Elizabeth Bennet The Ideal Woman Analysis

Elizabeth Bennet and the Predicament of the Ideal Woman In one of Jane Austen’s most acclaimed novel, Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is her sassy independent protagonist. However, is she the ideal woman? Feminism in the Regency Era was defined by women wanting education and an equal position in family and homes. In this era, the ideal lady had to be modest, dutiful, beautiful, and rich, especially to gain a wealthy husband. With this narrow, cookie cut definition, not many women fit this criteria. This is greatly highlighted in this satirical novel of the upper class. Elizabeth Bennet is a feminist wanting equal positioning in society, but does not fit the mold of the ideal woman according to the Regency Era. Elizabeth, according to her

Her main goal when meeting new people was to establish that she was on the same level as them, and demand the same amount of respect. To be a feminist meant to not look upon gaining equal rights in the workforce, more so with earning equal standing in the individual’s family structure. “In Austen’s interpretation, feminism in her time meant having independence and keeping some distance from the males of the family to maintain your own identity” (Alafaireet). This is a striking parallel to Jane Austen’s own life, which was dictated by members of the patriarchal society. Austen’s characters sometimes reflected her own life, so as Austen wanted to distance herself away from the patriarchal society, so did Elizabeth. She wanted an equal part in her family’s decisions since she was a part of it, and with her strong opinions, she was truly a feminist. When Lady Catherine questions her on her motives of marrying Darcy, Elizabeth responds “In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman 's daughter; so far we are equal” (Austen 339). One of Darcy’s internal struggles in proposing to Elizabeth due to

In the Regency Era, there were many molds that the woman had to fit in to. They had to be of a good social standing, and their wealth and class mattered very much in terms of a their reputation. Back then, your reputation equalled your worth, which meant that everyone tried to be rich in order to gain a respectable spouse. The model woman had to be “without vices and opinion. They were to be modest, dutiful and the prettier the better” (Jeffries). A woman’s worth was determined by how much money she had and how beautiful she was. Elizabeth Bennet was very beautiful, but because of her lower social status, the marriage between her and Darcy took a while to materialize. When Darcy first meets her at the Meryton ball, he describes her as “tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me” (Austen 11). Darcy continues to deny that he has any feelings for Elizabeth, and only does so when he overcomes his pride and genuinely proposes to her for the ‘second’ time. With the model of the perfect woman to live up to, Elizabeth is most certainly beautiful, having being described with handsome features and bright eyes. However, she does not have a quiet mouth, and always says what’s on her mind, whether it’s proper of her or not. This is what sets her apart from the ideal woman, because of her strong opinions. Her prejudice does lead to her making some bad