女性主义在文学作品中的体现

Feminism in literature work: To Pride and Prejudice as an
example
201205002796 邹玮含卓财12-1 Word-count: 926
The half of the human is women, but since the patriarchy society [1], their rights, value, appeals and wishes had been ignored for a long time. Before the 17th century, the women almost had no rights, in the ceremony of the church, the man is the owner of the women, women must following her husband or her father, all of the women belongs to her husband, on the other words, women is nothing without her husband. On the 18th century, the Enlightenment began, reformers began to critics this social phenomenon, and it is for this reason that the Feminism began to rise. It is in this period that a great amount of books describe the female published, such as Jane Eyre [2], Анна Каренина[3], Sense and Sensibility [4], and so on. A significant feature of these books is that the most of actress are desire to be respected; it is also one of the feature of Feminism literature.
The Feminism in narrow, we can look it as a kind of ideology. Except political movements, the biggest impact of Feminism was its thinking. It is because of this thinking, makes movies or books full of vitality. To Pride and Prejudice as an example, I will analyze the expression of this thinking in literature works.
The style of Jane Austen’s work is describing the daily life of the ladies and gentleman in England village, the Pride and Prejudice is no exception. Whole the novel is taking the emotional relationship between Miss. Lizzie and Mr. Darcy as the main line, and shows the view of marriage in England at that time ------ ‘It is a truth
universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife’[5]. In actually, what the novel told about is not a rich single man should marry a wife but a woman with no fortune should marry a rich man, it is also reflects the view of marriage at that time, on the other words, it is reflects the ethos that the women should subordinate to men.
In the novel, Miss. Lizzie born in a downfallen landowning family and the Mr. Darcy is a nobleman from North England where were industrializing. As the old family member from industrial city, Darcy look up down on rural families and business class. Like most of nobles, Darcy was arrogant and rude but elegant. Because of that, Lizzie was sick of Darcy, besides, she thinks Darcy is a selfish man and hard to get along with. While Lizzie expressing her prejudice to Darcy, her feminist idea was revealed at the same time, so she was not afraid when she face the gap of identity between she and Darcy. When Darcy proposes to Lizzie for the first time, Lizzie refused and berated him, shocked and speechless, the only can Darcy said is ‘sorry’. Under the view of feminism, Lizzie is an independent and thoughtful girl, married by Darcy is wonderful chance to change the situation for other women, but what the Lizzie pursing is not cling to others’money and position but her own independent and freedom, so she refused the propose of Mr. Darcy at the first time he asked although Darcy’s love is so deeply. Darcy’s refuse have profound social significance because all of her decides were depends on her Feminist thought. After that, Lizzie witnessed Darcy’s work and live, especially Darcy changes his pride and conceit, because of that, Lizzie removes her prejudice to Darcy many days later and gets married with Mr.
Darcy.
It is not difficult to find that what Lizzie attracts Darcy is not her appearance but her mind. Darcy is attracted by Lizzie’s words, her attitude that not yield to traditional views, her advocate freedom, her independent, her brave to face the gap of identity and her candor. The Pride and Prejudice breached shackles of Masculinity in that period to build the subjective consciousness of the female and the position of female writing. This work breached the prejudice to women in traditional literature works and bring the fault to man. Compare with Brontë sisters [6], the style of Jane Austen is more modest and ironic, but it can yet be regarded as a valuable significance of women’s liberation at that time. Whatever, the Pride and Prejudice had reflects the social flavors of 18th century that the marriage based on money and social status, but Jane Austen had raised objections to this social phenomenon in this book. Besides, unlike the traditional literature works, the Pride and Prejudice has emphasized the ‘will and desire’ of women, preach the independent of women, and inspire the women to pursuit what they need. All told, the Pride and Prejudice has open the window for feminist literature, and the feminist literary works has open the road for women’s liberation.
Citation:
[1] Patriarchy society: Male-dominated society.
[2] Jane Eyre: Published in 1847, written by Charlotte Brontë.
[3] Анна Каренина: Written in 1874-1877, by Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy.
[4] Sense and Sensibility: Published in 1811, the first work of Jane Austen.
[5] ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife’: The opening words of Pride and Prejudice.
[6] Bronte sisiters: Charlotte Bronte, the writer of Jane Eyre. Emily Bronte, the writer of Wuhering Heights. Anne Bronte, the writer of Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.。