Hello, I’m Antonia Carey. I’m a double major in English and Theatre Arts with a Performance concentration. I’ve never pinpointed a single favorite author, but some of my favorites are Mary Shelley, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Christopher Marlowe, Sandra Cisneros, Hemingway, and Oscar Wilde.
Pride and Prejudice seems to be responding to Fordyce’s Sermons by emphasizing the individual over a ubiquitous image of “the female.” Where Fordyce is writing to women on how to be marriageable, Austen is writing about the effect that this constant pressure to be marriageable is affecting each of the women in the Bennet household. The most obviously affected by this idea of womanhood that Fordyce presents is Mary, whom we know is reader of “moral philosophy” (70). Mary does not show any signs of excessive wit or study of “frivolous arts” that Fordyce warns against (395). Yet, in Fordyce’s eyes, she still transgresses against her sex. He writes in “On Female Virtue, Friendship, and Conversation” that “Dulness [sic] and insipidity, moroseness and rigour, are dead weights on every kind of social intercourse” (397). Mary appears to have these in spades, as she is constantly taking the moral high ground and demeaning anything that she finds to be frivolous. It’s noted that when the Bennet sisters go into Meryton, accompanied by Mr. Collins, that “every sister except Mary agreed to go” (105). Fordyce also mentions women learning the difference “between an obliging study to please,” which he finds to be a good quality among women, and “an indecent desire to put themselves forward,” which is something women should avoid displaying. Mary transgresses here as well. It is stated plainly in chapter VI that Mary who, due to not being pretty like her sisters, “worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, was always impatient for display.” At this event, Mary does play a long concerto, but makes up for it with “Scotch and Irish airs” (62-63). Her behavior at the Netherfield ball is not quite as felicitous. She is imposing on the party, so much so that Elizabeth subtly entreats their father to stop her (132). Mary, by trying too hard to be the woman that she is expected to be, becomes one of the women that Fordyce denounces.
Jane Austen
Sara’s Blog Post
Hello, I am an English major with a creative writing minor and I am quite fond of the novels of Victor Hugo and the poetry of William Blake, Walt Whitman and T.S. Eliot.
Fordyce’s sermon widely discusses the societal expectations of a young woman in regards to her speech, her friendships, and her responsibility in her household. He emphasizes the importance of the “conduct of daughters” in order to maintain peace within her family and this is done through a number of “proper” behaviors that are widely demanded on women more so, (as Fordyce admits) than on men. Fordyce writes, “The world, I know not how, overlooks in our sex a thousand irregularities, which it never forgives in yours; so that the honour and peace of a family are, in this view, much more dependent on the conduct of daughters than on sons” (394).
I believe this point to be the prominent issue in which Austen is challenging in Pride and Prejudice. The Bennetts have their five daughters, each with their differences in so-called conduct. Mrs. Bennett’s disgust in her daughter, Lizzie, who is the most rebellious of the daughters, is one way in which nineteenth century female roles affect the peace of the household. One instance where this is prominent, is the scene when Lizzie rejects Mr. Collins’ marriage proposal. She does not reject it once, but several times and assures Collins that she will continue to reject it if he so chooses to ask again. What is important here, is not only the shock and disappointment that is brought onto Collins, but how this refusal effects the relationship between Lizzie and her mother. The following scene when Lizzie is called to speak with her parents, her father tells her that her mother insists in her to accept the proposal and then says to his wife, “Is not it so, Mrs. Bennett?” and to which she responds, “Yes, or I will never see her again.” (142).
Another point made by Fordyce that can be actively portrayed in Austen’s novel is: “If men discover that you captivate them by an outside only, or by little frivolous arts, there are, it must be confessed, many of them who will rejoice at that discovery” (395). I find that Pride and Prejudice reflects heavily on this point, given that the girls are expected to take pride in their outer looks in order to attract men and perhaps in some cases, that may be one of the most important attributes. For instance, taking a look at the sister, Mary. Mary reads all of the books on proper conduct and behavior and frequently shows off her ability to play the piano in effort to make up for the fact that she was not blessed with the greatest looks. There is a scene in the novel where her being “carried away” with her musical talent and the only male attention she gains is her father scolding her to stop: “Mary, though pretending not to hear, was somewhat disconcerted; and Elizabeth sorry for her, and sorry for her father’s speech , was afraid her anxiety had done no good.” (132)
Ultimately, I find that Fordyce’s sermon certainly has influence over Austen’s novel. At least, some of the points Fordyce makes are found in the novel, and I find that he does sympathize with women more so than other men of that time, given that he he admits that it is on the female to maintain stability and peace within her household and that it is a greater stab on the family’s pride if she were to “go astray” as opposed to a male child. I feel like the sermon agrees with Austen to a certain point, as Fordyce is no doubt, aware of the prejudices against women in his contemporary society, especially in regards to keeping peace in the household and having to have “good enough” looks to attract a man to marry them.
E. Lazo’s Blog Post 1
Hi, my name is Emily Lazo. I am a senior double majoring in English and Communications and Media with a concentration in Interpersonal. Weirdly enough, my favorite genre of books falls within the “young adult” category (I say weird because I am almost 21 years old already and I feel like as an English major, there are certain expectations on my selection of books). My favorite author is probably Rick Yancey; I find his style of writing really different and a bit more sophisticated for the typical YA genre.
I want to start off first by pointing out how ironic it is that a man should be commenting on the behavior of women. His tone speaks of a self-importance that is reminiscent of Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice, especially when Mr. Collins picks a sermon book to read to the Bennett women instead of a novel.
Fordyce’s sermon starts off by describing the responsibility women have to their families, and most importantly their parents. He states, “We can prognosticate nothing virtuous, nothing happy, concerning those wretched creatures that do not feel the satisfaction, ease, or honor of their parents” (394). He then goes on to discuss how women have all the power over men and should therefore never abuse that power. His idea of a perfect woman is an “accomplished woman, in whom purity and meekness, intelligence and modesty, mingle their charms” (400). The idea of a witty female, on the other hand, is disastrous because men should never have to “suffer this restraint at home” (400).
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice makes fun of Fordyce’s sermons in every way. Each of the Bennett daughters plays on the rules that Fordyce lists but for now we will focus on Lizzy, one of the main protagonists. Lizzy is that very witty female that Fordyce so fears. She not only speaks her mind but she also rejects a marriage proposal not only once, but three times. On the last time Lizzy tells Mr. Collins, “Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart” (Austen 140). Lizzy obviously does not care that her mother’s sole purpose in life is marrying off her five eligible daughters; she chooses her own happiness instead. Lizzy’s father, instead of forcing her to accept Mr. Collins’ proposal tells Lizzy, “From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” (Austen 142). Lizzy, being Mr. Bennett’s favorite, knew that her father was giving her a very clear signal that it was entirely up to her whether or not she agreed to marry.
Fordyce: Proud and Mostly Prejudice
Hi, I’m Joe Curra. I’m an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing. My favorite author has always been a never ending mystery, even to myself. Hemingway and Vonnegut are easily two of my favorites, but ever since reading Nathaniel West’s Miss Lonelyhearts, I’m usually compelled to mention him. West isn’t nearly as prolific as Hemingway or Vonnegut, but Miss Lonelyhearts felt like something truly special when I read it and it’s stuck with me ever since.
James Fordyce might stick with me for worse, though. In fact, his Sermons to Young Women leaves as uncomfortably distasteful of a resonance with me as Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie. Both develop an inexcusable, shockingly innate pro-male sexism that’s equally disturbing. This sentiment is perhaps worse for Dreiser, considering his novel came significantly later.
The first most revolting statement from Fordyce’s “sermon,” coincidentally, appears within the first sentence of our assigned reading. He states, “When a daughter…dishonours her sex…” (394). There’s a lot of extra nonsense going on in this sentence, but the contingent absurdities are best summarized through this focus, I think. Who has allowed Fordyce to decide, as a male, how a woman “dishonours” her own, non-male, sex? It’s paradoxical, especially if a woman couldn’t decide the same parameters for men. Out of what’s an assumed common desire of Victorian men to regulate, and have regulated, women’s’ behavior, stems Fordyce’s need to preach etiquette and behavior. By immediately putting down the potential for women to behavior within their own decided regulations, beliefs, or wants, Fordyce ignores the capacity for men to act “unruly” or “foolish,” insinuating repeatedly that women ought to be shamed for acting out, while men may be excused (or lack the capacity to be equally foolish altogether).
Because of Fordyce’s narrow perspective of women, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice offers clear juxtaposition between the novel’s thematic values and those of Fordyce. In other words, I don’t think Austen’s text agrees with Fordyce’s. One of my favorite examples so far of Pride and Prejudice’s anti-Fordyce practices occurs on page 123 of the text. Elizabeth states, “It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy…” Elizabeth is being fairly forward, certainly sarcastic, and outstandingly witty here, as she walks Darcy through proper ballroom behavior. Fordyce would consider the reversal in superiority during this moment an attempt on Elizabeth’s part to insult Darcy, being a critic of his (which is specifically described as poor behavior on a woman’s part in Sermons to Young Women, page 398).
I think Austen is working against, fairly subversively, generally opposing male oriented dispositions and regulations within her time. The development of Elizabeth’s character, and her independence, makes Elizabeth exciting to read. Having no prior experience or knowledge of Pride and Prejudice before this class, I’m pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the novel is.