Jane Austen & Feminism: A Little Help?
Hey, I'm writing a report on Jane Austen & Feminism for my lovely Journalism course in Notting Hill (gorgeous!) & I really need some opinions for primary research. Any contributions would be SO SO appreciated. Let's see how clever you cats are.
Now that that’s cleared up, let’s carry on:
The questions are just to get you to think, don’t answer them one by one or anything. Try to give me a couple sound bytes for the report. Ha, ha. To place this report in context, it is for my Contextual studies class.
Statement: The portrayal of women in “Chick Lit” inspired by the works of Jane Austen actually indicates a back-pedalling on the forward-thinking Feminist ideals espoused in Austen’s novels. (I must work on reshaping that sentence, what’s with all the forwards-backwards stuff?)
Questions/considerations:
List recent media inspired by the works of Jane Austen that you are familiar with. eg. Twilight, Bridget Jone’s Diary (Or, of course, the true classics such as The Man Who Loved Jane Austen (right...), Sex and Sensibility (yikes!), or Jane Austen in Boca/Scarsdale (take your pick)) Feel free to discuss film adaptations as well (Clueless, That Mormon One)
What would a Feminist think of these pieces of media? Analyze as a Feminist. (Now that I think about it, wasn’t Elizabeth in the Mormon movie writing a book about Feminist robots or something? Clearly ahead of her time or else I really don’t get that film.)
How are women portrayed in these pieces of media?
What would a Feminist think of the works of Jane Austen? Analyze as a Feminist.
How are women portrayed in the works of Jane Austen?
And, inevitably, how are women portrayed in the works of Jane Austen as compared to the works she inspired?
Consider: The time at which Austen was writing, societal views on marriage then and today, the novels in context.
You probably get the idea so whatever you can think of; have fun with it.
This is assignment isn’t due for about two weeks but I would like to finish it this week to be honest because it’s the last week of term and I would love to enjoy a luxurious vacation. If you can’t be bothered, just give me permission and I will take the liberty of furnishing you with a veritable potpourri of suitable quotations with your name attached at no extra cost to you. Thanks in advance to anyone who responds. You guys are the bee’s knees!