Emily Sferra
"Sisters, Sisters": Historical Context for Sororal Relationships in Pride and Prejudice
Teaching Notes
Materials
"'Sisters, Sisters': Historical Context for Sororal Relationships in Pride and Prejudice" was first presented at the Jane Austen Summer program of 2019, entitled "Pride and Prejudice and Its Afterlives." Emily Sferra explores a multitude of sisterly relationships in Austen's life and the public sphere to shed light upon Austen's depiction of the Bennet sisters.
Discussion Questions
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Do the pairs of sisters remain stable throughout Pride and Prejudice? Are there any instances where the Jane-Lizzy and Kitty-Lydia pairings don’t apply? What prompts these instances?
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How do the Bennet sisters compete with one another?
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How do the Bennet sisters’ different personalities reflect their birth order and the Bennet parents’ changing relationship?