Introduction
Pride and Prejudice is one of the most famous novels by Jane Austen. The female author dedicated many years to writing this work, and it became an excellent masterpiece in the literary scope. Many critics appreciate the novel for its style, language, and form, and the book had significant success with readers worldwide. Moreover, the work contains multiple topics relevant for discussion even today. One of the most recurrent and prominent themes of the book is freedom. In particular, women’s liberation appears as a continuous pattern throughout the novel. It is essential to examine how Jane Austen depicted the theme of female freedom through images of women, love, and marriage to understand the degree of freedom with which Austen endowed her characters in Pride and Prejudice.
Analysis
In general, the love theme is a recurrent aspect in many novels of the period. Authors demonstrated love and marriage from various perspectives, connecting it to happiness or gloom. In Pride and Prejudice, the reader encounters Elizabeth Bennet, a bold and intelligent female protagonist. Mr. Darcy is a beloved man of Elizabeth Bennet, and he values aristocracy, material things, and social class. Elizabeth is not interested in titles and wealth; instead, she appreciates manners and good human traits. In one of the episodes, Mr. Darcy injures virtue of Elizabeth, claiming that she is not pretty and clever enough to become his companion in dancing (Austen). He is prejudiced about her family origin, and therefore, his attitude is initially determined by social class differences. Thus, the reader encounters the problem of status disparities, which influence women’s freedom in Pride and Prejudice. It is possible to state that females cannot love whom they want because of their origin, which constitutes a significant issue.
Moreover, the examined pattern consists of several aspects which involve formal elements. For instance, it is noticeable that women are repressed when discussing marriage. Their tone changes from playful to serious, making the reader see marriage and love from relatively negative perspectives. Furthermore, Pride and Prejudice is full of metaphors, such as “the train of agreeable reflections,” when discussing Elizabeth’s digressions about happiness (Austen 61). The pattern of women’s freedom within the novel is essential because marriage and love are repeatable topics contributing to the characters’ development. There is a suggestion about limited freedom in Austen’s heroines in matrimony and love. It is vital to examine the pattern to understand the meaning of freedom for women in the novel.
Overall, in Austen’s era, marriage was a mutually beneficial union rather than a couple made for love. In particular, men should marry women equal or lower in their status, and women had a slight right to choose their partner. Probably, it is a concern of the epoch, and indeed, in the novel, there are repeating patterns that emphasize the women’s role in marriage. For instance, “in nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show MORE affection than she feels” (Austen 26). The word “more” is capitalized, and this literary method provides an idea about the importance of demonstrating excessive affection. These words prove that females should adapt their behavior in marriage and display love even though it might be absent. The idea is women have to adjust to men and express exaggerated feelings. Probably, it is connected to the overall attitude to marriage at those times, when matrimony was one of the few options to live for females.
Moreover, society often dictates the behavior which is expected of women. In addition, the freedom of choice is limited for women – they cannot decide which partner to marry. In the novel, marriage becomes an obligatory union rather than mutual love belonging. Thus, Mrs. Bennet tells Elizabeth: “your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins” (Austen 68). Therefore, the oppression from society concerning marriage is seen, and females have to admit the fact of their forced matrimony. Additively, the word “happy” is repeatable and often used in a gloomy context. Marriage is not always about enjoyment: “you could not make me happy, and I’m convinced I’m the last woman in this world who could make you so” (Austen 66). It is seen how forced matrimony affects females’ lives, and even though women understand their inability for prosperity, they cannot change anything.
In addition, happiness is a complicated theme that repeats multiple times within the whole novel. This notion is strongly linked to women’s freedom, and female characters wish to be happy. However, women guess that “happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance” (Austen 14). It happens because women cannot choose partners freely; their behavior is dictated by the norms of society and expected acting. Here, happiness is amorphous imagery that each female tries to catch.
Conclusion
Overall, the pattern of women’s freedom in love and marriage in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is seen. According to the abovementioned quotes, the idea of limited freedom in Austen’s women is approvable. Women strive to be happy, but their choices in love and marriage are predetermined. Moreover, their tones and speeches tend to become constrained when they mention matrimony and love. Several literary devices help depict women’s freedom, involving recurring imagery and metaphors, facilitating the understanding of female characters.
Work Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Planet eBook, 1813. Planet eBook, Web.