Patriarchy in Jane Austens Sense and Sensibility Essay

Patriarchy in Jane Austens Sense and Sensibility Despite the fact that Jane Austen has become what Julian North describes as a â€Å"conservative icon in popular culture† signified by her depictions of â€Å"traditional class and gender hierarchies, sexual propriety and Christian values,† the novel _Sense and Sensibility_ provides, if not a feminist perspective, a feminist discourse lacking in Emma Thompson’s film version (North 38). In this essay, I attempt to argue briefly that the novel, which initially seems to uphold cultural norms of sexuality and does little to question women’s subaltern position, can be read to undermine the patriarchy and especially male-controlled courtship rituals. Next I seek to demonstrate how the film’s†¦show more content†¦Julian North, noting that critics have often read Elinor’s triumphant sense as validating an anti-individualist reactionary viewpoint in which â€Å"the self must submit to the moral and religious order of society,† offers a contrasting opinion (39). Other critics â€Å"read adherence to conservative ideology as a ‘cover story’†¦for the ‘implicitly rebellious vision’†¦of a writer acutely conscious of the confinements of patriarchy† (North 39). This feminist reading of _Sense_ is most cogent when the reader is privileged to Elinor’s own thoughts. Elinor’s sense, manifested in her stoic silence and inner thoughts, contrasts with Marianne’s sensibility, notably with her emotive soliloquies and dialogues, to offer a verbal resistance to their mutual misfortune. The discourse between sense and sensibility in the book offers a means to combat the misfortune the women in the novel suffer, and each temperament leads its possessor to ultimate happiness, even if sense is clearly favored. Similarly, the sisterly bond of the Dashwoods offers an alternative narrative to the traditional courtship romance. Deborah Kaplan acknowledges that several critics that â€Å"the friendships of the women characters with one another are at least as important as their relationships with male characters† and that these relationships â€Å"sometimes seem[] to overshadow Sense and Sensibility’s courtship plot† (184). Perhaps the most noticeable deviation from the two courtship plots in the novel isShow MoreRelatedJane Austens Novel Sense and Sensibility: An Analysis1492 Words   |  6 PagesJane Austens groundbreaking novel Sense and Sensibility is a relationship-driven account of female protagonists. Sense and Sensibility shares much in common with other novels by and about women. Themes like autonomy versus independence and the role of women in a patriarchal society are explored in Sense and Sensibility. Using two sisters to symbolize the different direct ions the female spirit can be pulled, Austen shows the variable ways women respond to political, social, and economic oppressionRead MoreJane Austen Critical Analysis1220 Words   |  5 Pagesthrough their work’s content or theme. In the case of Jane Austen, an eighteenth-nineteenth century novelist, writing style and theme are two things she is most admired and remembered for. Austen’s main themes encompass her views of the roles and values of women, family, and marriage in her era. In addition to this, her opinion of how social status affected each of those also lies within her words. Although there is criticism about what Austen’s writing lacks, there is also praise of her particularRead MoreFeminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice2078 Words   |  9 PagesFEMINIST UNDERTONES IN ‘PRIDE AND PREJUDICE’ Introduction Jane Austen authored the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in 1813, a period in the social history of England that saw most women as best equipped for the private and domestic realm. An ideal woman was the picture of chastity, innocence and compliancy. Even women authors in this period were expected to adhere to genres that were considered to be solely their domain- the refined arts, householdRead MoreElizabeth in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Essay1949 Words   |  8 PagesFauconier Jane Austen, a writer in 19th Century England, wrote about what she knew; namely the societal norms of her era and class. In a time where men were given all the status and privileges, she wrote novels predominantly about women, their position in society, and the roles that they played. Since women were not entitled to property, they would often grow up with the goal of finding a suitable husband (Guidelines 1990:1). It is for this reason that people have criticised Jane Austen’s writings