Ba 1v3717

General Introduction

1. Topic 2. Motivation 3. Theme 4. Problematic 5. Research Question 6. Hypotheses 7. Research Methodology 8. Structure of the Dissertation

1

General Introduction 1.

Topic Trying to list every important work of British literature is equivalent to keeping a

cataloged inventory of every grain of sand on the British islands‘ shores. The width and depth of topics, styles, materials, and authors is simply staggering. From early epics about heroes and warriors from before 1000 AD to the captivating saga of a young wizard intent on defeating evil in the twenty-first century, British literature has a little something for everyone. With broad categories ranging from the romantic to the satirical, styles ranging from the sonnet to the novel to the play, and authors ranging from illiterate storytellers to Nobel Prize winners, British literature remains one of the cornerstones of literature curriculum around the world. Sense and Sensibility was Jane Austen's first published novel. Although similar to her other novels in plot, tone, and type of characters, Sense and Sensibility differs from the others in its representation of the courtship of two sisters; rather than one heroine, there are two. Elinor, the subdued, quiet one, and Marianne, the emotional, outgoing one, are contrasting character types Austen would use alternately in later novels. In addition, Sense and Sensibility brings to the fore issues of property, patronage, and gender that were prominent in the years following the French Revolution. Like Austen's other novels, Sense and Sensibility is regarded as a classic and is still widely read.

2.

Motivation

The choice of Jane Austen is mainly based on our interest in her novel, which are real pictures of the British society in the nineteenth century where women lived in bad circumstances. They were treated as slaves or animals under the control of men, which prevented them from achieving their desires. Jane Austen wanted to state that women are strong and rational and they seek to be respected and ired. She could also show the value of women in society as human beings capable to achieve their aims.

2

General Introduction 3.

Theme Critics agree that Sense and Sensibility reflects Austen's own experience in of her

role as a woman in her family and in post-Revolutionary society. Austen's situation as a young woman mirrored that of the Dashwood sisters at the outset of the novel: after her father's death, Austen, along with her mother and sister, were forced to rely on the benevolence of relatives (in Austen's case, (her brothers)) for financial . Although the novel is not autobiographical, Austen understood the position of women who were deprived of the means to earn an income but needed to maintain their social standing. This predicament was also reflected in the Steele sisters, who were without parents and were wards of their uncle, but who relied on coquetry and intrigue (considered vulgar in postRevolutionary society) for social advancement. The worst of court culture (artificial politeness and social games) is demonstrated through the Dashwoods.

4.

Problematic In this study we tried to delve into the intricacies of a female writer when having a

feminist stand in her literary works.

5.

Research Question Is there any feminist flavor in Jane Austen‘s Sense and Sensibility?

6.

Hypotheses It is hypothesized that Jane Austen used feminist tools to convey her message; she wrote

about love, marriage, beliefs.

7.

Research methodology In this study, we are offering a reading of Jane Austen‘s sense and sensibility; we have

concentrated on what makes her gain universal popularity, and her ability to create the illusion of psychologically believable and self-reflecting characters throughout a literary analysis of her characters.

3

General Introduction 8.

Structure of the Paper This research is divided in two parts: theoretical part and practical one. The first part will

contain two chapters; the first chapter in its first part will present an overview about Jane Austen‘s life and times in brief, in the second part, a literary view on the novel Sense and Sensibility. The second chapter will provide a theoretical background on ―feminism‖; the second part will include the third chapter which will provide a critical reading of Sense and Sensibility on the light of Feminist criticism.

4

5

Outline

1. Introduction 2. Jane Austen‘s life and society 3. Literary view on Sense and Sensibility 3.1 Sense and Sensibility Summary 3.2 Characters 3.2.1 Main characters

3.3 Style in Sense and Sensibility 4. Conclusion

6

Chapter One 1.

Introduction During the eighteenth century, Britain witnessed philosophical, religious, economical,

political and literary changes which contribute to the birth of many poets, playwrights and writers who were the off springs of English literature. Among these writers were: Walter Scott, Jane Austen and many others. In this chapter, our interest is to focus on Jane Austen‗s life, society and her works.

2.

Jane Austen ‘s life and society As Jane Austen‘s life began, the global power that was Great Britain, under the rule of

King George III who was in the midst of a growing conflict with its American colonies, which would result in the American Revolutionary War. This military conflict would be the first of three wars Great Britain would participate in during Austen‘s short life. A decade after the North American colonies gained independence, the British Empire in the wake of the French Revolution would enter the Napoleonic Wars, and by 1812 was once again clashing with its former protectorate the United States. During this period of foreign upheaval the domestic English society in which Jane Austen was born into, women were not usually given the educational opportunities offered to men and marriage was the only viable option for economic security and being part of the social norm. Ironically, while most of Austen‘s works centered on the business of providing husbands for daughters, she never married leading to speculation l on her sexuality and social graces. In the 18th century English society in which Jane Austen lived, the male of a family was given educational opportunities that were not always afforded to the ladies of the household. Fortunately, for Austen, she was born into a family that valued education to both sons and daughters, and she was encouraged by her family to produce literature. Born in Hampshire England in the parish of Steventon, she was the daughter of Reverend George and Cassandra Leigh Austen. She came into the world on December 16, 1775 and was the sixth child in a family of five boys and two girls. Reverend Austen was a refined and successful clergyman who fostered education in his family so Jane and her siblings received most of their schooling at home. Reading and play acting were favorite past times of the children, so Jane began her writings at an early age, and at times used them for family entertainment. 7

Chapter One Some of her earliest writings were Eleanor, Marianne, and Lady Susan both written in 1795. In 1796, she wrote First Impressions. From 1797 to 1798 Austen wrote three novels; Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. Sense and Sensibility was published in 1811 and it is the story of two sisters and their romantic adventures. Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 and tells the tale of the five Bennett sisters and their search for husbands. Northanger Abbey was published in 1818 and was a satire of the popular gothic romances of the era. In 1801, the Austen family moved to Bath and in 1805, Reverend Austen died. The family left Bath for Clifton in 1806 and then to Castle Square, Southampton in 1807. In 1809, they settled at Chawton Hampshire in a home owned by Jane‘s brother Edward. By 1811, after a period of unproductiveness, Jane quickly created three new novels; Mansfield Park in 1811, Emma in 1814 and Persuasion in 1815, all of which deal with romantic entanglements of strongly characterized heroines. Although Jane Austen wrote of romance and idealistic love she never married. She was engage briefly to Harris Bigg Wither a long time friend, but she withdrew from the offer the following day. She was considered an attractive and intelligent woman so these were not deterrents to marriage. Jane lived with her mother, her sister Cassandra and a friend Martha Lloyd in Hampshire England until Jane moved to Winchester in May of 1817 because of ill health. Diagnosed with Addison‘s disease, a tubercular disease of the kidneys, Austen was only forty one years old when she died in her sisters arms in the early hours of July 18, 1817. Austen was buried in Winchester Cathedral. Jane Austen is now thought of as one of the greatest English authors and considered by many as the first great woman novelist. Austen wrote of the provincial life times in which she lived and had sufficient knowledge of the middle class, gentry and aristocracy, and these surroundings became the places and characters of her novels. The plots of her works focus on misunderstood feelings, human weakness and social obligations. Her novels are still being republished with most of them gaining present day acceptance and have been made into motion picture and television productions.

8

Chapter One The characters of Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice; Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility, and Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightly of Emma have become the romantic counterparts of today‘s ―chick flicks‖. Overall, the pretty, clever Jane Austen, author of six books, four which were published before her death, was a woman of true intellectual talent and ion for her time. She left an indelible imprint on a literary world that did not accept her talents during her lifetime. Although she was not recognized for her work during her life because of her writing style, her character development, and because she was female, Austen is ed for rising above the social restrictions that were placed on women during the late 18th and early 19th century producing literature, that inspires and influences readers today.

3. Literary view on Sense and Sensibility 3.1. Sense and Sensibility Summary: When Mr. Henry Dashwood dies, leaving all his money to his first wife's son John Dashwood, his second wife and her three daughters are left with no permanent home and very little income. Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) are invited to stay with their distant relations, the Middletons, at Barton Park. Elinor is sad to leave their home at Norland because she has become closely attached to Edward Ferrars, the brother-in-law of her half-brother John. However, once at Barton Park, Elinor and Marianne discover many new acquaintances, including the retired officer and bachelor Colonel Brandon, and the gallant and impetuous John Willoughby, who rescues Marianne after she twists her ankle running down the hills of Barton in the rain. Willoughby openly and unabashedly courts Marianne, and together the two flaunt their attachment to one another, until Willoughby suddenly announces that he must depart for London on business, leaving Marianne lovesick and miserable. Meanwhile, Anne and Lucy Steele, two recently discovered relations of Lady Middleton's mother, Mrs. Jennings, arrive at Barton Park as guests of the Middletons. Lucy ingratiates herself to Elinor and informs her that she (Lucy) has been secretly engaged to Mr. Ferrars for a whole year.

9

Chapter One Elinor initially assumes that Lucy is referring to Edward's younger brother, Robert, but is shocked and pained to learn that Lucy is actually referring to her own beloved Edward. In Volume II of the novel, Elinor and Marianne travel to London with Mrs. Jennings. Colonel Brandon informs Elinor that everyone in London is talking of an engagement between Willoughby and Marianne, though Marianne has not told her family of any such attachment. Marianne is anxious to be reunited with her beloved Willoughby, but when she sees him at a party in town, he cruelly rebuffs her and then sends her a letter denying that he ever had feelings for her. Colonel Brandon tells Elinor of Willoughby's history of callousness and debauchery, and Mrs. Jennings confirms that Willoughby, having squandered his fortune, has become engaged to the wealthy heiress Miss Grey. In Volume III, Lucy's older sister inadvertently reveals the news of Lucy's secret engagement to Edward Ferrars. Edward's mother is outraged at the information and disinherits him, promising his fortune to Robert instead. Meanwhile, the Dashwood sisters visit family friends at Cleveland on their way home from London. At Cleveland, Marianne develops a severe cold while taking long walks in the rain, and she falls deathly ill. Upon hearing of her illness, Willoughby comes to visit, attempting to explain his misconduct and seek forgiveness. Elinor pities him and ultimately shares his story with Marianne, who finally realizes that she behaved imprudently with Willoughby and could never have been happy with him anyway. Mrs. Dashwood and Colonel Brandon arrive at Cleveland and are relieved to learn that Marianne has begun to recover. When the Dashwoods return to Barton, they learn from their manservant that Lucy Steele and Mr. Ferrars are engaged. They assume that he means Edward Ferrars, and are thus unsurprised, but Edward himself soon arrives and corrects their misconception: it was Robert, not himself, whom the money-grubbing Lucy ultimately decided to marry. Thus,x Edward is finally free to propose to his beloved Elinor, and not long after, Marianne and Colonel Brandon become engaged as well. The couples live together at Delaford and remain in close touch with their mother and younger sister at Barton Cottage.

10

Chapter One 3.2. Characters 3.2.1. Main characters: Marianne Dashwood : is a fictional character in Jane Austen‘s novel Sense and Sensibility. The 17-year-old second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood, she embodies the ‗sensibility‘ of the title, as opposed to her elder sister Elinor‘s ‗sense.‘She embraces spontaneity, excessive sensibility, love of nature, and romantic idealism: Marianne weeps dramatically when their family must depart from ―dear, dear Norland,‖ and later in the book, exclaims, ―Oh! With what transporting sensations have I formerly seen them fall! How have I delighted, as I walked, to see them driven in showers about me by the wind! What feelings have they, the season, the air altogether inspired! Now there is no one to regard them. They are seen only as a nuisance, swept hastily off, and driven as much as possible from the sight.‖ At which the cooler Elinor replies quietly, ―It is not everyone who has your ion for dead leaves.‖ And later when she hears Sir John Middleton‘s of Willoughby, her eyes sparkle, and she says, ―That is what I like; that is what a young man ought to be. Whatever be his pursuits, his eagerness in them should know no moderation, and leave him no sense of fatigue.‖ When Marianne is helped by the dashing John Willoughby, she falls deeply and sincerely in love with him, abhorring all society's demands, and ignoring her sister‘s rational warnings that her impulsive behavior leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. His painful spurning of her, and the shocking discovery of his dissipated character, finally causes her to recognize her misjudgment of him. She acts exactly as she feels, thus making herself and everyone around her miserable when Willoughby leaves her, as opposed to her sister, who keeps the secret of Edward‘s prior engagement to another in quiet, thoughtful composure. Marianne treats her acquaintances in general with inattention and sometimes, contempt, recoiling from vulgarity, even when it is accompanied by good nature (like Mrs. Jennings), treating her selfish half-brother and his snobbish wife with disgust, totally ignoring the grave Colonel Brandon because of his age and a former love, and making no attempt at civility to insipid Lady Middleton. The people she does love, however, she loves with warmth that leaps over all barriers—even barriers of propriety. Her sorrows, her joys, her antipathy and her love will have no moderation—no concealing.

11

Chapter One Marianne‘s form is ―not so correct as her sister‘s,‖ but ―more striking,‖ and her features are all good, her face is ―lovely‖: her skin is very brown, but from its transparency, ―her complexion was uncommonly brilliant,‖ and in her eyes there is ―a life, a spirit, an eagerness which could hardly be seen without delight.‖ Elinor Dashwood : the sensible and reserved eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood. She is 19 years old at the beginning of the book. She becomes attached to Edward Ferrars, the brother-in-law of her elder half-brother, John. Always feeling a keen sense of responsibility to her family and friends, she places their welfare and interests above her own, and suppresses her own strong emotions in a way that leads others to think she is indifferent or cold-hearted. John Willoughby: a philandering nephew of a neighbor of the Middletons, a dashing figure who charms Marianne and shares her artistic and cultural sensibilities. It is generally understood that he is engaged to be married to Marianne by many of their mutual acquaintances. Edward Ferrars : the elder of Fanny Dashwood's two brothers. He forms an attachment to Elinor Dashwood. Years before meeting the Dashwoods, Ferrars proposed to Lucy Steele, the niece of his tutor. The engagement has been kept secret owing to the expectation that Ferrars' family would object to his marrying Miss Steele. He is disowned by his mother on discovery of the engagement after refusing to give up the engagement. Colonel Christopher Brandon: a close friend of Sir John Middleton. In his youth, Brandon had fallen in love with his father's ward, but was prevented by his family from marrying her because his father was determined to marry her to his older brother. He was sent into the military abroad to be away from her, and while gone, the girl suffered numerous misfortunes partly as a consequence of her unhappy marriage, finally dying penniless and disgraced, and with a natural (i.e., illegitimate) daughter, who becomes the ward of the Colonel. He is 35 years old at the beginning of the book. He falls in love with Marianne at first sight as she reminds him of his father's ward. He is a very honorable friend to the Dashwoods, particularly Elinor, and offers Edward Ferrars a living after Edward is disowned by his mother.

12

Chapter One 3.3. Style in Sense and Sensibility Though Austen's style was highly individual, it is based on her close study of the eighteenth-century writers, whose simplicity, accuracy, and precision she ired and imitated. Austen picked up the technique, popularized by Fielding, of the omniscient narrator. But her particular style is more objective. While she definitely has an ironic point of view, she allows her characters freedom within this, for her implications are subtle, and in many cases reserved. A good example of this is shown in the development of the character of Mrs. Jennings. When we first meet her, we are told what to think of her: "Mrs. Jennings was a widow, with an ample ture. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now therefore nothing to do but to marry all the rest of the world." But for the rest of the novel the author leaves us alone, and we discover by viewing Mrs. Jennings' actions that despite her obvious faults, she is really quite an amiable character. This lack of intrusion adds a sense of reality to the characters, for they are allowed to develop before our eyes. Character is vividly conveyed through direct speech. Charlotte Palmer's foolishness, Robert Ferrars' complacence and vanity, Mrs. Jennings' blunt good humor and common sense, and Anne Steele's vulgarity and lack of education are revealed in the way they express themselves. Despite the constant satire, there is a sense of psychological immediacy which increases the verisimilitude. Austen uses the consciousness of Elinor as the means through which to narrate her story. As Elinor is rarely treated ironically, her feelings and observations have a seriousness which transcends the ironic. Colonel Brandon, too, is hardly treated comically, and even Marianne, although often seen ironically, is finally taken seriously. Contrast is used with line effect. Elinor's sense is contrasted with her sister's sensibility. Edward's loyalty to Lucy contrasts with Willoughby's betrayal of Marianne. Mrs. Jennings' good humor is in strong contrast to Mrs. Ferrars' sourness. Every page of the novel reflects Austen's own quiet temperament, her good sense, and her humor. Though she can be satirical or ironic on either a Small or a grand scale, she is never malicious, and her humor never exceeds the bounds of good taste and credibility.

13

Chapter One It has been said that in Austen's novels "nothing ever happens." That is because she recognized her own limitations and kept within them. "What should I do with your strong, vigorous sketches, full of variety and glow?" she asked her nephew, a writer. "How could I possibly them on to the little bits (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush as produces little effect after much labor?" In her own style, she is superb. The events of her story may not be startling, but she makes ordinary happenings as interesting, and sometimes as dramatic, as the most exciting adventure story or romance. Much of the perfection of her style comes from the infinite care and patience with which she polishes her work.

3.4. Conclusion: Women writers had distorted what they perceived into what the world considered a woman should know, whereas Jane Austen has shown the world how it presents itself to woman. Sense and Sensibility is a novel of love and deception, of kindness and greed, but most of all, of spiritual growth. It is a novel of serious matters dealt with acute irony and sharp humour. To conclude this essay I would like to quote P. M. Spack from her afterword of the book: ―By laughter Austen demonstrates the power of private perception and feeling: not to defy external actuality, but to triumph over it by seeing it clearly‖. The message that Jane Austen is trying to send out with her novels is simple. Marriage with ulterior motives, such as pleasure, money, or practical reasons, simply will not last. It can be concluded that Austen feels that the only correct reason for marriage is everlasting love, such as the love that Darcy and Elizabeth, Elinor and Edward, and Marianne and Colonel Brandon respectively share.

14

15

Outline

1. Introduction 2. Feminist theory 3. Disciplines 3.1. Epistemologies 3.2. Love 3.3. Intersections of Race, Class, and Gender 3.4. Psychology 3.5. Psychoanalysis 3.6. Literary theory 3.7. Film theory 4. Feminist literature 4.1. Characteristics of Feminist Literature 5. conclusion

Chapter two 16

1.

Introduction Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending

equal political, economic, and social rights for women. In addition, feminism seeks to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment. A feminist is a "person whose beliefs and behavior are based on feminism" (1) Feminist activists campaign for women's rights – such as in contract law, property, and voting – while also promoting bodily integrity, autonomy and reproductive rights for women. Feminist campaigns have changed societies, particularly in the West, by achieving women's suffrage, gender neutrality in English, equal pay for women, reproductive rights for women (including access to contraceptives and abortion), and the right to enter into contracts and own property(2). Feminists have worked to protect women and girls from domestic violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault (3). They have also advocated for workplace rights, including maternity leave, and against forms of discrimination against women (3). Feminism is mainly focused on women's issues, but because feminism seeks gender equality, some feminists argue that men's liberation is a necessary part of feminism, and that men are also harmed by sexism and gender roles.

(1) : (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition. Houghton Mifflin. 2006). (2) : (Butler, Judith (March 1992). "Feminism in Any Other Name". Differences 6 (2–3): 30), (Messer-Davidow, Ellen (2002). Disciplining Feminism: From Social Activism to Academic Discourse. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/978-08223-2843-7|978-0-8223-2843-7]].). (3) : ( Echols, Alice (1989). Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America, 1967–1975. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. p. 416), (Cornell, Drucilla (1998). At the Heart of Freedom: Feminism, Sex, and Equality. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press), (http://www.amnesty.org/en/campaigns/stop-violence-against-women/issues/implementation-existing-laws )

Chapter two 2.

Feminist theory 17

It is the extension of feminism into theoretical or philosophical discourse. It aims to understand the nature of gender inequality. It examines women's social roles, experience, and feminist politics in a variety of fields, such as anthropology and sociology, communication, psychoanalysis, economics, literature education, and philosophy. While generally providing a critique of social relations, much of feminist theory also focuses on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion of women's rights, interests, and issues. Feminist researchers embrace two key tenets: their research should focus on the condition of women in society, and their research must be grounded in the assumption that women generally experience subordination. Thus, feminist research rejects Weber's value-free orientation in favour of being overtly political-doing research in pursuit of gender equality. Themes explored in feminism include discrimination, objectification (especially sexual objectification), oppression, patriarchy, stereotyping, art history and contemporary art, and aesthetics.

3. Disciplines There are a number of distinct feminist disciplines, in which experts in other areas apply feminist techniques and principles to their own fields. Additionally, these are also debates which shape feminist theory and they can be applied interchangeably in the arguments of feminist theorists. 3.1. Epistemologies The generation and production of knowledge has been an important part of feminist theory. This debate proposes such questions, as ―Are there ‗women‘s ways of knowing and women‘s knowledge‘ and ―How does the knowledge women produce about themselves differ from that produced by patriarchy?‖ (Bartowski and Kolmar 2005, 45) Feminist theorists have also proposed the ―feminist standpoint knowledge‖ which attempts to replace ―the view from nowhere‖ with the model of knowing that expels the ―view from women‘s lives‖ (9). Feminist approach to epistemology seeks to establish knowledge production from a woman's perspective. It theorizes that from personal experience comes knowledge which helps each individual look at things from a different insight. (9): (Bartowski and Kolmar 2005, 45).

18

Chapter two Central to feminism is that women are systematically subordinated, and bad faith exists when women surrender their agency to this subordination, e.g., acceptance of religious beliefs that a man is the dominant party in a marriage by the will of God; Simone de Beauvoir labels such women "mutilated" and "immanent". 3.2. Love A life‘s project to be in love may result in bad faith; love is an example of bad faith given by both Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre (who were in love with each other). A woman in love may in bad faith allow herself to be subjugated by her lover, who has created a dependency of the woman on him, allowed by the woman in bad faith. 3.3. Intersections of Race, Class, and Gender This debate can also be termed as intersectionality. This debate raises the issue of understanding the oppressive lives of women that are not only shaped by gender alone but by other elements such as racism, classism, ageism, heterosexism, etc. One example of the concept of intersectionality can be seen through the Mary Ann Weathers‘ publication, ―An Argument for Black Women‘s Liberation as a Revolutionary Force.‖ Mary Ann Weathers states that ―black women, at least the Black women I have come in with in the movement, have been expending all their energies in ―liberating‖ Black men (if you yourself are not free, how can you ―liberate‖ someone else?)‖ Women of color were put in a position of choosing sides. White women wanted women of color and working-class women to become a part of the women‘s movement over struggling with their men (working-class, poor, and men of color) against class oppression and racism in the Civil Rights Movement. This was a conflict for women of color and working-class women who had to decide whether to fight against racism or classism versus sexism—or prioritize and participate in the hierarchy. It did not help that the women‘s movement was shaped primarily by white women during the first and second feminist waves and the issues surrounding women of color were not addressed. Contemporary feminist theory addresses such issues of intersectionality in such publications as ―Age, Race, Sex, and Class‖ by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw (10)

(10): (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimberl%C3%A9_Williams_Crenshaw

).

19

Chapter two 3.4 Psychology Feminist psychology is a form of psychology centered on societal structures and gender. Feminist psychology critiques the fact that historically psychological research has been done from a male perspective with the view that males are the norm. Feminist psychology is oriented on the values and principles of feminism. It incorporates gender and the ways women are affected by issues resulting from it. One major psychological theory, Relational-Cultural Theory, is based on the work of Jean Baker Miller, who's book Toward a New Psychology of Women proposes that "growth-fostering relationships are a central human necessity and that disconnections are the source of psychological problems." Inspired by Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique, and other feminist classics from the 1960s, Relational-Cultural Theory proposes that "isolation is one of the most damaging human experiences and is best treated by reconnecting with other people," and that therapist should "foster an atmosphere of empathy and acceptance for the patient, even at the cost of the therapist‘s neutrality". The theory is based on clinical observations and sought to prove that "there was nothing wrong with women, but rather with the way modern culture viewed them." 3.5. Psychoanalysis: (Feminism and the Oedipus complex) Psychoanalytic feminism is based on Freud and his psychoanalytic theories. It maintains that gender is not biological but is based on the psycho-sexual development of the individual. Psychoanalytical feminists believe that gender inequality comes from early childhood experiences, which lead men to believe themselves to be masculine, and women to believe themselves feminine. It is further maintained that gender leads to a social system that is dominated by males, which in turn influences the individual psycho-sexual development. As a solution it was suggested to avoid the gender-specific structuring of the society by male-female coeducation. In the last 30 years, the contemporary French psychoanalytical theories concerning the feminine, that refer to sexual difference rather than to gender, with psychoanalysts like Julia Kristeva, Maud Mannoni, Luce Irigaray and Bracha Ettinger has largely influenced not only feminist theory but also the understanding of the subject in philosophy and the general field of psychoanalysis itself. Other feminist psychoanalysts whose contribution enriched the field are Jessica Benjamin and Jacqueline Rose. 20

Chapter two 3.6. Literary theory Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed by feminist theories or politics. Its history has been varied, from classic works of female authors such as George Eliot, Virginia Woolf, and Margaret Fuller to cutting-edge theoretical work in women's studies and gender studies by "third-wave" authors In the most general, feminist literary criticism before the 1970s was concerned with the politics of women's authorship and the representation of women's condition within literature. Since the arrival of more complex conceptions of gender and subjectivity, feminist literary criticism has taken a variety of new routes. It has considered gender in the of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis, as part of the deconstruction of existing power relations 3.7. Film theory Feminists have taken many different approaches to the analysis of cinema. These include discussions of the function of women characters in particular film narratives or in particular genres, such as film noir, where a female character can often be seen to embody a subversive sexuality that is dangerous to males and is ultimately punished with death.[citation needed] In considering the way that films are put together, many feminist film critics, such as Laura Mulvey, have pointed to the "male gaze" that predominates in classical Hollywood film making. Through the use of various film techniques, such as shot reverse shot, the viewer is led to align themself with the point of view of a male protagonist. Notably, women function as objects of this gaze far more often than as proxies for the spectator. Feminist film theory of the last twenty years is heavily influenced by the general transformation in the field of aesthetics, including the new options of articulating the gaze, offered by psychoanalytical French feminism.

4. Feminist literature: As the name suggests, is based on the principles of feminism, and refers to any literary work that centers on the struggle of a woman for equality, and to be accepted as a human being, before being cast into a gender stereotype. Not all these works follow a direct approach towards this goal of equality.

21

Chapter two It is only through such media that women believed a change was possible in the way they were perceived in society. Not all feminist literature has been written by women, but also by men who understood women beyond the roles they were expected to fit into, and delved into their psyche to understand their needs and desires. Some works may be fictional, while others may be non fictional. Here, we take a look into the characteristics of feminist literature, and give you a list of some of the many works of feminist literature, that make for a good read if you truly desire to learn extensively about this form of writing and what it stood for. 4.1. Characteristics of Feminist Literature Feminist literature is identified by the many characteristics of the feminist movement. This will help you understand exactly what ―feminist literature‖ is. Authors of feminist literature are known to understand and explain the difference between sex and gender. They believe that though a person's sex is predetermined and natural, it is the gender that has been created by society, along with a particular perception about gender roles. Gender roles, they believe, can be altered over time. The predominance of one gender over the other, is a common concept across almost all societies, and the fact that it is not in favor of women is an underlying, yet blatant, characteristic of feminist or women's literature. Here, it is argued that any society that does not provide channels of learning and knowledge to both genders equally is not a complete and impartial society. Critics argue that there wasn't much difference between male and female authors, and that there was no need to identify a separate class of literature termed as feminist or look for traces of feminism in literature. However, if you read any such work, you will realize how such writers criticized society's andocentric (male-centered) approach, and tried to understand the beliefs and needs of the opposite sex with a subjective, and not an objective, approach. Take for example Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The protagonist, Elizabeth Bennett was a woman of her mind. Despite the societal pressure (put on her by her mother) to choose a partner, and to lead a life that was decided for all women, she decided to choose her own path towards what she wanted. And none of this was blatantly approached. She did not put an outward fight, in order to choose her life course. The entire piece of work is subtle, and the only clear characteristic of the protagonist you will notice is her assertiveness. 22

Chapter two And that is one clear characteristic of the feminist approach toward literature. Women in literature of the feminist nature are always featured as the protagonist, who, more often than not, does not readily accept the traditional role of women as decided by society. They are ready to make their own decisions, to express this choice of personal decision-making, and are ready to deal with the consequences of these choices, actions, and decisions. Though a daughter, a mother, a sister, or a wife, any piece of feminist literature first deals with a woman as a woman. It is not these relationships, roles, or stereotypes that give these female characters in literature their identity. Their identity is defined by their choices and their beliefs which are then associated with these roles. It is important to note, that, not all works of feminist literature have happy endings, both for the character, and for the author of the work. Women have been ostracized by society for openly demanding equality, and have had to face several negative consequences of their decision to go against the waves. Not only feminist literature, women have been treated as important subjects even in many literary works by men. For instance, Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian author and playwright, often focused on women, women's issues, their troubles faced by society, and the decisions they made based on their personal values and beliefs. If you take a look at the play called 'A Doll's House', by this very same author, you will clearly notice the strength and character of the protagonist. Not all, but some pieces of feminist literature (particularly non-fiction) showcase and stress on women's suffrage and a demand for equality in society, for political, social, and economic rights. In modern feminist literature, the attack on a male-dominated society became more forthright and straightforward, where women demanded a closer look into the patriarchal and capitalistic approach towards feminism.

5. Conclusion Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. In addition, feminism seeks to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment.

23

24

Outline

1. Sense and Sensibility: Critical Overview 1.1 Critical Reception of Sense and Sensibility 1.2 Anti-Romanticism in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility 1.3 Critical Studies on Sense and Sensibility 2. A Feminist Critical Reading of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility 3. Sense and Sensibility: Women and Femininity Examples

25

Chapter three 1. Sense and Sensibility : Critical Overview 1.1 Critical Reception of Sense and Sensibility Much critical commentary on Sense and Sensibility deals with the referred to in the title—"sense" versus "sensibility." Some critics have concluded that Austen advocated a woman's possessing "sense," not "sensibility," while others have argued that Austen advocated possessing neither one nor the other, but a balance between the two. It is not surprising that a good deal of criticism on the novel revolved around comparisons of one type or another which harken back to the one Austen presents to readers in the title. Critics compare Elinor and Marianne, Willoughby and Edward Ferrars, and lesser characters such as Fanny Dashwood and Lucy Steele. One critic aligns the Dashwood sisters and Willoughby against the rest of the novel's characters. Commenting on other comparisons or "pairings," other critics note that Austen negotiates between actual and hypothetical language; private desire and public voice; epistolary and objective narration. In addition, several critics have commented on the novel's position within feminist and gender studies. One critic finds the novel the most antifeminist of all Austen's books in its consideration of female authority and power, while another posits that feminist criticism is vital to evaluating Sense and Sensibility for the way in which it offers new ways of valuing the female experience. Yet another critic argues that Austen has created, through the character of Elinor, a female intellectual, signaling Austen's attempt to reshape ideas about gender through her novel. 1.2 Anti-Romanticism in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility In an age that extolled the virtues of expressing emotion and being sensible to the beauty of nature and literature, Jane Austen wrote a novel to champion sense and moderation. The main characters of Sense and Sensibility, Elinor and Marianne, serve as representatives of these opposing world views. Throughout the novel, sensibility is mocked whereas sense (not a cold reason, but a moderate practicality) is praised. By the end of the novel, sense triumphs as the emotional Marianne, "instead of falling sacrifice to an irresistible ion," makes a practical match based not on volatile emotions, but on the steadier, quieter feelings of respect and friendship, trusting that, in time, these too can grow into love.

26

Chapter three Marianne is criticized for her "excess of . . . sensibility," emotions which can "have no moderation". She believes that for any man to attract a woman, he must have romantic qualities: "spirit,""fire," a ionate love for literature, music, and art, rather than a mere iration. The author is no doubt parodying the romantic view by taking Marianne‘s requirements to an extreme: "I could not be happy with a man whose tastes did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter into all of my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both". Marianne does not, like Elinor, appreciate Edward for his moral virtues, but cares foremost about his sentiments; in her opinion, he does not read with proper emotion. Marianne applies her romantic standards to Willoughby and Colonel Brandon. Brandon initially appears to her to be a stuffy old bachelor, but Willoughby seems perfectly romantic. When he enters the scene, he does so in a dashing, adventurous way, rescuing Marianne from her fall on the hills. She quickly ascertains all his opinions to make sure they coincide with her own. Elinor quips, "You know what he thinks of Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimating their beauties as he ought . . . Another meeting will suffice to explain his sentiments on picturesque beauty and second marriages, and then you can have nothing further to ask . . . ". But the shallowness of this romantic world view is revealed when Willoughby‘s character as a seducer is exposed. The key issue, for Austen, is not a man‘s romantic sentiments, but his moral virtues. Edward is lauded because--however unromantic it may be to marry someone you do not love--he is willing to honor his word to Lucy. Brandon is lauded for being "sensible" and "gentlemanlike" and for his generosity to Edward. His patient, respectful love of Marianne is contrasted with Willoughby‘s socially reckless attentions, such as riding off alone with Marianne in his carriage. Willoughby‘s ionate sharing of Marianne‘s tastes is contrasted with Brandon‘s more steady iration of her musical abilities; he is not thrown into exaggerated and perhaps artificial raptures like the rest of the company; rather, he pays her "only the compliment of attention". Finally, Willoughby‘s romantic "rescue" of Marianne is contrasted with the more practical-and perhaps more helpful--assistance that Colonel Brandon renders during Marianne‘s sickness. "The comfort of such a friend at that moment as Colonel Brandon," reflects Elinor, ". . . how gratefully was it felt!" .

27

Chapter three Colonel Brandon is not without deep feeling. But his feelings are appropriately tempered and directed by his reason. Sense, in this novel, is the proper master of sensibility. The role of emotion is not wholly rejected, but the romantic notion that emotion ought to reign supreme is. 1.3 Critical Studies on Sense and Sensibility: Sense and Sensibility has been the focus of considerable critical attention. And debate, most of the problems with the book centering on clumsiness in plot and characterization, in it‘s over schematized and formal pattern, in its unsatisfactory heroine and her too beguiling foil. The criticism has, however, on the whole, reflected A. N. Litz's judgment that "Most readers would agree that Sense and Sensibility is the least interesting of Jane Austen‘s major works"." It has aroused neither the idolatrous devotion given to pride and Prejudice and Persuasion nor the intense critical scrutiny accorded to Mansfield Park and Emma. The original reviewer of Sense and Sensibility in The British Critic had high praise for the book, describing as its object the representation of "the effects on the conduct of life, of discreet quiet good sense on the one hand, and an over refined and excessive susceptibility on the other" Notice, in Jane Austen: The Critical Heritage, ed. B. C. Southam, 1960/), Sir Walter Scott also approved of the book in his famous review, observing that the "interest and merit of the piece depend altogether upon the behavior of the elder sister" ("Emma," in The Critical Heritage), and fifty five years later Mrs. Oliphant, though finding Sense and Sensibility nearly as dull as Mansfield Park, also thought that the merit of the book depended on Elinor: "We find it utterly impossible to take any interest in /Marianne's7 se1fish and high flown wretchedness" ("Miss Austen and Miss Mitford," in The Critical Heritage). Mrs Kavanagh was among the first to express what now standard criticism of the novel is: that Elinor and Marianne are "somewhat deficient in reality. Elinor Dashwood is Judgment her sister Marianne is Imagination. We feel it too plainly. And the triumph of Sense over Sensibility is ail the weaker that it is the result of the author‘s will" (l' Miss Austen's Six Novels," in The Critical Heritage). Four years later, in 1866, an anonymous critic commanded that the novel "fails in its intention by making sensibility more attractive than sense.

28

Chapter three Elinor is too good; one feels inclined at pat –her on the back and‘ say, 'Good girl,' but ail our sympathy is with the unfortunate Marianne" {"Miss Austen," in The Critical Heritage) a by now equa11y standard complaint. Bradley, one of Jane Austen's earliest and best twentieth century critics, felt, in his "Jane Austen" (1911), that it was rightly "placed lowest in the list." He objected to tithe formality in the contrast and para11elism between the two sisters, found the heroine "unattractive" the hero uninteresting, and the villain unsuccessful. Lord David Cecil, though with reservation, ired the book and thought that "in none of her books is it stated more fully than in Sense and Sensibility" that "Jane Austen lived in a period of intellectual revolution." To him the book is a ca1culated "attack on the fundamentals of the Romantic position" (11)

2. A Feminist Critical Reading of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility A woman did not have many rights. She was a legal infant, and her conduct was determined by many rules. She could not enter the professions or study at the university, and society had sketched out the outlines of a perfect woman pretty clearly. To leave political, legal and military affairs – the ―masculine sphere‖ – to men, to regard marriage as the only ambition worth having, to concentrate humbly only on her husband, her children and her home and to behave graciously and elegantly – that was the ideal woman. The situation was difficult for those women who wanted to write. The easiest way to deal with this – some kind of a compromise – was to write in a way which was publicly considered acceptable, suitable and proper for a woman – if it was an absolute necessity for her to write at all, for of course it would have been far better if she had stayed occupied in some decent woman‘s job – like needlework. But as it was, some women did write, although throughout times women have been their own best guardians. The definitions given of themselves, the ―proper lady‖ image has been so well planted that some women have actually firmly believed all the nonsense about certain things not being fit for a woman to know about, look at, discuss, do or write about.

(11) (New York, 1961 i rpt. in Jane Austen: A Collection of Critical Essays s, ed. lane Watt {New Jersey, 96~)

29

Chapter three Whether Austen conformed to those definitions is arguable, but, she did not. She saw and understood the society she lived in and the rules by which it worked, but we claim she did not accept all the rules. First we will talk about the relationships between men and women in the book. There seems to be lots of conversations in all of which we find the two sexes to be quite equal. Women‘s company is valued and their views and understanding trusted by men; that is, if the person is intelligent enough to say anything worth valuing. Mrs Ferrars, for example, is a powerful character – so not all women were helpless creatures. Nor is the penniless Miss Lucy helpless, quite the contrary, she manages perfectly well, though not by very amiable means. Mrs Jennings is no fragile, elegant and inhibited woman. Miss Elinor is ired not only for her beauty, but also for her mind – her sense and her intelligence. Not all women in this book live only for marriage, although Marilyn Butler claims they do. She says that in Austen‘s books ―the consummation of a woman‘s life lies in marriage to a commanding man‖. We would hardly call Edward a commanding man, but Elinor marries him all the same. Marianne and Elinor are perfectly strong women. After her terrible illness Marianne even says ―From you, from my home, I shall never again have the smallest incitement to move‖ (p. 301). Their grief over Willoughby and Edward is not the kind which springs from the loss of ―marriage to a commanding man‖, but from the loss of the loved one. Elinor has sharp eyes and on several occasions criticizes men and their habits. The description of the sisters‘ visit to Gray‘s includes a sentence as follows: ―…and the gentleman, having named the last day on which his existence could be continued without the possession of the toothpick case…walked off with a happy air of real conceit and affected indifference‖ (p. 190). On another occasion, on another meeting with the same gentleman, namely Robert Ferrars, Elinor‘s mental comment on his stupid remarks was this: ―Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition‖ (p. 218). But she also criticizes women; the mean, cunning nature of Lucy, the empty headedness of Lady Middleton, the greed of Mrs Dashwood, only to mention a few. The personal critic in the book is not based on sex; it is first and foremost based on the person in question, regardless of his or her sex. In Austen‘s time women were not expected to even think about such men‘s things as politics or legal affairs. Austen did not, however, cut these things out of her books. 30

Chapter three Legal matters, such as entails and other inheritance affairs, are present in Sense and Sensibility, too, since, after all, everybody‘s financial situation depends on somebody‘s will – and death. Women were quite aware of financial matters – at least when by that one means other families‘ money matters. Men do trust their ability to understand ―these things‖, and this was proved when Elinor told his brother about Colonel Brandon offering Edward the living. John did not believe her at first but then ―Elinor contradicted it, however, very positively; and by relating that she had herself been employed in conveying the offer from Colonel Brandon to Edward, and therefore must understand the on which it was given, obliged him to submit to her authority‖ (p. 255). The second point which we would like to discuss is the lack of conversation between men recorded in the book. This – and we now quote Margaret Lenta – ―was used to be offered as evidence that she was determined to remain within the limits of her experience‖. That, like most women writers of her time, she too wanted to restrict herself to ―woman‘s concerns‖. To argue that Austen conformed to the tradition that women were not allowed to observe men closely enough to be able to write properly about things like conversations and so on – that being considered an improper degree of interest in male sex – is absurd, for she lived in a family of five brothers and surely could not have avoided observing that particular sex. Then why did she refrain from recording male conversations? For most of the book the world and the situations are narrated by Elinor. Through her eyes, through her feelings and reactions we readers experience the book. To record a men‘s conversation would mean breaking this view. It seems that the question is not about the lack of creative imagination and not about the presence of inhibition, but about faithfulness to herself and to her aims in this book. What are those aims, then? To try and answer that question we will use two quotations from Margaret Lenta. Jane Austen does not create a woman’s world – she presents the real world, in which the limits on the conversation are those of the knowledge and interests of the speakers, and she allows us to perceive it through the consciousness of her heroines. Her men, for example, are not creations of female fantasy, where the writer was afraid to know or at least to display knowledge of real masculinity; they are real men, perceived by women. 31

Chapter three …previous woman writers had distorted what they perceived into what the world considered a woman should know, whereas Jane Austen has shown the world how it presents itself to woman.

She did not try to picture an ideal world. Austen clearly lets us understand the dark sides of woman‘s life in her time. The inheritance always descended from father to son. Good sense was vital to a woman; to let herself be guided by sensibility unmistakably led to some kind of misfortune: the first Eliza died, the second lost her honour and Marianne almost died. She also shows that the world was – and still is – quicker in forgiving man‘s foolish and dishonourable behaviour than women. Willoughby got away quite nicely, and despite slight troubles with his conscience in the beginning, lived happily ever after as Austen tells us on page 331: ―His wife was not always out of humour, nor his home always uncomfortable; and in his breed of horses and dogs, and in sporting of every kind, he found no inconsiderable degree of domestic felicity‖. Even the honest Sir John forgave him, not to mention the forgiveness of Elinor. Poor little Eliza was mentioned but few times, and even the kind and warm-hearted Mrs Jennings led us to understand that, at most, she represented a minor drain on Colonel Brandon‘s fortune. Eliza lacks the secure status of a legitimate father and husband and thus possesses no rights. Jane Austen was conscious of both the good and the bad sides of her society, of men and of women. She has views of what a woman or a man ought to be like but those views do not include any order of hierarchy – such views we think we all have. Austen did not try to change the world she lived in. Maybe she was trying to set an example of women who grew to a moral independence, who had a mind of their own and who perceived the world as it was. Sense and Sensibility is a novel of love and deception, of kindness and greed, but most of all, of spiritual growth. It is a novel of serious matters dealt with acute irony and sharp humour. To conclude this part we would like to quote P. M. Spack from her afterword of the book: ―By laughter Austen demonstrates the power of private perception and feeling: not to defy external actuality, but to triumph over it by seeing it clearly‖.

32

Chapter three 3. Sense and Sensibility: Women and Femininity examples Example 1 They were of course very anxious to see a person on whom so much of their comfort at Barton must depend; and the elegance of her appearance was favourable to their wishes. Lady Middleton was not more than six or seven and twenty; her face was handsome, her figure tall and striking, and her address graceful. Her manners had all the elegance which her husband's wanted. But they would have been improved by some share of his frankness and warmth; and her visit was long enough to detract something from their first iration, by shewing that though perfectly well-bred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for herself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark. (ch6. par8) Lady Middleton is the most proper, "elegant" figure of a society lady that we see – and she's thoroughly dull. If this is being a lady is all about, we're not interested… and neither is Austen. Example 2 Mrs. Jennings, Lady Middleton's mother, was a good-humoured, merry, fat, elderly woman, who talked a great deal, seemed very happy, and rather vulgar. She was full of jokes and laughter, and before dinner was over had said many witty things on the subject of lovers and husbands; hoped they had not left their hearts behind them in Sussex, and pretended to see them blush whether they did or not. Marianne was vexed at it for her sister's sake, and turned her eyes towards Elinor, to see how she bore these attacks, with an earnestness which gave Elinor far more pain than could arise from such common-place raillery as Mrs. Jennings's. (ch7.par5) Neither of the involved parties is being very ladylike here – while Mrs. Jennings is certainly not an elegant, prim and proper lady like her daughter Lady Middleton, Marianne also puts in her fair share of unladylike rudeness in her offense at the latter. Example 3 "Elinor," cried Marianne, "is this fair? Is this just? Are my ideas so scanty? But I see what you mean. I have been too much at my ease, too happy, too frank. I have erred against every common-place notion of decorum! I have been open and sincere where

33

Chapter three I ought to have been reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful. Had I talked only of the weather and the roads, and had I spoken only once in ten minutes, this reproach would have been spared." (ch10.par5) Again, we see Marianne struggling with notions of what a proper lady does. While she can recognize crimes against convention in others (such as Mrs. Jennings), she always hotly defends her own conduct when it's outside the realm of the ordinary or proper Example 4 Marianne would have thought herself very inexcusable had she been able to sleep at all the first night after parting from Willoughby. She would have been ashamed to look her family in the face the next morning, had she not risen from her bed in more need of repose than when she lay down in it. But the feelings which made such composure a disgrace, left her in no danger of incurring it. She was awake the whole night, and she wept the greatest part of it. She got up with an headache, was unable to talk, and unwilling to take any nourishment; giving pain every moment to her mother and sisters, and forbidding all attempt at consolation from either. Her sensibility was potent enough! (ch16.par1) Here we see Marianne acting hilariously (and embarrassingly) in the correct, tried and true fashion of a tragic, scorned heroine in a romance novel – clearly the basis for her behavior here. Example 5 Mrs. Palmer was several years younger than Lady Middleton, and totally unlike her in every respect. She was short and plump, had a very pretty face, and the finest expression of good humour in it that could possibly be. Her manners were by no means so elegant as her sister's, but they were much more prepossessing. She came in with a smile, smiled all the time of her visit, except w hen she laughed, and smiled when she went away. (ch19.par13) We see another vision of womanhood here. Mrs. Palmer, though less proper and elegant than her older sister, is much more charming. However, Austen makes it clear that she's not the ideal vision of woman put forth by society at the time – quite the contrary, in fact.

34

Chapter three Example 6 The young ladies arrived, their appearance was by no means ungenteel or unfashionable. Their dress was very smart, their manners very civil, they were delighted with the house and in raptures with the furniture, and they happened to be so doatingly fond of children that Lady Middleton's good opinion was engaged in their favour before they had been an hour at the Park. She declared them to be very agreeable girls indeed, which for her ladyship was enthusiastic iration. Sir John's confidence in his own judgment rose with this animated praise, and he set off directly for the cottage to tell the Miss Dashwoods of the Miss Steeles' arrival, and to assure them of their being the sweetest girls in the world. From such commendation as this, however, there was not much to be learned; Elinor well knew that the sweetest girls in the world were to be met with in every part of England, under every possible variation of form, face, temper, and understanding. (ch21.par3) This description of the Steeles demonstrates the wide variety of criteria that various of society take towards judging women. Lady Middleton, typically, is only concerned with the fact that the Steeles praise her and her family, while her husband, bless his heart, is totally indiscriminating – he loves everyone. Example 7 This specimen of the Miss Steeles was enough. The vulgar freedom and folly of the eldest left her no recommendation, and as Elinor was not blinded by the beauty or the shrewd look of the youngest, to her want of real elegance and artlessness, she left the house without any wish of knowing them better. (ch21.par17)

Elinor, the best judge of character we know in this novel, comes down pretty hard on the Steeles. They're clearly not the kind of lady she approves of – they've got an air of tryingtoo-hard, and furthermore, Lucy isn't entirely trustworthy.

35

36

General conclusion One can sense the presence‖ of feminism all over the world. While in the urban setting, women have almost been given their dues, in the rural setting, women are still expected to live by the stereotypes cast by society. Even in the urban setting, though women have achieved a lot more than society has given them credit for, they are still expected to fulfill certain roles and stereotypes that have been the norm for centuries. Feminist literature of different periods will depict different desires and different wants under the purview of feminism. The roles of daughters, wives, and mothers in literature will keep changing, and so will their requirements and beliefs. The concept of gender equality that focuses primarily on women's rights has come a long way, and feminist literature has been a great medium to bring about any visible changes in the attitude towards women. Yet, it is a long battle that is being fought, and it will be a while before gender equality and the role of women in society will be clear in the ideal sense. The question at hand is whether Austen was a feminist. It was thought that Austen was a romance writer who taught tradition, virtue in her prose. This was not the case. While it may be true that Austen was a romance writer, it was not the way critics had once believed. Instead of exalting the value of tradition and virtue in her prose, Austen defied it and made a case for feminine rights. Whether we see Austen as a feminist because we are looking for evidence in her text or because she truly was a feminist is something that we may never be able to discern. Austen was not outright in her feminism and if you weren't looking for it, you might not have noticed the stances she took. She was well known for writing about young women who only had interest in marriage, and she was often underestimated because of this. Though if you analyze her work you will find her subtle feminist tendencies There can even be a case for Austen believing that women should hold jobs like men, Elinor from Sense and Sensibility envies men with careers. Society was very patriarchal during these times; men were in control of all monetary assets. When a man died, his money was actually ed on to the closest living male heir and the women were left penniless. While men and women were allowed to choose their own partners, money, wealth, status was very important and often marriages were made on those grounds alone. You can't actually call Austen a feminist because her protest was very subtle and only found by the discerning eye, but she did help pave the way for modern day feminists. She had views on women and marriage and women's rights in general and she made that known in her writing. Her message was read by millions of women all over England and is read by millions more today, without pioneers like Austen, women may have been left in the dust victims of a never ending patriarchal society.

37

BIBLIOGRAPHY  books o Austen, Jane. 1994 (1811). Sense and Sensibility. London: Penguin. o Houghton, Mifflin. (2006). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition. o Moi, Toril. (1985). Sexual/Textual Politics: Feminist Literary Theory. The Taylor & Francis Group: New York . o ROSS, JOSEPHINE.( 2003). Jane Austen: A Companion. Rutgers University Press. the United States: New Brunswick, New Jersey. o Todd, Janet. (2006). The Cambridge Introduction to Jane Austen. cambridge university press. United States of America: New York.  THESIS o Lane, Watt. (1961). i rpt. in Jane Austen: A Collection of Critical Essays 2nd edition. New York.  Morrison, christen. August (1976). ―Sense and sensibility and mansfield park‖: A study of Jane Austen‘s artistic development, MA thesis  Websites o ‘Changing Woman’ o ‘Feminism’ o Glenn Lamont's article in Free Radical no.39 (1999). The soc.feminism FAQ file o Kathleen Trigiani. updated on September 5, 2006. o Sanjay Kali 'Definition of Feminism‘ < http://EzineArticles.com/1697184>

38