Gender Inequality In Emma By Jane Austen And In Modern Japan

Opportunities for women are frequently limited by those people intent on marginalizing them. From choices in marriage to choices of career, women find themselves shackled by those in positions of power, often male decision makers. In Emma, by Jane Austen, marriage arrangements are dictated by social status and economics. Austen challenges marriage arrangements by illustrating the absurdity of those outside of the marriage couple assuming to be better able to make this decision than the man and woman themselves. When Austen wrote Emma in the early 1800s in England, she recognized the faulty system society established in order to limit the choices women made independently, particularly with regard to a marriage partner. Surprisingly, two hundred years later in Japan, women are facing similar discrimination with regard to career opportunity and self-determination. Japanese society limits the choices a woman can make in her professional path. Ultimately, when women are denied choices, their opportunities are reduced and they are subjected to the limits the society sets for them.

Emma deals with the various perceptions of what marriage entails and Austin raises the question of the high cost of denying women this personal choice. Marriages in the 1800s in England were expected to be between people of similar social class. This requirement insured that the marriage would be financially practical, socially acceptable and that the wedded couple would share a common understanding of the dictates of social status. Marriage was a particularly crucial arrangement for a woman as she could not own property and faced strict limitations regarding employment. In order to comply with expected social norms and to ensure financial security, a woman relied on a suitable marriage partner to secure her social status and her lifestyle. Austin illustrates the benefits of a socially sanctioned couple in the Westons’ marriage: “He had made his fortune, bought his house, and obtained his wife; and was beginning a new period of existence, with every probability of greater happiness than in any yet passed through”. The marriage is categorized with money and property as if it is another entitlement of class and society. Economics were woven into the fabric of marriage as if an essential component.

Choosing to use “greater” and “beginning” suggests that marriage is necessary in order to achieve the next level of success and happiness. As if on a timeline of expectations for the social class, the Westons are prepared to enter the next phase of their lives. Mr. Knightly, referring to the appropriateness of a union between Mr. Weston and Miss Taylor states: “She [Ms. Taylor] knows how much the marriage is to Miss Taylor’s advantage; she knows how very acceptable it must be, at Miss Taylor’s time of life, to be settled in a home of her own, and how important to her to be secure of a comfortable provision, and therefore cannot allow herself to feel so much pain as pleasure”. Isabella comments on the appropriateness of the Weston marriage: “I am sure nobody ought to be, or can be, a greater advocate for matrimony than I am; and if it had not been for the misery of her leaving Hartfield, I should never have thought of Miss Taylor but as the most fortunate woman in the world; and as to slighting Mr. Weston, that excellent Mr. Weston, I think there is nothing he does not deserve”. It is evident that both Mr. Knightly and Isabella consider the social and financial acceptability of this couple as a priority to the neglect of their emotional connection and suitability of personalities and interests. Both affirm Austen’s assertion that a socially sanctioned marriage results in happiness and contentment. Without her marriage to Mr. Weston, Miss Taylor would not enjoy the approval of her contemporaries.

On the other hand, Emma, possessing a strong social background, a formal education, and financial resources of her own can be respected by society without the benefit of a prosperous husband. Emma has an unfair advantage over other women because she is not pressured to marry in order to achieve social respect, having gained it through her birthright. She insists, “Fortune I do not want; employment I do not want; consequence I do not want. I believe few married women are half as much mistress of their husband's house as I am of Hartfield; and never, never could I expect to be so truly beloved and important; so always first and always right in any man's eyes as I am in my father's”. Emma is determined to stay in her position and remains confident that her independence and confidence as a single woman are status enough to be respected. Using repetition with “never, never,” Emma is convincing in her claim that being the mistress in her childhood home is adequate for her. Also, referring to herself as “truly beloved and important,” Emma has attained her own sense of position and does not feel that a husband’s position could possibly elevate her status or bring her additional satisfaction.

Austen presents yet another marriage dilemma in Harriet. While the Westons are a suitable match and Emma holds her own position, Harriet finds herself with a love interest in a social class unreachable to her. Unlike Emma, Harriet needs to be married in order to be socially acceptable. Lacking financial security of her own, Harriet is pressured to marry although she is not interested in her suitor, Mr. Martin as Emma considers him beneath her. Harriet wishes to remain single but fears the social stigma attached to being a single woman without status in the community. Harriet’s desires appear to be contradictory as she claims, “I shall never marry,” while agreeing with Emma’s sentiment that, “A single woman, with a very narrow income, must be a ridiculous, disagreeable old maid”. Conflicted by her desire to advance her social status, Harriet’s lack of self- confidence suggests she may compromise her beliefs in order to marry.

Contrasting Emma and Harriet’s positions and choices, Austen allows Emma her own discretion while determining that marriage is the preferable option for Harriet to secure her place in society. However, Austen also hints that a woman’s character should determine her degree of social acceptance in her portrayal of Miss Bates. Her morality should be valued more and earn her the respect of society. Marriage shouldn’t determine the degree of an individual’s happiness or worth. Using Miss Bates as an alternative example for marriage, “She (Miss Bates) had never boasted either beauty or cleverness. Her youth had passed without distinction, and her middle of life was devoted to the care of a failing mother and the endeavor to make a small income go as far as possible. And yet she was a happy woman, a woman whom no one named without goodwill… The simplicity and cheerfulness of her nature, her contented and grateful spirit, were a recommendation to everybody and a mine of felicity to herself”. Again, Austen justifies Miss Bates’ status, although this differs from her evaluation of the decisions of other women in the novel. Referring to her as “a happy woman, a woman whom no one named without goodwill”, Austen presents another alternative to marriage for the position. Miss Bates is portrayed as a contributor to society, bringing joy and pleasure to all.

In her portrayal of these four women, Miss Taylor, Emma, Harriet, and Miss Bates, Austen challenges the societal expectations around marriage. The criteria are inconsistent. Through Austen’s subtle examination of the inconsistent standard set forth for women of various social classes, her dissatisfaction regarding women's marriage choices is revealed. Considering the various pathways these women elect to follow, the reader is not able to determine which choice Austen approves. Her representation of the absurdity of attempting to categorize women remains nonjudgemental while allowing readers to easily identify the flaws in the social structure.

Recently, Japan has faced a societal crisis regarding opportunities for women. In early 2019, the medical schools and universities disclosed that they have intentionally graded women lower than men in entrance examinations. For several years, this practice has kept eligible women from enrolling in universities and medical programs. Although Japan has been represented as an affluent, democratic, and developed country, this news symbolizes a reversal in progress. The scandal has clearly raised a point on how women are not given the chance to stand on the same platform as men and that they have long been ignored. The excuse that female doctors tend to leave the profession after marriage or childbirth only inflamed a national debate on gender inequality and I question people still trying to support the system. I, a woman myself, believe that in Japan, the ultimate hope is to establish equality for women. They should no longer be faced with the cruel choice between remaining single to pursue a career to achieve their goals or having a family which leads to giving up her career. The system lacks flexibility in women balancing work and career and has created an environment which forces making a choice of one over the other. . Systematically rigging the test scores only for women is “profound sexism” and severe discrimination with lack of sensitivity. In fact, this is just one example of women being restricted in working fields.

The statistic that more women are employed in the United States than in Japan is misleading: in Japan, it might be easier to enter the work field after completing their education, however, it is hard for many women to enter the working field after they got married or have a family. The statistical graph that became stereotypical, referred to as the “M Curved graph,” represents woman pursuing their career. Until her late twenties, most women pursue their career. Typically, when a woman decides to have a family, the curve drops which is about in her early thirties. When a woman chooses to come back to pursue her career in the mid-thirties the curve gradually goes up, but after two or three years in the work field, the curve drastically drops. According to a recent Reuters poll, three-quarters of Japanese companies say they have no female senior executives. It is very hard for women to come back and pursue their career because many companies do not offer any flexibility and rather hire someone who can put themselves in work for 24/7 believing that is efficient. In my opinion, this is not only a problem of gender equality but also a problem of common knowledge and status of the Japanese mind towards work. However, I believe that both the economics of Japan and women will gain if women are allowed opportunities equal to male counterparts.

In both Jane Austen’s Emma and in today’s Japan, inequity between the genders is not fully recognized or acknowledged. By limiting the decisions a woman can make independently and neglecting to provide a structure to support these decisions in society, women are limited in choice and opportunity. To make a positive contribution, I can be a part of the solution by exposing people to different ideas that I experienced while studying abroad. Deciding to return to Japan for college has been an instrumental force in my thinking: I will be able to seek balance in my experiences in different worlds. While the experience of women today regarding marriage is hopefully more open than during Emma’s time, professional opportunities remain a challenge for Japanese women. My intent is to contribute to positive change by educating those around me and modeling my abilities as a capable, educated woman.