See what happens when I am bored

My roommates and I are all mildly obsessed with the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, one of my all time favorite books. Although this classic is set in 19th century England, there are some common parallels between this society and the one in which we live in the 21st century.

For those who have not read the book, Jane Austen examines the relationships and behaviors of men and women toward each other. One parallel between this society and ours is the importance placed on a woman’s reputation. In the novel, Lydia Bennett, the youngest of her five sisters, runs away with George Wickham to London and lives there with him for an extended period of time. When they are “found out” by Mr. Darcy, they are forced to marry. This episode threatens to ruin the chances of a good marriage for the remaining 4 Bennett daughters.

Although this idea of the actions of a family member ruining the reputation of the rest of his/her family for good is outdated, I feel like 21st century women still have to worry about their misdeeds being food for the rumor mills and slander houses that are still present in modern society. I am referring specifically to the still present double standard for men and women. If a man sleeps with a lot of women or dates a lot of women, he is viewed as a “stud” but if a women does the same thing, she is called a slut and whispered about behind her back. Personally, I think that men who sleep around and date lots of women are quite disgusting and very unsexy. Although I don’t think this is consciously present in the psyche of 21st century society, the unconscious disgust with women who are in charge of their sexual destiny still prevails.