Student Essay on Elizabeth Benett: a Challenge to Convention

Elizabeth Benett: a Challenge to Convention

Summary:   In Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen, Elizabeth Benett challeneges society and her social class. She challenges the gender roles of the nineteenth century by disregarding acts of propriety. Throughout the novel, she is held in contempt as being too disagreeable and athletic for a woman by the culture around her.

Elizabeth Bennet: A Challenge to Convention

"Girls have long been evaluated on the basis of appearance and caught in myriad double binds: achieve, but not too much, be polite, but be yourself, be feminine and adult; be aware of our cultural heritage, but don't comment on the sexism. . . . Girls are trained to be less than who they really are. They are trained to be what the culture wants of its young women, not what they themselves want to become."

-Mary Pipher, Psychologist

As a result of civilization and training, females have been taught to downplay their intellect and talent so as not to offend the male ego. Woman has been trained to sacrifice her needs and desires for the satisfaction of society and her man. This standard has only been challenged in recent years and for millennia remained accepted with very few exceptions. However, there are exceptions, and in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, these gender roles are tested and overcome. Austen's character Elizabeth Bennet does not adhere to such sexist expectations and, unlike many of the females illustrated in this nineteenth century novel, is brilliant, rebellious, and independent. Some argue that Austen, initially intending to refute the sexist values of her time, ultimately submits to these standards. However, this argument is simply not true; Elizabeth is just as defiant at the end of the novel as she is in the beginning. While it must be conceded that Lizzy does accept many of the norms of Austen's era, she still challenges gender roles by rejecting economic concerns and having the candidness to speak her mind. While a few other characters exemplify one of these traits as well, Lizzy is the only character who is able to maintain a balance between conformity and rudeness. As Bernard Paris says, "[Elizabeth] does not always say what she thinks, but she knows her own mind, and she tries not to mislead or to be forced into a false position by the demands of the occasion" (Swisher 38).

Unlike many women, Lizzy refuses to give up her preferences and consent to a marriage simply due to economic prudence. Society at the time dictated that matrimony should be conducted based on the economic gain of the female and social benefit of the male. The man, with the advantage of making the proposal, was able to choose a woman whom he was rather attracted to. Yet females, pressured to be married, were largely expected to overlook love. These standards are illustrated in Miss Lucas' marriage to Mr. Collins. In this union, all regard for attachment is disregarded for the financial security of marriage. In this society, "marriage with Mr. Collins [is] the preferable alternative." The norm of economic prudence is also shown with Jane. Miss Bennet, deterred by the news that Mr. Bingley allegedly wishes to pursue a more beneficial marriage, seeks to "meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance" (p 290). However, Elizabeth does not make the same sacrifices as her sister does. After Lizzy refuses Mr. Collins' proposal, he reminds her that he is well-connected and will inherit Longbourn; the marriage is prudent for her. However, these pressures fail to convince her, and she replies, "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" (p 95). Unlike Charlotte, Elizabeth does not give up her feelings for a socially acceptable marriage. "However magnificent her prospects as Darcy's wife, she cannot think of marrying him until she comes to care for him personally" (Swisher 35). Despite the economic gains she could win, Lizzy refuses to adhere to the same social expectations of Charlotte unless her happiness is guaranteed. Later, she again refuses to sacrifice her attachments for society. At this later point, marriage is imminent between Darcy and Lizzy. The latter is called upon by Lady Catherine who rudely asks, "Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody"" Lizzy hotly responds, "I am only resolved to act in that manner which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me." (p 307) Lizzy ignores that the marriage is imprudent and will offend Mr. Darcy's status. She does not allow her role as a humble, middle class woman to interfere with her happiness. Unlike Jane, she is not deterred by society's expectations. It is impossible to admit that Elizabeth is a completely static character in the novel. One must remember that her fondness for Mr. Darcy is conjured only after she sees his estate at Pemberley. However, "Elizabeth has a social regard for the social aspects of marriage, but she seems to represent at the outset a predominately individualistic point of view" (Swisher 36) While she is conscious of social expectations, unlike Jane and Charlotte, she refuses to let these norms decide her fate in life.

Elizabeth also disregards social norms and gender roles by taking the liberty to speak her mind. Most females in Austen's nineteenth century world would only speak in non-offensive terms. For example, when Miss Bingley begins to speak ill of Elizabeth, Georgiana simply will not join her. She chooses not to voice her opinion despite her regard for Lizzy simply not to upset Miss Bingley. However, Elizabeth does not submit to such repressive behavior. She speaks her mind, and her candidness is often directed towards Mr. Darcy. "She can be extremely direct when others trespass upon her dignity, as Darcy learns to his pain" (Swisher 39) She openly speaks of his haughtiness and her disregard for him. Even Mrs. Bennet, reminds her, "Remember where you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home" (p 35). Elizabeth does not follow the gender roles that even her socially inept mother is conscious of. Even through her marriage, this same outspoken behavior persists. Her marital behavior is observed by Georgiana, and the narrator dictates:

."..though at first she often listened with an astonishment bordering on alarm at her lively, sportive manner of talking to her brother. He, who had always inspired in herself a respect which almost overcame her affection, she now saw the object of open pleasantry." (p 333-334)

Georgiana's shock at Elizabeth's behavior shows how socially unacceptable it is. Miss Darcy is the paradigm of aristocratic breeding and a member of society. Her opinion reflects the consensus of the society that she is a model of. It is obvious then, that Elizabeth's defiance of the social standard of holding one's tongue persists even at the end of the novel. Elizabeth is the only character in the novel that succeeds at voicing her opinion while still remaining polite and retaining her manners. Jane never voices her opinion as shown when she refuses to talk to the Bingleys about Mr. Bingley's departure and the alleged sabotage. On the other hand, there are characters like Lady Catherine who is "supposed to be of irreproachable breeding, [but betrays] vulgarity and lack of courtesy in every sentence."

Elizabeth Bennet challenges the gender roles of the nineteenth century by disregarding acts of propriety. Throughout the novel, she is held in contempt as being too disagreeable and athletic for a woman by the culture around her. She is herself and achieves what she wants, a happy marriage. However, Lizzy is a fictional character. Even in these modern times of feminism, women are still expected to follow gender roles. The mold of these expectations has merely been expanded, not broken. A woman can go to college and become a professional, but if she wants to become CEO of her company she is regarded as a ruthless career woman. She can acknowledge that there is sexism, but if she refers to the glass ceiling or suggest that her husband be a stay-at-home-dad, she's a dreaded feminist. Today, women still have to sacrifice their needs and wants to fit in the nice box society has labeled "female." Women still have to ignore their achievements and intellect to keep her husbands happy. Unfortunately, there are very few non-fictional Elizabeth Bennets who are willing to challenge the changed gender roles, even today.