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Strict Gender Roles

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For decades women have been looked upon as inferior to the male gender in all aspects of life, specifically on the grounds of political, economic, and social equality. From the late 1700s to modern day, feminists from all walks of life have fought for improvement in education, the right to vote, better working conditions, and overall, equal opportunity to the female sex across the world. In Jane Austen’s, Pride and Prejudice, Austen centers the story around Elizabeth Bennett, a rebellious women during the early nineteenth century. Throughout the novel, Austen discusses the strict gender roles society adheres to and the discriminatory relationship between men and women; however, through Elizabeth’s untraditional character and the bond of sisterhood …show more content…
Collins and Mr. Darcy proposals to her, she dismisses the dominance and control men conventionally acquired over women exemplifying how Elizabeth’s rare behavior towards men alters the traditional view of the relationship between the sexes during this timeframe. When Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth, he exaggerates his love for her by claiming, “almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life, “ (Austen 91). The irony lies in the fact that when he first arrives at the Bennett’s household he originally had his eyes set on Jane until finding out from Mrs. Bennet that she was to be inevitably engaged. Through Collin’s words and actions, he makes it clear that he desires to marry Elizabeth for his own expediency, ego, and entail, and as a social climber, sees this as an opportunity to increase his prestige. Elizabeth comes close to laughing at him because he says, with "solemn composure," (Austen 92) that he fears that he will be "run away with by” (Austen 92) his feelings. Hypocritically, Collin’s manners contrast his words and Elizabeth cannot help but become overwhelmed with Mr. Collins’ humorous and delusional behavior. As soon as Mr. Collins desires to have alone time with Elizabeth, “seeming really, with vexed and embarrassed looks, about to escape,” (Austen 91). Elizabeth can not stand the presence of him. Most young women, like Charlotte, crave the attention and proposal of any man to avoid becoming …show more content…
At the Netherfield Ball, Mr. Bingley fancies over Jane causing her to “meet Elizabeth with a smile of such sweet complacency, a glow of such happy expression…Elizabeth instantly read her feelings, and at that moment… everything else gave way before the hope of Jane’s being in the fairest way for happiness” (Austen 72-73). This serves as a challenge to the patriarchal expectation that sisters must compete as competitors for acceptable men, and will ignore sisterly considerations in order to enhance their chances of a securing a marriage for themselves. The relationship of Jane and Elizabeth contradicts this conventional view, illustrating that the solidarity and affection of the sisters trump their desire to succeed in the marriage market. Elizabeth never considers herself to rival Jane and only wishes her sister happiness. Elizabeth’s fierce love and protection over Jane also serve as major reasons for her rejection of Darcy: “Do you think any consideration would tempt me to accept the man, who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?” (Austen 146). Although Elizabeth already discredited his character, her concern for Jane and Darcy’s harm to her happiness serves as her main motive for

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