THE EVOLUTION OF THE "NEW WOMAN": SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS AND FEMALE AGENCY IN 19TH-CENTURY ENGLISH FICTION

Abstract

This article explores the transformation of female identity within the Victorian literary canon. Focusing on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles, it examines how female protagonists navigated the rigid patriarchal structures of 19th-century England. The study delves into the socio-economic status of women, the legal restrictions of "coverture," and the emergence of the "New Woman" movement. By synthesizing literary analysis with historical context, this research argues that Victorian fiction functioned as a provocative medium for challenging gender hierarchies and advocating for female autonomy