It is clear that in today’s society the necessity to marry is not as strong as it was in Jane Austen’s time. Back then, women had to marry in order to survive; now, at least in the modern Western world, this is not the case. Women have more opportunities when it comes to their future, without having to marry. For a woman to have a career may seem normal today, but in 19th century England this was not an option. However, the need to live a good and secure life is still troubling women today.
The web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) is a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813), where Lizzie Bennet vlogs about her friends, family and life. Even though Pride and Prejudice and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries take place in different times, social security still influences the lives of the characters.
In Pride and Prejudice, Lizzy Bennet wants to marry but only for love and not because her mother is telling her to. She rejects Mr. Collins' and Mr. Darcy's first proposal because she does not love them. Eventually Lizzy does get married, because she falls in love with Mr. Darcy and accepts his second proposal, thereby fulfilling her intention to marry for love. In The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Lizzie is a grad student, living at home together with her parents and her two sisters. She is single, but getting a boyfriend is not one of her concerns. Instead, she is trying to get a good job to start her career and to justify her expensive education.
Charlotte Lucas marries Mr. Collins, not because she loves him, but because she wants and needs to get married. She ends up unhappy but she reaches her goal to find a husband and obtain a secure life. Charlotte Lu accepts Mr. Collins’ job offer because she sees an opportunity in this employment to help her in the future. She benefits from this job at Collins & Collins despite Lizzie disagreeing.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Elizabeth
2.1 Pride and Prejudice
2.2 The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
3. Charlotte
3.1 Pride and Prejudice
3.2 The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how the concept of social security shapes the lives and decision-making processes of the female protagonists in Jane Austen's 19th-century novel Pride and Prejudice and its modern web-series adaptation, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. It analyzes whether the need for financial and social stability drives characters to compromise their personal desires or prioritize career advancement across different historical contexts.
- The influence of financial stability on marital and professional choices.
- Comparative analysis of Elizabeth Bennet's pursuit of independence versus Charlotte Lucas's pragmatism.
- The transition from seeking marriage as a survival mechanism to pursuing career-oriented paths.
- Structural parallels between the 19th-century landed gentry and modern student debt/career pressures.
- The evolving role of the "marriage market" in contemporary adaptations.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Pride and Prejudice
Though he is not as rich as Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley, Mr. Bennet is still considered part of the Landed Gentry, a part of the landowning upper class (Sheehan). He has an income of 2000£ annually, "[…] which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed, in default of heirs male, on a distant relation […]" (Austen 32). For a family to only have daughters, like the Bennets, was unfortunate because they have no direct male heirs to inherit their wealth and to keep it in the family (Sheehan). Since Mr. Bennet has no sons, his inheritance has to go to the closest male relative he has; in this case Mr. Collins (Sheehan).
This is why Mrs. Bennet is so obsessed with finding single and especially rich men for her daughters. "The business of her life was to get her daughters married […]" (Austen 4). She is concerned for her daughters’ futures as it was necessary for women in the 19th century to marry in order to have a good life. In this time "women have to lose their freedom and rights to self-determination in order to win at life- that is by marrying into an upper class that would support them for the rest of their lives" (Chin-Yi 5). To live in a world where an unmarried woman can hardly survive on her own, while having five daughters, who all have not married yet, can be distressing.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the shift from the necessity of marriage for survival in the 19th century to modern career-oriented paths, introducing the comparison between the original novel and the web adaptation.
2. Elizabeth: This chapter analyzes Elizabeth Bennet's refusal of security-based proposals in both the novel and the web series, highlighting her focus on personal agency and love.
2.1 Pride and Prejudice: This section explores how Lizzy's rejection of Mr. Collins is a bold act of self-determination, risking her future stability for the sake of integrity and eventual love.
2.2 The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: This section examines the modern Lizzy's struggles with student debt and her rejection of corporate opportunities that would compromise her independence or educational goals.
3. Charlotte: This chapter discusses the role of Charlotte, who represents the pragmatic alternative to the protagonist, prioritizing security over individual romantic fulfillment.
3.1 Pride and Prejudice: This section details Charlotte Lucas's calculated decision to marry Mr. Collins to avoid social insignificance and financial dependence as an unmarried woman.
3.2 The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: This section portrays Charlotte Lu as a career-oriented individual who accepts a job offer to escape debt, illustrating a modern, professional version of seeking security.
4. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes how social security remains a fundamental motivator for the characters, while noting that the modern adaptation allows for professional self-sufficiency as a substitute for traditional marriage.
Keywords
Pride and Prejudice, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Jane Austen, Adaptation, Social Security, Marriage, Career, Independence, Financial Stability, Gender Roles, 19th Century, Modernity, Literature, Media Studies, Empowerment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the theme of social security in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, comparing how characters in different eras navigate the need for financial and social stability.
What are the key thematic areas covered?
The core themes include the contrast between marriage for love versus marriage for security, the impact of debt on career choices, and the evolution of female independence.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The goal is to analyze how the concept of "social security" translates from the rigid class structures of the 19th century to the modern pressures of student debt and career development in a digital age.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper employs a comparative literary and media analysis, examining textual excerpts from the novel alongside episode-specific content from the web series.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body breaks down the actions of the protagonists, Elizabeth and Charlotte, in both the novel and the series, specifically analyzing their responses to Mr. Collins' offers.
Which keywords define this analysis?
The analysis is characterized by terms such as social security, adaptation, gender roles, financial stability, and agency.
How does the modern Lizzie differ from the original Lizzy regarding the marriage market?
Unlike the original character, the modern Lizzie has the option to pursue an education and a career, making her rejection of Mr. Collins' offer a professional choice rather than purely a romantic one.
In what way does Charlotte's arc in the web series modernize her sacrifice?
Charlotte Lu is depicted as highly career-oriented; her acceptance of Mr. Collins' job offer is a pragmatic move to secure her professional future rather than a desperate attempt to find a husband.
- Citation du texte
- Anne Sander (Auteur), 2015, From Carriages to Career. Social Security in "Pride and Prejudice" and "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/416284
