- "Her character will be fixed, and she will, at sixteen, be the most determined flirt that ever made herself and her family ridiculous. A flirt too, in the worst and meanest degree of flirtation; without any attraction beyond youth and a tolerable person; and from the ignorance and emptiness of her mind, wholly unable to ward off any portion of that universal contempt which her rage for admiration will excite." (p. 156)
Pride and Prejudice takes place during the 19th century in England. One of the key themes Jane Austen focuses on is women during this Victorian time period. Women basically had two options: poverty or marriage. Although it seems as though Mrs. Bennet is overly concerned with her daughters finding marriage, or Lydia and Kitty are too flirty with the officers, this is what their lives consisted of. As pathetic as it seems, during this time period, love wasn't necessarily vital. Marriage was the ultimate goal for these women, and that is why Lydia and Mrs. Bennet are portrayed as being so desperate. Jane Austen creates Elizabeth's character to show that contrast in her opinion of marriage. Elizabeth wasn't longing for marriage, she was searching for a soul mate.
Work Cited:
"Pride and Prejudice."
Shmoop. Web. 14 Mar. 2010. http://www.shmoop.com/pride-and-prejudice/women-femininity-theme.html.
"Women's Status in Mid 19th-Century England."
Hastings Press Co. Web. 14 Mar. 2010. http://www.hastingspress.co.uk/history/19/overview.htm.
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