The apparent qualities of a strong-willed and intelligent woman are evident in Jane Austen’s portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and the character of Cordelia in William Shakespeare’s King Lear. With the depiction of aristocracy and hierarchical societies in each text, the two women show their ability to uphold personal beliefs amid the threats of those in power and at the same time, set their respective plots in motion. Elizabeth’s refusal to marry immediately unleashes multiple chains of events as her initial pursuer marries another woman and the next man to come her way brings with him the wrath of the nobles. Meanwhile, Cordelia angers her father by giving an honest answer to his love test and the resulting banishment forces her to leave Britain for France where she marries the French King. Evidently, while they may both be the female heroes in their respective tales, Elizabeth and Cordelia share different fates that revolve around the marriage institution. To that end, the fact that Elizabeth did not readily get married protected her from the possible retaliations of Mr. William Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh while Cordelia’s marriage to the King left her vulnerable to her power-hungry sisters.
Foremost, there is Mr. Collins, the future heir of the Bennet fortune who happens to be a clergyman. In Austen’s words, “society [and] nature” could not help the man gain enough sense as he boasts of his patronage from the Lady de Bourgh while overlooking his humble backgrounds (40). Subsequently, Mr. Collins adopts an arrogant nature when dealing with those of a lower social class and at the same time, associates himself with anybody he deems wealthy enough and worthy of his attention. A perfect illustration of the given claim is evident in the scene where he advises Elizabeth on what to wear when attending dinner at Lady de Bourgh’s residence. Apparently, even if she were to put on the superior choice in “whatever of [her] clothes”, that would not be enough because her best dress would still preserve the “distinction of rank” (92). Next, there is Lady Catherine de Bourgh who readers understand is both wealthy and of noble blood as she ceaselessly reminds every person of her status and power either personally or through Mr. Collins. Despite the different scenes in which she meets Elizabeth, the most significant interaction between the two females encompasses the confrontation they have because of Darcy. According to the Lady, the supposed looming engagement between the two was nothing but a “scandalous falsehood” that came about after Elizabeth used “arts and allurements” to gain Darcy’s interests (203-204). Hence, a marriage between the two was as absurd as it was insulting to the social classes that defined relationships.
With the given facts in mind, tension emerged between Elizabeth Bennet and the given characters because she was of a lower class yet had the audacity to refuse a man deemed socially acceptable only to show interests in a higher ranked male. In each case, Elizabeth defies the cultural norms by refusing the security of marriage and opposing the orders of a superior woman. On one hand, and in a society where women are cannot inherit fortunes, she refuses to wed a man who could offer her security and a name in a male dominated society by calling him “conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, [and] silly” (Austen 78). On the other, she defies the will of an aristocrat woman by refusing to give straightforward answers and follow her orders; to that, Lady de Bourgh promptly demands to know whether Elizabeth knows who she is or rather, her position and amount of wealth (Austen 204). Now, through it all, Elizabeth Bennet was lawfully under the protection of her father who was the male figure in the Bennet household. In other words, as long as Elizabeth had a male parent and remained unmarried she was untouchable unless a person consulted her father and it is possible she would have still been elusive since she was the man’s favorite daughter. Hence, when she refused Mr. Collins’ hand and later stood up for herself amidst the ambush of Lady de Bourgh, she was exercising her rights as a daughter whose father provided her with the necessary immunity in a society controlled by wealth and men. Subsequently, the father-daughter allows Jane Austen's successful creation of a female hero who also happens to be within the social boundaries the novel projects.
Thus said, Elizabeth Bennet’s fate was different from that of Cordelia because the second woman removed herself from the protection of a doting father only to marry a man from another country. In King Lear, when Cordelia fails to give the King a satisfying answer, she faces immediate banishment that removes her from the protection of the Monarch (Shakespeare I.i.87). Additionally, when she leaves, her two sisters dethrone their father and rise to power without the need for male guidance. For instance, in Act 5 Scene 3 Goneril denies Albany, her husband, any claims to power while in Act 3 Scene 7, Regan runs a servant through while the people consider all forms of killing as a man’s work (Shakespeare). Consequently, Cordelia's removal from her father's side made her vulnerable as the men were still superior, but she did not have a man by her side and her marriage to the King of France did not help because while he was powerful, Britain was not his territory. Thus, her marriage paved the way for war and her premature death by availing an army and depriving her of the protection of a male figure. After all, King Lear ends with male characters conversing amongst themselves.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print.
Shakespeare, William. King Lear. New York: Dover Publications, 1994. Print.
