Lydia As Foolish As Mrs Bennet example essay topic

In the simplest terms, one can define feminism as the advocacy of women for equal rights with men. Although it is a process that is mostly political, it has been noted that this movement had its roots long before the twentieth century, when it gathered political momentum. Indeed, it was first felt in the literary world with writers like Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797), who presented a rather new perspective to the life of women. Like other feminists, she understood and complained about all the ways that men used to exclude women.

However, for her, feminism was mostly about women, and about how they should be educated to fulfill their aspirations and potentials. To her, the male and female roles were complementary rather than synonymous, and, this, in turn, made her believe firmly that the male-female relationship could be and should be improved upon. It is believed that Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the first feminists. When her famous 'The Rights of Woman' was first published, Jane Austen (1775-1817), must have been in her formative years. Since we know that she was not restricted in her access to knowledge, it is quite natural for her to have been influenced by W. Mary's writings and views.

However, while W. Mary and Jane shared the same ideas, the difference in their social circumstances and their own family influence made them react to them following different attitudes. The latter advocated that the status-quo remain the same specially in the genteel world she lived in and depicted so well in her novels and that the women should be allowed to have a better access to education to improve their chances in life. The former, on the other hand, backed the idea that the women needed to fight for their own rights by themselves, for the men were little likely to help them. W. Mary understood that some women are, indeed, victims; however, she also recognized that many other women gain complete control through manipulation, pestering, or with the aid of other "artful" female ways. Jane Austen understood this as well and illustrated that kind of woman in the characters of Mrs. Bennet, Charlotte Lucas in 'Pride and Prejudice'. In Jane Austen's novels, namely 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Sense and Sensibility' we find that the woman is looked at from another woman's point of view, and not from that of a man, like in Daniel Defoe's (1660-1731) 'Moll Flanders'. Here, the very fact that Jane Austen has chosen a female bildungsroman is indicative of a wish to give a voice to women.

She does not try to prove that women are superior or inferior to men. What she drives at, is that both sexes are prone to have elements that are faulty. Mr. Collins is as laughed at as Mrs. Bennet, for his pompous and servile attitude. Thus, as for existentialist feminists, for her, the difference between the two is only biological and that difference should not hold any of the two back from flourishing intellectually, or socially. The female characters she presents to us are very interesting.

Some are caricatures, like Mrs. Bennet or Lady de Bourgh or even Miss. Bingley. Through her wit and humor, Jane Austen makes us laugh at these women who very readily embody the characteristics that the male dominating society associates with women. Through them, we are reminded of the limited space women have to evolve in. A space that is mostly physical, like the parental house the women leave only to go to their friends' and relatives, or for shopping, or to balls. Furthermore, they cannot go anywhere alone, and when Lizzy does so, she is condemned by members of her own sex, who, in this act, see "an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town difference to decorum".

(82) It is to be noted that the decorum these ladies are so much in favor of, is one that has been imposed by a chauvinist society, one that has been devised to control women. Thus, in this novel, we see that women are better jailers of the members of their sex than men The space that is prohibited to women is not only physical, but intellectual as well. This can clearly be seen in Mr. Bennet's attitude: "In his library he had been always sure of leisure and tranquility; and though prepared, as he told Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every other room in the house, he was used to be free from them there"; (115) It is only the favorite ones Lizzy and Jane who have access to this haven of knowledge in a most suitable way. The two extremes of the influence of education, transcribed in their reading habit, can be seen in the case of Mary and Lydia. The former is mockingly qualified by her father as " a young lady of deep reflection... and read great books, and make extracts". (55) As for Lydia, she only reads popular love stories and is so much influenced by them that she turns out to be so frivolous that she " could talk of nothing but officers"; and finally elopes with one of them.

The woman therefore has few means to escape from the limitations laid on her. We see that Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips indulge in gossiping. For them, knowledge of what is going on elsewhere gives them the feeling of actually being there. Lydia and Kitty read about fictitious heroes and heroines. It is only in this imaginary world that they can live the way they want to.

Their frivolous attitude, can in fact, be seen as a means of surrendering. They can not fight the men and the patriarchal rules, so they live by the same rules and try to be as popular as possible among the controllers, the men. The feeling of "otherness" that they have to live with, is in fact socially construed. This forms part of the existentialist feminism.

This theory has evolved around the fact that the women are different from the men biologically, but then, that the men have used this difference to further alienate the women and make them feel inferior. This fact is further enhanced in the novel through the "entailment" process in the Bennet family. The female lineage of the family at that time was seen as too weak to be able to look after themselves, let alone an estate. In this society, a spinster, a widow or any other woman who is bereft of male support is not to be tolerated.

In 'Sense and Sensibility', however, Mrs. Dashwood is left at the care of her step-son, but the latter is at liberty to choose the way or extent he wants to support her and his step-sister. The woman therefore has to accept male rule and in some cases charity to be able to survive. It is therefore not surprising to find the girls hunting for financially secure, if not rich husbands. In Daniel Defoe's "Moll Flanders", this hunt has been exaggerated to the extent of being compared to legalized prostitution. But in Jane Austen's novels, this same attitude is highly appreciated by the society in general, and the young Janes, Lizzy, Charlottes, Marianne's and Elinor's are compelled to consider such attributes more heavily against their own personal preference. "it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small-fortune" (163) Happiness in marriage, is truly a matter of chance for these young ladies, Charlotte tells us. Mrs. Bennet is one, who typithises such a behavior.

She refuses to talk to Lizzy on the latter's refusal to marry Mr. Collins. ".. or I will never see her again". (152) she literally throws Jane in Mr. Bingley's arms "We may as well leave them by themselves you know"; (350) the fortune of Mr. Darcy suddenly makes him the most handsome, most suitable son-in-law. "how rich and how great you will be! ... pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before". (386) Charlotte is successful in the mercenary transaction the society phones "marriage had always been her object;"I ask only a comfortable home"; However, we also find another attitude in the higher society, the de Bourgh's family. Here we find that she does not have to depend on anyone despite being a widow herself, and that her daughter is to inherit her estate afterwards. Hence we are reminded of the Marxist attitude towards feminism.

For them, the consideration of social class and income are more important determinants of the quality of life and status than the difference between gender. This fact is further accentuated by the attitude of Mr. Wickham and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Willoughby, who indulge in the pursuit of a wealthy woman to marry to assure their own financial security. .".. and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money". (216) Thus, money has become the power that controls everything in this society. It gives status and importance to those who possess it. Very few people still consider high birth as an factor. The 'nouveaux riches' or tradesmen like Mr. Lucas are being introduced to St. James court because of his newly acquired wealth.

What we see in most of the characters in this novel is their readiness to adopt the rules laid down by the patriarchal society. The women think themselves fragile, just as the men think of them. This is very well demonstrated in Mrs. Bennet. The latter "fancied herself nervous" quite often, that is, every time she is contradicted. Although, here we might say she is trying to assert herself by showing her opposition, the weapon she chooses, however, is not the appropriate one. For, after all, hysteria is a condition that only delicate and unstable people, that is, women face in a male dominated society; and her nervous conditions only amuse the one to whom she shows her revolt, her husband.

"Frailty thy name is woman", Hamlet's word come to our mind very readily on thinking of Mrs. Bennet. However, in the person of Lizzy, we are also made aware of another possibility. She clearly distinguishes herself from the other female characters of the novel, even her sister, Jane, by her own full fledged personality. Through Lizzy, we are shown the hope for the woman race in general.

Thanks to her, we learn that all females are not as empty headed as Lydia, as foolish as Mrs. Bennet, or as compliant to male authority as Jane. Lizzy is the one who has her own opinions, who asserts herself wherever she goes. She trudges on the thin border of reason and radicalism. Marine, to some extent, more specifically, in the later part of the novel, can be compared to her.

In the male dominated society, the 'phallus' that is seen by so many as the symbol for power, is replaced by money. Here, it is THE one who has more of it, who controls the reign. Charlotte tries to get this phallus by marrying Mr. Collins. Lady de Bourgh, is wealthy, but then, she quite vividly comes to our mind as a woman with very manly characteristics.

It has been noted that underprivileged members of a society try to acquire more power by trying to take over the main weapon of domination. We find the same here. The women try by hook or by crook, to secure rich husbands to be able to get the security money bestows on its owner. Lizzy also shares the same notions, as we see when she speculates on how Mr. Darcy and herself are suited for each other. ".. from his judgement, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance". Even if it is not the actual wealth that she covets like the others, she does reckon the power and other advantages she can acquire through her marriage with Mr. Darcy. However, she is neither blinded by the quest for wealth- or she would have married Mr. Collins- nor is she blinded by the foolish notion ultra-romantic love - or she would have encouraged Mr. Wickham whom she first saw as the best man she ever knew.

Thus, we can say that in Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Sense and Sensibility', feminism is very important in the sense that it highlights the conditions of life of the women. In her novel, we are shown the fight for power between the women and the mechanisms used by the male oppressors through society to exert their control over the women. We are also made aware of the fact that it is not gender equality that they should be fighting for, but rather, that they should make a place of their own in the society. This stage can only be achieved through intellectual enlightenment of the women as a whole and their rejection of stereotypical categorizing of women.