Track 1: No Doubt "Just A Girl"
Song Title: Just a Girl
Artist: No Doubt
Album: Tragic Kingdom
Released: 1995
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFg
Artist: No Doubt
Album: Tragic Kingdom
Released: 1995
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFg
Living in 1800’s England doesn’t give Elizabeth Bennett a whole lot of options when it comes to deciding how she will live her life. She essentially has two choices, she can get married or she can die a poor spinster. Not very appealing options for an intelligent and sensible girl. Society at the time essentially thought of women as delicate little things that should obey their father’s first, and then their husbands after marriage. A woman who was opinionated, spoke her mind, or stood up for herself, would have been seen as crass or impolite, definitely not marriage material. However, Elizabeth refuses to subscribe to society’s notion of what she should be. She often speaks her mind and is not afraid to call out a man who is being rude to her.
No Doubt’s song “Just a girl” fits Elizabeth’s personality perfectly. In the song, lead singer Gwen Stefani says, “Don’t you think I know exactly where I stand, This world is forcing me to hold your hand.” This relates to Elizabeth’s life because she is being “forced” to marry a man or else she will be homeless and poor once her father dies. Stefani also sings, “Oh, I’m just a girl, all pretty and petite, So don’t let me have any rights.” This directly relates to Elizabeth’s situation in life because, at that time, women weren’t allowed to own property, vote, or have any real rights in the government. This is the main reason why Elizabeth and her sisters and mother are in such a predicament. Once their father dies, they will all lose their home and all of his income, which will both be given to their cousin, Mr. Collins. Thus, the Bennett women would be poor and homeless. The only way out of this is if they get married and their husbands agree to let their mother live with them. Also, women, at this time, were supposed to be “pretty and petite” as the song says. In the story it mentions that the whole reason Mr. and Mrs. Bennett get married in the first place is because Mrs. Bennett was handsome when she was young. Also, their mohter always touts Jane’s greatest quality as her beauty, forgetting that she is also extremely kind and caring. Jane's beauty is what initially attracts Mr. Bingley to her.
Finally, in the song, Stefani often remarks that “I’ve had it up to here!” I believe that Elizabeth is also often frustrated with her inferior position as a woman. This is why she finds it so hard to hold her tongue when Mr. Darcy, or anyone else, insults her. Thus, I start the playlist off with one of my favorite make-no-apologies rocker chicks, Gwen Stefani. It seems fitting since both Gwen and Elizabeth find themselves rocking the boat on typical gender stereotypes.
No Doubt’s song “Just a girl” fits Elizabeth’s personality perfectly. In the song, lead singer Gwen Stefani says, “Don’t you think I know exactly where I stand, This world is forcing me to hold your hand.” This relates to Elizabeth’s life because she is being “forced” to marry a man or else she will be homeless and poor once her father dies. Stefani also sings, “Oh, I’m just a girl, all pretty and petite, So don’t let me have any rights.” This directly relates to Elizabeth’s situation in life because, at that time, women weren’t allowed to own property, vote, or have any real rights in the government. This is the main reason why Elizabeth and her sisters and mother are in such a predicament. Once their father dies, they will all lose their home and all of his income, which will both be given to their cousin, Mr. Collins. Thus, the Bennett women would be poor and homeless. The only way out of this is if they get married and their husbands agree to let their mother live with them. Also, women, at this time, were supposed to be “pretty and petite” as the song says. In the story it mentions that the whole reason Mr. and Mrs. Bennett get married in the first place is because Mrs. Bennett was handsome when she was young. Also, their mohter always touts Jane’s greatest quality as her beauty, forgetting that she is also extremely kind and caring. Jane's beauty is what initially attracts Mr. Bingley to her.
Finally, in the song, Stefani often remarks that “I’ve had it up to here!” I believe that Elizabeth is also often frustrated with her inferior position as a woman. This is why she finds it so hard to hold her tongue when Mr. Darcy, or anyone else, insults her. Thus, I start the playlist off with one of my favorite make-no-apologies rocker chicks, Gwen Stefani. It seems fitting since both Gwen and Elizabeth find themselves rocking the boat on typical gender stereotypes.