内江师范学院本科毕业论文（设计）
本科毕业论文
题 目:类 型： 论文 设计□ 创作□
专 业： 英 语
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二Ο一 年 月
Contents
Abstract.....................................................................................................................................2 Introduction.............................................................................................................................3 I. Elizabeth’s Rebellious Spirit..........................................................................................3
A. Elizabeth’s Courage of Revolting Against Feudal Virtues.................................................3
1. Opposing Traditional Ethics.....................................................................................................4
2. Opposing Flattery......................................................................................................................5
3. Opposing the Unequal Status....................................................................................................5
B. Elizabeth’s Views on Marriage.............................................................................................6
1. Refusing Mr. Collins’s Proposal...............................................................................................7
2. Refusing Mr. Darcy’s Proposal.................................................................................................8 II. The Factors of Elizabeth’s Rebellion........................................................................9
A. Extrinsic Factors...................................................................................................................9
1. Social Background....................................................................................................................9
2. The Author’s Influence on Elizabeth........................................................................................9
B. Intrinsic Factors..................................................................................................................10
1. Elizabeth’s Family...................................................................................................................10
2. Education................................................................................................................................10 III. The Incompleteness of Elizabeth’s Rebellion.....................................................10 Conclusion..............................................................................................................................11 Notes........................................................................................................................................ 13 Bibliography…......................................................................................................................14 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................15
Abstract: Elizabeth Bennet was the central figure in Pride and Prejudice. She was an intelligent, independent and thoughtful girl. She was a new female who had the spirit of rebellion and independent personality. This article will be discussed from three aspects for Elizabeth’s rebellion: Elizabeth’s rebellious spirit; the factors of Elizabeth’s rebellion; the incompleteness of Elizabeth’s rebellion.
Key Words: Elizabeth Bennet; courage; rebellious spirit; views on Marriage
摘要：伊丽莎白·贝内特是《傲慢与偏见》的中心人物。她聪明, 独立,有主见，是一个具有反抗精神和独立人格的新女性。本文将从三个方面论述伊丽莎白的反抗精神：伊丽莎白反抗精神；影响伊丽莎白反抗的原因；伊丽莎白的反抗不彻底。
关键词：伊丽莎白；勇气；反抗精神；婚姻观
An Analysis of Elizabeth’s Rebellion in Pride and Prejudice Introduction
Jane Austen is one of the outstanding realism novelists in British in the early 19th century. Most of her novels’ themes are about love and marriage. Pride and Prejudice is one of the representative works of the author. In this work, Jane Austen expressed her views on marriage through a combination of four pairs of young men and women. She thought that it was wrong to get married for property, money and status, but without considering the above factors, one was also stupid. Therefore, she stressed that it was important to treat love and equality as the foundation of an ideal marriage.
Jane Austen depicted a series of vivid images, in which the image of Elizabeth was the most outstanding who become one of the typical images in the literary world. And the author poured all her heart and soul to the image. So Elizabeth was not only the most brilliant female images in this novel, but also was Jane Austen’s favorite one. In the novel, Elizabeth Bennet, the main female protagonist in Pride and Prejudice, was an intelligent, independent and thoughtful female. Her traits are similar to the author’s, for this reason, Elizabeth is often treated as the spokesperson of the author in a lot of comments and articles to analyze the author’s views on love and marriage.
Therefore, in order to fully understand the theme of novel and to further understand the author’s ideas, this article will analyze Elizabeth’s rebellion from three aspects: Elizabeth’s rebellious spirit; the factors of Elizabeth’s rebellion; the incompleteness of Elizabeth’s rebellion. Thus, this is a character of Elizabeth’s typical significance, and even she is a real woman who dares to revolt the traditional morality and notion in those days.
I. Elizabeth’s Rebellious Spirit
A. Elizabeth’s Courage of Revolting against Feudal Virtues
In Jane Austen’s days, for an accomplished woman of the “well-bred” society, “a woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing and the modern languages to deserve the world; and besides all these, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the world will be but half deserved”, 1 and “to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading”. (Pride and Prejudice 33) Although the standard was applied to judging all the women, the function of the accomplishments was just to
attract rich gentlemen. However, these accomplishments would be almost ignored after they got married.
In order to revolt against the feudal virtues, Elizabeth expressed her disapproval, “I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you described, united”. (Pride and Prejudice 33) As a matter of fact, Elizabeth preferred to improve her mind and extensively read books rather than became such an accomplished woman. She didn’t play the piano well just because she would like to practice the piano with freedom. Besides, she possessed the ability of execution as any other women. Above all, Elizabeth’s feminine rebellious spirit to rebel against the feudal virtues can be proved as the following aspects.
1. Opposing Traditional Ethics
Elizabeth was a typical character who was brave to challenge the traditional ethics. On hearing that her sister was sick, she was so worried about her sister’s health that she walked to Netherfield in the terrible weather for three miles without any hesitation. “With weary ankles, dirty stockings and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise,” (Pride and Prejudice 27) Miss Bingley abused Elizabeth’s dirty appearance as soon as she was out of the room, but Elizabeth was appreciated by Mr. Bingley, he thought, “it shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing”. (Pride and Prejudice 30) Also Elizabeth received Mr. Darcy’s respect for caring for her sick sister.
According to the traditional ethics, it was disagreeable to allow the younger sisters to go out to have social activities before the elder sisters got married. When Lady Catherine asked Elizabeth whether her younger sisters went out to take part in social activities and she was so surprised because all Elizabeth’s sisters were out at once. In Lady Catherine’s opinion, it was an unbelievable and unacceptable fact that the younger girl went out to take part in social activities before the elder got married in Elizabeth’s family.
There is a surprising answer that Elizabeth retorted to Lady Catherine:
I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, which they should not have their share
of society and amusement because the elder may not have the means or inclination to marry
early. The last born has as good a right to the pleasure of youth as the first. And to be kept back
on such a motive! I think it would be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind.
(Pride and Prejudice 144)
Elizabeth valued affection with her sisters instead of the social virtues or other people’s views. Therefore, she was a rebellious and independent female who had a completely fearless
attitude to rebel against the power of the traditional ethics.
2. Opposing Flattery
When Miss Bingley ironically said that Elizabeth distained to play cards and she was just keen on nothing but reading and she was a great reader, Elizabeth argued that she didn’t deserve such compliment or such blame because she was interested in a lot of things. When Darcy talked about his idea of accomplished women, instead of showing agreement or flattering to him, Elizabeth expressed her opposite view that she had never saw such a perfect woman who has possession of such capacity, taste, application and grace as Darcy described. Collins was a man who was good at flattering in the novel. Before visiting the Bennets, Collins wrote a letter to introduce himself in which the flattering words can be read from the beginning to the end. When he had a meal with the Bennets, Collins continuously spurted out flattering words to praise the wonderful dinner. Then Elizabeth freely asked if he prepared those words for “heart”, he barely disguisedly admitted it. All those he did left Elizabeth a bad impression on him.
Collins was a real flatterer. He always thought highly of other people, especially Lady Catherine. When they were invited to have a dinner with Lady Catherine, Collins told Elizabeth:
Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far
form requiring that elegance of dress in us, which becomes herself and daughter. I would advise
you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest, there is no occasion for
anything more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She
likes to have the distinction of rank preserved. (Pride and Prejudice 140)
Towards Collins’s flattering words about Lady Catherine, Elizabeth felt disgusted by those words but just chosen to ignore it. Even to face Lady Catherine, whose status was higher than her, Elizabeth didn’t look down upon her nor had a decision to praise Lady Catherine. Because Elizabeth had never heard any extraordinary achievement or miraculous virtue of Lady Catherine who deserved her respect, except that she possessed money and social status.
3. Opposing the Unequal Status
It was valuable that Elizabeth had a high sense of self-respect, even if she was a female who was only twenty years old. Facing kinds of standards and principles in society, she never shown any fear or flinch, on the contrary, she expressed her resistance in her own ways and maintained her dignity. Some conflicts between Lady Catharine and Elizabeth adequately reflected this personality of Elizabeth.
In Pride and Prejudice, Lady Catherine was an arrogant, domineering and defiant old lady. Nevertheless, Elizabeth didn’t show any timid or respect to Lady Catharine after she knew that Lady Catharine run more affairs than the member of public security committee in the whole Kent Country, and she often went to village to solve dispute and quell exasperation.
Lady Catherine was surprised unexpectedly that a family without any governess for five daughters, and she believed that those girls must be lack of education. Elizabeth denied with the words “compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as wished to learn, never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle certainly might”. (Pride and Prejudice 144) When Lady Catherine asked Elizabeth’s age, replied Elizabeth with a smile, “with three younger sisters growing up, your Ladyship can hardly expect me to own it”. (Pride and Prejudice 145)
The Lady Catherine was very astonished at receiving such answers, and Elizabeth was the first person who had ever dared to revolt to the dignified lady.
In the novel, there is another brilliant dialogue between Lady Catharine and Elizabeth.
The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to
be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you wound not
wish to quit the sphere in which you have been brought up.
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.
True. You are a gentleman’s daughter. But what was your mother? Who are your uncles and
aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition.
Whatever my conditions may be, says Elizabeth, if your nephew does not object to them,
they can be nothing to you. (Pride and Prejudice 308)
In this dialogue, we can see Lady Catharine felt superior to Elizabeth and looked down upon her and her family. However, facing those overbearing questions of Lady Catharine, Elizabeth kept calm and took them easy. Elizabeth was very confident and clever in replies, which not only kept her own dignity and family’s prestige, but also given Lady Catharine a big counterattack.
B. Elizabeth’s Views on Marriage
The late 18th century, although women had obtained some freedom, but marriage was still the only way to have a better life for women. The first and foremost factor to be considered was the suitable finance in a marriage. For men, when they chose wives they paid more attention to women’ appearances and characters. However, they actually desired a
well-matched marriage in traditional ideas. Therefore, for those young ladies who had no any property to inherit or didn’t received a better education, like Elizabeth, the way to change their fates was waiting for the charming prince to save them, or chose to be tutors. At that time, what’s worse, tutors’ status was very low, even lower than the maids’. As a result, many young ladies chose the safe way, like Charlotte in the novel, chose to marry Mr. Collins. To get married with a rich man, in their opinions, can insure a decent life without worrying about clothes and food in the future.
Under the background, there were few women who would like to think about the true meaning of marriage. However, Elizabeth dared to challenge the tradition principle and clearly realized that marriage should be based on love and equality. Although she knew that she had no advantage over the property and social status, she still didn’t give in to the objective reality. Elizabeth thought highly of her position in a marriage, so the two refusing proposals reflected Elizabeth’s views on marriage, namely, it was wrong to marry someone for money, fame or status, marriage should be based on love and equality.
1. Refusing Mr. Collins’s Proposal
Mr. Collins was the inheritor of Mr. Bennet, who thought his proposal to any one of Miss Bennets was a kind of salvation. Firstly, Collins decided to propose to Jane, unfortunately, he was told that Jane could be engaged with another gentleman. Then, he turned to propose to Elizabeth with Mrs. Bannet’s advice. His funny proposal has always been regarded as one of the most exciting comedy in the novel. Elizabeth firmly refused Collins’s proposal in spite of her mother’s threat and entreaty.
However Collins said,
It does not appear to that my hands is unworthy your acceptance, or that the establishment
I can offer would be any other than highly desirable. My connections with the family of De
Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, are circumstances highly on its favor; and you should
take into your farther consideration that in spite of your marriage may ever be made you. Your
portion is unhappily so small that it win in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and
amiable qualifications. As I must therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of
me, I shall chose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the
usual practice of elegant females. (Pride and Prejudice 96)
Collins self-deceivingly believed that Elizabeth was just, as the fair maiden’s rational approach, to conceal inner ecstasy and to keep reserve on the surface. Above all, Collins’s arrogant tone and his sense of superiority appeared vividly on papers, and his words showed
the truth that wealth dominated the lifeblood of marriage in that time.
With regard to Collins’s words, cried Elizabeth, “you can’t make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so”; (Pride and Prejudice 95) and “I thank you again and again for the honor you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. ” (Pride and Prejudice 96)
Unlike Charlotte, Elizabeth’s best friend, Elizabeth would never change her principle and her faith in pursuing true love even if she will be a spinster. Her view on marriage was that love is more important than finance. Elizabeth seemed to be independent, shocking, with a lot of courage, thus it can be seen that Elizabeth emphasized the importance of love in marriages.
2. Refusing Mr. Darcy’s Proposal
Mr. Darcy was from a noble family and was rich and handsome, who was the ideal marriage partner for young ladies. Meanwhile, he had a strong noble sense of honor, with elegant figure and good behavior, was striving for perfection. He always wore an arrogant expression and cared about the concept of class. So he despised Mrs. Bennet’s foolishness, vulgarity and snobbishness, also looked down on Elizabeth’s uncle who was engaged in business, even believed that Elizabeth reduced the chances to marry a rich man because of those poor relatives with low status. Elizabeth and Darcy met each other at the first time on a ball and left a bad impression on each other. At the party, Darcy told his friend about Elizabeth, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me”. (Pride and Prejudice 8) On the contrary, Elizabeth disgusted Darcy’s arrogance and she said “I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.” (Pride and Prejudice 15) But soon after, on the one hand, Darcy was attracted by Elizabeth’s wisdom and he felt in love with her. On the other hand, although Elizabeth still didn’t have a good impression on Darcy, she gradually admired Darcy’s knowledge. But she was still biased against Darcy because of Mr. Wickham’s provoking dissention. When Darcy had courage to propose to her, she resolvedly refused him which not just because of her own prejudice, more importantly is because Darcy had a tendency to feel the superiority in class and the concept of well-matched marriage, instead of loving Elizabeth with the attitude of equality. So Elizabeth furiously told Darcy that he was the last man in the world she would like to marry. Therefore, Elizabeth refused Darcy’s proposal was a rebellion of the concept of well-matched in society at that time, which reflected her views that women should have equal status in marriage.
Above all, Elizabeth was a representative of rebellion against traditional marriage. Her
marriage reflected her courage to revolt against the traditional views on marriages, which was, she pursued the perfect marriage which should be based on love and equality.
II. The Factors of Elizabeth’s Rebellion
A. Extrinsic Factors
1. Social Background
Generally speaking, the social background is important to a novel, which can reflect the special custom and value for the specific society.
Pride and Prejudice was one of Jane Austen’s works, which appeared on the English literary stage in 1813. Britain was dominated by the patriarchy in the early 19th century, so that the status of women was very low, they faced a lot of practical problems. For example, women’ social status was not equal to men’s; women were lacking of education; women bore the burdens of marriage and so on. However, at the same time, Women’s Liberation Movement had lasted for over 200 years, its aims were to obtain the women’ equal rights on economic and social status. The first Women’s Liberation Movement was also the primary social background for the novel—Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth Bennet, the main female protagonist in the novel, was a representative character who struggled against traditional society. However, feminist consciousness was still in the bud of that era, which needed a further development. Therefore, Elizabeth’s spirit of rebellion was incomplete to some extent.
2. The Author’s Influence on Character
From some aspects to say, Elizabeth was an image of the individual of Jane Austen, because they had many similarities. First of all, their family backgrounds were similar. They lived in a happy family of the middle class in the south of England and both were the second daughter in their families. Although they were not rich, they had a simply life and had freedom without any restraint. Secondly, they had the same hobbies. They often went to visit friends and attended country dance party. Thirdly, they had the same affection to their families. They loved their families very much. The most intimate friends of them were their elder sister, and they opened heart to their elder sister and trusted each other. Fourth, they had the same view on marriage.
Women’s status was very low in Austen’s age, which treated male as the center of the society. So women had no rights to inherit the property of their families. Therefore, if a female wanted to guarantee her property and status, the only way was to marry a rich man no matter whether there existed love between them. However, both Austen and Elizabeth’s view of
marriage were that marriage should be based on love, respect and understanding each other.
As these reasons are indicated, Austen sharped the vivid character of Elizabeth according to her own personality, so Elizabeth was a reflection of Jane Austen.
B. Intrinsic Influence
1. Elizabeth’s Family
Elizabeth was the second daughter in a middle class family. Although her family was not rich, Elizabeth and her sisters were free. Elizabeth’s mother was foolish, snobbish and vulgar, and the business of her life seemed to get her daughters to marry rich men. So some sisters of Elizabeth were lacking of education and rule. Elizabeth sometimes felt ashamed of her mother and the frivolous youngest sister, even so she couldn’t tolerate other people who look down upon her families. Her youngest sister Lydia eloped with the military officer Wickham, which brought her family a big shame. Moreover, her friends and relatives were not well educated and not rich, which also brought a shame to her family in public. Fortunately, on the one hand, Elizabeth’s father was an optimistic, sensible and educated person. Elizabeth was the most beloved daughter of Mr. Bennet, and he always disciplined Elizabeth with proper words and action. So Elizabeth respected her father very much and she was willing to talk with him, even she asked for help to her father when her mother forced her to marry Collins. On the other hand, Elizabeth’s elder sister Jane was graceful, beautiful and understanding girl. They slept together, sharing laugh and sorrow, so they were very close to each other.
2. Education
Elizabeth only received the secondary education. Compared with the female from noble rank, she accepted less education. Although she was not as graceful as those young noble ladies, she was intelligent, thoughtful, calm and brave when she faced difficulties. Furthermore, Elizabeth was inclined to extensively read books and improve her mind so that she could increase her knowledge and expand her horizon. In these aspects, those nobility ladies who received higher education could not compare with Elizabeth. Therefore, Elizabeth was able to enrich her own mind with knowledge and courage; also she was not afraid of the nobility and was not ready to flatter them.
III. The Incompleteness of Elizabeth’s Rebellion
With the change from the late 18th century to the early 19th century, the awareness of feminine consciousness was immature which needed to be developed a lot further. Although Elizabeth’s rebellious spirit has been proved from several aspects, her rebellious spirit was still
not complete.
“All literary works can be thought about in terms of how they represent gender difference and how far they may be said to reinforce or question gender role stereotypes”.2 Elizabeth sometimes judged someone by his or her appearance and detested the poor. She was blind in her first love with Wickham who had handsome appearance, sweet words and charming manner. When Wickham appreciated himself and slandered Darcy, unexpectedly, the clever Elizabeth lost her accurate judgment. She didn’t suspect Wickham’s words with so many flaws, and she only thought Darcy was an immoral man. However, the truth is that Wickham was an immoral and low status man who was extremely greedy for money. Before knowing the true Wickham, Elizabeth was full of affection to him. When Elizabeth’s aunt said that to marry such young man won’t be happy because he had no property and no stable income, Elizabeth agreed with her aunt and restraint her affection to Wickham.
Moreover, Elizabeth suffered by her own wisdom. She could see through the hypocrisy of Miss Bentley, but she lost accurate judgment to the observation of her sister love; she had prejudice against Darcy. What’s more, Elizabeth was a little vain. When Elizabeth traveled to the Pemberley with Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner, encountering Darcy, she was satisfied with Darcy’s polite manner. “She feels absolutely ashamed of herself of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling that she had been blind, partial prejudice, absurd”. (Pride and Prejudice 225)
These aspects show Elizabeth still kept some bad quality as other people and her rebellious spirit was not incompleteness. The development of anyone’s character can hardly escape from the limit of the historical background no matter how outstanding and hard-working he is. So Elizabeth was hard to get away from the limit of society.
Conclusion
In this novel, Austen rebelled the phenomenon that women were prejudiced, she not only described woman as an independent character at the first time in literary history, but also manifested woman’s subjective consciousness and status. She firmly believed that men and women were equally developed intellectually and rationally, that women needed to learn some genuine skills not just on the surface, that women should have the ability of self-awareness and have an ideal pursuit of happiness.
Jane Austen was compelled to accomplish an almost unprecedented feat—to become an artist while remaining a lady.3 With her unique style of simplicity, depicted a distinct
personality, Elizabeth, who dared to counter unfair status in class and unfair traditional marriage. Elizabeth’s image reflected the seeds of the woman’s movement, women’ spirit of pursuing independence and equal status at that time. She subverted the traditional virtues that were no longer under the domination of patriarchy. She had a distinct personality and independent thought that indicated the women pursuing equality, which was different from the era of female consciousness and humanity connotation. Elizabeth’s two refusing proposals can be said to be a mock and challenge to the traditional concept of marriage.
Although Elizabeth’s rebellious spirit was incomplete, she showed her courage to rebel the feudal virtues, her determination to change the traditional rules and virtues; she pursued an ideal marriage with love and the idea of equality. Such Elizabeth is the lifeblood of a person, is to be able to live in real life, and can even live in around us.
Furthermore, Elizabeth’s rebellious spirit has shown a new trend: more and more women would struggle against traditional restrictions, win their equal social status and deserved rights. Thus, they could determine their own lives and marriages in the future.
Notes
1. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (New York: Bantam Classics, 2003) 33. Subsequent documentation of quotation from this novel will be in text-notes (title of the book followed by page number or numbers) within parentheses.
2. Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle, An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory (Michigan: Prentice Hall Europe, 1999) 142.
3. Annette T. Rubinstein, The Great Tradition in English History: From Shakespeare to Jane Austen (Michigan: Citadel Press, 1962) 329.
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Acknowledgments
I am very grateful to all my teachers in the School of Foreign Languages of ...., to whom I owe much of my knowledge in the English language. But my most sincere gratitude goes to my tutor, ....., for her insightful criticisms, invaluable help and constant encouragement throughout the composition of my paper. This paper would never have been finished without her gracious patience and conscientious guidance.
I also owe the completion of this paper to my classmates and roommates, who have shown great friendship to me during the four years of my undergraduate study.
Meanwhile, I would like to dedicate this paper to my parents whose love means the strongest support in my life.