Pride and Prejudice

Age Old Issues on Rape

~ n02565783 ~ 1 Comment

I chose to learn about the Age of Consent/Children as Victims in Lee Jackson’s “Victorian Dictionary”. One letter was written in “The Times” on November 29, 1849, in which the author, “A Man” describes an appalling incident in which a little girl was pursued by a fifty year old man and the police officer, before finally pursuing the incident first claimed “he had no right to interfere”. It was shocking to me that the authorities would be so blazé, especially considering the rigid social propriety. Towards the end of the letter, the man goes on to state that the policeman “was familiar with occurrences like this”. Clearly this is a major unaddressed issue, right?

I continued onto the article concerning police duties in 1903, in which the process of rape prosecution was discussed.. There were many astounding facts within’ the reports, though I think there was definitely more that I wasn’t able to grasp because of the language and wording of the document. In the case of a rape, the attacker could only be prosecuted “within three months of the commission of the offense”. There also required additional evidence not including the original “defilement or attempted defilement of a girl under thirteen years of age” (Women and Children). Woman needed more proof than their own bodies. When you also consider the information in the Virginity section concerning the number of girls “fallen at, or under, the age of sixteen” to their own family members due to financial struggle, resorting to “juvenile prostitution” is astounding (Sherwell).

The articles opened my eyes to the overwhelming lingering lack of action our species has taken concerning such a disgusting act. Considering the amount of incest revealed in “Life in West London: A Study and a Contrast”, rape was a very prevalent situation in the young women of the Victorian era. I was also very surprised at the lack of propriety concerning this issue, especially after learning of all the social retaliation due to indecent decisions concerning virtue, like Lydia’s sham marriage with Wickham. These articles made me realize Pride and Prejudice definitely showed a nicer perspective of society from the era.

Works Cited

Childs, H. “Women and Children.” ‘Police Duty’ Catechism and Reports. Victorian London Dictionary. Web. 14 February 2016.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications3/catechism.htm#WOMEN

“Sex – Age of Consent / Children as victims – attitudes towards.” The Times. Victorian London Dictionary.  Web. 14 February 2016.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/sex/childrenvictims.htm

Sherwell, Arthur. “Life in West London: A Study and a Contrast.” Victorian London Dictionary. Web. 14 February 2016.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications/westlondon-3.htm#firstsex

Introduction and Fordyce’s Sermons

~ Antonia ~ Leave a comment

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.

Sara’s Blog Post

~ n02714729 ~ 1 Comment

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

~ lazoe1 ~ 1 Comment

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.

 

Introductions and Sermons

~ Rachel W. ~ 1 Comment

Hello everyone! My name is Rachel and I am a senior English major at SUNY New Paltz. My favorite novelist/short story writer is Franz Kafka although recently I’ve been getting into some of Roberto Bolaño’s novels as well as Carlos Fuentes’.  Among my favorite poets are Sylvia Plath, Stevie Smith, Pablo Neruda, and T.S. Eliot. I like to read in Spanish as well as English.

Before I dive into the text of Pride and Prejudice and how it responds to James Fordyce’s Sermons to Young Women, I just want to point the irony in the section titled “On the Importance of the Female Sex.”  Fordyce seems to lament that women in society are more highly scrutinized than men when he writes “The world, I know not how, overlooks in our sex a thousand irregularities, which it never forgives in yours; so that the honor and peace of a family are, in this view, much more dependent on the conduct of daughters than of sons…” (394).  However he has written two volumes worth of sermons telling young women how to conduct themselves and behave in society, only adding to the scrutiny.  I thought also there is much irony in the way he claims that women have so much influence over men because of their sexuality and therefore should act in certain ways.  It is incredibly sexist to want to control women’s behavior just because their sexuality, according to Fordyce, impacts men so much.

Elizabeth Bennet’s conduct in Pride and Prejudice completely undermines what Fordyce expects about how young women should act. Fordyce advises that women refrain from exercising wit and instead aim for piety.  For Fordyce, wit is something already to be frowned upon but it is “especially […] dreaded in women” (400).  Elizabeth on the other hand does not act very pious at all, in fact religion is scarcely mentioned except for when it is said that everyone attended church services.  Elizabeth engages in witty banter with Mr. Darcy and she is also highly sarcastic. When in the company of Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy one evening at Netherfield she makes sarcastic remarks makes fun of Darcy right to his face.  She says  to Miss Bingley, “Mr.  Darcy is not to be laughed at!” (92) and continues “That is an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintance. I dearly love a laugh” (92). She sarcastically says straight to Darcy “Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own and I laugh at them whenever I can.– But these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without” (92).  Despite her mocking him, Darcy seems to enjoy their conversation and they continue back and forth, much to Miss Bingley’s dismay.  Fordyce advises women to speak with grace and to never be rude.  And yet while Elizabeth is mocking Darcy, they both are enjoying themselves.  It is evident in Pride and Prejudice that wit does not make for dreadful women, it makes for fun and interesting conversation, fun and interesting women.

Fordyce: Proud and Mostly Prejudice

~ Joe Curra ~ 1 Comment

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.

Tori Albrecht Blog Post One

~ n02565783 ~ 1 Comment

Tori Albrecht

English major, Creative Writing Minor

I love J.R.R. Tolkien, but I’ve gotten really into Patrick Rothfuss recently. I have a lot of favorite authors but for a top list Nelle Harper Lee would definitely be on it, as would Hemingway, Eliot, Wells, Keats, Blake and strangely enough Chaucer.

“Wit is commonly looked upon with a suspicious eye, as a two edged sword, from which not even the sacredness of friendship can secure. It is especially, I think, dreaded in women.” (400)

When it comes to Darcy, brooding is definitely a word that comes to mind; however, the few moments he does speak is usually with a quick wit that leads to contempt from those in his presence and a great dislike from those beneath him (everyone in his presence essentially). Though Elizabeth is not despised within her society, there is a contempt for her person because of her intelligence. Her own mother dislikes her the most of her children because of her lack of obedience and difference of opinions about life. Caroline Bingley continually tries to make Elizabeth appear foolish in front of Darcy, only to fail multiple times. Austen goes against what Fordyce is saying through Elizabeth’s character. Even with the struggle of being put down by those of higher social standing around here, Elizabeth remains honest and witty as ever.

Elizabeth is more intriguing because she holds herself naturally better than those around her, with an intelligence not normally associated with one of her beauty, paired with her utter honesty and candid nature, such as her interaction with Darcy when they finally dance at Bingley’s ball before winter: “I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples.” (123). She’s very quick on her feet but even her reactions within scenes show just how different Elizabeth is from the formal women that surround her, going against the social norms being set up by Fordyce.

One of the biggest misgivings I’ve come to witness in my life when it comes to men is the assumption that any display of emotion is an effeminate reaction. I have three older brothers and grew up in a predominantly masculine environment. Even still, my mom and I had a great effect on my brother’s sentiments. The absolute worst was watching them make fun of each other for some of the stupidest, pettiest, “girlie” reasons that completely brought down the self confidence my brother had just had. James Fordyce states the true affect of a “gentle” lifestyle perfectly in his Sermon I: “I do not mean, that the men I speak of will become feminine; but their sentiments and deportment will contract a grace.” (397). There is a sort of grace when a man has a more “feminine” inclination when interacting with a woman. It’s the idea of a man being more in touch with himself and his feelings, it is seen as weak; however, there creates this under-level of confidence that, sadly, is easily washed away by ridicule. Mr. Bingley, more prominently than other characters within the novel, proves this sentiment, his care for Jane during her sickness and constant attention of her faculty when in the same room evidence enough.

Introduction & Wit

~ Autumn H ~ 1 Comment

Hi, my name is Autumn Holladay. I am an English major with minors in Creative Writing and Film & Video Studies with a concentration in production. My favorite authors are T. S. Eliot, William Faulkner, Carson McCullers and Robert Penn Warren.

Pride and Prejudice mocks James Fordyce’s Sermons for Young Women, even though the text had some value to the principles of the time. First off, as a way of introducing the text in PAP, Mr. Collins picks out the Sermons to read to the Bennet family, yet, can only read three pages before Lydia interrupts him and offends him: “I have often observed how little ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit…there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction” (Austen 103). Austen comments on this belief through Mary Bennet: the only sister who reads such conduct books and, ironically, is the sister with the least amount of suitors. Both Mary and Mr. Collins study conduct books and apply them to the real world, in which the conduct codes ultimately fail. Mary has read that a lady should be accomplished in music and the arts. She applies this code by singing and playing the piano at Bingley’s ball, yet it does not work out. She takes it too far and the audience is bored; Mr. Bennet must tell her to stop. The code does not work in a real world setting.

James Fordyce was a clergy man like Mr. Collins who tried to seek fortune in London. The Sermons include an essay meant to dissuade women from making witty remarks since men would be less likely to marry because “every wit is a critic by profession” and thus would not make a peaceful marriage (400). As an argument against this, Elizabeth’s wit is what attracts Mr. Darcy to her first, rather than her looks or her accomplishments. In fact, out of all of the Bennet sisters, Elizabeth has three marriage proposals from: Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy and is the wittiest of the sisters. Her wit also leads her to decline all of them before agreeing to Mr. Darcy. From this point, it seems clear Pride and Prejudice works as an argument against such Lady Conduct books.

First Blog Post: Introductions and Wit

~ philliph1 ~ 2 Comments

Hello everyone! I’m Hannah, and am a senior with an English major/Journalism minor. I love to read, listen to music, write, and look at houses. My favorite author is Cormac McCarthy, and his book Blood Meridian is awesome, especially if you’re into U.S. History and violent storylines.

This week’s excerpts from Fordyce’s “Sermons to Young Women” had marked comparisons to Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I’ve taken to analyzing Sermon V, which focuses on female virtue, friendship, and conversation. While reading Fordyce’s warning on woman’s ability in wit and taking wit over “dulness and insipidity, moroseness and rigour” (397), I immediately thought about Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

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