Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” Essay

 Andrew Stutts

On the surface, “Pride and Prejudice” appears to be just a novel concerning the story of five sisters coming of age and their mother’s quest to see them all suitably married.  However, there are many social topics that can be examined within the text of “Pride and Prejudice”.  The nature of a women’s education in 19^th century England is one such topic worthy of inspection. This paper shall explore information in “Pride and Prejudice” in regards to the limitations and expectations of a 19^th century English woman’s education. 

In 19^th century England, women were under constant scrutiny.  A truly finished lady possessed characteristics which included a well-rounded education, which would in turn make them more cultured, polite, and socially accepted.  In Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”, it was assumed that ladies acquired an education which demonstrated their ability to be proper, however, in the time period of “Pride and Prejudice”, there was not a centralized government supported educational system.  Furthermore, there was no consistency concerning the education children received and this was particularly an issue concerning women’s education.  Barbara Swords in her article "Woman's Place in Jane Austen's England" wrote the following concerning the lack of formal centralized standards in a girls formative education; “The usual pattern of education was that first the girl was taught at home by her mother – in Northanger Abbey, we see Catherine Morland’s mother so engaged – then, the girl either attended a boarding school, as Jane and Cassandra Austen did, or were taught at home by a governess, as was Emma Woodhouse. In either case, a limited course of studies, conducted mainly by rote learning, was offered: drawing, dancing, piano playing, penmanship, grammar, spelling, elementary arithmetic, sometimes French. These studies were thought to be sufficient to provide a girl with the accomplishments necessary to attract a suitable husband” (Swords 76-82).

            During this era women did not attend the higher institutions of learning such as the universities. Additionally, Barbara swords provides the following remarks on this subject in her article; “There were for girls no public schools, like Winchester or Eton, or universities, like Oxford and Cambridge, as there were for boys. Therefore, each girl and young woman had to seek and carry out her own education” (Swords 76-82)   This caused a disparity in education among the sexes in variety of ways, most notable in the Classical languages Greek and Latin,  therefore, Classical learning became the exclusive domain of men.  Woman of the period would also lack the same exposure to Classical literature as men.  In this society the general perception was that women did not have a need for higher education.  So education for women was, in the words of Tammy Powley in her article "The Creation of Rhetorical Conversation", “unlike that of men who had been sent away to school and had a wider range of life experiences. A woman’s life was centered around the home, and due to her sex, she was “excluded . . . from certain kinds of experience. Even their emotional life was strictly regulated by law and custom” (Powley).  The general thought concerning female education was that they received instruction into what was considered practical and mostly in the support of their future domestic role.  In fact, Barbara Swords in her article conveys the following concerning this issue; “Some social historians have depicted “woman’s place” as very low, indeed: with few legal and economic rights or even receiving little respect, women can be seen as oppressed victims of a patriarchal society, subordinate first to their fathers and, then, to their husbands who had, of course, been selected by their fathers; some late eighteenth century authors of advice to girls and young women regarded women’s minds as limited in reason and not to be overtaxed with serious, intellectual education” (Swords 76-82).  

Moreover, any devotion toward studies in non-domestic education was to acquire talents that would attract a potential husband.  For this purpose, young women would strive to be considered an accomplished woman or have ‘accomplishments’.  For a young lady to be considered an accomplished woman they would need to have ‘accomplishments’ in one of the following areas drawing, singing, playing music, or speaking other languages, such as French and Italian.  The aforementioned study of languages would only be modern languages since the Classical languages, as mentioned earlier, would be the exclusive realm of men.  In “Pride and Prejudice” Miss Bingley confirms this assertion in her after dinner conversation with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth on the subject of accomplished women.  The following is Miss Bingley’s proclamation on the subject; "Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no [woman] can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved"(Austen Vol. 1 Ch. 8, 40).  Although the statement made by Miss Bingley on this topic had the obvious underling motive to win the approval of Mr. Darcy, it reflected the epitome or the apex of a woman’s education in 19^th century England.  Mr. Darcy confirmed that this was the expectation regarding the culmination of a young lady learning in his response; "All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading" (Austen Vol. 1 Ch. 8, 40).  Elizabeth Bennet being the consummate unconventional rebel in this story responded in the following fashion; "I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any” (Austen Vol. 1 Ch. 8, 40).  What Elizabeth is inferring by this response is that Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet are being overly picky and critical.  Furthermore, one could assume that Elizabeth was of the opinion that these ‘accomplishments’ were frivolous and not very useful.  It is likely her opinion was valid since these skills served the primary purpose of attracting a husband and were neglected and atrophied after marriage.

 In “Pride and Prejudice”, Elizabeth Bennet had an unconventional attitude regarding the convention of her time.  To provide an example, she had a somewhat nonchalant attitude towards her talent of playing the piano, and made a point not to practice it diligently.  Note Elizabeth’s attitude toward her ‘accomplishment’ to play the piano in the bellow excerpt from “Pride and Prejudice”;

“’My fingers,’ said Elizabeth, do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women's do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault -- because I would not take the trouble of practicing.  It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior execution.  Darcy smiled, and said, ``You are perfectly right. You have employed your time much better. No one admitted to the privilege of hearing you, can think any thing wanting. We neither of us perform to strangers.  Here they were interrupted by Lady Catherine, who called out to know what they were talking of. Elizabeth immediately began playing again. Lady Catherine approached, and, after listening for a few minutes, said to Darcy,  Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss, if she practised more, and could have the advantage of a London master. She has a very good notion of fingering, though her taste is not equal to Anne's. Anne would have been a delightful performer, had her health allowed her to learn.  Elizabeth looked at Darcy to see how cordially he assented to his cousin's praise; but neither at that moment nor at any other could she discern any symptom of love; and from the whole of his behavior to Miss De Bourgh she derived this comfort for Miss Bingley, that he might have been just as likely to marry her, had she been his relation.  Lady Catherine continued her remarks on Elizabeth's performance, mixing with them many instructions on execution and taste. Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of civility; and at the request of the gentlemen, remained at the instrument till her ladyship's carriage was ready to take them all home” (Austen Vol. 2 Ch. 8, 174-175). 

This excerpt aptly demonstrated Elizabeth’s lack luster disposition toward the social conventions and expectations of her era. 

There are plethora of social topics to explore in “Pride and Prejudice” most notable the nature of women’s education in 19^th century England.  This paper explored information in “Pride and Prejudice” in regards to the limitations and expectations of a 19^th century English woman’s education.  The supposition of this paper is that there were no requirements for academic education for women beyond what was required for domestic life and the acquisition of a suitable husband.  For 19^th century English women there were no avenues for advanced academic and even if such knowledge was attained there were few outlets in this society to utilize such knowledge.  Therefore, the motivating factor of  learning outside of preparation for marriage was solely for self-improvement, albeit that this was difficult to attain.  In conclusion, “Pride and Prejudice” reflects the realities of life in 19^th century England where women were extremely limited in their educational opportunities due to social paradigms and gender restrictions.

 

 

Works Cited

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

Powley, Tammy. "The Creation of Rhetorical Conversation." PERSUASIONS . 24.1 (2003): n. page. Web. 7 Apr. 2013. <http://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol24no1/powley.html>.

Swords, Barbara. "Woman's Place in Jane Austen's England." Persuasions. 10 (1988): 76-82. Web. 6 Apr. 2013.