heart.
But to Elizabeth, he seems proud and self-satisfied. Eventually, Elizabeth overcomes
her prejudice, and Mr. Darcy forgets about pride, and true love unites them.

b) CHARLOTTE BRONTE’S “JANE EYRE, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY”

Most of the action takes place in Gateshead Hall, Lowood School,

Thornfield Hall, Moor House, and Ferndean. There are several main characters in
the novel: Jane Eyre, Edward Fairfax Rochester, Bertha, Adele Varens and St
John’s.

Jane Eyre was brought up in an orphanage. Jane receives an excellent

education and tries to achieve everything in life herself. Having settled down as a
governess in the family of the rich and mysterious Mr. Rochester, Jane not only finds
her "I", but also experiences the strongest feeling of all possible - love.

II. THE POSITION OF A WOMEN IN “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”

AND “JANE EYRE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY”

In the time Jane Austen lived in, women considered as objects and beautiful
statues who have no rights. However, in the time Charlotte Bronte lived in, English
proletariat was fighting for democratic rights, advocating women’s freedom.

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 Both of Elizabeth and Jane advocated that women should have both physical
and spiritual independence, had great appreciation for gender equality and mutual
respect.

In the novel “Pride and Prejudice” the role of women was to raise children,
take care of the house. For many women, getting married was a lifeline to have a
comfortable life. This referred to Charlotte Lucas. She said that marriage was a
matter of chance, to have a better life, since a woman for itself could not own
anything. Elizabeth Bennet differs from the Victorian ideal of women by the
independence of the spiritual world, freedom of thoughts and feelings. Marriage is
possible for her only if it is based on true love, respect, equality, similarity of
thoughts and feelings.

In the “Jane Eyre”, the role of a woman is she must always stand behind the
men. The female image is depicted as a housewife and is intended to work around the
house, and not as a family breadwinner. However, Jane Eyre is an exception as she
is an independent because she earns her own income by working as a governess.

Jane Eyre thinks sensibly about life, has deep feelings and knows how to
express her aspirations and views directly. Jane Eyre is an ideal of morality, which
corresponds to Victorian ethic, but her bravery, masculinity and desire for freedom
differ from the hard conditions of Victorian society.

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 CONCLUSIONS
1. It is important to choose love over financial health.
2. Women search not just for romantic love, but also for a sense of being valued,
sense of belonging.
3. Women should have both physical and spiritual independence, had great
appreciation for gender equality and mutual respect.
4. Marriage should be based on true love, respect, equality, similarity of thoughts
and feelings.

REFERENCES

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charlotte-Bronte

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pride-and-Prejudice\

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jane-Eyre-novel-by-Bronte

https://www.litcharts.com/lit/jane-eyre

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