Abstract

Different periods have unique cultural backgrounds and values, which leads to the diversities of marriage. In Jane Austen’s time, women are forced to take a passive role in marriage since they have no status and economic foundation. While in Charlotte Bronte’s era, women start to fight for equal rights as men due to the cruel social reality. Jane Austen tells a love story between a squire’s daughter and a nobleman, and Charlotte Bronte portrays a love story of a governess with her employer. Both Elizabeth and Jane Eyre, the heroines of the two novels, look forward to the marriage which based on independence, equal status and true love. At the same time, they believe that women have the same intelligence and rights as men. This thesis aims to compare the similarities and differences of marriage values by analyzing heroines’ personality, social background and the authors’ life experience. The marriages of the two novels not only indicate the social status of British women, but also have a great influence on modern marriage. 

Keywords : Pride and Prejudice; Jane Eyre; marriage value; compare

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction1

1.1 Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice.1

1.2 Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre.2

2. Literature Review2

2.1 British women in the nineteenth century.2

2.2 The feminine consciousness in Victorian age..3

3. Comparisons of the Marriage Values in the Two Works.3

3.1 Marriage values in pride and prejudice.4

3.2 Marriage values in Jane Eyre..5

3.3 Similarities of marriage values in the two works.6

3.4 Differences of marriage values in the two works.6

4. Causes of Different Marriage Values in the Two Works 7

4.1 Analysis of the personality of the heroines7

4.2 Analysis of the social background of the two works.8

4.3 Analysis of the authors of the two works.8

5. Conclusion9

References.10