Similarities between 'Letters to Alice' and 'Pride and Prejudice' Danny O'Connor 12th Grade

Profuse similarities between texts are often exposed by examining the way that authors react to their surrounding society. This notion is regularly expressed between Jane Austen’s novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, (1813) and Fay Weldon’s text, ‘Letters To Alice’, (1984) where the authors convey how the entrenched gender roles of the Georgian era have adapted over time to allow women's marital rights and also the revolution of education opportunities and expectations of etiquette among females. Although the context of each text varies heavily both authors draw on the universal concern of the fight for equality in society.

Through their literature, Fay Weldon and Jane Austen critique the fluctuating concept of marriage and its ability to provide financial security. Jane Austen’s novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ reflects the firmly entrenched social classes of the Georgian era and the financial and societal necessity of marriage. During the Regency era, women could not inherit property due to the legal doctrine of entailment, therefore, the only way to secure a pleasing future was to find a husband. The satirical characterization of Mrs Bennet allows Austin to express the implied pressure on women in the 1800’s to marry in order to obtain a...