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Author of only six major English novels set in 18th century British middle-class society; lived more than 200 years ago. Isn’t it intriguing why Jane Austen still attracts young women?
Known to be one of the first English women novelists who started writing and publishing, at a time when women were hardly allowed to enter the domain of public writing, Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) vehemently critiqued in her novels the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic prosperity.
At that time in England women only had two options open in front of them – either marry someone rich or become a teacher. That’s where the term ‘Miss’ for a teacher has come from, which is prevalent in most schools in India.
Matrimony has been the prime focus of her novels. Her widely read novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park and Emma deal with issues regarding marriage, property rights of women and their education. These issues still pose as a matter of grave concern for Indian women. What we are facing for centuries was once faced by the women of England too.
Marriage is considered sacred. One can say that it truly is. But, marriages are not made in heaven as people often say. Mrs.Bennet’s obsession with getting her daughters married to some rich gentlemen only reminds us how our parents become desperate to find a suitable groom as soon as we reach the ‘ideal age’ for marriage. In those days in England 15 – 19 was considered to be the ideal age to be up for the marriage market as we see Marianne and Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility and Fanny price in Mansfield Park all become engaged while still in teens. Similarly, we all know the ‘ideal age’ for marriage in India.
Here’s a small list on why Jane Austen’s books still attract us today:-
From Elizabeth to Emma the female protagonists of Austen’s novels show exemplary strength in character. Austen’s women are independent, witty as well as self-sufficient. Similarly, we modern day women also perform our duties towards our parents but also don’t mind in getting pampered by them.
Austen’s novels revolve around women protagonists, exploring their quest for love, social security and prosperity. Absolutely nothing wrong if you are a woman looking for a soul mate. After all, we all need love and attention.
Austen throughout her novels has assessed the line between greed and practicality when it comes to chosing a husband. Yes, you should be cautious while choosing your life-partner, especially if you’re living in a country like India where text books provide us with ‘advantages of dowry’.
Once Jane Austen had said, “Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.” Our best friends are indeed the real soulmates one could ask for.
If you are reading any of Austen’s novels one thing that will be common are the issues related to marriage. While living through the pages of Pride and Prejudice all of us wanted to be the Elizabeth who emerges as fulfilled individual, not dependent on any man for recognition or identity.
In England having a son as the heir to the family property was crucial. Women had no right over their father’s property post marriage. Here comes Elizabeth who refuses Mr. Collins marriage proposal, holds the legal rights to the family residence and the refusal might cost the family their home.
Back in the 18th century on one hand Austen showcased the fragile conditions of women prevalent in the British middle-class society yet turned up with high-spirited confident women as protagonists who dared to differ. Her works have been adapted into cinema in both Hollywood as well as Bollywood.
In Austen’s novels, even when the women character decide to marry, they exercise their choice and marry only for love. The message that she tries to convey is that marriage is not a shackle. A strong, independent woman also requires affection and care. But, take the vow ‘in sickness and in health’ only when you’re sure about your man with whom you would be spending the rest of your lifetime.
Image source: is a screen grab from the 1995 movie Pride And Prejudice
I'm a Political Science student from St.Xavier's College, Kolkata. Biryani and F.R.I.E.N.D.S are the best possible ways to uplift my mood. A dreamer at night,a read more...
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Neelu might have outwardly forgiven Ramesh, but in her mind, which once was filled with unconditional love for Ramesh, there was now a seed of resentment.
Ramesh’s footsteps paused at the entrance of the hotel’s ballroom. Inside, his school’s reunion party was going in full swing. The air was heavy, as expensive perfumes and the aroma of food from the buffet table, mingled. There were low murmurs, tinkling laughs and clinks of cutlery.
Ramesh had not wanted to come, knowing that she would be there. She, Neelu, who once had been the love of his life. Taking a deep breath, Ramesh entered the room. His eyes found Neelu almost immediately. She still looked the same. Maybe there was now grey in her hair and a few wrinkles on her face. But her vivacity, her mannerisms were still the same. Things, that had first attracted him.
Stop glorifying biological parenthood - other methods of growing a family are just as valid, and completely a couple's choice, especially of the woman whose body goes through pregnancy and birth.
Stop glorifying biological parenthood – other methods of growing a family are just as valid, and completely a couple’s choice, especially of the woman whose body goes through pregnancy and birth.
Trigger Warning: Contains derogatory remarks about having a baby through surrogacy or any means other than giving birth through biological means, and may be triggering, especially to adoptive parents.
Recently Priyanka Chopra Jonas announced parenthood by surrogacy. This has once again sparked the debate about ethical surrogacy, which is a discussion for another day.
A collection of Jane Austen inspired stories from Pakistan, Austenistan is an enjoyable read, especially for the Austen lover.
What explains the fascination for Jane Austen’s work in the Indian subcontinent 200 years after her own time? Could it be the preoccupation with marriage, or rather, ‘getting the children settled’ that is still a lived reality for us, no matter how many funny videos we make about the subject? Or is that rather insulting to the genius of this author (disclaimer: I love her!) who gave us characters with delicious little foibles that we could laugh at and still see a little bit of, in people around us?
While the Jane Austen novels have many wonderful things that still resonate with us – their plots, their wit, the characters we root for and the ones we laugh at (rarely does Austen give us villains to hate) – I believe that their preoccupation with marriage and its central role in women’s lives is a big factor in their continuing popularity in our part of the world. I’ve already written a 3000-worder on marriage in the Jane Austen novels, so I’m not exploring that theme in detail here; but it comes through in Austenistan, a collection of 7 Austen inspired short stories written by writers from Pakistan, of Pakistani descent or otherwise associated with the country in some way.
A new screen version of Little Women has just been released, and so much of it (as also Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice) still feels relevant to girls and women in India, even in 2020.
A new screen version of Little Women has just been released, and so much of it (as also Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice) still feels relevant to girls and women in India, even in 2020.
‘Pride and Prejudice’ was one of the novels we had as part of our Literature course in our final year of college. The entire class got so involved with the Bennet sisters that for the presentation component of our exams, we adapted the novel into a three hour play. Yes, we rewrote the entire book into a script, memorised the pre-Victorian lines, stitched gowns and suits, and invited the department to come and watch us, instead of just our professor.
This novel was published in 1813, yet from the beginning of it, we felt like Jane Austen could have been writing about our lives. We were just stepping into our twenties and already, in many of our homes, we were being told that we should start thinking about getting married. Mrs Bennet is obsessed with marriage and is forever worrying about whether her daughters will find a suitable match. The daughters, too, feel the constant pressure and their biggest dilemma is if they should marry for money or for love. The law in Britain at the time allowed property to be passed along only in the male line and since the Bennet girls had no brothers, they were in danger of being homeless if they didn’t marry well.