Jane Austen and Misogyny Walk into a Bar
There is a forever present social issue trapped between the pages of history books: the unequal status women hold in society in comparison to men. Over time a movement emerged with the goal to establish rights and equal representation for women, and thus feminism was born. Feminism has progressed through many waves, with the present day movement being in the fifth wave. During the Regency period the first wave was just beginning and “writers [would]...highlight the inequalities between the sexes” (Brizee 1). Yet this was quite the line to walk, and occasionally the first wave novels would lean more towards the misogynistic side rather than towards feminism. One such novel is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, in which the misogynistic elements are showcased by the development and portrayal of the female characters in a way that mocks the capabilities, mannerisms and education of women, and the continuous use of this novel …show more content…
But the misogynistic elements within this novel are something that women do not want passed on, as it's going against the changes feminists are calling for. And the fact that this is such a widely read novel, it is spreading ideas that opposite and undermining towards the feminist movement. Therefore it hurts the encompassing women’s rights movement. There are also feminist ideas, but Jane Austen did not quite walk the line between bringing inequalities to light and misogyny during the time period of first wave feminism. Instead the characters and events contained in the plot of the novel had an air of misogyny built upon the exaggerated mocking of the female characters within the novel and their abilities as human beings, their behavior in regards to marriage and their education built on the ideals of
There is a forever present social issue trapped between the pages of history books: the unequal status women hold in society in comparison to men. Over time a movement emerged with the goal to establish rights and equal representation for women, and thus feminism was born. Feminism has progressed through many waves, with the present day movement being in the fifth wave. During the Regency period the first wave was just beginning and “writers [would]...highlight the inequalities between the sexes” (Brizee 1). Yet this was quite the line to walk, and occasionally the first wave novels would lean more towards the misogynistic side rather than towards feminism. One such novel is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, in which the misogynistic elements are showcased by the development and portrayal of the female characters in a way that mocks the capabilities, mannerisms and education of women, and the continuous use of this novel …show more content…
But the misogynistic elements within this novel are something that women do not want passed on, as it's going against the changes feminists are calling for. And the fact that this is such a widely read novel, it is spreading ideas that opposite and undermining towards the feminist movement. Therefore it hurts the encompassing women’s rights movement. There are also feminist ideas, but Jane Austen did not quite walk the line between bringing inequalities to light and misogyny during the time period of first wave feminism. Instead the characters and events contained in the plot of the novel had an air of misogyny built upon the exaggerated mocking of the female characters within the novel and their abilities as human beings, their behavior in regards to marriage and their education built on the ideals of