제인 오스틴의 작품 안에 나타나는 여성과 현실의 문제: 샬럿 루카스와 제인 페어팩스를 중심으로

Abstract

Jane Austen always deals with women's reality in her novels. None of her heroines, except for Emma, is free from their hard realities of life as a woman. However, since most of her heroines naturally overcome those hardships by marriage, we can find out how woman's reality affects one's life more obviously through other female characters such as Charlotte Lucas of Pride and Prejudice and Jane Fairfax of Emma. Charlotte's marriage presents the situation of a woman who does not have other choice but to marry, even she does not love the man. To her, marriage is the "only honourable provision," and it is the only way to escape being a burden to her family. Although Elizabeth, at first, harshly criticizes Charlotte's decision, the novel shows her gradual change of opinion. Also, Austen portraits Charlotte's choice as something that should be understood through the social context. Like Charlotte, Jane Fairfax makes contrast with the heroine, and she appears as a woman who should live as a governess inevitably. Jane's calm and composed air, and her neighbor's sympathetic attitude toward her emphasizes Jane's gloomy future as a governess. She does not want to be a governess, but there is not other way to earn her living, unless she marries. Moreover, Austen focuses on how these women react to their reality, and in this regard, Charlotte and Jane show some difference. Thus, admitting the harsh realities of women that limit their life, Austen tries to present the more valuable attitude to react to those realities.