Abstract

As a realistic writer, Jane Austen's works truly reflect female problems in the socio-historical background. Her concern about female education and her progressive feminist consciousness could be found throughout her novels, especially in Pride and Prejudice (1813). During her time, the progress of the industrial revolution and the development of printing industry made it possible for novels to be produced in great numbers and granted middle-class women more access to such literary publications, awakening the feminist consciousness. By the time of the Victorian era, female education has received unprecedented attention and made tremendous improvement. Elizabeth, the heroine of Pride and Prejudice, embodies Austen's concept of female salvation, i.e., education, mostly by means of reading and writing, is the only way for women to achieve their self-cultivation. In this novel, different characters are created to demonstrate the intelligence and capacity of educated women, hinting at the gender equality in education.

Keywords: literary publishing, novel, reading, female education

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Pride and Prejudice then and now-1

1.2 Previous studies of Pride and Prejudice-1

2. Print culture and female education in the Regency era-4

2.1 The progress of printing technology and publishing industry-4

2.2 The expansion of literary readership and female education-5

3. Publishing and reading in Pride and Prejudice-8

3.1 Case studies of female readers and writers in Pride and Prejudice-8

3.1.1 Jane Bennet----a well-educated and modest female reader-8

3.1.2 Elizabeth Bennet----a knowledgeable and intelligent female reader-8

3.1.3 Charlotte Lucas----a sensible and independent female reader-9

3.2 Austen's view of literary publishing and female education-10

4. Conclusion-12

References