Literature And Caste: Austen's Class Hierarchies And The Indian Social System

Abstract

This paper explores the intersections between the class hierarchies represented in Jane Austen’s novels and the caste dynamics prevalent in the Indian social system. By juxtaposing Austen’s depiction of social mobility, class consciousness, and economic dependence with the rigid and often oppressive structures of caste in India, this study seeks to highlight the universal nature of social stratification and its implications for individual agency. While Austen’s works reflect the British Regency era’s preoccupation with social class and marriage as a means of economic security, parallels can be drawn to the ways in which caste operates as a determinant of socio-economic mobility in Indian society. The analysis demonstrates that despite the differing cultural contexts, both systems reveal the entrenchment of privilege and systemic inequality.