Feminisim In Pride And Prejudice Essay

The argument for or against a feminist reading of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice depends primarily upon whether an individual is comparing it against the standards for feminism of their own time, or whether they are comparing it to the standards set forth in the time period of the author and work. For the novel to be considered feminist by today’s standards is impossible. The changes that have occurred concerning the equality and rights of women since the novels creation in 1813 presents a much higher expectation than can be found in the novel’s setting and situations. However, if reading the novel searching for examples of feminist behavior that fits or appears forward thinking for the time period, then the reading of the novel as an exertion of feminism becomes far more plausible.To gain a better understanding of whether the work fits the term, it becomes necessary to examine and garner a clear and acceptable definition of feminism. The Oxford English Dictionary has 3 definitions listed for the entry “Feminism” dating from the oldest usage to the most common one. The first entry reads: “Feminine quality or character, femininity” and notes that this usage is now considered rare (OED.com).