결혼선택을 통한 여성의 주체성과 도덕성 함양

Enhancing Women’s Identity and Morality through Marriage Choice: Pride and Prejudice

In 19th century British society, men and women were divided into private and public spheres; and men’s role was to progressively pioneer life in the public sphere, while women’s role was to passively comfort men in the private sphere. This role division meant that women had relative, not independent existences. This era also had a severe economic gap between the rich and the poor; the labor or lower class was destitute, with women living even harder lives than labor workers. Repression and unfair treatment toward women was an important issue during this period. Working class women were dually oppressed, both economically and sexually. Jane Austen satirizes the reality of British society with positive female consciousness that transcends the contemporary gender ideology. She criticizes repression toward women and satirizes reality with Elizabeth’s autonomous identity and morality about marriage in Pride and Prejudice.