Fools or Hanging by a Thread?

Claudius and Gertrude (from Shakespeare's "Hamelt"), Tom and Daisy Buchanan (from "The Great Gatsby"), Mersault and Marie Cardona (from "The Stranger") and finally, Charlotte and Mr. Collins (from "Pride and Prejudice") are all relationships characterized as self-absorbed and superficial. It seems rather a stereotypical factor that sweet, naive and obedient ladies are always constrained to marry arrogant and distasteful men. This pattern is drawn intelligibly in Jane Austen’s, “Pride and Prejudice.” Charlotte, only a secondary character, a secondary friend, is intended to comply with the remains of the unwanted bachelors. 

 The title exemplifies and defines the trauma of the novel. Although it is no “Hamlet drama,” it is meant to be portrayed as a greater spectacle. During the late 18th century, wealthy aristocratic Englanders were recognized as predominant beings, one’s who curbed every whit in their social norms. By acquiring a snobbish composure, they conveyed pride, this led this minor group of people to be even more powerful than the kings. High class citizens, although many didn’t have political control over others, had a vaster force within them: they obstructed the mentality and behaviors of the English citizens. However, these social elites didn’t only manipulate the commoners, but a whole race. This race was called: women. 

Charlotte is not like Elizabeth, one who is personified as an absolute idealistic woman of the time. Charlotte although also adheres to all of the social requisites of the ladies, confines to a group of women who have no individual mind; these women who have lost their essence and sanity can be categorized as pleasers. Charlotte, although a particularly educated woman, one who grew up in a high ranked society, does not posses the capital to marry a man like Mr. Bingley. For this reason, she accepts the hand in marriage to a man turned down by her best friend, Elizabeth. 

How does a woman’s pride regress when having to hew to “left overs?” Charlottes self esteem must have gone into a rut, one filled with unpleasing thoughts about her self worth. She was educated, she was witty, and kind and friendly. Charlotte was simply unlucky, she was doomed to marry a sardonic man who represented the pretentiousness and boastful rich community. Women of less means and social stature were cursed to a life pact with a man’s who’s revalues revolve around materialism and conventional customs. Probably, Charlotte will always remorse her destiny, however will lead her daughters into the same deploring life she did. We can even see this in contemporary household values. Poor relationships between the children and one of their parents are usually past on to generations. 

Women have acquired bravery throughout the years. However, like many of the novels mentioned previously, women have stood by a man who’s been criticized and declared cruel and inhumane. Women’s independent thought has been imprisoned, and it is up to people like Jane, Lady Macbeth and Juliet to stand up and show social critiques like Shakespeare that women aren’t fools. Are women capable of remaining spinsters and becoming outcasts in return for their pride? Charlotte is not one of them, this is why she is a minor personage.