Gender and Mobility in "Persuasion" by Jane Austen

Academic Paper from the year 2019 in the subject Gender Studies, grade: "manque", Sultan Moulay Sliman University (Faculty of Letters and Humanities), course: Feminist Criticism, language: English, abstract: This paper examines how women's mobility is hindered by their economic dependence on men. It explores how the Georgian era played an essential role in shaping gender roles in the novel, taking into consideration the point of view of Jane Austen as a woman of the English gentry in rural England at the turn of the 19th century.

This paper questions how different events, decisions, and actions, related to mobility, are expected based on what Jane Austen sees as natural difference between males and females. The focus is on events that stress how mobility fosters men's empowerment and deepens women's passivity.

The analysis also clarifies how men's mobility enhances their freedom and provides distraction and enjoyment. Women's mobility is also hindered by the female traditional roles of mothers, caregivers, and assistants; it is also delayed by the fear of the unknown outside. Women's movement is usually decided by men, and they only accompany and assist men to fulfill their plans, or they go out to enjoy nature and visit other families.