Rational Woman

Most Janeites know that Jane Austen's favourite authors included Burney, Edgeworth, Johnson, Richardson. There is one author whose influence, I contend, has been generally understimated, acknowledged only by a few of the more perceptive commentators, and directed the course of Jane Austen's creative thinking all of her life. I refer to Mary Wollstonecraft. Jane Austen was familiar with 'A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman' and, even if she never read more than the introduction, one sentence there influenced her creative thinking more than any other single sentence in English Literature:

"My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them as rational creatures, instead of flattering their fascinating graces, and viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, unable to stand alone."

Could anything more typically sum up Jane Austen's creative approach? This sentence alone may have provoked her to revolt against the pathetic, helpless heroine of the Gothic novel. But as a matter of more immediate interest, I'd like to point out that the word "rational" is actually scattered about a dozen times throughout P&P. I've made a list (but unfortunately I did not think to record chapter references):

01 - Caroline Bingley, hoping to impress Mr Darcy, suggests that conversation is a more rational pastime than a ball.

02 - At Sir William Lucas's house, Wickham says Darcy is rational when he wants to be.

03 - Lizzie judges that Wickham has given a rational account.

04 - LIZZIE PLEADS WITH MR COLLINS TO RECOGNISE THAT SHE IS A RATIONAL CREATURE.

05 - In her letters, Charlotte Lucas presents a rationally-softened portrait of life at Rosings.

06 - Mr Bennet says Kitty must behave rationally for 10 minutes every day or he will not let her out.

07 - Jane hopes Lydia and Wickham will live in a rational style.

08 - Lizzie thinks Lydia not capable of rational happiness.

09 - Lizzie concedes it is not rational to hope that Mr Darcy may still love her.

10 - Jane and Lizzie persuade Mr Bennet with rational arguments.

11 - Lizzie judges that Mr Bingley's hope of future happiness is rational.

12 - Lizzie sarcastically describes Lady de B's visit to Longbourn as a rational plan.

I apologise again for not having precise editional or chapter references; but, I do not write for such dull elves who cannot trace these things for themselves...