Social Class in British Literature

Social class is one of the most noticeable factors and common themes in British literature. In the male dominated social context, women had been presented prominently by the author of every ages. This paper will discuss how the social class is represented in British literature. Examples will be given from Canterbury tales by Chaucer, Hamlet by Shakespeare and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen in order to expand the argument.

Dividing people in accordance with social class is the most prominent concept in English literature.

The power of people is also being determined by social class. From the early 13th century, social class had remained a significant factor in English literature. The idea of social class and societal hierarchy are shown in Canterbury tales by Chaucer. The author is conscious about the class system. In this text, the true picture of British society is portrayed by Chaucer with utmost efficiency. The quote “A KNIGHT there was and that a worthy man That from the time that he first began To riden out, he loved chivalry, Truth and honóur, freedom and courtesy” from Canterbury tales shows that the concept of social class is present (Chaucer and Ellis 2014).

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Based on this quote, Chaucer tries to show how the power of knight is also being determined by social class. Here, the knight belongs to the highest social standing and is bestowed with supreme power in the society.

According to Chaucer, the knight belongs to a ruling top class and can achieve this position through the courage and courtesy in the society. Furthermore, the quote “There was also a nun, a PRIORESS, That of her smiling was full simple and coy.  Her greatest oath was but by Saint Eloy, And she was cleped Madame Eglantine. Full well she sang the service divine Entuned in her nose full seemly And French she spake full fair and feisty” shows the life style of a nun in this society (Chaucer and Ellis 2014). The prioress is a charming lady who is elegant and sympathetic to animals. However, unlike the power and authority of the Knights, the deeper meaning of the nun’s lifestyle and social class is merely a try-hard person. She, the nun, tries very hard to climb up the social ladder and even uses religion (church) to boost that capability. Chaucer mocks those people who go to church for their own social hierarchy rather than sincere religious belief through a character, nun.

In English literature, the class structure plays a major role in people’s marriages. This ideology is portrayed in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice where the author shows how the marriage between two people is being determined by their social background. The title of the novel symbolizes the prejudice among human mind regarding the class structure. Denouncing an individual due to his or her social class is a theme in Pride and Prejudice. The character, Mrs. Hurst, says that she has “an excessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet… wish with all my[her] heart she were well settled” but that is impossible due to her “low connections” (Austen 1981). Here Elizabeth and Jane Bennett are being criticized by the Bingley sisters due their lower social position. Social class is one of the major issues among the characters of Pride and Prejudice. The line, “I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here” (Austen 1981), shows that every character in the novel is extremely conscious about their background along with position in society.

The class oppression by the higher class towards middle and lower class is another major theme in British literature and is portrayed in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hamlet, the central character of the play, belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. Such noble status had made him believe that he can do everything without any worry. The very phrase, “life at court” highlights Elizabethan period, in which Hamlet has been written. The line “keeps them like an apple in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed to be last swallowed”, shows how the characters of noble society lack transparency (Shakespeare et al. 1948). Based on the texts, it is evident that different social class were represented differently throughout the British literature. Chaucer shows a social class and compares the authority of knight and that of nun. Jane Austen portrays characters who states the importance of social position in marriages. The author of Hamlet, William Shakespeare, also shows the class oppression towards lower class people through a character, Hamlet.