Social Class - Jane Eyre/Pride and Prejudice - 1761 Words

Examine the use of the theme of social class in ‘Jane Eyre’ and how this is illuminated by your reading of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. The novel ‘Jane Eyre’ highlights the idea of social class and the position of women in society. It tells the story of how protagonist Jane progresses through different social classes in life, beginning as the low position of an orphan and ending in the higher position of being both wealthy and married. Charlotte Bronte’s own social background was that of being relatively middle class as she was the daughter of a clergyman, which may have impacted on Jane’s attitude towards the ranks of society: it is shown at many points in the novel that social classes are unfair and prejudiced. Austen†¦show more content†¦She rebels against the opinions society has tried to enforce, desiring more, showing early feminist views. Becoming a governess in a stately manor home does little for Jane’s social standing. Though she now has a respectable job and behaves exactly as a lady should, for this was a key part of being a governess, she is treated appallingly by people who are in a ‘better’ class, such as Miss Ingram. Miss Ingram is continually rude to Jane, at one point calling her a ‘creeping creature’ which shows how she considers Jane to be a lesser-being due to her class. By using the word ‘creature’ it is implied that she is amongst the same class as animals: the word ‘creeping’ attaches connotations of Jane being sly and untrustworthy. When this is said, Jane does not say anything in return which implies that she, too, believes she is a lesser-being. This is also replicated by the use of Jane continually referring to Mr Rochester being at ‘Miss Ingram’s side’. Clearly, Jane believes that Miss Ingram has a better social standing and therefore she is more suited to Mr Rochester, another point that is repeated throughout the novel. Just like Miss Ingram, Austen wrote the character of Lady Catherine de Bourgh who possesses great wealth and social superiority. It i s said that Lady Catherine ‘likes to have the distinction of rank preserved’. Through this quote we can see howShow MoreRelatedPride And Prejudice And Jane Eyre1681 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte explore social class in a number of different ways throughout their novels Pride and the Prejudice and Jane Eyre. They do this through the use of stylistic devices which in turn appeals to their different audiences. Both Jane and Charlotte are notable writers for their remarkable texts. Jane Austen is known for playing a revolutionary role in the generation of English female literature, which was counteracted by this piece- and Charlotte Bronte alsoRead MoreJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte1124 Words   |  5 PagesJane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice were written in consecutive literary eras. Pride and Prejudice was written prior to Jane Eyre; Pride and Prejudice was written during the Regency Period and Jane Eyre was written in the Victorian Era (Kalikoff, Chin-Yi). Elizabeth, from Pride and Prejudice, marries a man named Mr. Darcy who was of a higher social class. Jane Eyre marries Rochester after she gains wealth from her uncle so their classes are equa l. Marriage was the survival tool for women; women wouldRead MoreJane Austen And Jane Eyre1967 Words   |  8 PagesPride and the Prejudice – Jane Austen Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte How is social class explored in both texts through the use of stylistic devices and how do the different perspectives help appeal to the audience? Introduction: Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte explore social class in a number of different ways throughout their novels Pride and the Prejudice and Jane Eyre. They do this through the use of stylistic devices, which in turn appeals to their different audiences. Both Jane and CharlotteRead MoreSocial Classes In Pride And Prejudice And Jane Eyre1605 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: In both texts; Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte explore social class in a number of ways. They do this through the use of their stylistic devices and this in turn appeals to their different audiences. Both Jane and Charlotte are notable writers for their remarkable texts. Jane Austen is known for playing a revolutionary role in the generation of English female literature, which was counteracted by this piece- and Charlotte Bronte further developed her feminist thoughts, which haveRead MoreJane Austen And Charlotte Bronte s Social Class1748 Words   |  7 PagesIn both texts, both authors; Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte explore social class in a number of ways. They do this through the use of their stylistic devices and this in turn appeals to their different audiences. Both Jane and Charlotte are notable writers for their remarkable texts. Jane Austen is known for playing a revolutionary role in the generation of English female literature, which was counteracted by this piece- and Charlotte Bronte further developed her feminist thoughts, which have beenRead MoreMarxist Criticism In Jane Eyre And Mansfield Park By Jane Austen1088 Words   |  5 PagesJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Mansfield Park by Jane Austen have many things in common but also contrast in many different ways. Marxist criticism shows how they relate and differ. Jane Eyre is about a young girl who lives with an abusive family and is sent away because she is unliked. Mansfield Park also similar to Jane Eyre, with Fanny Price living with an abusive family after her true family sends her away because they are so poor. When applying Marxist criticism how they are treated, whereRead MoreComparison Of Jane Eyre And Pride And Prejudice 2081 Words   |  9 Pages10/30/2017 Compare and Contrast the Social Caste System and Personal Ideations in the books â€Å"Jane Eyre† by Emily Bronte and â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† by Jane Austin Two names that ran the gauntlet of 19th century romance and changed the way on how it was written and depicted forever. These two history changing authors names were Jane Austen and Emily Bronte. Two well-known novels of the 19th century (â€Å"Jane Eyre† by Emily Bronte and â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† by Jane Austin) both have similarities, but alsoRead MoreFeminist Criticism Of Pride And Prejudice1220 Words   |  5 PagesA Truth Universally Acknowledged. A truth that should be universally acknowledged is that Pride and Prejudice is one of the best works of fiction in its category. Jane Austen’s nineteenth century novel has become one of the most popular works of English literature, with over twenty million copies sold and numerous film and television adaptations (Walsh). The novel falls under the category of nineteenth century English literature and proves successful in numerous criteria. The success of the novelRead MoreThe Importance Of Wealth And A Consumerist Nation1356 Words   |  6 Pages2015 Social Classholes: The Importance of Wealth Historically and in a Consumerist Nation One of the most important aspects of any novel is the theme. Furthermore, themes that express practicalities that people in the real world deal with regularly are that much more effecting. That’s why novels like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre are timeless; their themes are extremely important and will forever ring true in society. Most prevalently of the themes in these novels is social classRead More Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre: Love and Characterization2663 Words   |  11 Pagesmean the people involved love each other any less. There are countless novels that focus on the love between characters, and each character loves differently. In Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester and Jane have an impassioned affair, this affair is cut short by Jane’s realization that Mr.Rochester already has ties to another woman. In Pride and Prejudice, it is clear that Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy love each other very deeply, as Mr. Darcy is able to overcome his doubts about Elizabeth’s family, and