Women Have Little Power In Judith Wylie's Pride And Prejudice

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In the explanation and critique of the novel Pride and Prejudice, Judith Wylie’s article Dancing in Chains: feminist satire in Pride and Prejudice directly cynosures how women had little power in nineteenth century England and they must do everything they could do to be both financially and socially prestigious. Jane Austen and Judith Wylie in their works of literature both show that women had little power by satirizing the way society was organized which made women have little power and put women at a disadvantage in society. Mrs. Bennet is a focal part of both works of literature and Mrs. Bennet is used to show that women had little power so they had to use whatever method available to cope with a male patriarchal society in nineteenth century …show more content…

This is shown when Mrs. Bennet tells Mr. Bennet that her goal for Mr. Bingley is to have one of their daughters marry him. "My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them"(19). Mrs. Bennet tells her husband that her goal is to get Mr. Bingley to marry one of her daughters due to the fact that he is rich and single. Mrs. Bennet is trying to get one of her daughters to marry Mr. Bingley because she is trying to help her daughters deal with a male patriarchal society and the only way for women to have any power is by marrying a high class man who is rich in power and pounds. Mrs. Bennet’s entire life with her children was to train them to be ladylike so they can attract a man and marry him. “As antithetical …show more content…

Bennet had very little power she played with the power of emotions to receive more power in decisions mostly dominated by men. Mrs. Bennet’s fits and hysteria are shown when Lydia runs off with Wickham and she stays at Longbourn while her husband is looking for Lydia.Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen states,“And now here 's Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham wherever he meets him, and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all? The Collinses will turn us out, before he is cold in his grave; and if you are not kind to us, brother, I do not know what we shall do ' '(213). Mrs. Bennet continues her crying and her lamentations until her brother comes and she explains that she fears that Mr. Bennet will be killed and they will lose their home. Mrs. Bennet understands the situation, but she tries to gain power by trying to convince Mr. Gardner to protect them financially if something does happen to Mr. Bennet, which means she and her daughters will be economically set for the future. Another example of Mrs. Bennet’s emotion put to the test is when Mrs. Bennet mood goes from depressed to jovial due to Lydia marrying Wickham and them having a wedding. “Mrs. Bennet’s joy when the news arrives of the impending wedding is not tempered by any reservation regarding Lydia’s immoral behavior during the last few

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