Analysis of The Portrayal of The Female Protagonist of 'Pride and Prejudice'.
ABSTRACT
Di dalam skripsi ini, saya menganalisis penggambaran tokoh utama
wanita dalam novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) karangan Jane Austen. Selain
merupakan salah satu novel terkenal, novel ini juga digunakan sebagai wacana
pembelajaran moral dan emosional dalam aspek tema, yang merupakan tujuan
penulis abad ke-18. Jane Austen mengemukakan kesadaran kaum feminis masa
Pencerahan terutama melalui tokoh utamanya Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth Bennet digambarkan sebagai seorang wanita yang berbeda dari
wanita pada umumnya di abad ke-18. Sebagai wanita dari kalangan menengah, ia
mempunyai pandangan yang diidamkan oleh kaum feminis, yang menekankan
pada kesamaan derajat perempuan dengan laki-laki dalam hal kemampuan
berpikir. Baginya perempuan haruslah banyak membaca sehingga berwawasan
luas dan sadar akan kesetaraannya dengan laki-laki sehingga memandang sebuah
pernikahan sebagai hubungan suami istri yang saling menghormati bukan sebagai
ikatan yang hanya memberikan jaminan materi terhadap kaum perempuan.
Dalam menganalisis tokoh utama novel ini, saya menggunakan teori
Mary Wollstonecraft tentang feminisme jaman Pencerahan yang merupakan titik
awal teori feminisme.
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
.......................................
i
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
...........................
Background of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Statement of the Problem .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purpose of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Method of Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Organization of the Thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
3
3
4
4
CHAPTER TWO: ENLIGHTENMENT FEMINIST DISCOURSE
5
...
CHAPTER TREE: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL
OF THE FEMALE PROTAGONIST OF
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
.............................
8
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION
.............................
19
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
APPENDICES:
Synopsis of Pride and Prejudice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Biography of the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24
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APPENDICES
SYNOPSIS OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Mrs. Bennet is really excited by the news about a single rich man in the
neighbourhood. Mr. Bingley has arrived at Netherfield, where he plans to
temporarily settle with his two sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, and his
sister’s husband, Mr. Hurst. Soon afterwards, Bingley and his close friend
Fitzwilliam Darcy, attend a public ball in the village of Meryton. At first, Darcy is
admired for his fine figure and income of ￡10.000 a year. However, he is soon
regarded as snobbish because the villagers become disgusted by his pride. This is
brought home to the Bennets when Elizabeth Bennet overhears that Darcy her
declined Bingley’s suggestion that he dance with her.
Shortly after the ball, Mr. Collins, a cousin who will inherit the Bennets’
estate because of an entail, visits the family. Following Lady Catherine’s
suggestion, Collins decides to propose to Elizabeth for her future impoverishment
but she rejects his proposal. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is introduced to Mr. Wickham,
a pleasing officer in the regiment. Wickham informs her that he has known Mr.
Darcy his entire life, and that Darcy has disinherited him after Darcy’s father’s
death. After the tale is told, Elizabeth begins to have a strong prejudice against
Mr. Darcy.
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After having rejected by Elizabeth, Mr. Collins hurriedly marries her best
friend, Charlotte Lucas, and Elizabeth is invited to visit the newly weds. While
she is staying with them, Darcy visits his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, at the
adjoining estate, Rosings. Elizabeth and Darcy meet each other quite often.
Elizabeth’s charms eventually make Darcy entranced, and lead him to love and
desire to marry her. Surprised and insulted by Darcy’s way of proposing,
Elizabeth refuses. The next day, Darcy hands her a letter before his leave. In the
letter, Darcy justifies his actions regarding his interference in Bingley and Jane’s
relationship, and reveals the truth concerning Mr. Wickham. The letter sheds a
new light on Darcy’s personality for Elizabeth and she begins to reconsider her
opinion of him, particularly in the case of Wickham.
Later, while on holiday with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, Elizabeth
is persuaded to visit nearby Pemberley, Darcy’s estate, while he is away. She is
therefore surprised when she meets him unexpectedly and their relationship starts
to melt. While Elizabeth is there, she hears the news that her younger sister Lydia
runs away with Wickham, who evades gambling debts. When told of this by
Elizabeth, Darcy takes it upon himself to find Wickham and bribes him into
marrying Lydia, but keeps this secret from Elizabeth and her family.
When Lady Catherine discovers Darcy’s feelings for Elizabeth, she pays
Elizabeth an unannounced visit and tries to intimidate her into refusing such an
engagement. Unfortunately, Catherine’s visit serves to consolidate Elizabeth’s
intentions. Furthermore, Lady Catherine visits Darcy later, and relates the entire
conversation to him, leading Darcy to a conviction that marrying Elizabeth is
possible.
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The story ends with two marriages: one is between Jane and Bingley, and
the other is between Darcy and Elizabeth. While the Bennets go their separate
ways, both couples live happily.
BIOGRAPHY OF JANE AUSTEN
Jane Austen was born in 1775 at a rectory in Steventon, Hampshire, one
of two daughters of the Rev. George Austen (1731–1805) and his wife Cassandra
(née Leigh) (1739–1827). Her brothers James and Henry followed in the path of
their father and joined the clergy while her brothers Francis and Charles both
pursued naval careers. There was also a disabled brother, George, who did not live
with the Austens.
Austen also had a sister, Cassandra, with whom she shared a close
relationship throughout her life. The abundant correspondence between the sisters
provides historians with the greatest insight into Austen's past. It is regrettable that
Cassandra destroyed some of this correspondence after Jane's death. The only
undisputed portrait of Jane Austen is a somewhat rudimentary colored sketch done
by Cassandra, which currently resides in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
In 1783, Austen was educated briefly by a relative in Oxford, then in
Southampton, and finally in 1785–1786 attended the Reading Ladies boarding
school in the Abbey gatehouse in Reading, Berkshire. She began writing her first
novel in 1789. Her family life was also conducive to writing; the Austen family
often enacted plays, which gave Jane Austen an opportunity to present her stories.
They also borrowed novels from the local library, which influenced Austen's
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writing. She was encouraged to write especially by her brother Henry, who wrote
a little himself.
In 1802 Austen received a marriage proposal from a wealthy but "big and
awkward" man named Harris Bigg-Wither, who was also six years her junior. A
marriage would have freed her from some of the constraints and dependency then
associated with the role of a spinster. These considerations may have influenced
her initially to accept his offer, only to change her mind and refused him the
following day.
After her father’s death in 1805, Austen, her sister and her mother lived in
Southampton with her brother Frank and his family for several years before
moving to Chawton in 1809. It was not until 1811, six years before her death, that
her first novel Sense and Sensibility was published, at the expense of her brother
Henry and his wife Eliza. Some of her novels are Northanger Abbey (1798),
Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814),
Emma (1816), and Persuasion (1818).
In 1816, Austen began to suffer from ill health. In May 1817 she moved
to Winchester to be closer to her doctor. Her condition became increasingly
unstable, and on July 18, 1817 she died at the age of forty-one and was buried in
Winchester Cathedral. The disease was at that time unnamed. However, some
people, such as one of her biographers, Carol Shields, hypothesized that she died
of breast cancer.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen>
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
I will analyse a novel for my thesis because most novels usually reflect
personal experience, attitudes and ideas or viewpoints of the writers on certain
issue. This matter is interesting to analyse since there are so many novelists who
write their novels not only based on the demand of the market but also based on a
certain ideology that they have at a particular time. David Dvorkin in his article,
Why Do We Write?, said that “Making the idea into the externally real thing, the
novel, is only the first step in the artistic process of creation for a writer.” They
then, intentionally or unintentionally, insert their ideology in their novels.
One of the famous English novelists who inserted their ideology in their
writings, is Jane Austen (1775-1817). Her novels were all written around Regency
Era (1811-1820) and her novels (Northanger Abbey (1798), Sense and Sensibility
(1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1816), and
Persuasion (1818)) are loved and still read by readers even until today. Austen’s
novels also have been adapted into a great number of films and television series.
Furthermore, her novels are highly prized for their light irony, humor and
depiction of contemporary English country life. Sir Walter Scott and Richard
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Whately praised Austen's works. Scott said “from nature as she really exists in the
common walks of life and presenting to the reader . . . a correct and striking
representation of that which is daily taking place . . .” whereas Whately said
“drew favorable comparisons between Austen and such acknowledged greats as
Homer and Shakespeare, praising the dramatic qualities of her narrative”
(Wikipedia).
For my analysis I chose Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is one of
Austen’s best-selling novels. It tells about a restrained women’s life in a realistic
way. Consequently, it indirectly criticizes the society of the late eighteenth
century. The subject of this novel is about love and marriage. However, the
storyline is not really romantic but quite realistic and objective. Future husbands’
income is clarified at the beginning of the novel. It means economic power is
considered to be men’s value. Daughters should marry men in possession to live a
decent life before their father’s death, otherwise they would live miserably.
Because of the patriarchal system, they could not get any fortune from their
father. This kind of storyline shows that the society at that time is influenced by
economic power. So it embosses that women’s life depends on marriage to men in
possession. By telling about marriage, this book shows the reality that women
suffered from an absurd system during that period.
To convey her idea about womanhood awareness Austen creates a
character named Elizabeth. Thus, I will analyse the portrayal of Elizabeth, the
female major character in Pride and Prejudice by using Enlightenment feminism.
In spite of its difference from modern feminism, Enlightenment feminism as an
early feminist movement has an important meaning. “In secular use, the concept
refers mainly to the European intellectual movement known as the Age of
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Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason referring to philosophical
developments related to scientific rationality in the 17th and 18th centuries”
(Wikipedia). In Enlightenment period, the age of reason, feminism emphasizes
woman’s reason. And it can clearly be seen through Elizabeth in Pride and
Prejudice. Enlightenment feminists for the first time try to ask women “to reject
an inferior role of passive obedience” and “to claim, by demonstrating their moral
equality, that they must be allowed and expected, like men, to form opinions on
the basis of rational reflection and to make independent moral judgment”
(Kirkham 6). Judging from the fact that Austen was born in 1775 and her novel
Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813, she might have been interested in the
Enlightenment feminist issue. Hence, this thesis is conducted to prove that
Austen, to some extent, inserts her Enlightenment feminist perspectives into her
novel and how those perspectives shape the female protagonist in her novel. I will
elaborate more on the Enlightenment feminism in the next chapter.
Statement of the Problem
1. How is the female protagonist in Pride and Prejudice portrayed?
2. In the perspective of Enlightenment feminism, what does the portrayal
signify?
3. Why does the author create such a character?
Purpose of the Study
1. To figure out how the female protagonist in Pride and Prejudice is
portrayed.
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2. To find out what the portrayal signifies in the perspective of
Enlightenment feminism.
3. To find out why the author creates such a character.
Method of Research
First of all, I read Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice several times
thoroughly for maximum understanding on the content of the novel. Afterwards,
all the data related to the portrayal of the female protagonist from the novel are
collected. Then I gather some information from the Internet which supports my
research. Finally, the collected-data are analysed by means of Enlightenment
feminist literary criticism.
Organization of the Thesis
The thesis starts with the Abstract, which contains a brief analysis of the
thesis in Indonesian. In Chapter One, I present the Introduction, which consists of
the Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the
Study, the Method of Research and the Organization of the Thesis. In Chapter
Two, I present the Enlightenment Feminist Discourse as the theoretical
background. Chapter Three contains the analysis of the portrayal of the female
protagonist. Afterwards, I conclude my analysis in Chapter Four. The thesis ends
with the Bibliography and the Appendices, which consist of the biography of Jane
Austen and synopsis of Pride and Prejudice.
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CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
Having read and analysed the novel, Pride and Prejudice, I would like to
draw a conclusion in this chapter. I found that the female protagonist, Elizabeth, is
portrayed exactly the same as the Enlightenment feminist womanhood.
The Enlightenment feminists of the eighteenth century are encouraging
women to enter the world of reason by requiring morality and reason of women to
be equal to those of men. Women in general have been related to passiveness,
nature, pathos, and writing while men to activeness, culture, logos and speech.
Enlightenment feminism endorses patriarchy and limits women’s roles as an
affectionate wife and a wise mother. Their maternal feminism, accordingly, is far
from modern feminism. However, we need to make it clear what the
Enlightenment feminism has contributed to the development of modern feminism.
I assume that the author, Jane Austen, as an eighteenth century woman
shows the element of Enlightenment feminism in her novel through Elizabeth. She
shows the Enlightenment feminist womanhood. Her reason, sensibility and
cynicism are in contrast with her angelic and passive sister Jane. While Elizabeth
dramatically succeeds in getting a perfect husband, Darcy, submissive Jane comes
close to missing her lover Bingley, by not showing her feeling frankly. Austen
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presents a new womanhood through Elizabeth’s ordinary face, healthy image,
independent mind, firm morality and class equality consciousness.
Furthermore, Austen does not stop but develops Elizabeth’s feminine
subjectivity. Elizabeth is not passive or sentimental. She has an independent mind
and strong self-esteem. She is close to a person of reason not of pathos. In
addition, Elizabeth rejects her position as an object of the male-dominant gaze.
In my opinion, Austen is so intrepid as to write such a novel to express
her ideal through Elizabeth. As she is an eighteenth century woman, she might
have so many troubles and critics in writing her book which offers opposition to
men. I believe that the author’s intention of creating such a character in the novel
is to make readers join the world of reason and find the women’s voice towards
men. However, the novel is so interesting as to make me read more than once. It is
quite easy to understand because the story is about domestic issues. In other words,
I could easily imagine the characters’ situation and their problems and I think it
could happen to me and my family. Like Austen’s intention, I come to know better
about independence, right judgement, reason and feminism.
When I read the novel for the first time, I could not understand about
Elizabeth’s refusal to Mr. Collins’ proposal and Darcy’s first proposal. As it has
been mentioned in my analysis, her marrying to Mr. Collins is a pretty good
decision and marrying to Darcy is the best chance for her being well-married.
However, after reading it several times, I come to agree with her decision which is
not a mistake but a perfect judgment. In addition, I, as a shy and passive person,
am surprised when Elizabeth talks to Darcy about his pride and misbehaviour. Yet,
I discover that her cynicism makes him recognize the right thing and change or
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help to make everything run well. I could learn many things from this novel so I
appreciate Jane Austen, who has made me understand the real life and right
decision for women.
Having analysed the Enlightenment feminism, I eventually find that women in the
past and present struggle against the same problem. I feel pitiful that the problem
is hard to solve in a short period. However, women should still try hard to be
rational ones like Elizabeth.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Text:
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. London: Penguin Books Ltd, 1994
References:
Carolyn W. Korsmeyer. Reason and Morals in the Early Feminist Movement. Ed.
Carol H. Poston. New York: Norton, 1975
Ferguson, Moira and Todd Janet. Feminist Backgrounds and Argument of A
Vindication of the Rights of Woman. New York: Norton, 1975
Kirkham, Margaret. Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction. New York: Methuen,
1986
Internet Sites:
Austen-Leigh, William, and Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh. Jane Austen, Her Life
and Letters.1913 The Project Gutenberg E-text of Jane Austen, Her
Life and Letters 7 Sept 2007. Thierry Alberto, 14 Dec 2007
Dvorkin, David. “Why Do We Write?” 22 Feb 2008
< http://www.dvorkin.com/essays/whywewrite_d.html>
"Enlightenment (concept)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 August 2007.
“Jane Austen” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 7 October 2007.
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“Jane Austen” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 25 February 2008.
“Social structure of Britain” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 19 February
2008
Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,With Strictures on
Political and Moral Subjects by Mary Wollstonecraft. The Project
Gutenberg E-text of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 4 Apr
2001.
Sue
Asscher,
14
Dec
2007.
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Di dalam skripsi ini, saya menganalisis penggambaran tokoh utama
wanita dalam novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) karangan Jane Austen. Selain
merupakan salah satu novel terkenal, novel ini juga digunakan sebagai wacana
pembelajaran moral dan emosional dalam aspek tema, yang merupakan tujuan
penulis abad ke-18. Jane Austen mengemukakan kesadaran kaum feminis masa
Pencerahan terutama melalui tokoh utamanya Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth Bennet digambarkan sebagai seorang wanita yang berbeda dari
wanita pada umumnya di abad ke-18. Sebagai wanita dari kalangan menengah, ia
mempunyai pandangan yang diidamkan oleh kaum feminis, yang menekankan
pada kesamaan derajat perempuan dengan laki-laki dalam hal kemampuan
berpikir. Baginya perempuan haruslah banyak membaca sehingga berwawasan
luas dan sadar akan kesetaraannya dengan laki-laki sehingga memandang sebuah
pernikahan sebagai hubungan suami istri yang saling menghormati bukan sebagai
ikatan yang hanya memberikan jaminan materi terhadap kaum perempuan.
Dalam menganalisis tokoh utama novel ini, saya menggunakan teori
Mary Wollstonecraft tentang feminisme jaman Pencerahan yang merupakan titik
awal teori feminisme.
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
.......................................
i
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
...........................
Background of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Statement of the Problem .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Purpose of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Method of Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Organization of the Thesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
3
3
4
4
CHAPTER TWO: ENLIGHTENMENT FEMINIST DISCOURSE
5
...
CHAPTER TREE: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL
OF THE FEMALE PROTAGONIST OF
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
.............................
8
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION
.............................
19
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
APPENDICES:
Synopsis of Pride and Prejudice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Biography of the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24
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APPENDICES
SYNOPSIS OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Mrs. Bennet is really excited by the news about a single rich man in the
neighbourhood. Mr. Bingley has arrived at Netherfield, where he plans to
temporarily settle with his two sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, and his
sister’s husband, Mr. Hurst. Soon afterwards, Bingley and his close friend
Fitzwilliam Darcy, attend a public ball in the village of Meryton. At first, Darcy is
admired for his fine figure and income of ￡10.000 a year. However, he is soon
regarded as snobbish because the villagers become disgusted by his pride. This is
brought home to the Bennets when Elizabeth Bennet overhears that Darcy her
declined Bingley’s suggestion that he dance with her.
Shortly after the ball, Mr. Collins, a cousin who will inherit the Bennets’
estate because of an entail, visits the family. Following Lady Catherine’s
suggestion, Collins decides to propose to Elizabeth for her future impoverishment
but she rejects his proposal. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is introduced to Mr. Wickham,
a pleasing officer in the regiment. Wickham informs her that he has known Mr.
Darcy his entire life, and that Darcy has disinherited him after Darcy’s father’s
death. After the tale is told, Elizabeth begins to have a strong prejudice against
Mr. Darcy.
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After having rejected by Elizabeth, Mr. Collins hurriedly marries her best
friend, Charlotte Lucas, and Elizabeth is invited to visit the newly weds. While
she is staying with them, Darcy visits his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, at the
adjoining estate, Rosings. Elizabeth and Darcy meet each other quite often.
Elizabeth’s charms eventually make Darcy entranced, and lead him to love and
desire to marry her. Surprised and insulted by Darcy’s way of proposing,
Elizabeth refuses. The next day, Darcy hands her a letter before his leave. In the
letter, Darcy justifies his actions regarding his interference in Bingley and Jane’s
relationship, and reveals the truth concerning Mr. Wickham. The letter sheds a
new light on Darcy’s personality for Elizabeth and she begins to reconsider her
opinion of him, particularly in the case of Wickham.
Later, while on holiday with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, Elizabeth
is persuaded to visit nearby Pemberley, Darcy’s estate, while he is away. She is
therefore surprised when she meets him unexpectedly and their relationship starts
to melt. While Elizabeth is there, she hears the news that her younger sister Lydia
runs away with Wickham, who evades gambling debts. When told of this by
Elizabeth, Darcy takes it upon himself to find Wickham and bribes him into
marrying Lydia, but keeps this secret from Elizabeth and her family.
When Lady Catherine discovers Darcy’s feelings for Elizabeth, she pays
Elizabeth an unannounced visit and tries to intimidate her into refusing such an
engagement. Unfortunately, Catherine’s visit serves to consolidate Elizabeth’s
intentions. Furthermore, Lady Catherine visits Darcy later, and relates the entire
conversation to him, leading Darcy to a conviction that marrying Elizabeth is
possible.
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The story ends with two marriages: one is between Jane and Bingley, and
the other is between Darcy and Elizabeth. While the Bennets go their separate
ways, both couples live happily.
BIOGRAPHY OF JANE AUSTEN
Jane Austen was born in 1775 at a rectory in Steventon, Hampshire, one
of two daughters of the Rev. George Austen (1731–1805) and his wife Cassandra
(née Leigh) (1739–1827). Her brothers James and Henry followed in the path of
their father and joined the clergy while her brothers Francis and Charles both
pursued naval careers. There was also a disabled brother, George, who did not live
with the Austens.
Austen also had a sister, Cassandra, with whom she shared a close
relationship throughout her life. The abundant correspondence between the sisters
provides historians with the greatest insight into Austen's past. It is regrettable that
Cassandra destroyed some of this correspondence after Jane's death. The only
undisputed portrait of Jane Austen is a somewhat rudimentary colored sketch done
by Cassandra, which currently resides in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
In 1783, Austen was educated briefly by a relative in Oxford, then in
Southampton, and finally in 1785–1786 attended the Reading Ladies boarding
school in the Abbey gatehouse in Reading, Berkshire. She began writing her first
novel in 1789. Her family life was also conducive to writing; the Austen family
often enacted plays, which gave Jane Austen an opportunity to present her stories.
They also borrowed novels from the local library, which influenced Austen's
26
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writing. She was encouraged to write especially by her brother Henry, who wrote
a little himself.
In 1802 Austen received a marriage proposal from a wealthy but "big and
awkward" man named Harris Bigg-Wither, who was also six years her junior. A
marriage would have freed her from some of the constraints and dependency then
associated with the role of a spinster. These considerations may have influenced
her initially to accept his offer, only to change her mind and refused him the
following day.
After her father’s death in 1805, Austen, her sister and her mother lived in
Southampton with her brother Frank and his family for several years before
moving to Chawton in 1809. It was not until 1811, six years before her death, that
her first novel Sense and Sensibility was published, at the expense of her brother
Henry and his wife Eliza. Some of her novels are Northanger Abbey (1798),
Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814),
Emma (1816), and Persuasion (1818).
In 1816, Austen began to suffer from ill health. In May 1817 she moved
to Winchester to be closer to her doctor. Her condition became increasingly
unstable, and on July 18, 1817 she died at the age of forty-one and was buried in
Winchester Cathedral. The disease was at that time unnamed. However, some
people, such as one of her biographers, Carol Shields, hypothesized that she died
of breast cancer.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen>
27
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
I will analyse a novel for my thesis because most novels usually reflect
personal experience, attitudes and ideas or viewpoints of the writers on certain
issue. This matter is interesting to analyse since there are so many novelists who
write their novels not only based on the demand of the market but also based on a
certain ideology that they have at a particular time. David Dvorkin in his article,
Why Do We Write?, said that “Making the idea into the externally real thing, the
novel, is only the first step in the artistic process of creation for a writer.” They
then, intentionally or unintentionally, insert their ideology in their novels.
One of the famous English novelists who inserted their ideology in their
writings, is Jane Austen (1775-1817). Her novels were all written around Regency
Era (1811-1820) and her novels (Northanger Abbey (1798), Sense and Sensibility
(1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1816), and
Persuasion (1818)) are loved and still read by readers even until today. Austen’s
novels also have been adapted into a great number of films and television series.
Furthermore, her novels are highly prized for their light irony, humor and
depiction of contemporary English country life. Sir Walter Scott and Richard
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Whately praised Austen's works. Scott said “from nature as she really exists in the
common walks of life and presenting to the reader . . . a correct and striking
representation of that which is daily taking place . . .” whereas Whately said
“drew favorable comparisons between Austen and such acknowledged greats as
Homer and Shakespeare, praising the dramatic qualities of her narrative”
(Wikipedia).
For my analysis I chose Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is one of
Austen’s best-selling novels. It tells about a restrained women’s life in a realistic
way. Consequently, it indirectly criticizes the society of the late eighteenth
century. The subject of this novel is about love and marriage. However, the
storyline is not really romantic but quite realistic and objective. Future husbands’
income is clarified at the beginning of the novel. It means economic power is
considered to be men’s value. Daughters should marry men in possession to live a
decent life before their father’s death, otherwise they would live miserably.
Because of the patriarchal system, they could not get any fortune from their
father. This kind of storyline shows that the society at that time is influenced by
economic power. So it embosses that women’s life depends on marriage to men in
possession. By telling about marriage, this book shows the reality that women
suffered from an absurd system during that period.
To convey her idea about womanhood awareness Austen creates a
character named Elizabeth. Thus, I will analyse the portrayal of Elizabeth, the
female major character in Pride and Prejudice by using Enlightenment feminism.
In spite of its difference from modern feminism, Enlightenment feminism as an
early feminist movement has an important meaning. “In secular use, the concept
refers mainly to the European intellectual movement known as the Age of
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Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason referring to philosophical
developments related to scientific rationality in the 17th and 18th centuries”
(Wikipedia). In Enlightenment period, the age of reason, feminism emphasizes
woman’s reason. And it can clearly be seen through Elizabeth in Pride and
Prejudice. Enlightenment feminists for the first time try to ask women “to reject
an inferior role of passive obedience” and “to claim, by demonstrating their moral
equality, that they must be allowed and expected, like men, to form opinions on
the basis of rational reflection and to make independent moral judgment”
(Kirkham 6). Judging from the fact that Austen was born in 1775 and her novel
Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813, she might have been interested in the
Enlightenment feminist issue. Hence, this thesis is conducted to prove that
Austen, to some extent, inserts her Enlightenment feminist perspectives into her
novel and how those perspectives shape the female protagonist in her novel. I will
elaborate more on the Enlightenment feminism in the next chapter.
Statement of the Problem
1. How is the female protagonist in Pride and Prejudice portrayed?
2. In the perspective of Enlightenment feminism, what does the portrayal
signify?
3. Why does the author create such a character?
Purpose of the Study
1. To figure out how the female protagonist in Pride and Prejudice is
portrayed.
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2. To find out what the portrayal signifies in the perspective of
Enlightenment feminism.
3. To find out why the author creates such a character.
Method of Research
First of all, I read Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice several times
thoroughly for maximum understanding on the content of the novel. Afterwards,
all the data related to the portrayal of the female protagonist from the novel are
collected. Then I gather some information from the Internet which supports my
research. Finally, the collected-data are analysed by means of Enlightenment
feminist literary criticism.
Organization of the Thesis
The thesis starts with the Abstract, which contains a brief analysis of the
thesis in Indonesian. In Chapter One, I present the Introduction, which consists of
the Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the
Study, the Method of Research and the Organization of the Thesis. In Chapter
Two, I present the Enlightenment Feminist Discourse as the theoretical
background. Chapter Three contains the analysis of the portrayal of the female
protagonist. Afterwards, I conclude my analysis in Chapter Four. The thesis ends
with the Bibliography and the Appendices, which consist of the biography of Jane
Austen and synopsis of Pride and Prejudice.
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CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
Having read and analysed the novel, Pride and Prejudice, I would like to
draw a conclusion in this chapter. I found that the female protagonist, Elizabeth, is
portrayed exactly the same as the Enlightenment feminist womanhood.
The Enlightenment feminists of the eighteenth century are encouraging
women to enter the world of reason by requiring morality and reason of women to
be equal to those of men. Women in general have been related to passiveness,
nature, pathos, and writing while men to activeness, culture, logos and speech.
Enlightenment feminism endorses patriarchy and limits women’s roles as an
affectionate wife and a wise mother. Their maternal feminism, accordingly, is far
from modern feminism. However, we need to make it clear what the
Enlightenment feminism has contributed to the development of modern feminism.
I assume that the author, Jane Austen, as an eighteenth century woman
shows the element of Enlightenment feminism in her novel through Elizabeth. She
shows the Enlightenment feminist womanhood. Her reason, sensibility and
cynicism are in contrast with her angelic and passive sister Jane. While Elizabeth
dramatically succeeds in getting a perfect husband, Darcy, submissive Jane comes
close to missing her lover Bingley, by not showing her feeling frankly. Austen
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presents a new womanhood through Elizabeth’s ordinary face, healthy image,
independent mind, firm morality and class equality consciousness.
Furthermore, Austen does not stop but develops Elizabeth’s feminine
subjectivity. Elizabeth is not passive or sentimental. She has an independent mind
and strong self-esteem. She is close to a person of reason not of pathos. In
addition, Elizabeth rejects her position as an object of the male-dominant gaze.
In my opinion, Austen is so intrepid as to write such a novel to express
her ideal through Elizabeth. As she is an eighteenth century woman, she might
have so many troubles and critics in writing her book which offers opposition to
men. I believe that the author’s intention of creating such a character in the novel
is to make readers join the world of reason and find the women’s voice towards
men. However, the novel is so interesting as to make me read more than once. It is
quite easy to understand because the story is about domestic issues. In other words,
I could easily imagine the characters’ situation and their problems and I think it
could happen to me and my family. Like Austen’s intention, I come to know better
about independence, right judgement, reason and feminism.
When I read the novel for the first time, I could not understand about
Elizabeth’s refusal to Mr. Collins’ proposal and Darcy’s first proposal. As it has
been mentioned in my analysis, her marrying to Mr. Collins is a pretty good
decision and marrying to Darcy is the best chance for her being well-married.
However, after reading it several times, I come to agree with her decision which is
not a mistake but a perfect judgment. In addition, I, as a shy and passive person,
am surprised when Elizabeth talks to Darcy about his pride and misbehaviour. Yet,
I discover that her cynicism makes him recognize the right thing and change or
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help to make everything run well. I could learn many things from this novel so I
appreciate Jane Austen, who has made me understand the real life and right
decision for women.
Having analysed the Enlightenment feminism, I eventually find that women in the
past and present struggle against the same problem. I feel pitiful that the problem
is hard to solve in a short period. However, women should still try hard to be
rational ones like Elizabeth.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Text:
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. London: Penguin Books Ltd, 1994
References:
Carolyn W. Korsmeyer. Reason and Morals in the Early Feminist Movement. Ed.
Carol H. Poston. New York: Norton, 1975
Ferguson, Moira and Todd Janet. Feminist Backgrounds and Argument of A
Vindication of the Rights of Woman. New York: Norton, 1975
Kirkham, Margaret. Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction. New York: Methuen,
1986
Internet Sites:
Austen-Leigh, William, and Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh. Jane Austen, Her Life
and Letters.1913 The Project Gutenberg E-text of Jane Austen, Her
Life and Letters 7 Sept 2007. Thierry Alberto, 14 Dec 2007
Dvorkin, David. “Why Do We Write?” 22 Feb 2008
< http://www.dvorkin.com/essays/whywewrite_d.html>
"Enlightenment (concept)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 August 2007.
“Jane Austen” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 7 October 2007.
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“Jane Austen” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 25 February 2008.
“Social structure of Britain” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 19 February
2008
Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,With Strictures on
Political and Moral Subjects by Mary Wollstonecraft. The Project
Gutenberg E-text of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 4 Apr
2001.
Sue
Asscher,
14
Dec
2007.
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