The comparative study of texts and contexts demonstrates that composers write to reflect the prevailing values and issues within their society. Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Fay Weldon's Letters to Alice show connections in terms of contrasting attitudes towards marriage and the divergent roles of composers. Austen's nineteenth-century context provides a framework that dictates the rigid social norms and values of her time. Weldon, in a 20th century postmodernist context, comments on Austen's text and communicates a different vision on the issues of his time. By exploring the values and connections between texts, advanced perspectives are presented that could not be understood in isolation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Marriage was crucial to the social and financial security of women in the patriarchal society of Regency England. In the Georgian context of Austen's P&P, the tension between the rationalism of the Enlightenment period and Romantic literature influenced conflicting attitudes towards marriage. Charlotte's practical view of marriage is highlighted by Austen's author's intrusion that "happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of luck." His passion is tempered by his pragmatism toward financial security, conveying the unsentimental reality of courtship and marriage. In Austen's social context, a woman of limited income or beauty depended on marriage for financial security. Austen challenges the subservience expected of women through Elizabeth's defiant tone, "I act in that way which... shall constitute my happiness." The use of narrative voice distinctively projects Elizabeth's statement that Darcy is "exactly the man who, in character and talent, suits her best." Austen's vision of an ideal marriage, based on mutual affection, was quite new in a society where the urgent need for women to find a spouse tended to dominate their lives. The “universally acknowledged truth” ironically undermines the institution of marriage with Elizabeth's rejection of society's traditional values. Although marriage provides social status to women in a conservative society, Austen advocates for greater independence for women in a world determined by social decorum. The postmodernist context presents a more liberal perception of marriage and women's autonomy, compared to the financial connotations of marriage. in the 19th century. Feminism and postmodernism seek to replace the dominant ideologies of patriarchy and Enlightenment philosophy, respectively, by subverting social expectations and pitting the individual against society. In LTA, Weldon asserts a change in attitude regarding the absolute necessity of marriage for women. In contrast to Austen, Weldon denigrates the importance of marriage by juxtaposing “the material of our women's magazines… the material of their lives.” The shift towards a contemporary attitude reflects a society in which marriage is relegated to a banal obligation, denoted by the connotations of “stuff”. Weldon's sarcastic view of marriage as an "outdated institution" affirms her feminist view and suggests that it is socially acceptable for women in her society not to marry. Weldon's context differs from Austen's orthodox society in that there are more idealistic undertones of marriage for "esteem and affection" and "expression of love", which convey the emotional views of society. Her feminist perspective is further evoked by her critique of marriage..
tags