'Is it possible to see Elizabeth Bennet as a feminist heroine?\r'

'Elizabeth bennet is perchance the least conventional of Austens characters, and certainly does non accommodate to what her society expected of her in the mien of being dominated. Austen herself admitted that ‘pictures of perfection … make me sick and wicked, and so our lovable protagonist Elizabeth is set apart from the tralatitious heroine with her indep determinationence of mind, and bravery to challenge intromited role of women. To the advanced day reader her refusal to be the demure, submissive i allot cleaning wo public of the consume books written by such a Hannah Moore, insisting ‘girls … hould early pay back a submissive temper and a forbear spirit allows her to appear a womens liberationist heroine.\r\nBy refusing devil offers of nuptials Elizabeth exercises her scarce available method of choice, as Henry Tilney of Austens Northanger Abbey points out ‘Man has the advantage of choice, woman only the power of refusal. This dem onstration of control earns our reward for Elizabeth as a heroine, and it certainly challenges the societys insistence on the signifi brush asidece of class distinction, appealing to the innovative reader.\r\n feminist critics Gilbert and Gubar assert that ‘Elizabeth stands out as a modern woman who has no intention of adjacent the prescription of restraint and submission for the achievement of happiness. She demonstrates this with the tr annihilate in which she turns d cause Mr. Collins proposal, explaining her refusal of his hand in marriage, ‘You could non make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the creation who would make you so. Mr. Collins is so shocked by her rationality he believes it john only be due to her modesty; and hopes ‘when I do myself the follow of speaking to you next I shall hope to ask round a much more(prenominal) favourable answer. Her swear out contradicts entirely the principles set out in the conduct book s, and the reaction she receives reinforces the unusualness of our heroines honesty. Charlotte, however, seems to conform with societys expectations of a young lady, and accepts as though she is presented with no happy alternative, ‘convinced that my chances of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.\r\nAusten paints a bleak picture of this marriage for the reader, deeming it ‘impossible for Charlotte ‘to be so-so happy, and her position reveals the difficulties facing young women, and the pressure on them to unite. Elizabeths refusal to hive a modality to this is certainly what sets her apart, with more modern ideas of how women ought to be. When she is astir(predicate) Darcy Elizabeth behaves very differently from the more traditional Bingly sisters, not allowing her herself to be shed down.\r\nIn their discussion oer how accomplished young women are, Elizabeth is not afraid to put her own argument forward, an d demonstrates her intelligence and rationality by deducing ‘[Darcy] moldiness comprehend a great deal in your idea as an accomplished woman. ignore Bingly on the other hand simply reiterates what Darcy says, and for this Austen reduces her to ‘his tightlipped assistant. Miss Bingly tries to creep towards Darcy, with her flattering tone, whitheras Elizabeth is far more straightforward, and spirited.\r\nThe Bingly sisters had disapproved of Elizabeth since her early entrance to Pemberly, exaggerating her state after walk personal manner of having a mucky petticoat and messy pig to call her ‘wild. Interestingly it seems she is not only referring to how she looked, only in same(p) manner condemning her out of the ordinary behaviour, intractable to look down on the people of Meryton. Having been cultivated to Elizabeths face Austen reveals the sisters to be false, and unkind.\r\nAlthough Elizabeth does appeal to the reader as a modern heroine, one might repug n that Lydia is the sister with the most modern attitude, eloping to a man she lusts after, declaring in her letter that her and Wickhams marriage shall take mistreat ‘some time or other … it does not much signify when. However it is clear Austen disapproves of her attitude, and intend for the reader to disapprove of her, through the objective fibber; a voice condemning her as ‘of all time unguarded and often uncivil.\r\nPerhaps it is as penalisation that Lydias marital life shall be unfulfilled, as when Austen exiles mare Betram in ‘Mansfield Park, for running away with Henry Crawford condescension her marriage to Mr. Rushworth †sent to ‘another country, remote and private. It seems she is also in search of attention, and Gilbert and Gubars observation that ‘marriage … is the only accessible form of self-definition for girls in her [Jane Austens] society helps us to speculate that this whitethorn have been her ulterior reason fo r this relationship.\r\nIn her letter to Harriett she confirms that she leave behind find their wonder amusing, ‘oh what a great joke it will be! ‘, and her frivolous attitude towards her situation demonstrates her selfishness and compulsive mind, which Elizabeth bet kindly. When rationally attempting to deter her father from permitting Lydia to accompany Mrs. Forster to Brighton, her sound attitude is prominent as she analyses the danger she poses to the Bennets, explaining ‘our importance, our reputability in the adult male, moldiness(prenominal) be affected by the wild volatility … which marks Lydias character.\r\nHer key vocalise ‘in the world reminds the reader of the very different world inhabited by the girls, one in which it would not be possible for Lydias conduct to be deemed acceptable. Elizabeths attitudes present puts into perspective that although she challenges the assumed role of women in society, Elizabeth is steady sensible to the significance of keeping reputations up, and remains dignify in Austens ‘world. Once more exercising her only ‘power, Elizabeth also refuses Darcys first proposal, despite his having ‘had no uncertainty of a favourable answer.\r\nThis attitude is much resembling Mr. Collins expecting, as most men would at the time, an acceptation from girl with notably few prospects (as picked up on by the Binglys), despite his attitude towards the affair communicating his beliefs that it would be ‘a degradation. She appears to rebel against societys expectations, and her contradiction to Darcys supposal that a young woman must accept his hand in marriage is almost humorous, lending emphasis to the significance of Elizabeths choices.\r\nWhen turning him down she tells him in no uncertain terms for why, with a forceful, truthful and compromising response, which uses very plain words like ‘unwillingly which take her straight to point, and point out a rather pain ful truth. This demonstrates both her independence and the way she challenges the accepted conduct of a young woman of the time, to be perhaps more considerate of a mans feelings. Elizabeth demonstrates her strength not only by refusing to submit to men, but also through holding her own with Lady Catherine at both Rosings and Longbourn.\r\nShe declares herself ‘a gentlemans daughter, and as such Darcys equal, and refutes Lady Catherines accusation that she has ‘upstart pretentions, refusing to conform to her societys expectation of her not to challenge her class superior. Her avidness is picked up on by Lady Catherine, who is perhaps actually delivering a compliment, rather than a criticism, when noting ‘you make believe your opinion decidedly so for so young a person. Elizabeth also refuses to be humbled only when because Darcy earns ‘ten thousand a year, and is intended to marry Lady Catherines daughters ‘of the same noble line.\r\nIn these scenes, Elizabeth appeals very much to the less class-conscious modern reader, and it is here that Vivien Jones sees Elizabeth as an agent for transform, arguing ‘the old and saucy are synthesised in the union of the mercantile Gardiners and the land gentry. This suggests her marriage brings about a healthy change in the novel, as Darcy conquers his pride and welcomes the Gardiners to Pemberly. In this way we might regard Elizabeth as a modern heroine †a woman who makes a difference to her society.\r\nHowever, we can not ignore the fact Darcy is as silvern about her ‘inferiority, admitting to having ‘struggled to suppress his feelings, as he is about his love for her in his initial proposal. Therefore, it seems their marriage shall be still quite traditional; with the woman submissive to her husband. Of course, in Jane Austins society women were still swearing in their marital vows to ‘love, honour and obey, and so some critics betoken that by the end, in choosing to marry Mr. Darcy, ‘Elizabeth conforms in the end to the feminine ideal of the helpmeet.\r\nShe is absorbed into Darcys world, in which she will have little influence at all. But, we must not ignore the fact that it was, in the end her choice for marriage, and although she could not propose when she wanted it, she make sure it did not take place when it didnt pillow slip her. Uniquely, our heroine stands out as a woman who feels she ‘may take liberties with her husband, and to feel this way in such a time must not be overlooked by the modern reader as what is expected. Although Jane Austen herself would never have used the term ‘feminist heroine, there is certainly debate about how she appears to the modern reader.\r\nElizabeth Bennet is certainly appealing as our xx first century heroine through the intelligence and courage to be independent, and Vivien Jones argues that she has the power to change the social order. However, as Marian Cox observes, â⠂¬Ëœthough she mocks patriarchal structures, Austen must inhabit them, pointing out that despite Elizabeths independace, she still must marry, for due to the laws of primogeniture she had no other option of maintaining wealth. This does nasty Elizabeth can not be seen as a heroine however, as she still challenges her society, and marries a man she loves which is give away than most women of the time.\r\n'