Obstinate Headstrong Girl

 
Lady Catherine tells Elizabeth Bennet that she is seriously annoyed with Elizabeth's candour and strong-will in Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen’s female characters have always inspired me to stand up to the haughtiness and the worst of snobbery in our societies. They embody the perfect imperfections of every strong-willed woman out there: lively, poised, witty, and clever. A woman bears her deepest thoughts while offering social commentary about the wildly unreasonable or illogical things happening around. Women have the power to overcome obstacles of other’s opinions with humour and charm. There are many versions of Elizabeth Bennet today who have certainly enchanted me to be that ‘obstinate headstrong girl’.
Emma Woodhouse is beautiful and clever like all Austen’s heroines but she is the only one who had the advantage of being rich which temporarily blinds her. She did rankle my ire initially as she blunders through the novel. But finally, she acquires knowledge to know herself and discern others accurately. A woman’s greatest reward is self-knowledge. Austen portrays Fanny Price in Mansfield Park as a retreating personality. People usually pity and mollycoddle such women. But Fanny’s serious spirit makes her the strongest character. She says, “We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.” What profound wisdom Miss Price!
In Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland is young and naïve but has a vivid imagination. In an era that preferred women to be silent, Catherine directly voices her thoughts and speaks her mind. She inspires the readers to deviate from cultural constraints. Anne Elliot in Persuasion does not follow the ‘perfection guidelines’ that the society imposes on women. She is mostly melancholic, has anxiety crises and is always nervous. After long solitude and reflection, she recovers. Austen conveys to all women that it’s okay to be sad. Sadness is an emotion that helps one reflect. In Sense and Sensibility, Austen portrays Elinor Dashwood as a logical and stoic personality giving a new perception of femininity.
Jane’s women are strong-willed and have happy endings when they stand up for themselves against tradition, oppression, and imposition of one’s ideas. To summarize the situation in a word, “patriarchy”. A woman’s safe haven must be her home that provides a bright, equal, and rewarding future. It takes courage to believe in oneself and I truly know that all women have a superpower within. I am grateful to Jane for making me a markedly obstinate headstrong girl. If you are a strong-willed woman too you might want to join the club of obstinate headstrong girls! 
Happy Women’s Day to all the wonderful women. Shine on!