Feminists demand self-reliance and equality, updating concepts and reforming society
based on gender equality.
Harrison Zhang
Contents
①
②
Background
③
④
Charlotte Brontë
Industrial Revolution.
Jane Eyre
Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice
The feminism in British literature
Background
Industrial Revolution
From the early 19th century to the time of the Industrial
Revolution, most women were confined to their families
and knew little or nothing about the outside world.
In the wave of industrialization, many women went to
the society, entered the labor market, and became
independent employed workers, thus expanding their
horizon and enhancing their sense of independence.
Jane Austen
Pioneer of women's literature
Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an
English female novelist, best known for her works such as
Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
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Pride and Prejudice
The novel describes the little squire Bennet's five waiting daughters, with
Mrs.Bennet worrying about finding afuture husbands for her daughters. The
leading role is the second daughter Elizabeth Bennet. She met rich Darcy in
the dance, but hearing his arrogant remarks, Elizabeth had felt repelled by
him.Finally through a struggle, Elizabeth lifted the prejudice against Darcy,
and Darcy also put down his pride.
squire [ˈskwaɪə(r)] n. 乡绅
The awakening of the female will
In the 19th century, women began to change
their views on marriage, realizing that it was
In the 19th century, 30% of female
no longer the best path to happiness and
writers remained unmarried or did not
wealth. Instead, they believed that marriage
remarry after their husbands' deaths.
was an obstacle on the road to women's
These women pursued marital happiness
liberation, to which economic independence
and personal dignity.
was the key.
Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë (April 21, 1816 - March 31, 1855) was a British female
writer. She and her two younger sisters, Emily Brontë and Anne Brontë,
were known as the "Brontë Sisters" in the history of British literature.
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Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre, a woman with wisdom, confidence, independent personality, and
moral sense. This figure depicts an independent and complete person,
rather than a "woman" subordinate to a man, facing men on equal terms
bravely.
subordinate [səˈbɔːdɪnət , səˈbɔːdɪneɪt]
adj. 级别或职位较低的；下级的；次要的；附属的
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The feminism in British literature
The female images created by
Charlotte, such as Jane Eyre,
Emily's Catherine( in Wuthering
Heights), George Eliot's
Maggie(in The Mill on the Floss),
and Mrs. Gaskell's Mary Barton(in
Mary Barton ), are more credible
and significant.
Feminists believe that women
appear less knowledgeable than
men because they lack equal
educational opportunities. They
emphasize more on the
similarities between men and
Summary
Therefore,
feminism
had
in 19th-century
developed
literature,
unprecedentedly.
Almost all Victorian writers have paid much
attention
to
the
different
angles.
"women's
This
problem"
period
of
from
British
literature is inseparable from feminism.
The
feminism
in British
literature not
only promotes the development of the British
feminist
women's
movement
and
consciousness
the
but
awakening
also drives
of
the
further development of British literature to
a large extent.
Thanks for listening！
The rise of feminism in the 19th-century British literature
Harrison Zhang