Discuss Representations of one of the Following Social Identities in the Work of Austen; Sisters.
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Discuss representations of one of the following social identities in the work of Austen; sisters.
Jane Austen was one of eight children born to Rev. George Austen and his wife Cassandra. As one of two girls in a large and boisterous family, an intimate bond formed between Jane and her elder sister Cassandra. Their shared experiences of boarding school and education cemented the firm relationship as they helped one another to deal with the disillusions of life as a woman in the eighteenth century. During the occasional times of separation, numerous letters of affectionate correspondence demonstrate the closeness between the two sisters. In order to appreciate the role of sisterhood in the works of Austen we must take into account Janes own relationship with her sister and to decide whether her own experiences mimic those of the pairs of sisters that flood her books.
Social expectations in the eighteenth century were exceptionally prominent; young women having recently left education would be expected to be highly accomplished and charming with perfect manners. Marriage was the most important decision concerning the welfare of their future and as divorce was considered scandalous, it was paramount to the familys reputation that any potential husband should be of good fortune and circumstance. All Jane Austens novels end with the protagonist achieving a state of unadulterated fulfillment through the successful alliance of marriage. Austen helps most of her heroines through this pivotal and dominating period of their lives by providing them with a sisterly figure who will bestow careful advice and guidance and with whom they can tell their innermost thoughts. Most of the characters in Jane Austens novels look to their sisters for counsel and support throughout the process of finding a husband.
Elizabeth, the protagonist of Pride and Prejudice and her elder sister Jane have been “out” in society for several years since finishing their education several years previously. To the reader, it is intelligibly clear from the beginning of the novel that the elder Bennett sisters have a durable closeness. They have a distant father and an inconceivably obtuse mother as well as two embarrassing younger sisters whose crazed and frenzied behaviour starts might start to bring a reputation upon the family honour. Their position in life makes it essential that they procure a successful marriage and therefore they subconsciously begin to rely on each other to endorse their kindred to potential suitors as together they have wit, charm, charisma, kindness, intelligence and beauty. Their awareness of their own familys – as Mr. Darcy describes – “obstacles” continues to strengthen their relationship as their acquaintance with the Bingleys abruptly and dismally ends.
Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, the female protagonists of Sense and Sensibility have a similarly close relationship. They are been brought closer together by the dissolution of their family unit as a result of the death of their father. Following the disloyal actions of their half-brother, they are made to move out of Norland Park to Barton cottage in Devonshire. The almost immediate transition from an upper class mansion to a frugal life with limited company is made easier for Elinor and Marianne as their loyal relationship allows them to keep their pride and resilience and together they are able to overcome the difficulties that romance and heartbreak bring.
There is a strong sense of loyalty that ties together each of the close Jane Austen sisters. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett rejects Mr. Darcy after his first proposal at Hunsford, mainly out of revenge for the misery and unhappiness that he has brought upon her sister by advising Bingley against the match. This loyalty is also matched by Jane as she exclaims, “Now I am quite happy,” said she “for you will be as happy as myself” as she hears of Elizabeths recent engagement to Mr. Darcy at the end of the novel. It is apparent to the reader that Austen considers this loyalty and dedication to one another as the epitome of the close sisterly relationship. Fannys developing relationship with her sister Susan in Mansfield Park, who she meets while visiting home in Portsmouth demonstrates the beginning of this type of loyalty. They are brought together under the understanding that they are not their mothers favourite daughter; Fanny has been dispensed with to Mansfield Park and Susan is treated as the subservient daughter “Poor little Betsy; how cross Susan is to you!” Fanny defends Susan to her mother over Betsy and the seeds of an intimate, faithful relationship are sown. The reader can imagine the alliance between the two strengthening as they return to Mansfield together and into the future. It is also ironic as soon as this connection is forged then Fannys wishes are answered as Edmund asks her to marry him. We begin to realise how important to Jane Austen the correlation was between an inseparable sisterhood and happiness in marriage.
However, despite their closeness we must be aware that sisters and their counterparts in Jane Austen literature are often the very opposite of each other despite their tight allegiances. Gilbert and Gubars ÐDouble Vision Theory maintains that Austen had succumbed to the expectations from society to write about the time of women that would be respected for their charm, inward charisma and reserved demeanor while retaining her underlying yearning to sabotage female suppression. This is demonstrated in the main pairs of sisters within Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. The differences between the sisters become lessened as each plot progresses. Their actions and behaviour balance each others more extreme characters until both achieve happiness becoming more content. Elinor Dashwood influences her sister Marianne by constantly exerting her refined and polite character. Mariannes saddening predicament after Willoughby has deserted her is a turning point in her character where she starts to come to her senses. There is a point at the end of Sense and Sensibility which demonstrates to the reader Mariannes influence on Elinor where she “ran out of the room Ð burst into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease”. This stream of emotion marks a transformation in Elinor as Jane Austen intends her character never to return to the feelings of isolation and encompassing sadness.
In every Jane Austen novel that is centered on a pair of intimate sisters there tends to be a counterpoint pair that helps to emphasise the exceptional characteristics of Ðour