Women in Society Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the position of women in society
A
- only aim was to get married (for upper class).
- seen as submissive, passive, independent
- role: domestic duties
- Austen dislikes this- she makes ELizabeth subvert stereotypes, becomes happy.
2
Q
Describe how Elizabeth’s characteristics as the heroine
A
- strong-willed (refuses marriage twice)
- dominant (controls conversations, unfazed by Lady C)
- active (walked to Netherfield)
3
Q
How does Elizabeth subvert the idea that women are believed to be incapable of rational thought
A
- Elizabeth subverts this idea. ‘Do not consider me now as an elegant female … but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart’
4
Q
What happen once women were married?
A
- Women became property of husbands once married
- Austen PROBABLY didn’t like how women were treated
5
Q
Describe how men were to be admired physically by men
A
- Role: Physical appearance
- Charlotte: asked ‘whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room’ to a man
- Charlotte: ‘in nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels’- role of women: work hard to get a man
- Mary ‘only plain one in the family … worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments’
- Darcy: ‘great pleasure’ given by ‘a pair of fine eyes’ shows how the purpose of women’s physical beauty was to make men pleased, happy. Patriarchal society, as if women only exist to serve men
- Bingley sisters: Elizabeth ‘looked almost wild’ and had ‘no stile, no taste, no beauty’.
triplet emphasises E’s flaws + focuses on physical appearance.
shows pressure of women on women
reinforces concept that women should always look attractive- PRESSURE
6
Q
Describe the expectations that women should conform to men’s wants + likes
A
- Mr Hurst: ‘do you prefer reading to cards? … that is rather singular’ shows how women are not taken seriously in society, judged for it. seen as only existing for the pleasure of men
- Austen dislikes this expectation- she had a big library, loved reading.
- Knows her audience probably likes reading too – encourages us to dislike the attitude that women aren’t serious, treated flippantly, facetious.
7
Q
Describe the expectations for women to be perfect
A
- Miss Bingley: ‘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.’
- Long sentence shows overwhelming, extensive expectations- seems unrealistic
- Pressure on women to try to be the ‘perfect’ woman
8
Q
How does Austen display she doesn’t like the expectation that women should be perfect
A
- Makes fun of it with Caroline Bingley’s character
Long sentence structure - Elizabeth disagrees with it: ‘I never saw such a woman.’
short, simple sentence contrasts long sentence. - voice of Austen criticising unrealistic expectations for young women
9
Q
How does Austen juxtapose unrealistic expectations for women with minimal expectation for men?
A
- Mr Collins has ‘neither manner nor sense to recommend him’ but is fairly high in society as a clergyman.
- Miss Bingley’s speech on what makes an accomplished woman
10
Q
How does Austen show that the life of a woman is unavoidable?
A
- Mr Bennet: ‘when I am dead’ Mr Collins can ‘turn you all out of the house as soon as he pleases’ (entailment, shows patriarchal society- women seen as inferior, not included in law)
11
Q
Describe how men only judge women by their looks
A
- Bennet sisters: looking for a ‘very smart bonnet’ or a ‘really new muslin’ vain obsession with fashion shown throughout novel
shows how women work hard to be pleasing to men
12
Q
Describe how most women are accepting of their fate
A
- Most women are accepting of fate e.g. Lady Catherine: ‘daughters are never of so much consequence to a father’
- Lydia: ‘Jane will be quite an old maid soon. … how ashamed I should be, of not being married before three and twenty!’
- Austen criticises how women were so accepting of their fate to be servile to men and get married
- Austen did not strive for marriage; she rejected a marriage proposal
13
Q
AUSTEN IS CRITICAL OF…
A
- AUSTEN IS CRITICAL OF SOCIETY’S UNFAIR EXPECTATIONS FOR WOMEN
14
Q
Describe female competition during the regency era
A
- Women might have competed for eligible husbands
- Desperation- don’t want to become an ‘old maid’ (Charlotte)
- There was a need to get married in Regency society
- Pressure of women (Bingley sisters) on other women (Elizabeth) to always look attractive.
- Patriarchal society, women’s efforts to look good for men.
