An Analysis of Skills and Knowledge

Questions: write an essay on the skills and knowledge required of students in their specialist degree studies and their future career options. You will therefore need to do some research on the degree course, and on career options for graduates of this course. Title An analysis of skills and Knowledge required to undertake degree studies in management and IT and follow a future career path in business analyst. Introduction Describe the course of study and intended future career path in the third person e.g. Students of Oil and Gas Management generally progress into careers in industry. As such they need a range of skills in working with people .. Definition of the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in this field Here, you need to do research on the career options available to students in the subject and find out what particular skills are required to follow a particular career path e.g. In order to become a Human Resource Manager, there is a need to have strong communication skills. Ways of developing skills and knowledge in this area You need to focus on ways of developing skills in particular areas e.g. There are different ways of developing communication skills, such as regular practice of presentations, public speaking, and listening to other presenters to get a sense of how they communicate. Conclusion overall summary of what has been written in the essay. You should also include some reference to how a task such as this can help students in their future career path. Answers: Introduction Management studies give the student the understanding and knowledge of managing a particular organisation. Studying in this field helps to build necessary skill set which is required to take up various management positions in different industrial organisations. The knowledge of managing a business can be thoroughly achieved by studying management (Alvesson and Sandberg, 2012). Management studies provide the student with the required perspective for business management. On the other hand, Students of IT can make use of the technology to contribute to the organisations. In todays world an organisation cannot run without utilizing the aspects of Information Technology. Thus IT students naturally have great demand in the industrial market. Studying IT lets the students acquire proper skill which ultimately helps them in taking the vast number of challenges and opportunities available in IT industry (Fagoulis and Phillips, 2011). Skills and knowledge needed to succeed in Management and IT To follow a leading career path in the field of management, a student must possess a common set of skills, such as: The student must have proper decision making skills so that he or she has the ability to choose the appropriate method of solving management problems that might crop up in organisational situations (Greenhaus, Callanan and Godshalk, 2010). A basic knowledge in gathering information and thereafter planning a successful strategy is a mandatory skill for a student of management in order to succeed in this career field. The ultimate objective of the planning is to reach the demands and requirements for organisations to achieve desired results. In addition to these, a good communication skill is also a must-have for a management student (Mubarak, 2013). Good communication has the power to motivate the employees of the organisation towards working harder to achieve high-standards and goals which ultimately is beneficial for the organisation. Whereas, to pursue a career in IT field and follow a successful course of career, the basic skills that are needed are as follows: The ability to grasp the functionalities of newly emerging technologies is the fundamental requirement to proceed with a career in the line of IT. IT students should be conversant with the technical languages and commercial terms that are being used in the market. He or she should possess a quality of working well in groups or team i.e. teamwork. One of the most important feature of a successful IT professional is to be able to work well even under pressure (Peate, 2011). This is because IT industries go through lot of changes and ups and downs and that too very frequently. Thus a student need to be confident and self-motivated so that he/she can deliver good quality work in a timely manner. Additionally, communicating effectively is a necessary skill for IT aspirants because it helps to convey a clear and to-the-point message to the intended clients (Taylor, 2011). Ways of developing required skills and knowledge The students can follow certain techniques which can make them be able to take proper decisions regarding management issues. Few of them are mentioned as: avoid delay in taking a step, analyse the pros and cons of all the alternatives, study the requirements of each alternative and thereafter evaluate the resources needed to follow each decision. Some of the ways to improve ones communication skill can be: practise speaking in public, confidently send the intended message in a proper and convincing approach, increase vocabulary, develop a good body language and use good gestures (Tuan, 2011). In order to build a good team, a manager not only needs to give support to each of the members in a team, but also motivate them to work well. Moreover, there should be a practice of rewarding good work. The person should have the capability to set goals and deadlines and convey clear and concise message to the team members. Each member should be valued and treated equally. Ways to improve planning skills involve good thinking ability so that he or she is able to foresee the probable consequences that might result from adopting the strategies, analysing requirements, evaluating resources, set goals, and attach deadlines (MacKenzie, 2012). Thus by following these simple techniques it is possible to achieve a good skill set needed to succeed in careers of IT and Management. Future career options Studying management opens up vast career prospects for students to choose from. Having ideal management and business skills can open up the doors to large industrial organisations and therefore with the right amount of hard work, dedication and knowledge set the students can climb up the ladder to higher and senior management positions (Alvesson and Sandberg, 2012). Moreover, students can learn skills and gather enough experience from the industry to establish their own business. Management graduates can work in various roles in managerial fields such as finance, marketing, human resources, accounting, sales, retail etc. IT graduates can use their technical skills to work in multiple fields such as database, system analyst, software engineering, software developing etc. Other prospects that are available for IT graduates also include technical support, technical author, IT trainer etc. (Fagoulis and Phillips, 2011). Business analysts are the people who can work with both IT as well as the management people. They basically connect with the IT professionals, business managers and users or clients. This means that business analyst needs to have knowledge related to technology as well as management (Greenhaus, Callanan and Godshalk, 2010). Conclusion This paper concludes that the course of management and IT can open up a huge variety of professions. A student having good skill set and domain knowledge in management and IT can choose from a number of career opportunities available in the market. The primary set of skills needed by a student to pursue these careers and also various ways to develop the necessary skills are also mentioned in this document (Taylor, 2011). By following these methods a student can acquire the particular skills to succeed. IT and Management graduates have good prospects with regards to career as more and more business and IT industries are taking over the world. Reference List Alvesson, M. and Sandberg, J. (2012). Has Management Studies Lost Its Way? Ideas for More Imaginative and Innovative Research. Journal of Management Studies, 50(1), pp.128-152. Fagoulis, I. and Phillips, N. (2011). Social Skills for Successful Career Development. RES, 3(1). Greenhaus, J., Callanan, G. and Godshalk, V. (2010). Career management. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Mubarak, A. (2013). Knowledge Management and Management Accounting Decisions- Experimental Study. JOMS, pp.1-14. Peate, I. (2011). Developing leadership and management skills. Dental Nursing, 7(9), pp.523-527. Taylor, R. (2011). Confidence at work. London: Kogan Page. Tuan, N. (2011). Vietnamese Students Employability Skills. IES, 4(4). MacKenzie, C. (2012). Book review: Critical Concepts in Management and Organization Studies. Management Learning, 43(4), pp.461-462.

The New Fuss About Descriptive Essay Examples

The New Fuss About Descriptive Essay Examples Facts, Fiction and Descriptive Essay Examples Essays are available in many forms. Writers use sensory information to spell out object. Additionally, it's possible to also have a look at our Argumentative Essay templates. Descriptive Narrative Essay Example may be used mainly to recreate a function. Descriptive Essay Examples for Dummies When you would like to portray something through using a metaphor, make certain you're consistent, that all the descriptors make sense with that 1 metaphor. It's very simple as it is an overall topic and food is present in every individual's life. Detailed information permits the reader to form an image in her or his imagination. A description might be merely a paragraph, or it might be longer, as needed to completely describe the thing. Employing very good description is among the many keys to success on your way to becoming an excellent writer. By this time, you probably get the concept that the style choice for your descriptive essay is really open. Becoming creative and descriptive can occasionally be a challenge. There's nobody approach to teach descriptive writing. It is generally identified with the use of senses to provide a narrative, sketch or explanation on the topic at hand. In writing a descriptive essay, it's prudent to use the imagination to catch the interest of the readers and provide them an opportunity to recreate in their minds the entire situation which is being shown to them. The usage of word brightness in the previous line is striking one. Once you choose the topic which suits you most, bear in mind the reason you write your essay, concentrate on the most significant details to tell about in your text and don't neglect the value of senses and feelings in your essay. Each and every detail of a specific subject plays an important part in developing a visual representation for such. The Little-Known Secrets to Descriptive Essay Examples Descriptive Essay on Market can be employed by tourists or visitors that don't have any prior understanding of a marketplace. Picking a great topic for your essay is essential. Essay sites for children might be as a particular. Templates like Descriptive Essay about Office can be helpful for someone who's planning to stop by an office. The War Against Descriptive Essay Examples The structure of this kind of essay is comparable to numerous others it should incorporate an introduction, a principal part and a conclusion. For you to produce a great descriptive essay, you should learn how to encrypt a great thesis statement. Make sure you will always don't forget the items that we've discussed so that you can remain ready in writing a descriptive essay if you'll be tasked to do so even within the professional working atmosphere. If you would like to create a descriptive essay about your own personal experience, it could possibly be unusual and specific. There's no limit as to what you could write for your essay. The most frequently encountered paper writing service that the bulk of our clients require is essay writing. There are many expert essay writers that could cope at any essay in no moment. When writing a descriptive essay you have to pay attention to a variety of factors. Though, there are specific patterns that you are supposed to follow when you compose a descriptive essay. The main point to be mindful about in personal descriptive essay is that there shouldn't be any over-exaggeration. There are primarily two types to think about when writing a descriptive essay. Of course, when you understand how to compose the descriptive essay in right way. A descriptive essay is a type of essay that employs the senses to spell out a particular object in the shape of writing. It allows a reader to understand the essay's subject using illustrative language. A superior descriptive essay comes out of a knowledgeable and imaginative mind. A descriptive essay, since the name implies, is a kind of essay that describes something.

What Are Your Research Paper Topic And Working Thesis For The Long Way Gone?

What Are Your Research Paper Topic And Working Thesis For The Long Way Gone?How do you create a killer content-based research paper? If you are creating your own research paper for the long way gone, this article will show you how to create a killer research paper in no time. Keep reading and I will help you with that.You must be wondering what is your research paper topic and working thesis for the long way gone. Well, it's a must that you know your topic and working thesis before starting the process of creating a research paper. Without knowing the topic and working thesis for the long way gone, it will be very difficult for you to come up with the best research paper possible. The good news is that you can easily solve this problem by reading on and doing some searches for free research papers.Why do you need to know your topic and working thesis for the long way gone when you are creating your research paper? If you don't know your topic and working thesis for the long way gone, then you are a lot more likely to become confused during the writing process and for sure forget the whole process. This is a common problem that people go through when they are writing papers. They end up not knowing what the paper is about and it becomes very difficult for them to edit their paper.You must know your keywords and keyword phrases because they are the key factors in determining how you will generate sales for your business online. Your keywords and keyword phrases are the two things that will determine whether your articles are read or not. So if you want to make your research papers to sell, then you must know your keywords and keyword phrases well.Now let's move on to what is your research paper topic and working thesis for the long way gone. Your topic and working thesis for the long way gone depend on the topic and working thesis that you chose to base your paper on. So choose wisely.So what is your research paper topic and working thesis for the long way gone? A good research paper topic and working thesis for the long way gone must be something that you truly believe in, and it should also be something that your target market wants to hear. Otherwise, it would be almost useless to start the process of creating a research paper because you would find it very difficult to convince your target market that your research paper is something that they want to hear.That is why the best research paper topics and working thesis for the long way gone are typically those that you really believe in and that you really care about. It is not good enough to create a research paper if you don't believe in it, and it would be nearly impossible to convince your target market that it is worth listening to. You must believe in your research paper, if you want to attract the attention of your target market.Remember that your topic and working thesis for the long way gone for the best research paper are going to depend on the topic and working thesis that you choose to base your research paper on. If you know your keywords and keyword phrases well, then choose wisely.

Choosing The Best Humanities Research Paper Topics

Choosing The Best Humanities Research Paper TopicsIf you are currently pursuing a program in the Humanities, you may have to deal with not just academic subjects, but also a multitude of other subjects. Many people have even been known to choose just one subject or discipline in order to avoid going through all of the cognitive overload that can occur when a student is working on so many different subjects. At the same time, if you do choose to major in the Humanities and you are intending to do your thesis, you will most likely need to have some sort of specialization.When you start your career in the Humanities, there are many different choices to make. It may be a choice between focusing on the humanities in particular, or the study of one or more fields in the field. This article will explore a few of the different areas that you may be interested in. After all, it's important to keep in mind that you don't have to specialize entirely to pursue your studies.As an example, I've he ard of individuals that may choose to focus on history, art, literature, religion, philosophy, or any number of different work. Not only will they need to be able to write well, but they will also need to be knowledgeable of their chosen field. Other than that, they could focus on another area such as music or theater.Some areas will also include a lot of specializations. If you are a philosophy major, you may choose to choose an area of specialization such as Logic, Philosophy of Religion, or Psychology. Obviously, you will need to specialize in one of these areas. You will also need to decide whether or not you would prefer to complete your thesis in one area or in several.There are also a variety of research paper topics that will be required for each specialization. For example, in philosophy, you will need to choose between a thesis topic on The Limits of Language (or Philosophy of Language) and a topic on Interpretation and Change (or Metaphysics). These two topics are quite s imilar, but the former focuses on more literary analysis while the latter focuses more on philosophical issues surrounding perception and thought.Regardless, of which area you choose, there are other elements that need to be taken into consideration. If you want to specialize in a particular area, you will need to find a thesis advisor that you can work with.They will help you with everything from choosing the required readings, to choosing which books you will use to complete your core duties. It is important to realize that you will also need to find time to work on your studies. Even if you are interested in multiple disciplines, you will likely want to focus on a specific area each semester. You will need to determine whether or not this is possible for you as well.

Best Topics For Documented Essays

Best Topics For Documented EssaysIf you want to know the best topics for documented essays, here is a guide to help you get started. In your document, you should write about something that is uniquely yours. This will make it unique and interesting for other people to read.You can spend hours doing your own research, but your topic needs to be unique. Then, when you submit your essay, other people will actually appreciate the research that you put into it. However, there are some common topics for documented essays that you can use. It is up to you if you want to use any of these topics or not. Some are better than others, so you need to choose what works best for you.Start with a topic that has no negative implications on you. The best topics are those that speak to you in an honest way, that allow you to express your opinion in a positive way. For example, if you are someone who has had a horrible experience with an employer, then you can write about how this event affected you. Th is may be the best topic for documented essays for people who are being abused by their employers.You can also use this type of essay to talk about something that you enjoyed in high school. Just about every school has a history and you should have plenty of stories from your past. You can find great topics for documented essays about this type of subject matter, so long as you have been in school for at least one year.Most essay subjects will work well as a topic for documented essays, but you need to be aware of the fact that some topics are more difficult to research than others. This means that you need to find something that has no problems with research. The best topics for documented essays are those that are totally researched. The easiest topics for documented essays are the ones that have little to no research needed to write them.You can also go with topics that require very little research and give your essay a more personal feel. This is what will make your essay stand out from others. This means that you need to find topics that are more easily researched so that you do not get bogged down with too much research.Sometimes you need to have your essay tailored for your grade. You can find essays that are tailor made for you, or you can create the topic yourself. This will mean that you will be writing more and that you will have to research each part of the essay before you can write it.Writing an essay does not have to be the hardest thing in the world. You just need to know what to write, what to research, and what topics work best for you. With a little work, you can write a great essay that you can be proud of.

Should college students have complete freedom to choose their own courses and create their own curriculum Essay Example

Should college students have complete freedom to choose their own courses and create their own curriculum? Essay The degree and scope of academic freedom has been a perennial topic of debate. But generally, it is the governing authorities who have their way, with students having to toe the line. In an ideal world, though, students will play a significant role in determining the courses and subjects to be included in their curriculums. While students in primary and secondary stages of education need to have a standard basic curriculum, those reaching college level should be given more autonomy. This relaxation is recommended keeping in mind that college students are entering adulthood and have a right to choose the type of individuals they want to become. (Robertson Smith, 1999, p.69) As the system functions today, college students are forced to conform to an educational model that was not designed in their interests. In other words, the existing educational system serves to indoctrinate young minds into obedient servants of the established social order. At the top of the social pyramid are the business and political elites, whose interests are reflected in the design of curricula. Hence, though it might lead to radical social upheavals, allowing greater freedom of choice within college campuses is the right way to go. Let us look at the rationale offered by those against freedom of choice in curricula and identify flaws in their arguments. A prominent advocate for less academic freedom was the sociologist Mortimer Adler, who stated that, left to their own choices, some students â€Å"will ‘downgrade’ their own education; therefore, adults should control these crucial choices so that such downgrading does not occur.† (Noddings, 2006, p.285) This fear is overstated, for college authorities can devise ways of ensuring that certain basic standards are met. Moreover, by what criteria are courses judged good and bad? In other words, the notion of ‘downgrading’ is very subjective. As John Dewey noted in his lectures, We will write a custom essay sample on Should college students have complete freedom to choose their own courses and create their own curriculum? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Should college students have complete freedom to choose their own courses and create their own curriculum? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Should college students have complete freedom to choose their own courses and create their own curriculum? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer â€Å"a course in cooking, well planned and well executed, can induce critical thinking, increase cultural literacy, and provide valuable skills – it can be a â€Å"good† course. In contrast, a course in algebra may discourage critical thinking, add nothing to cultural literacy, and lead students to despair of acquiring useful skills – it can be a â€Å"bad† course.† (Noddings, 2006, p.285) Considering that John Dewey was the most influential educationist of last century, his views have to be heeded to. The essence of Dewey’s argument is that by there is more merit than what is apparent in courses such as cooking than what the academic establishment will admit. Moreover, if students are allowed to create courses that would satisfy their natural inclinations, they are bound to participate in the learning process more willingly and thoroughly, enhancing the final outcome. To alleviate the concerns of those who fear lack of norms and standards in giving complete freedom, we need to qualify the sort of freedom offered them. While the coercive authoritarian nature of standardized curriculum is one extreme, a permissive, hands-off freedom given to students will be the opposite extreme. By applying moderation, a system that is realistic and yet demanding could be designed. Teacher counseling and guidance that approximates parental interest in students is worth pursuing. One should also remember that students can never be given equal opportunity by force. Such a tendency is against democratic principles. Instead, what we need to do, is to â€Å"live with our children, assess their gifts and interests both realistically and generously, talk with them, listen to them, and help them to make well-informed decisions.† (Robertson Smith, 1999, p.68) College courses need not be looked at as merely facilitators of vocational and economic opportunities. Other key criteria in evaluating the worth of college courses are their ability to stimulate and challenge the intellect, their capacity to evolve students into wholesome persons, etc. In other words, the key question to be asked is whether the course will lead students to grow into socially, morally, and intellectually responsible adults. Moreover, we should never prematurely conclude that â€Å"conventional academic subjects are superior to others. We should investigate. We should ask teachers to justify what they do in light of the criteria we establish, and we should continually ask penetrating questions about the criteria themselves.† (Noddings, 2006, p.285) Falling back on the Deweyite philosophy, education is much more than a means to an end – it is an end in itself. Hence, the marketability of skills in the job market, the pecuniary benefits of a particular ski ll, etc should not be the key criteria determining course content. In this scenario, it is likely to be the case that students, when given complete freedom, will dismantle the prevailing set of narrow criteria. They are likely to follow their interests and passions without considerations of the job market, or monetary rewards, which will lead to decentralization of the national economy. Hence the effects of student freedom touch the realms of economy, society, culture and beyond. The dangers of a rigid top-down approach to curricula are highlighted by events in American legislature. For example, â€Å"bills challenging the premise that faculty and colleges should determine curriculum and select teachers have been introduced in fifteen states and the U.S. Congress, but none has advanced to become law†. (Bradley, 2005, p.9) This is good news, because the proposed bills, which spring from the unofficial document circulated by David Horowitz titled Academic Bill of Rights, is based on a neoconservative social agenda. According to the proposal, the government will play an overarching role in curricula and pedagogy and in faculty recruitment and promotion in both public and private institutions of higher education. In a testimony submitted to the California legislature, an opponent of the bill pointed out that when enacted, the law will â€Å"damage higher education by inviting nonprofessional criteria for evaluation, by encouraging the false idea that the content of teaching and research can be helpfully classified in popular political categories, and by inviting costly litigation.† (Bradley, 2005, p.9) Hence, the flaws inherent in the Academic Bill of Rights (a euphemistic term) suggest that freedom should thrive at the level of colleges if not at the level of students. In other words, if giving students the freedom to frame their curriculum is too utopian an idea, then at least autonomy at the college administration level is a basic requirement. Only then will the academia see diversity of thought and dynamism in scholarship. Such an environment is conducive for positive social action, which is essential for the proper functioning of democracy. If complete freedom for students sounds unrealistic, then educationists will at least have to agree to a more flexible approach to curricula. Periodic review of curricula based on student feedback and broad-based survey of society and economy is a feasible option. Indeed, curriculum revision can be a positive experience that benefits all stakeholders. These include students, teachers, support staff, etc. References Bradley, G. (2005, July/August). Bills Challenge Faculty Control over Curriculum. Academe, 91(4), 9+. LaCursia, N. (2010). Implementing a Four-Phase Curriculum Review Model: With This Model You Can Review and Modify a Curriculum in Any Discipline, at Any Level, from Elementary School to College. JOPERD–The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation Dance, 81(9), 39+. Noddings, N. (2006). Rethinking the Benefits of the College-Bound Curriculum. Phi Delta Kappan, 78(4), 285+. Robertson, A., Smith, B. (Eds.). (1999). Teaching in the 21st Century: Adapting Writing Pedagogies to the College Curriculum. New York: Falmer Press.

Pride and Prejudice Essays

Pride and Prejudice Essays Pride and Prejudice Essay Pride and Prejudice Essay ‘Introduction to â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, (1996) London: Penguin). This lead to much confusion among critics as to exactly what Austen’s views regarding marriage and feminism were, and in many cases continues to do so today. In this essay I will attempt to clear up some of this ambiguity, while closely examining the idea of marriage itself, the nature of the ‘social contract’, and the social and historical background to the idea of marriage as a social contract In ‘The Sadeian Woman’, Angela Carter states that â€Å"The marriage bed is a particularly delusive refuge from the world, because all wives of necessity fuck by contract† (Carter, Angela, ‘The Sadeian Woman’, pg. 9, (1978) ). Unfortunately for Ms. Elizabeth Bennet, it cannot be denied that she is a â€Å"wife of necessity†. Effectively disinherited through the fine print of their father’s will, the Bennet girls and their neurotic mother are to become penniless on the death of Mr. Bennet, unless they can find themselves a rich husband. Elizabeth’s initial disapproval of Mr. Darcy and his pride seems to undergo a radical upheaval on her visit to Pemberley, Darcy’s ancestral estate, as she herself admits – when discussing with her sister the progress of her feeling’s for Mr. Darcy, she states â€Å"I believe it must date from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley† (p301). Certain critics have therefore claimed that Elizabeth Bennet is mercenary in her reasons for marriage to Mr. Darcy. This apparently gold-digging behaviour would suggest an attempt by Elizabeth not only to retain, but also to improve, her class status, and therefore to fall in line with rural traditionalism as laid out in Edmund Burke’s ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’. As Elizabeth Bennet is Austen’s heroine, and therefore a character of whom she writes very favourably, it could be supposed that Austen’s attitude towards marriage, and the position of women in society, in writing this book was one of traditional rural conservatism. However, before we can accept this supposition, we must recall that Elizabeth has already turned down two well-off potential husbands – one of them being Mr. Darcy himself! – in an attempt to hold out for true love and personal happiness. Her disgust at the proposal of the unbelievably boring and rude Mr. Collins was surpassed only by her shock at discovering that her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, had consented to marry him instead. Unabashedly mercenary, Ms. Lucas declares that marriage is a woman’s â€Å"pleasantest preservative from want† but that it is â€Å"uncertain of giving happiness† (p. 03) (Jones, V. , etc). Elizabeth, on the other hand, claims to believe in marriage for love, and holds her own individual happiness as a personal goal. This portrayal of the heroine as a creature of emotion and feeling, as opposed to a rational, logical and slightly more masculine figure, would assume Austen to be in favour of the theories of such feminist thinkers of the time as Mary Wollstonecraft – a staunch opposer of the writings of Edmund Burke. What, then, is Austen’s stance towards marriage as seen in ‘Pride and Prejudice’? Is she a romantic feminist or a rural traditionalist? My personal belief is that Austen is neither – I would suggest that she, in fact, manages to reach a happy compromise between the two. Austen clearly applauds Elizabeth Bennet’s Wollstonecraftian behaviour in rushing across the countryside to Netherfield to take care of her sister Jane in her illness as she describes Elizabeth’s appearance afterwards in very favourable terms, and highlights how it contributes to Darcy’s growing attraction to her, mentioning â€Å"the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion† (p. 0). However, it is also apparent that Austen is in support of the traditional Burkean notion of family and marriage, as the novel finishes with both Jane and Elizabeth happily and prosperously married to men who are their social betters. Both women marry above themselves and secure financial and social stability for both themselves and their families, thus falling in line wit h what would have been expected of well-brought up young rural ladies. Austen’s achievement in writing ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was, therefore, to show that Wollstonecraftian femininity could exist alongside and within the rural traditionalist ideals of Edmund Burke. Marriage in the time of Jane Austen was neither a religious sacrament (as the predominant English religion of the time, and Austen’s religion, Anglicanism, did not view marriage as a sacrament) nor a symbol of romantic love. In Enlightenment England, marriage was rather a necessity, the ultimate aim of all self-respecting young women. Women were, from birth, trained for their inevitable final position as a mother, wife, chef, and household head. Education was not about schooling in the ways and knowledge of the world, but rather the acquisition of a rich store of ‘accomplishments’ – painting, musical talent, singing, embroidery essentially the marketable skills of a desirable, and socially respectable, wife. Not only was marriage expected by men to be the desire of all women, but it was also, in fact, a means to an end. Women married to secure their status in society and often to improve their social standing, or ‘move up a rung’ in the all-pervading class hierarchy of the era. ‘Pride And Prejudice’ was no exception to this rule. Take the most obvious examples of Elizabeth and Jane Bennet. On a first glance, these women marry for love and for happiness – ‘Pride And Prejudice’ is clearly a classic romance novel. However, constantly bubbling away on the backburner is the undeniable reality of the Bennets’ impending impoverishment, should they fail to secure rich husbands. Effectively disinherited by the fine print of their father’s will, the future of their whole family is staked on their choice of suitors, now that they have reached marriageable age – as is reflected very effectively by Mrs. Bennet’s neuroticism! Aside from the personal difficulties of the Bennet family, there lies in the background of ‘Pride And Prejudice’ the grim historical reality of the time. 1790’s England was a time of â€Å"political crisis and social mobility† (Jones, V. etc), a time when the stability and power of the rural ruling class was threatened by the upwardly mobile ‘nouveau riche’ merchant class and the increasingly outspoken and demanding working class. Marriage, family – these were seen as social institutions, traditions essential for the preservation of the supremacy of the ruling gentry that the Darcys, the Bingleys, and to a lesser extent the Bennets. Marriage was, for the members of this clas s, a means of preserving their social position, protecting the integrity of the class structure, and upholding the rural traditions essential for their survival. When we say then that marriage in Jane Austen’s ‘Pride And Prejudice’ can be viewed as being a kind of social contract, we mean in so far as it enabled the women of the time to amass fortune and social respect, and allowed their men to protect the ruling culture which was threatened at this time by outside political influences. Marriage was a mutually beneficial agreement between the man and the woman – in exchange for the woman’s inheritance (if any), body, and the social respectability and support of the rural traditions that possession of an ‘accomplished’ wife offered, the man gave financial support and social status. This leads to charges of marriage being akin to â€Å"legal prostitution† (Wollstonecraft, Mary: A Vindication of The Rights of Woman) – women were seen by some as selling their bodies for societal betterment. Mr. Darcy is naturally the object of the mercenary desires of the women of Pemberley, as he is rumoured to be in receipt of a fortune of ten thousand pounds a year – it has been said by some commentators that Elizabeth Bennet merely falls prey to these mercenary desires, and engages in a marriage as a social contract, using romantic love as an excuse, not a reason, for unity with Darcy. I must disagree – I feel this argument has a critical flaw, in so far as Elizabeth not only turns down Darcy at his first proposal, while being fully aware of his riches (although perhaps not yet confronted with all the glory of Pemberley), but also refuses the advances of the well-off, yet exceedingly boring, Mr. Collins. If Elizabeth Bennet were purely mercenary in her designs, why then would she turn down two apparently suitable matches in an attempt to hold out for her goal of personal happiness? How then can we summarise the view of marriage as a social contract in ‘Pride And Prejudice’? Firstly, I think it is important to note that Austen did not set out to write a feminist text, denouncing the marital and romantic traditions of the ruling class. Her heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, does finally settle down with a man who would have been viewed in anybody’s eyes as being a most suitable and socially acceptable match for her. Darcy provides wealth, respect, security, and an elevated position in society – all of which were the most desirable attributes for a prospective husband of the era. However, the novel is not entirely traditionalist, praising as it does the actions of a heroine who defies her mother in order to please herself long-term, who engages in plenty of outdoor activity usually viewed as unbecoming to a young lady of status, and who openly speaks her mind regarding the behaviour of Mr. Darcy. As I stated earlier, Austen seems to come to a happy compromise between Wollstonecraftian feminism and the staunch traditionalism of such writers as Hannah More. Similarly, Austen appears to compromise between two marital viewpoints – that which would view marriage purely as a social contract, a means to an end, and that which would promote a more romantic version of marital unity. Marriage as a social contract is, then, rampant in ‘Pride And Prejudice’ – we can see it clearly in the marriage of Charlotte Lucas to Mr. Collins – and could be seen as being something of a necessity to young women, to preserve their social standing. However, it is clear that Austen does not neglect a romantic viewpoint, presenting as she does two beautiful young women who are both madly in love with their chosen husbands . References: Austen, Jane, ‘Pride And Prejudice’, (1813) Burke, Edmund, ‘Reflections on The Revolution in France’, (1790) Carter, Angela, ‘The Sadeian Woman’, (1978) Jones, V. , ‘Introduction to â€Å"Pride And Prejudice†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, (1996), London: Penguin Classics Wollstonecraft, Mary, ‘A Vindication of The Rights of Woman’, (1792)