I used to hate this book. After reading it a few times though, I have definitely grown to like it more.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen represents the position of women through the use of various narrative techniques. The women characters in Pride and Prejudice are all represented as ladylike, and dependent on the men in their society. Jane Austen challenged the conventions of that time with her construction of Elizabeth as the main character and the one opposing the normally usual views of people like that of Charlotte Lucas, who believes in marrying only for finance and security. For many women of Jane Austen’s time, women had to be accomplished – marry a wealthy man and take care of the house and children, to be respected as a lady. Jane Austen portrays most women in her novel as possessions to the men and people who are always below the men in terms of respect. Even the first line of the novel (‘it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife’) is ironic, and in actual fact means that women who are socially suppressed would want to marry a wealthy man. This quote helps the reader to see the women represented as suppressed and desperate, and willing to marry just for finance. This representation can be shown by the narrative techniques setting, characterisation, point of view and tone.
The narrative technique of setting is important in this novel to show how suppressed the women are and to represent them as dependent and ‘ladylike’. Most of Pride and Prejudice is set indoors, and is mostly centred on a main room of a place. Many of the dialogue is from conversations set indoors, and helps to represent the women as indoors people who never go out for walks, or go outside to do much. A scene which helps depict this is when Miss Bingley asks Elizabeth to go for an ‘indoor walk’ (“Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you…and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude.”) This shows the reader how the women live in a mainly enclosed world, where their main job is to do the housework and stay inside. This emphasizes the suppression of the women and shows the lives they had that time. As a lot of the novel is set indoors, it shows the women of Jane Austen’s time in an enclosed world where they can’t find jobs or earn their own money. Austen’s representation of the women society of that time can be emphasized with the setting and with the construction of the setting shows that the women really didn’t do much in society. When Elizabeth walks to Netherfield by herself she was looked upon as unladylike and improper (“Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair so untidy…I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud...”). The overreaction of the Bingley sisters shows the readers how women were not allowed to walk by themselves without an escort, and also emphasizes the suppression of women. It shows the little freedom the women had, which was not much, and the role which they played in society, which was always below the men. The setting of the book really emphasizes women’s freedom as it is in a rural surrounding that people associate with being free and open. This was not so however for the women and the suppression of them can be seen through this technique.
The technique of characterisation is used to represent the women in the novel as accepting and dependent on men to survive. Elizabeth is the main character in Pride and Prejudice and is constructed to challenge the normal views in the society. Austen uses Elizabeth to counteract the thoughts/actions of other characters who accept their status and role of society, and the construction of Elizabeth helps to represent the women as traditional accepting people who are always below the men. Elizabeth is constructed as independent and headstrong, and opposes the views of many of the society’s ideas and attitudes, especially towards women. Her independence can easily be recognized when she walks to Netherfield by herself to visit her sick sister Jane (“Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field…springing over puddles with impatient activity…with dirty stockings…”). The Bingley sisters reaction over Elizabeth – “I shall never forget her appearance this morning…She really looked almost wild...” – shows Elizabeth was determined and independent and that she was willing to risk her reputation to see her sister, who in her mind was much important than what people thought of her. While it is clear women had to have a chaperone while going out, the seemingly overreaction of the sisters show the readers that women were suppressed to their own homes and they didn’t go out much by themselves. This shows their complete lack of freedom and privacy and the lack of control over their own lives. The construction of Elizabeth going against the attitudes of society show that although many women in that time accepted their role, there were also people who went against society’s expectations of them and there were different people that did have changing views about the world. Catherine De Bourgh’s comment about Elizabeth (“Upon my word, you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person…”) emphasizes to the reader the position of the women, that they were not allowed to give their opinion and not allowed to express themselves openly, especially if they were as young as Elizabeth. This shows the women in society were not allowed much freedom, and that they were constantly expected to act like everyone else. Charlotte Lucas is a woman in the novel, characterised as a person who only marries for money and security (“Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance...”) and her husband, Mr Collins, only marries her, because it was the “right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances”. The characterisation of these characters show that marriage is not based on love, but for money and the feel to have to marry. This represents women as people who cannot look after themselves or earn money for themselves, because they are suppressed and do not earn much money. Characterisation is an important narrative technique in Pride and Prejudice which shows the lack of freedom for women and the suppression of their lives. Elizabeth’s construction shows that although society may have its expectations there are people who go against these like Elizabeth and different people in society who think and act differently.
The technique of point of view is used in this novel to represent the women in society as suppressed and lacking in freedom of speech and actions. Pride and Prejudice is written in 3rd person limited point of view, with limited insight into the thoughts of many of the characters. There are however some thoughts from Elizabeth and other main characters, which are also expressed in their dialogue. From these thoughts, women can be represented as people lacking in freedom and individuality. “My situation in life is highly in my favour…another offer of marriage may never be made on you” (Mr Collins to Elizabeth) shows the thoughts of Mr Collins to Elizabeth in his dialogue, and positions the reader to feel that women in the society were only married for finance and that there was no such thing as marriage based on love. Women can also be represented as people who are all expected to be the same in society, where there is no individualism. “…if she really is headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether be a very desirable wife...” is Catherine De Bourgh talking about Elizabeth, and it shows that no women were allowed to express their opinion, or allowed their own voice. While some women in society just accepted their place in society, it seems they weren’t allowed to express themselves much or voice their opinion on things. The technique of point of view positions the reader to see the representation of women that they are always below the men and that they don’t have much control over their lives.
The narrative technique of tone emphasizes the position of women in society and the lack of freedom or individuality. Austen’s tone on women is critical and forward about the treatment, actions and role of women in society. This is clear with her construction of Elizabeth. Elizabeth is constructed as a person against society’s ideas and expectations of women, and is constantly expressing her opinion or doing something out of the ordinary, which is sometimes commented on by other characters. Catherine De Bourgh’s comment on Elizabeth – “Upon my word, you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person” shows the tone of the author that no people like Elizabeth were meant to express their opinion, or speak so forwardly. Austen’s tone on women is easy to recognize, because she constructs Elizabeth in a positive light especially when she is being looked down upon by other members of society, such as when the Bingley sisters comment on her appearance at Netherfield when she walks there to visit her sister. Austen uses Elizabeth’s character and personality to portray her feelings about women and represents them as below the men and lower in society. Women are looked on dependent on men and cannot rely on themselves to survive. The tone of Austen is also evident through Elizabeth’s reactions of other people in her society such as people like Charlotte Lucas. While Charlotte is happy marrying Mr Collins for finance and security, Elizabeth’s views are different and can be seen when she confronts her about her feelings about Mr Collins. It is clear Austen does not believe in marrying for finance because of Elizabeth’s feelings towards Charlotte’s engagement to Mr Collins. Society expects women to behave properly and not to voice their opinion too openly or to act differently to others. The construction of the women in Pride and Prejudice show Austen’s tone towards women and represents them as a ‘class’ below men, and the disagreement of the treatment towards women.
The technique of point of view helps to show the readers Austen’s view of the treatment of women in that time by letting the characters see the actions of all the characters and occasional thoughts of some including Elizabeth. The point of view is in third person limited, and Austen’s tone on women in that time can be seen through this technique. The tone of Austen can be seen through the technique as it represents women as weak and unable to make their own decisions and choices without the aid of men. Elizabeth’s point of view can be seen many times in the novel, and help to represent Austen’s representation of women as people who cannot stand up for themselves or voice their opinion in public. This is clear when Elizabeth talks to Charlotte Lucas about her marriage with Mr Collins. Elizabeth is only happy to marry for finance and security and Elizabeth’s rejection of Mr Collins shows that women were meant to marry for finance, not love. Elizabeth’s reaction to Mr Collins and the marriage show that women were all expected to be the same and to marry a financially stable man would make them accomplished. Elizabeth’s opinion shows that women were expected to marry to become accomplished and their inability to produce their own income shows that they were suppressed at home and not very free. The third person narration helps the reader to understand the women’s representation of that time through Elizabeth’s opinions and actions, which show that women do not have a powerful role in society no matter what they’re personality or opinion is.
Through these narrative techniques Austen manages to represent women as dependent on men to survive for the money and security, as well as the status of being an accomplished woman. Austen portrays women as always lower than the men and people who don’t have much freedom in society to voice their opinion or to make their own decisions in their life. Austen clearly does not agree with the treatment of women in society due to her representation of them through the techniques and she uses the construction of Elizabeth to show this. Women needed men to survive in that time and Austen shows that there are different women out there, who have different personalities, and that there are some who oppose society’s expectations. The construction of Elizabeth shows this and Austen’s opinion on women in society. Austen successfully shows the readers that there are women in the world who are individual, and voices her opinion that women should be treated with more respect and less suppression from the men.
Bibliography
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/themes.html
http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/Titles/pride/themes.html
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1996 Penguin Classics, London, England