Jane Austen, a woman whose work has stood the test of time. Someone who should be celebrated and commended for her work and what it has meant for women world-wide. Her works acts as a symbol for female independence, the defiance of patriarchal constraints that still linger, and over all, searching for a life that is fulfilling and that will hopefully have a happy ending, even if chances are dim in the beginning. Not to mention she's a kick-butt author.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the same appreciation for Jane Austen and some discourage the reading or admiration of this author's novels. Along with the occasional faux-pas that her collection is boring or out-dated, a work that is a recollection of centuries past, nothing that could be applicable to today's world. I say nay! Jane Austen novels are still as racy and eye-opening now as they were back then. Not to mention, a lot of movies today contain the same plot line as her famous "Pride and Prejudice" and some of the other subsequent novels.
If you find yourself still rejecting the importance that Jane Austen has had on our century and the ones that have preceded it, here are five simple reasons why you should reconsider and the lessons Jane Austen has to offer:
1. Never be afraid to follow your heart or say no to a proposal
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2. Money is not everything, it’s nice, but not the most important part of a marriage
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” — Pride and Prejudice
Wouldn't you rather be loved as a clergyman’s wife, than face an almost always unhappy life married to someone wealthy that you don’t love?? But according to your mother that’s not the way it should be.
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3. A simple hand touch will do
Other than the time period being where a kiss before marriage was utterly and completely un-lady-like, not to mention a complete scandal, a simple hand touch is one of the only public displays of accidental affection you can have without much suspicion. A dance however means much more — cue the wedding music. Even if it's just a polite gesture, you’ll most likely have an anxious aunt who is vicariously living through you stir up some rumors or a mother who declares to your whole neighborhood that this is a sign that you’ll be married in a fort night.
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4. Scandal is always around the corner
With some of the best villains — eligible, handsome, young, seductive men — who are always looking for trouble (and money), the young women in the novel are always falling victim to their charms. However, the heroines are just out of harm’s way, but are usually called to action to defend their sisters against these young men. Here are some examples, just to name a few, Lydia to Wickham, Eleanor to Willoughby, Fanny Price to Henry Crawford, and the list goes on. Even though the heroines evade the worst of the scandal and are fortunate not to be intertwined with these men before their time, some are not so lucky, drawing on the lesson of doing research on your lovers before becoming involved.
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5. Last but not least, love your sisters, do what you want and don’t care what everyone else thinks
One of my favorite moments in "Pride and Prejudice" is when Lizzy walks on her own from Longbourne to Netherfield Park and strolls in with a dirty petty coat with no cares in the world to tend to her sickly sister. That is true love.
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