ABSTRACT
As an attempt to contribute to gaining more insights into the fiction Pride and
Prejudice by Jane Austen, this research aims to investigate the image of English
women at the turn of 19
th
century depicted in the fiction. Specifically, the study
focuses on the low status of women in marriage, inheritance and education. In
addition, the reaction of those women, both supporters and opponents, was also
meticulously analyzed. Beside the disapproval to prejudice at that time on feminine
rights, Jane Austen successfully built her admirable image of women – Elizabeth
Bennet. Indeed, the novel Pride and Prejudice helps the novelist express her criticism
of social conventions against women at the turn of 19
th
century.
ii
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
1. The rationale for the study 1
2. Aims of the study 1
3. Scope of the study 2
4. Methodology 2
Chapter 1: Literature review 3
1.1. The definition of fiction 3
1.2. The elements of fiction 3
1.2.1 Plot 3
1.2.2. Character 4
1.2.3. Setting 4
1.2.4. Theme 5
1.3. The connection between literature and life 5

(cited in Franich 2011) said “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man
who never reads lives only one”, I can acquire more knowledge on the outside world
from books. On these days, only when preparing for the graduation paper do I have
chance to enjoy the novels which used to be my habit. The name “Pride and Prejudice”
by Jane Austen immediately sprang to my mind. Not only is this novel sweet but it is
also well – reflected on English society at the turn of the 19
th
century. This masterpiece
mentions a wide range of life aspects in England at the turn of the 19
th
century, from
pride and prejudice to lifestyle and convention, from the value of money to the story of
courtship and marriage. Under the ironic pen of Jane Austen, the lively images of
English women are also clearly shown. She offers a startlingly complete continuum of
women's characters, “with Lydia and Mrs. Bennet on one side as the least responsible
and capable, and with Lady de Bourgh on the other as the most powerful and
controlling” (Pride and Prejudice theme of women and femininity, 2012). This range is
much wider and more diverse than the range of male characters. Hence, this
inspirational novel has caught my attention to the status of women in early nineteenth-
century England. In attempt to study deeper on female identities, I quickly decided to
choose the novel “Pride and Prejudice” and the above topic for my thesis.
2. Aims of the study
The thesis aims to study deeper the topic of the English women in the late 18
th
and early 19
th
century by analyzing two main issues that the status of women and their
responses to their own status. In addition, the thesis focuses on Jane Austen’s
viewpoint on the ideal image of women. The researcher hopes to contribute to the
1

different look into the life. It is admitted that reading fiction brings the inspirations to
the audience. In the light of understanding and investigating the fiction, it is interesting
to discover and enjoy many aspects of life. Fictions add colors to the soul and spirits of
people who love reading.
1.2. The elements of fiction
1.2.1 Plot
As one element of fiction, plot helps make the work appealing and real to the
audience. Plot is a sequence of main events which closely relate to each other. Fiction
is created by imagination so the plot can be diversified with the creativity of the writer.
3
Not only can the writer make up the plot from the cycle of daily life but also imagine
unreal world with fictional features. Although the plot can be real or unreal, the events
must be neatly connected. One event must be the result of the previous event and, at
the same time, the cause of another. The events make the fiction coherent and exciting
to the readers. A plot can contain several factors: the beginning, conflict (problem’s
arising), rising action (premises for the climax), climax (often the most appealing part
of the fiction), falling action (the outcome of the climax) and conclusion.
1.2.2. Character
Character is considered as the most important element in the fiction. Characters
take part in the plot, express the feelings and emotions, and take actions. They have the
emotions and thoughts including happiness, sorrow, despair, hope, etc. To evaluate the
character, the readers need to deeply expose them through their appearance, thoughts
and actions. Though the characters can be people or animals, even aliens or man-like
robots, they represent the messages and ideas that the author hopes to share with the
readers. The various kinds of characters play different roles in the plot as well as in the
fiction. Particularly, each character is usually the symbol of certain type of people in
the society. There are four types of characters in the fiction: main character, minor
character, round character, and static character.
1.2.3. Setting
Another important element of fiction is setting. The location and the time in

comparing the dog which we actually see with the ideal dog, our idea of the dog,
which is the true, unchanging reality, while the dogs which we name as black, good,
lame etc. are mere reflections and imitations of that reality. Thus the poet, who
imitates those objects which are themselves imitations of reality, is obviously
5
producing something, which is still further removed from ultimate reality. Plato
developed this argument first with reference to the painter. Painting is an imitation of a
specific object or group of objects, and if it is nothing but that, if reality lies not in
apprehending reality, the painter is not doing anything particularly valuable. Just as the
painter only imitates what he sees and does not know how to make or to use what he
sees (he could paint a bed, but not make it), so the poet imitates reality without
necessarily understanding it. Poetry or literature as a whole is an imitation of imitation
and thus twice removed from truth.
There is an obvious error in Plato’s reasoning. Being too much of a philosopher
and moralist, he could not see clearly the relation between literature and life. He is
right when he says that the poet produces something which is less than reality it
purports to represent, but he does not perceive that he also creates something more
than reality. This error was corrected by Plato’s pupil, Aristotle. In Poetics he
undertook to examine the nature and qualities of imaginative literature with a view to
demonstrating that it is true, and not false as Plato had shown it. He agreed with Plato
that poetry is an imitation of reality, but according to him, this imitation is the
objective representation of life in literature or, in other words, the imaginative
reconstruction of life. Poetry is thus not connected with the outside world in the simple
and direct fashion supposed by Plato. The poet first derives an inspiration from the
world by the power of his imagination; the art of poetry then imitates this imaginative
inspiration in language. The art of poetry or literature as a whole exists to give shape
and substance to a certain kind of imaginative impulse; the existence of the art implies
the existence of the impulse. Now it is just possible to imagine life exactly as it is; but
the exciting thing is to imagine life as it might be, and it is then that imagination
becomes an impulse capable of inspiring poetry. This is true even in the case of what

The problem of literature’s relation to life was next taken up by Dryden who
pointed out that imaginative literature gives us a ‘just and lively’ image of human
7
nature by representing its ‘passions and humours’. This point was further developed by
Dr. Johnson who expressed the view that the poet ‘holds up a mirror to nature”.
According to him, “Nothing can please many, and please long, but just representation
of general nature.” The way to please the greatest number over the longest period of
time, which is the duty of imaginative literature, is to provide accurate pictures of
nature. Explaining his view that the poet is the illuminator of human nature Dr.
Johnson wrote:
“The business of the poet is to examine, not the individual, but the species… He
must exhibit in his portraits of nature such prominent and striking features as recall the
original to every mind, and must neglect the minute discriminations, which one may
have remarked and another have neglected, for those characteristics which are alike
obvious to vigilance and carelessness.
“But the knowledge of nature is only half the task of a poet; he must be acquainted
likewise with all the modes of life. His character requires that he estimates the
happiness and misery of every condition, observe the power of all the passions in all
their combinations, and trace the changes of the human mind, as they are modified by
various institutions and accidental influences of climate or custom, from the
sprightliness of fancy to the despondence of decrepitude. He must divert himself of the
prejudices of his age or country; he must consider right and wrong in their abstracted
and variable state; he must regard present laws and their opinions and rise to general
and transcendental truths, which will always, be the same. He must, therefore, content
himself with the slow progress of his name, condemn the applause of his own time,
and commit his claims to the justice of posterity. He must write as the interpretator of
nature and the legislator of mankind and consider himself as presiding over the
thoughts and manners of future generations, as being superior to time and place.”
According to Dr. Johnson, the poet must know the manners and customs of men of
all times and conditions, not because it is his duty to make vivid to the reader the

The 19th century was a relatively peaceful era for Britain. This country was
transformed by the industrial revolution. At that time, as the first country to
industrialize, Britain had a head start over other nations and became the richest and
most powerful nation in the world. The industrial revolution did cause many changes
to citizens, especially a host of inventions made life more comfortable and convenient.
A large part of the population lived at subsistence level. Along with changes in
economy, Britain also witnessed the political reform. The government was divided
into competitive parties consisting of the Conservative and the Liberal Whigs.
Consequently, at the time of revolution in politics and economy, social status was
depended on wealth.
The inheritance law of this time was unfair. If the father died, the eldest son or
the nearest man in family branch got everything. The other children only had some
choices if they wanted to do something without being burdened by work. They could
follow traditional custom and work as a clergyman. But if the church was not suitable
for them, the army or the navy were also other choices. If nothing of these was of no
interest in them, they went to Oxford or Cambridge and studied law. In contrast,
women did not have so many choices. The most popular option was to get maried. The
other one was to spend the whole life with her parents or go to rich family as a lady`s
companion or a governess.
At this time, behavior was deemed to be a component of everyone`s
personality. Good behavior included in addition to the right manners, specific forms of
address. In the majority of cases, married couples used their last names. Fellow human
beings rated the behaviors of others, so again, it was very important to use the right
10
behavior. In particular, women were expected to follow all the manners. The manners
consisted of an interest in the arts such as music, drawing or dancing, as well as polite
form of uses, expression in face and eyes, acceptable clothing, elegance in movements,
gestures and attitudes.
As a result, Jane Austen was strongly influenced by social background, which
could be clearly seen on her works including the novel Pride and Prejudice.

Jane Austen was born on 16 December, 1775 near Basingstoke, in Hampshire,
England. She was the seventh child of eight children of Reverend George Austen. Jane
Austen was educated mainly at home and never lived apart from her family. Different
from most girls at that time, she was fortunate to achieve good education, which was
the basement for her future career.
As a young woman, Jane Austen usually attended balls in many houses of the
neighborhood. She loved the country and had many Hampshire friends. Because of her
parents’ work, the whole family needed to leave the country in 1801 and until 1809,
the Austens moved back to their beloved Hampshire countryside. Her house was small
but comfortable, and most importantly, it provided the settled home which Jane Austen
needed in order to write.
Jane Austen contracted addisons disease, a tubercular disease of the kidneys.
By May 1817, she was so ill and needed treating in Winchester. Tragically, there was
no cure and Jane Austen died in her sister's arms in the early hours of July18th , 1817.
She was buried in Winchester Cathedral.
2.2.2. Jane Austen’s career
Jane Austen was a major English novelist, whose interesting fictions mark the
transition in English literature from 18th century neo-classicism to 19th century
romanticism.
12
At the age of 14, she wrote poems, stories, and other very amusing juvenilia. In
her early twenties, Jane Austen completed fictions that were later re-worked and
published as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. She
also started a work called The Watsons which was never completed.
In the seven and a half years that she lived in the house on Chawton estate, she
revised Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice and respectively published them
in 1811 and 1813, and then joined a period of severe productivity. Mansfield Park
came out in 1814, followed by Emma in 1816. She also completed Persuasion which
was published together with Northanger Abbey in 1818, the year after her death. There
were no books published in her life-time had her name on them — they were described

her. Elizabeth visits Charlotte’ house and meets the domineering Lady Catherine de
Bourgh who is Mr. Darcy’s aunt. She is paid a visit by Darcy and his cousin, Colonel
Fitzwilliam. Elizabeth knows that Darcy was involved in separating Mr. Bingley and
Jane. To Elizabeth’s surprise, Darcy proposes to her, making it clear that he had been
fighting his feelings due to the Bennet family’s inferiority. Insulted at his speech,
Elizabeth refuses his proposal and mentions two reasons for her dislike of Mr Darcy.
Because of him, Jane is unhappy and Wickham is poor and miserable. The next day,
Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, which explains everything. Elizabeth visits Derbyshire
with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs Gardiner. They visit Pemberley, Darcy’s grand
estate, thinking that the master is currently absent. She gets information from the
housekeeper that Darcy is considered to be a kind and generous man. Elizabeth is
embarrassed to see that Darcy has returned to Pemberley, and feels terribly awkward
when they meet. However, Darcy’s behaviour is hospitable and courteous to her and
her family. Elizabeth’s affection for Darcy grows rapidly. Elizabeth later learns from
Mrs Gardiner that it was Darcy that organised and enforced the marriage between
Lydia and Wickham, which helped her family’s honour. Elizabeth feels gratitude and
also curiosity about his motivations. Lydia and Wickham leave for Newcastle. Bingley
14
and Darcy arrive at Longbourn, and soon Bingley proposes to Jane. She accepts.
Darcy’s behaviour appears a little cold. Mrs Bennet does not know the debt of
gratitude owed by the Bennets to Mr. Darcy, and continues to treat him aggressively,
leaving Elizabeth feeling embarrassed. Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays a visit to
Longbourn, angry at rumours that Darcy plans to propose to Elizabeth. She demands
that Elizabeth would refuse an offer of marriage. Elizabeth declines to give in to Lady
Catherine’s demands. Darcy knows Elizabeth’s defiance. He proposes once more.
Elizabeth accepts and the marriages of Mr. Bingley to Jane, and Mr. Darcy to
Elizabeth, are held together. Both couples have happy and rich life.
15
Chapter 3: English women at the turn of the 19
th

typical English mother with her all wish, determination and manner towards “the
business of her life [which] was to get her daughters married” (Austen, 4). Her strong
16
wish is clearly shown throughout the novel. She tried to find rich husbands and
convenient marriages for all five daughters. “If I can see one of my daughters happily
settled at Netherfield” “and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to
wish for” (Austen, 10).
Not only Mrs Bennet’s wish but also her determination is under eagerness to
help her daughters approach eligible men. In the very first part of the novel, as
knowing “a single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year” (Austen, 3)
taking Netherfield, she immediately adjured her husband to visit him. She, with her
five daughters, attacked her husband “in various way, with barefaced questions,
ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises” to ask about the new neighbor Mr
Charles Bingley. It worried her to think that other ladies like Mrs Long or Mrs Lucas
and their own daughters “stand their chance to introduce him” (Austen, 6) which
means that her five daughters cannot take sooner opportunity for meeting and chatting
with the new rich neighbor. There is no coincidence that Austen begins the novel with
an announcement that rich Bingley will live near the Bennets’ house, the author wants
to attract the readers to follow Mrs. Bennet and her “business” of marriage. Austen is
successful, to be sure, that she is giving her readers an ironic but interesting story
about finding sons-in-law of Mrs Bennet. She took any advantage to get her daughters
approached young men. Her main target was to have her children marry. Therefore, as
the first time of Mr Bingley’s visit to her house, Mrs Bennet hurrily prepared dinner to
invite him. Unfortunately, “already had Mrs Bennet planned the courses that were to
do credit to her housekeeping, when an answer arrived which deferred it all […] Mr
Bingley was unable to accept the honour of their invitation. Mrs Bennet was quite
disconcerted” (Austen, 10). Then another occasion, as Jane was invited to Netherfield,
Mrs Bennet planned to force Jane to go on horseback. It seemed likely to rain, and her
daughter must stay all night at Netherfield. Mrs Bennet did that with the aim of
creating more private time for Jane and Mr Bingley. Finally, “Jane was therefore

18
Darcy disappeared. She astoundingly exclaimed that:”Good gracious! Lord blesses
me! Only think! Dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really
true? Oh! My sweetest Lizzy! How rich and how great you will be! What pin-money,
what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it nothing at all. I am
so pleased so happy. Such a charming man! So handsome! So tall! Oh, my dear
Lizzy! Pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will
overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy. A house in town! Everything that is charming! Three
daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go
distracted” (Austen, 316). Although she felt disliked him before, she “stood in such
awe of her intended son-in-law, that she ventured not to speak to him’’ (Austen, 316).
Never did Mrs Bennet ask her daughters if they loved their husbands or not. So strange
was the situation that the readers must continue thinking of. Her concerns seemed
ridiculous with money, possession, property and other financial convenience, except
love. Love was secondary, or even nothing. Joining the marriage market, at times, Mrs
Bennet is considered as a fortune hunter. It can be seen that during this time period,
her offensive sequence of behavior was typical for English mothers who were on the
way of searching potential sons-in-law.
In her situation, Mrs Bennet’s behavior is tolerable because of educational
restrictions and her parental responsibility. Mrs Bennet seems not to be entirely
ridiculous. In Austen’s time, law on inheritance was totally different from what it is
today. Because the Bennets had no son, all estate would pass to the nearest male
relative in family tree- Mr Collins. Under the strong law on inheritance, all what Mrs
Bennet was able to resist the law was to blame her husband for neglecting his duty. “I
cannot bear to hear that mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is
the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own
children; and I am sure if I had been you, I should have tried long ago to do something
or other about it” (Austen, 54). Mrs Bennet was apprehensive for her daughters’ risky
future. She was well aware that her daughters only could be saved by their marriage.
19

to scheme to marry a man who could guarantee her a stable future. Mr Collins with his
own property made him the most suitable partner for Charlotte. It was the reason why
Charlotte approached Mr Collins, “its object was nothing less, than to secure her from
any conception of Mr Collins’s address, by engaging them towards herself. Such was
20
Miss Lucas’s scheme” (Austen, 104). Along with the increase of her age, Charlotte
was well aware that her opportunities of getting married were decreasing. Therefore,
“without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her
objects” (Austen, 105). Just only with Charlotte’s intention, her strong desire for a
financial marriage was clearly expressed under the mighty pen of Jane Austen.
Charlotte’s acceptance also showed her aim of stable future in marriage. Only
three days after proposing Elizabeth, Mr Collins tried proposing another girl –
Charlotte. Surprisingly, “in as short a time as Mr Collins’s long speeches would allow,
everything was settled between them to satisfaction of both” (Austen, 105). Her almost
instantaneous acceptance made the audience believe that what Charlotte cared for was
financial security, definitely not a romance. She tried to attract Mr Collins because of
what he could offer. “Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and
disinterested desire of an establishment, cared not how soon that establishment was
gained” (Austen, 105). To a certain extent, readers could come to a conclusion that
Charlotte would accept whomever, not only Mr Collins, able to provide a home and
financial security for her. She totally knew that “Mr Collins to be sure was neither
sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be
imaginary. But still he would be her husband” (Austen, 105). Accepted a propertied
man without any physical or intellectual attraction to her, Charlotte also accepted a
marriage with no true love, but material security.
All Charlotte’s requests in marriage were financial security. It seemed nothing
but money could affect her. At once accepting Mr Collins’s proposal, Charlotte
persuaded herself to feel satisfied. “it was the only honourable provision for well-
educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness,
must be their pleasantest preservative from want. This preservative she had now